Wally West
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| Wally West | |
 Cover art for The Flash (vol. 2) # 207 Art by Michael Turner |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | as Kid Flash: The Flash (vol. 1) #110 (December 1959) as Flash: Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (March 1986) |
| Created by | John Broome Carmine Infantino |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West |
| Team affiliations | Justice League Teen Titans |
| Notable aliases | Kid Flash, Kid Lantern,[1] Flash |
| Abilities |
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The Flash (Wally West) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash.[2]
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[edit] Publication history
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This section requires expansion. |
Wally West was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino and introduced in The Flash (vol. 1) #110 (1959). The character was the nephew of existing Flash character Iris West. During a visit to Central City police laboratory where Barry Allen worked, the freak accident that gave Allen his powers repeated itself, bathing West in electrically-charged chemicals. Now possessing the same powers as The Flash, West donned a smaller sized copy of Barry Allen's Flash outfit and became the young crimefighter Kid Flash.
This costume was quickly altered to one that would make him more visually distinctive. The original red was replaced with a costume that was primarily yellow with red leggings, gloves, and mask.
In addition to his appearances within the Flash title, the character was used as a member of the newly created Teen Titans.[2]
The decision by DC comics editorial staff to radically change their fictional universe saw a number of changes to the status quo of the character. With Wally West as the Flash his abilities became less powerful.[2] For example, instead of being able to reach the speed of light, he can run just faster than that of sound (Crisis on Infinite Earths, issue 12 1985). Also, the character has to eat vast quantities of food to maintain his metabolism.[3]
Those changes were quickly followed up and 1987 saw the publication of a new Flash comic, initially written by Mike Baron. As long as his adventures as a superhero, the issue of money was a common theme during the series. West won a lottery,[4] buys a large mansion,[5] and became something of a playboy. The character's finances and luck continued to ebb and wane until Flash (vol. 2) #62, when his playboy ways ended and his fortunes stabilized.
The 1990s also saw further modifications to the look of the character, with a modified uniform appearing in 1991.[6] This modified costume altered the visual appearance of the traditional Flash costume, with a belt made of two connecting lightning bolts, removal of the wings from the top of his boots, a change in the material of his costume, and opaque lenses added to the eyes of his cowl. This modified design utilized elements of the costume designed by artist Dave Stevens for the live action television series, The Flash.
A difficult encounter with a particularly vicious foe, the first Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne), also served to increase the speed of the character.[7] After this encounter, he was Barry Allen's equal in speed, though he still had not been able to recover Barry's vibrational abilities.
This theme of power was further expanded upon by the writer Mark Waid further redefined the character by introducing the Speed Force, an energy source that served as a pseudo-scientific explanation for his powers and that of other fictional speedsters within the DC Universe. Using this concept as a basis, the character's ability to tap into the speed force was used to expand his abilities. The character was now able to lend speed to other objects and people (Terminal Velocity and aftermath: Flash #95–101, 1994–1995) and create a costume directly out of Speed Force energy. Traditional powers such as the ability to vibrate through solid objects were also restored.
The 2000s saw Writer Geoff Johns revitalize the character by introducing new versions of characters such as Zoom and making significant use of the Rogues, marrying the character to longtime girlfriend Linda Park.[8]
After the writer left the series, sales dropped significantly[citation needed] and DC editorial decided that it was time for the status quo to change once more. Using the mini-series Infinite Crisis as a narrative device, the character of Wally West and his family were seen leaving for an alternative reality. This allowed the character Bart Allen to become the fourth Flash and headline a relaunched third volume of the title, called The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive.
The critical reaction to this new version of the character was mixed and the character was killed off in the final issue of the short-lived third volume of the Flash comic.[2] It was decided that Wally West should be resurrected and the JLA/JSA "The Lightning Saga" were used to return the character to earth along with his wife and children who appear to have aged several years.
The character next appeared in All Flash #1, seeking vengeance on those who had killed Bart Allen. This was followed by The Flash volume 2, which resumed publication after the long hiatus with issue #231 (Oct. 2007). The series found the character struggling with trying to raise his two super powered twins, plagued by accelerated growth and their inexperience in the heroic game; a task made more difficult by Wally's unemployment, and inability to keep a steady job, and the mistrust of the League for his decision to bring two children into the fold. The series was cancelled with issue #247 (February 2009).
