The Five Greatest Wally West Stories (So Far)

The Five Greatest Wally West Stories (So Far) By Christopher Baggett As I mentioned last week, DC’s “Rebirth” kicked the door wide open by re-introducing Wally West to the...

The Five Greatest Wally West Stories (So Far)

By Christopher Baggett

Wally Cover

As I mentioned last week, DC’s “Rebirth” kicked the door wide open by re-introducing Wally West to the universe. Introduced as Kid Flash in 1959, Wally became one of the most well-known legacy heroes in the history of comics. Considered The Flash (and later just a Flash) from 1986 up until 2011’s “Flashpoint” event, I grew up reading the character. Wally’s run has that rare, perfect mix of superhero theatrics, intelligently written plots and emotional punch. For me, there’s no better hero than The Flash, and there’s no better era than Wally West’s. It’s hard to do so, but I’ve picked what I feel are the five definitive Wally West arcs.

 

5) Terminal Velocity

5 Flash against time

The Flash Vol. 2, #95-100

Wally has a vision of the future and struggles to change it, even appearing to go so far as to sacrifice his life. This story marks the first mention of the nirvana-like Speed Force, the afterlife for all speedsters. This was the start of a new era of The Flash that explored and expanded upon the sprawling concept. A mainstay of the franchise, the Speed Force is later established as the source of power for all speedsters.

 

4) The Dark Flash Saga

4 The Fast Lane just got Faster

The Flash Vol.2, #152-159

Okay, this one’s a hell of a lot to set-up. Linda Park is the love of Wally’s life, and his “lightning rod”; no matter where he gets lost, he can find his way back to her. One year earlier in “The Flash” #142, Linda is plucked out of reality on their wedding day. Only Impulse (who was from the future) can remember her. At the conclusion of “Chain Lightning” in “The Flash” #150,  Wally merges with the Speed Force to trap the villain Cobalt Blue. But without Linda, he’s unable to find his way home and is seemingly lost forever. Then a strange new Flash appeared, wearing a darker costume and refusing to unmask. The mystery of the new Flash and his eventual fate (as well as Wally and Linda’s) kept readers guessing for over a year. “Dark Flash Saga” is the culmination of two years of stories, but it resonates on an emotional level that few stories do.

 

3) Blitz

The Origin of Zoom

The Flash Vol. 2, #197-200

The Flash’s ally, criminal profiler Hunter Zolomon lost the use of his legs after Gorilla Grodd attacked Iron Heights. Wally refused to use the Cosmic Treadmill to change time and restore them, so Zolomon attempted to himself. The ensuing accident left Zolomon able to travel throughout time in a manner that appeared like super speed. Driven insane, Zolomon christened himself Zoom and set out to make Wally a better hero by showing him the ultimate tragedy. The payoff here isn’t just notable for the incredible reimagining of the Reverse Flash. The story’s finale sees cameo returns of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan, then serving as The Spectre. To help a hurting Wally, Jordan offers to erase all public knowledge of The Flash’s identity. Wally’s ID is a secret again after 200 issues and 16 years, in a story written five years before Spider-Man did it in “Brand New Day.”

 

2) The Black Flash

The Black Flashj

The Flash Vol. 2, #139-141

The Speed Force incarnation of death is chasing Wally but misses its target with devastating consequences. Crestfallen and unable to use his powers, Wally prepares to give up being The Flash and leave town, only to discover that Death is still coming for him. Debuting in this story, The Black Flash is an iconic image, a herald of death that appears when a speedster is destined to die. The finale sees  Wally outrace Black Flash to the end of time, where Death has no meaning. Packed with action and emotional highs, this story is a definitive example of writers finding unique solutions.

 

1) The Return of Barry Allen

1 Barry Allen Back

The Flash Vol. 2, #73-79; Green Lantern Vol. 3, #40

When Wally became the Flash, one of the first major stories was his hang-up over replacing Barry. The mental block kept Wally from running as fast as his mentor, but he eventually began to work around it. Finally settling into his new role, Wally is shocked when he discovers Barry Allen, alive and well, standing at his doorstep. Barry’s return shocks the world, and the fallout affected the characters for years. “The Return of Barry Allen” is the definitive exploration of what legacy means to the concept of The Flash, both in embracing it and surpassing it. If you want a reason to love Wally West, this is the story to read.

 

 

Categories
ComicsThe Geeked Gods-Comic Debriefing ReportWhat's Hot
One Comment
  • The Flash Season 3-Speed Bumps and Sudden Stops – The Geeked Gods
    2 June 2017 at 4:00 pm
    Leave a Reply

    […] season of The CW’s hit The Flash has come and gone. As the huge Flash fan I am (as previously mentioned on this very site) I’ve dove voraciously into each and every episode. I loved the first season. The characters were […]

  • Leave a Reply

    *

    *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    RELATED BY

    • The Geeked Gods Podcast Geekedgasm

      https://soundcloud.com/thegeekedgods/geekedgasm?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing We talk about R2D2 little known Fleshlight Port-(Get out of there 3po) Indy 5-the Search for Mutt The Boys Herogasm-Great episode a little overhyped but fantastic episode.. Stranger...
    • The Geeked Gods Podcast-The Bilbo Dildo Conundrum

      The Geeked Gods Podcast-The Bilbo Dildo ConundrumIn this episode, we discuss disturbing things in the lion king universe.Did Tolkien name Bilbo after a dildo?How old are the Stranger Things...
    • Ordinary Gods #1

      Ordinary Gods # 1 $3.99 Rated M/ Mature Image Comics 7/7/2021 at your LCS and wherever you buy comics   What would you do if you were a god...
    • The Geeked Gods Podcast-Pants off, Bats Off

      So in our first post-covid recorded in the same room podcast.We discuss DC saying Batman doesn’t go down..Can smart Hulk beat AbominationThe outrage nerds had with the Suicide Squad...