'The Flash' to feature Barry Allen and Wally West

I love this news!!  I have to admit, part of me was a bit sad when Kolins was not announced as the regular Flash artist.  As amazing as Manapul is, I just wanted more Kolins!  So I'm extremely happy with this news.  Can't wait for this book to finally come out.

Speedy gets to be Red Arrow, DIck gets to be Batman, but you want Wally to be Kid Flash? I cry foul, sir. 

How about Orange Flash, to go along with his hair? Talk about a coloring nightmare, though. Is this Flash red, orange, or mauve? 

Oh DC, make a commitment, one way or the other.  Stop diluting the brand.

Does the Barry Allen feature come with some kind of stimulant to prevent the reader from falling asleep?

@ultimatehoratio - The new Flash book is going to be like one of those kids book where you press a button on certain pages and Tom Katers reads the scene to you from a speaker

@Heroville - Oh, if only!

@Heroville I would pay big bucks for a Tom Katers voice machin to read my Flash comics.

@Conor how old can a guy be before his being called "Kid Flash" gets really creepy? Maybe they will do like a Gallagher I and Gallagher II type thing. (God, I hope not.) 

I don't care if there are 15 Flashes. I just want good Flash stories. (And a Tom Katers cameo.)

It won't be long until there are 15 Flashes.  There aren't any Flashes that they've killed in the past and haven't brought back yet, are there?  As far as I can remember, the only dead character they haven't brought back yet is Johnny Quick.  Once they've brought him back, what else are they going to write about?

The flashes should work out some kind of shift plan for guarding the city.  Or they could just do what the green lanterns did, two of the adults can find a new place to guard.  Heck, anything to force the flash to team up with a different power that six other flashes, kid or otherwise.

WOW. I've never bought a Flash book before, but I'm considering picking this one up.

@stulach - Tom Katers cameo seconded.

@ultimatehoratio - There are probably dead flashes in the other universes, so they can write about those.  The multiverse is a wellspring of untapped dead heroes to bring back.  "Let's invent some dead heroes, so we can bring them back." they'll say, and then we will buy the books and they will laugh.

Maybe Wally can call himself The Streak

"Fastest thing on two feet"

I'd like to read the book where everybody is the Flash.  Just think how many origin stories you could do!  Cha-ching!  (This may already be the plan.)

@ultimatehoratio - I would like to see a book with an ongoing story in the main "feature", but with every issue featuring an origin story for a new incarnation of The Flash as the backup.  There are 52 backup origins waiting to be written, one for each universe in the multiverse (I'm fairly certain a physicist on campus exploded when I wrote that sentence).

Love The Flash, love everything about the Flash 'universe,' love Johns, love Kollins, love Manapul. Don't think I'm going to pick up this book.

PSYCHE!!! I'm so there for this book. Never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait for Flash: Rebirth to end.

Now I am more pumped then ever on reading the new Flash ongoing. Having Kolins on art for Wally West is just heaven. No matter how many or little pages that backup will be; it will be a great looking comic.

I'm totally fine with a redesign. I know Wally West was doing an homage to his hero, Barry, when he took up being Flash. But the costumes are actually to similar to my tastes. Especially if this comic is going to have two Flashes in it. It'll confuse the majority of readers on who is who in the main feature and backup. There is only one problem I have with this whole deal:

Why isn't Jay Garrick getting any love? He gets about as much exposure as Amazing Man in JSA now a days. Can he have at least a back up feature for him? You're giving both adult Flashes and Kid Flash their own comic. Let's do the whole she-bang and make a Jay Garrick comic. How about putting him in the Kid Flash comic? Young meets old, I would like to see that.

@TNC  But isn't Jay gonna be pretty busy with all the red state members of the JSA?

I'm really excited for this series. I've never read a Flash comic before (I'm not a big DC person honestly), but I'm definitly gonna pick this up since it's Johns and Manapul.

@Roi: That's true, but it depends on who his team is.