In Final Crisis, the character was reunited with Barry Allen who had returned to life. Recent interviews with The Flash: Rebirth artist Ethan Van Sciver have revealed that the character will adopt a newly-designed costume in the limited series that reintroduces Barry Allen as the Flash.[9]
[edit] Powers
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This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. Please help rewrite it to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective. |
Wally's primary superpower is his speed. Over the years, this has fluctuated from his career as Kid Flash, where he could approach the speed of light, to the beginning of his career as The Flash, in which he was limited to a top speed of approximately 700 mph (1,100 km/h),[10] leading to near retirement and returning to college before the death of Barry Allen. In recent years, with the knowledge and mastery of the Speed Force at his disposal, Wally has managed to surpass the speed of light very easily and can go into and return from the Speed Force at his own will. Wally is said and thought of as the fastest being in the universe and arguably the fastest of all Flashes.
As Kid Flash, Wally had the ability to control the vibration of his molecules to the degree that he could vibrate through solid objects and traverse other dimensions and times. He lost this ability when he became The Flash, and regained this power in later years with the added twist that vibrating through objects could cause them to explode; apparently, this later version of the power passed kinetic energy into the molecular structure of the object he vibrated through, and the object would explode from the charge. Several years of training granted him better fine-control over his energy output, albeit lacking the full mastery of Barry Allen.
Other applications of superspeed:
- Does not leave a scent trail that a bloodhound can track, even at the "low" speed of 700 mph.[11]
- Being able to run across the surface of large bodies of water--moving so fast that he does not break the surface tension of the water as he runs.
- Overcoming gravity by running up and down vertical surfaces.
- Creating wind vortices by running in circles or rotating his arms and legs.
- "Lending" velocity to objects or people already in motion
- "Stealing" the speed of others and utilizing it himself.
- Vibrating his molecules so fast he can travel through objects such as walls.
- Use of his incredibly fast reflexes in order to withstand powerful blows.
- Gaining infinite force or weight as he approaches light speed, resulting in extremely heavy blows.
- Creating after-images of himself.
- Vibrate so that light does not reflect off him sufficiently, rendering him invisible.[12]
- "Accelerated Healing" the ability to speed up his natural healing process.[13]
- Talking at a superspeed so that only other speedsters (such as Jesse Quick, Max Mercury, etc.) can receive, interpret, and return communication at the same velocity.
As with most superspeedsters, Wally possesses an "aura" which protects him (and whatever he carries) from heat and air friction when he travels at high velocities.[14] He also has a slight amount of invulnerability with this "aura". The activity of his "aura" is actually what makes him able to employ his powers, as running at top speed with a weakened aura is enough to shock his body in cramps and seizures.
[edit] Villains
Like his predecessor before him, Wally has accumulated a Rogues' Gallery as well. Many of his uncle's old rogues are still around, except for Captain Boomerang (George "Digger" Harkness, who was killed during Identity Crisis), the Trickster (James Jesse, who was killed by Deadshot while on the run with the Pied Piper) and the first Mirror Master (Samuel Scudder, who was killed during the Crisis on Infinite Earths by Krona).
[edit] Allies and friends
Wally's father, Rudolph West (a Manhunter agent), was presumed deceased following an explosion in Cuba during the Invasion series. He reappeared years later at, among other places, his ex-wife Mary West's (Wally's mother) second wedding. They both later attended Wally and Linda's wedding.
While they disagree regularly, Wally has a developed an odd friendship/respect with Batman, who has more than once made it clear that those feelings are mutual.
Like his predecessors, West is good friends with the Green Lantern of his time (Kyle Rayner). Wally also retained a close friendship with Kyle's predecessor Hal Jordan, who often looked out for Wally even while he was the Spectre. His best friend is perhaps Dick Grayson, who served with Wally on the Teen Titans as the first Robin.
[edit] Supporting cast
Wally also has developed a very extensive supporting cast over the duration of his ongoing comic book series which began in 1987. It should be noted that a few of them are former villains and adversaries, such as Pied Piper, Speed Demon, and Chunk.
