imitorar (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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scans_daily2013-02-16 10:16 pm
imitorar) wrote in scans_daily2013-02-16 10:16 pm
Upset About the Flashes Having Similar Costumes? You're Not the Only One!
So, in this last week's Fanart Thursday thread, the issue of "iconic" and what it means in the New 52 came up, and some people were complaining that Barry's new costume was just an altered version of Wally's. And I couldn't help but find this funny.
See, the issue of Barry and Wally having similar-looking costumes (to the point where it can be difficult to distinguish them from each other when their cowls are up) has been raised before...
A bit of context: These are from Flash #147 and #148, the middle of the Chain Lightning arc (which has never been collected in trade, because DC sucks at collecting comics from the '90s). This is the climax of Mark Waid's character defining run on Wally West, in which Wally has to confront the full legacy of the Flash, as well as finish reckoning with his own angst over replacing his mentor and predecessor, Barry Allen.
At least, that's what's going on thematically. In terms of the actual plot, what happens is that right when Wally and his fiance Linda Park are about to get married, Barry's heretofore unmentioned evil twin Malcolm Thawne (yes, he's a relation to THAT Thawne) shows up and crashes the wedding. It turns out that Barry had a twin brother (that he never knew about) who was given up for adoption and resented Barry for having the perfect life which was denied to him. And as a result, Malcolm (using the power of an evil magical gemstone and calling himself "Cobalt Blue") swore revenge on the entire Allen line, leading to the Thawne-Allen feud playing itself out through history, and ultimately to the Reverse-Flash (and Bart Allen, although that's a separate post). It should be noted here that Waid has admitted that he's not great at making up villains.
Thawne travels through time (yes, this was the '90s, when Speed Force characters could time travel with minimal effort) tricking future Flashes into touching the Cobalt Blue gemstone and falling under his control. Wally and co. (being Jay Garrick, Max Mercury, Impulse, and Jesse Quick) have been traveling through time trying to warn the Flashes of Thawne's plans, but despite their best efforts, Thawne ultimately captures the entire Flash Family throughout history. This is revealed just as Wally has gone personally to warn the last Flash on the list: Barry Allen himself. He didn't want anyone to ruin Barry's peace of mind during his last happy month with Iris in the 30th century, you see.
So anyway, Wally has just come to the 30th century, only to be ambushed by a few dozen Flashes.
And who should come to bail him out but...
Touching, isn't it?
Anyway, after fighting their way clear of the Cobalt Blue possessed Flashes, they go to take refuge in the Flash Museum to lick their wounds and plan their next option. Barry's mostly just pleased to be seeing Wally again, but for Wally, seeing Barry in his prime cuts open some old wounds. And then we come to the following exchange:
Aww, aren't the Flashes sweet? I love these guys. I could go on about their relationship for HOURS. And sometimes I have. Either way, Chain Lightning might very well be my favorite arc of Waid's Flash because of its scope, and I'm very glad that it will be available digitally in a few weeks.
See, the issue of Barry and Wally having similar-looking costumes (to the point where it can be difficult to distinguish them from each other when their cowls are up) has been raised before...
A bit of context: These are from Flash #147 and #148, the middle of the Chain Lightning arc (which has never been collected in trade, because DC sucks at collecting comics from the '90s). This is the climax of Mark Waid's character defining run on Wally West, in which Wally has to confront the full legacy of the Flash, as well as finish reckoning with his own angst over replacing his mentor and predecessor, Barry Allen.
At least, that's what's going on thematically. In terms of the actual plot, what happens is that right when Wally and his fiance Linda Park are about to get married, Barry's heretofore unmentioned evil twin Malcolm Thawne (yes, he's a relation to THAT Thawne) shows up and crashes the wedding. It turns out that Barry had a twin brother (that he never knew about) who was given up for adoption and resented Barry for having the perfect life which was denied to him. And as a result, Malcolm (using the power of an evil magical gemstone and calling himself "Cobalt Blue") swore revenge on the entire Allen line, leading to the Thawne-Allen feud playing itself out through history, and ultimately to the Reverse-Flash (and Bart Allen, although that's a separate post). It should be noted here that Waid has admitted that he's not great at making up villains.
Thawne travels through time (yes, this was the '90s, when Speed Force characters could time travel with minimal effort) tricking future Flashes into touching the Cobalt Blue gemstone and falling under his control. Wally and co. (being Jay Garrick, Max Mercury, Impulse, and Jesse Quick) have been traveling through time trying to warn the Flashes of Thawne's plans, but despite their best efforts, Thawne ultimately captures the entire Flash Family throughout history. This is revealed just as Wally has gone personally to warn the last Flash on the list: Barry Allen himself. He didn't want anyone to ruin Barry's peace of mind during his last happy month with Iris in the 30th century, you see.
So anyway, Wally has just come to the 30th century, only to be ambushed by a few dozen Flashes.
And who should come to bail him out but...
Touching, isn't it?
Anyway, after fighting their way clear of the Cobalt Blue possessed Flashes, they go to take refuge in the Flash Museum to lick their wounds and plan their next option. Barry's mostly just pleased to be seeing Wally again, but for Wally, seeing Barry in his prime cuts open some old wounds. And then we come to the following exchange:
Aww, aren't the Flashes sweet? I love these guys. I could go on about their relationship for HOURS. And sometimes I have. Either way, Chain Lightning might very well be my favorite arc of Waid's Flash because of its scope, and I'm very glad that it will be available digitally in a few weeks.