Incidentially, I don't know who the two teams are in terms of members. Anyone can verify who's on which side?

@lobofan -- LOL, that's great. Something very ironic about the "fastest people alive" needing to work in shifts...

Somewhere in Gotham, Batman is scoffing...

This was the best news of the past weekend! Two of my favorite artists + Geoff Johns on a Flash book means that I will have no reservations about the $3.99 price tag.

"Barry Allen and he will be the main Flash in the DC Universe"

 this is why I will try this book.  

I just hope they try to weed out some of the DC lameness (wally's kids, bart, etc)

@conor: Kid Flash really??? Although, a Kid Flash with kids may make a cool and weird story. I'd like to see Wally adopt a black Flash outfit kind of like what was in the Dark Knight Returns minus the shorts.

I wanna see a return to the Dark Flash costume Walter West wore for a bit.

I really hope this means they will come up with an all-new identity for Wally. Let Barry be the Flash, but Wally can't be Kid Flash any more. It's a chance to create a new brand, and a distinct identity-- not just a separate personality and alter-ego, but a separate mission/attitude/costume for the hero.

Has anyone heard rumors of when this should be coming out?  I'm relatively new to comics, so I don't know how long it takes between announcement and launch, so I can't really make an educated guess.

God, DC's lineup just keeps getting better and better. I hope Johns stays with DC forever!!  And that goes triple for Morrison!!  I don't see Marvel being the first place man for too much longer.  DC is where it's at and it has been like that for more than a year now...

Still not entirely sure if I'm gonna get the new The Flash series in issues, hardcover, or trade paperback, but I'm definitely gonna read it.  I will have to decide when I finish reading Rebirth, which will most likely be when the hardcover gets released.

@Slockhart: There's no release date yet. There's also no rhyme or reason between when a book is announced and when it actually comes out, there are too many variables. In this case, it can't come out until THE FLASH: REBIRTH ends, so we're all at the mercy of Ethan Van Sciver.

It's a comic so do whatever voodoo you gotta do and make Wally young again so he can be Kid Flash.

I'm pretty sure the Flash ongoing will begin in January. Sciver should be able to kick out issue #5 on Halloween and #6 by Christmas.

So that's when he kills the kids right?

Normally I am horrified at the idea of killing children. Geoff Johns, this would be a rare instance where I'm okay with it. Like that red headed bastard from 'The Brady Bunch'. Kill them!

There was no redhead in the Brady Bunch.  Partridge Family yes... there wwere two of 'em there.

I think he meant Cousin Oliver

We're getting moth Barry? That's a disappointment, I was hoping for classic Barry. Not sure how a moth version will be.

Yay! Wally is now officially playing second fiddle to Barry Allen!

Yeah, I'm not thrilled by this...

Especially since Flash: Rebirth has been such a suckfest.

The co-feature should be about Tom Katers.

@Hawkboy: You know, Cousin Oliver. Oh wait he didn't have red hair. Maybe I thought he did because he was the spawn of Satan on that show.

.....I'm sorry I'm getting off topic again aren't I?

Wally should be "Man Flash"!

"Flasher" would be a really bad name for Wally.

or maybe Wally can be called Flash 2: Electric Boogaloo

@Patman, I was just thinking "Funky Flash" might be good, but yours is better.

"When I come back I will be a Flash Man!"

-- Wally West, future Flash issue (stolen from "Cabin Boy")

Thank god Wally will be sticking around, I love Hal Jordan, but I hate how ever since Johns brought him back, Kyle has been pushed aside. I was really worried the same thing would happen to Wally now that Barry is back. Thankfully my fears have been put to rest, and having Johns not only write it but Kolins doing the art has really gotten me even more excited for this book. Flash Rebirth is cool and all but Van Sciver is (pardon the pun) way too slow to be a Flash artist and its awesomeness is really wearing thin.  

I hope I dont get flamed for this but it might be interesting if Wally adopts a new identity and name. Im really curious what his costume will look like but I hope its not the same Flash costume with just a few modifications.