- Mary West - Wally's mother
- Dr. Tina McGee - a scientist/nutritionist with whom he had a brief romantic involvement[15]
- Dr. Jerry McGee a.k.a. Speed Demon a.k.a. Speed McGee - Tina's (formerly ex-) husband and former superspeed villain[16]
- Connie Noleski - a model and girlfriend of Wally's in his early career as the Flash. She is currently married to Chunk.
- Chester P. Runk a.k.a. Chunk - a brilliant physicist who became a walking black hole after a matter-transmitting machine he invented imploded during its first test
- Mason Trollbridge - the former kid sidekick of a hard-edged depression-era crimefighter known as the Clipper.
- Pied Piper - one of Barry Allen's former Rogues.
- Linda Park-West - originally introduced as a television news reporter, Wally began dating and eventually married her.
- Jay Garrick - the original Flash. Currently out of semi-retirement and a member of the Justice Society of America.
- Jesse Quick - the daughter of Liberty Belle and Johnny Quick, Jesse is a second generation superhero and speedster like her father.
- Max Mercury - the Zen Master of Speed.
- Iris West Allen - Wally's aunt, returned from the future.
- Kid Flash - Bart Allen, Barry and Iris Allen's grandson from the future. Originally codenamed Impulse. He was a member of the Teen Titans when he took on his cousin's old identity. Wally and Bart are first cousins once removed by marriage.
- Ashley Zolomon - current Rogue Profiler with the Keystone City PD, and former wife of Hunter Zolomon
[edit] Other versions
In John Byrne's graphic novel Superman & Batman: Generations 2, characters from the DC Universe are shown to age in real time. In Generations 2 #2 (September 2001) Wally appears as Kid Flash in 1964, which is the year he first appeared as a founding member of the Teen Titans (though in this version, he is a founding member of the Justice League). By 1986, as shown in issue #3 (October 2001), Wally has retired and been replaced by the fourth Flash (Carrie Allen, the daughter of Barry Allen). Wally's son Jay West, in turn, replaces Carrie in 2008 to become the fifth Flash (Generations 2 #4, November 2001).
Flash Annual #7 shows a Flash who has become a superstar celebrity and film director.
In Mark Waid's Kingdom Come and The Kingdom an alternate version of the twins, named Barry and Iris West, inherit their father's speed, but only Iris decides to become a superhero, a new Kid Flash. In Waid's The Life Story of the Flash, "written" by Iris Allen, she describes her namesake in a positive light and Barry West as "a tragedy." However, the timeline has since been altered.
In Flash #150-159 it introduces a version of Wally named Walter West aka the Dark Flash. This version of Wally is revealed to be an older, more powerful and experienced version from another reality within Hypertime. It is revealed that this version of Wally was unable to save Linda from death at Kobra's hands. This made Walter a darker hero similar to Batman in The Dark Knight Returns storyline. After his presence in the main DC universe starts to cause other realities in Hypertime to bleed over into the main one, Superman and Wonder Woman force Walter to transverse Hypertime and return home. Although he leaves the main DC universe he appears to never make it back to his own reality. He seems to go to realty after reality with no success. After Hypertime was abandoned by DC, it is unclear of Walter West's continued existence.
In an Elseworlds tale in Superboy Annual #1; it shows a Wally West that had loss the use of his legs and had them replaced with bionic ones. With his artificial legs, Wally wasn't able to run at high speeds, though he could still move his arms at super speed. This version of Wally died saving Green Lantern Hal Jordan from a yellow projectile.
[edit] Bibliography
- The Flash (Vol. 2) #1–230; #231–247 (June 1987 – March 2006; October 2007 – February 2009), #0 (October 1994), #1,000,000 (November 1998)
- Annuals 1–13 (1987–2000)
- Special 1 (1990)
- All Flash #1 (September 2007)
[edit] Collected editions
Collected editions reprinting The Flash (vol. 2) series featuring Wally West, include: NOTE: a new edition of Blood Will Run will be released in 2008, with stories from The Flash Secret Files and Flash: Iron Heights, as the earlier edition published in 2002 did not contain Iron Heights. All collected editions are trade paperback releases, except for The Flash: The Wild Wests which will be released as a hardcover.