It's funny, but Barry has always been my Flash. After Crisis I never followed Wally much, so part of me is glad to see Barry back. But another part of me was happy with his heroes death, and bring him back really does away with that dramatic ending.

@DarkKnightDetective, I agree, there would be something cool if Wally became a completely different "character" without the Flash name or identity.

Kid Flash! Kid Flash!

Just call him Flllllash...aahhhhh!!!

I was just about to make the joke of calling him "K-Flash", but strangely I'm finding I actually kind of like it. I guess there is this rapper like quality about it. 

Actually, now I know why "K-Flash" sounds okay to me. It reminds me of how "K" is often used to mean "Kryptonite". Such as in Kingdom Come when the villians are talking about how it's no good to drop a "K-bomb" on Superman, since it no longer effects him (he's sucked up too much yellow sun radiation).

They've run with 2 Flashes for decades, I don't think adding a third will do any damage. I think a costume change that will be singularly Wally is important though. You have to be able to differentiate in a glance.

I mean come on. Jay Garrick has been involved with some heavy storylines lately. He's gotta get some type of love.

I vote for a new costume for Wally.  Black instead of red, with same emblem.

character names like "kid flash" are what kept me away from dc for 20 years.

so freakin lame.

@clintaa, is it actually the name you dislike, or the idea of a junior version of a main character? Or a just a younger hero-type?

How is the name Kid Flash any lamer then say Spider-MAN?

As I said above (And so have others) the best route is just do something to Wally that makes him young again so he becomes Kid Flash...when this happens all will be right with the world again.

@powerdad it's a bit of both actually.

@hawkboy  it just a stupid name.  just like aqualad.  it's too "happy golly gee willikers" for my tastes if that makes any sense whatsoever.

It would be awesome if they used Wally's "future Flash" costume from Waids run.

@WinTheWonderboy, was that the blue outfit?

Wally would be the Flash today if it weren't for those meddling kids.

Would it have killed Johns & DC not to let this slip out? Look I get we live in a spoiler world now & no I didn't expect them to kill Wally but come on can't there be a LITTLE suspense about how Rebirth will end?

Why is it bad that there are 3 Flashes, but it's OK that there are like 87 Green Lanterns? They should kill all of them except for Guy Gardner. And G'Nort.

No way should Wally be forced back to Kid Flash. He's evolved way beyond that. I'll be a bit gutted if he ends up as anything other than just The Flash - he's earn't the mantle over and over again. If anything Barry should be getting the new name and costume... or ideally not coming back at all.

In actual fact that would be the best end to Flash : Rebirth ever, if they just killed him again (and he took Hal Jordan with him :-)

This news makes my flu ravaged body happy.  Awesome.

@clintaa Kid Flash when looked at objectively is no more stupid than ANY other Super Hero name.  I guess at this point in my life I'm just not worried about what might be deemed as cool, not cool, or Badass

@Mattslev2000  See there's the difference between people and what they were brought up with.  All Wally and Kyle are to me are dudes pretending to be the real deal (Hal and Barry). At no point did those characters ever completely become those heroes for me.  I liked them and all, but they were never truly Green Lantern or The Flash to me... they were just temps.

@Hawkboy at what point would Wally have stopped being a temp to barry? We were getting close to Wally actually being the Flash LONGER than Barry. 

"Super Flash" ("He's a very speedy hero. The kind you don't take home to monther! He's a Super Flash! Super Flash! He's Super Flashy!!")

"Mr. Flash" ("They call me Mr. Flash!")

"Man Flash" (Come on, it's growing on you right? I mean "Kid Flash" must become "Man Flash")

"Flash Thompson" (Hey, it would bring in the Spider-man fans!)

The name "Impulse" isn't getting any use right now, and that wouldn't be confusing at all...

Other name options: "Wally Quick."  Lil' Flash.  Ion.

I'm okay with all of them being called the Flash (yes, I'm making a serious comment, I'll go back to joking a bit later).

I like the idea of retiring the old red outfit, and everyone gets new colors. Barry should go for white, and Wally can go back to yellow. Jay can keep his current get up. I mean, if we're entering a new age (if), then bring on the new look. 

An adult with a wife and kids cannot be "Kid Flash" 

Regardless, I look forward to see what Wally's new costume looks like, even if I never intend to buy the book.

@Diabhol - But Wally's a kid at heart.

Kid Flash! Kid Flash!

@Conor - Shouldn't you be making picks of the week (and watching the Yankees [and complaining about the quality of the broadcast via twitter])? Get to work.

I agree with Conor, he should be called..."Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash"!

Every 10-20 years we add another "Kid Flash" to his name, until it becomes impossible to call him for help because it takes so long to say his name that the situation is over due to the help of another shorter named hero, or the villians/natural disaster has run its course. It would be the superhero version of the "Nikki Nikki Tembo No So Rembo Oo Ma Moochi Gamma Gamma Goochi" story in which the boy dies in the well because it takes his brother so long to say his name (quoted previously) that the boy drowns.

"Oh Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash-Kid-Flash, why didn't we stop naming you when we had the chance?!"

@johnVFerrigno Well to be fair I think Wally would have another 7 to 8 years to go before he logged as much time as Barry did.  But Wally came along as The Flash after I was well into High School, so I had grown up on Barry.  Kyle came in shortly before I got back into comics regularly.  Sorry those two characters will always be replacements to my view.  Don't get me wrong I do like them... I'd like Wally more however as Kid Flash because I grew up with him being that Hero in Flash Comics and one of the greatest comics ever written 'The New Teen Titans'.

The whole Wally situation is an interesting one, since he did grow into his adult role through the actual Flash comic book stories over the years. Not unlike Spider-man going from a teenager to adult (or Kitty Pride, as another Marvel example), but in Wally's case he's a kid with a mentor to aspire to, and then the day comes when he's forced to no longer be a kid and take on the Flash mantel.

He's actually a good example of how in mainstream superhero comics teenagers often experience the biggest changes, since teens are the only one who are really allowed to age, and thus go from late childhood to early adulthood and eventually to full fledged adulthood. And so these sort of teen stories can possibly be the most compelling of character stories (because of this larger range of change).

So unless we have a "Brand New Day" thing happening here (yes, another Spider-Man reference), Wally can't go back to "Kid Flash". He's earned the Flash title, and thus everyone (Barry, Wally, and Jay) can share the Flash name. The public can handle it.

(Oh, and if you haven't read Sonia's article, Teen Angst Wasteland: the enduring appeal of teen superheroes, it might dovetail nicely into this one for some of you. She talks mainly of liking teen character stories, but if you've been into Wally/Flash through the early years, then what she has to say might resonate well with you.)

I don't think Wally can be called kid flash. Didn't Bart Allen come back? Hes kid flash right now isn't he?

Well, perhaps Wally can be "Kid Impulse" then. (Yes, I'm joking.)

Any rumors about Bart Allen in the brave new Flash world?

(Wow, where's the pick of the week? I mean, it's getting later here on the west coast, which means it's really, really late in NY. Hope all this Flash talk didn't blow Conor's mind!)

@stuclach: Ain't we all, but if someone labelled me "kid" anything when I'm over 30, I'd kick 'em in the nuts.

Flash fact: This book keeps getting better with every new announcement. I can't wait.

Also, Wally's new identity should be called Family-Man, and the co-feature could be about him fighting crime alongside his kids. That fixes the identity situation and everyone wins...;)

@Diabhol - I'm not sure that is the best policy.  My dad calls me kid every time he talks to me.  My foot would get pretty sore.

I miss Max.

-J.

@stuclach Not to mention your Dad's nuts!

Wally Quick

The Scarlet Speedster

Wild Wild West

@Smasher, I like Wild Wild West!  He could have some six shooters, and a cowboy hat, and when he's going after the criminals he could shout something like "Hey pardners, it's time for the round up!"

totally getting this