| Title | Material collected |
|---|---|
| Original | |
| The Flash: Born to Run | The Flash (vol. 2) #62–65 Flash Annual #8 Speed Force #1 Flash 80-Page Giant #1 |
| Flash: The Return of Barry Allen | The Flash (vol. 2) #74–79 |
| Impulse: Reckless Youth | The Flash (vol. 2) #92–94 Impulse #1–6 |
| The Flash: Terminal Velocity | The Flash (vol. 2) #0, 95–100 |
| The Flash: Dead Heat | The Flash (vol. 2) #108–111 Impulse #9–11 |
| The Flash: Race Against Time | The Flash (vol. 2) #112–118 |
| The Flash: Emergency Stop | The Flash (vol. 2) #130–135 |
| The Flash: The Human Race | The Flash (vol. 2) #136-141 The Flash of Two Worlds |
| The Flash: Wonderland | The Flash (vol. 2) #164–169 |
| The Flash: Blood Will Run (2002 edition) | The Flash (vol. 2) #170–176 |
| The Flash: Blood Will Run (new edition, 2008) | The Flash (vol. 2) #170–176 The Flash Secret Files The Flash: Iron Heights |
| The Flash: Rogues | The Flash (vol. 2) #177–182 |
| The Flash: Crossfire | The Flash (vol. 2) #183–191 |
| The Flash: Blitz | The Flash (vol. 2) #192–200 |
| The Flash: Ignition | The Flash (vol. 2) #201–206 |
| The Flash: The Secret of Barry Allen | The Flash (vol. 2) #207–211 and 213–217 |
| The Flash: Rogue War | The Flash (vol. 2) #½, 212, 218–225 |
| The Flash: The Wild Wests (Hardcover) | The Flash (vol. 2) #231–237 |
Collected editions featuring other Flashes, Jay Garrick and Barry Allen, as well as Wally West:
| Title | Material collected |
|---|---|
| Original | |
| The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told HC (1990) and TPB (1991) | Flash Comics #1, 66, 86 Comic Cavalcade #24 Showcase #4 The Flash (vol. 1) #107, 113, 119, 124, 125, 137, 143, 148, 179 Five-Star Super-Hero Spectacular The Flash (vol. 2) #2 |
| The Flash: The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB (2007) | Flash Comics #86, 104 The Flash (vol. 1) #123, 155, 165, 179 The Flash (vol. 2) #91 DC Special Series #11 |
[edit] Other media
[edit] Notes
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b c d Jimenez, Phil (2008), "The Flash", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, pp. 124-127, ISBN 0-7566-4119-5, OCLC 213309017
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Flash" The Flash 2 (1): 1 (June, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Flash" The Flash 2 (1): 20/5 (June, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Heart... of Stone!" The Flash 2 (2): 22/3 (July, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ "The Fastest Man Alive!" The Flash 2 (50): 22/3 (May, 1991), DC Comics
- ^ Mark Waid (w), Greg Larocque (p). The Flash 2 (79) (August, 1993), DC Comics
- ^ [Updated] ALL FLASH #1 - NEWSARAMA
- ^ CBR - CCI Spotlight: Ethan Van Sciver
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Flash" The Flash 2 (1): 5/5 (June, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Red Trinity" Flash 2 (7): 6/1 (December, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Identity Crisis #2
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Flash" The Flash 2 (1): 19/4 (June, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Kill the Kilg%re!" The Flash 2 (4): 20/3 (September, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Mahlstedt, Larry (i). "Kill the Kilg%re!" The Flash 2 (4) (September, 1987), DC Comics
- ^ Baron, Mike (w), Guice, Jackson (p), Torrance, Jack (i). "Speed McGee" Flash 2 (5) (October 1987), DC Comics
[edit] References
- Kid Flash (Wally West) at the Comic Book DB
- Flash (Wally West) at the Comic Book DB
[edit] External links
- Titans Tower biography
- The Flash: Those Who Ride The Lightning - fan site with information about the super-speed characters of the DC Universe
- Crimson Lightning - An online index to the comic book adventures of the Flash.
- Wally West at the Internet Movie Database
- The Unofficial Flash Biography
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