Wally's First Appearance
Apr. 24th, 2009 04:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shankieFrom either The Flash (volume one) #110, or The Flash Archives, Volume Two, where it was reprinted, Barry's girlfriend Iris introduces him to a plucky little boy in a bow tie, making his debut to the comic book world in 1959.
I will never, ever, get over how freaking adorable Wally is in these old comics.
But I have a first question, here: why is Barry going "Hmm!" before he says hello? Or maybe, "Hmm! I just don't know what to think of you, boy! Stealing my fashion sense are we?" I mean... who does that? Was he expecting another chick for a threesome and is trying to contain his disappointment? Does that weird smile and "Hmm!" equal bad touch thoughts? I don't know, it's weird. Especially since it's got an exclamation point, what the hell?
Anyway, onward!
It continues to be painfully obvious that Iris knows Barry is the Flash. When he does finally get the balls to out himself to her in #174, after they've been married a year, she's all like, "Yeah, I know." She gives him some excuse like he talks in his sleep every night, but seeing how she's been faking ignorance for a year at that point, at the very least, it wouldn't be a stretch to have her telling him something like that so he'll feel better. She's like that sometimes.
You know what Wally's face is saying there? "Flash better be in that room, 'cause if he isn't, Iris is dating a pedo. I'm scared." Or just plain incredulous doubt that Flash is just going to be hanging out in some random room in this guy's house.
D'awww! "Mr. Flash!" So adorable!
So, if you know anything about Wally's origin, you may see where this is going. Barry arranges the beakers so they're just the way they were when he got his speed, then random lightning strikes, and bing bam boom, pint-sized speedster, and one of the laziest origin stories ever written.
"Let's just write what we did before, that worked, right?"
As mentioned in this estimate of Central City's size and population, everything in that town is friggin' huge. One room in that apartment has enough space for lab benches, shelving units, and two speedsters racing each other? That's one friggin' big-ass apartment.
So Barry tests out Wally's speed by doing stuff like tossing balls and running around for a few minutes, then promptly decides to take him on as a sidekick, complete with mini uniform. (Just to spite Batman's need to train kids for at least a year before they get to wear a costume. Or so I suspect.) Seriously, though? A ten-year-old boy has just become a teeny version of the man he's obsessed with, and upon knowing him for almost an afternoon, Barry thinks he can trust the kid to not go tell every other ten-year-old in the country?
Luckily, Wally's obsession runs deep enough that apparently he'll follow Flash's instructions to the letter, and Barry has enough sense to at least follow Wally around for a little while and keep an eye on him. Which amazes me, because Barry has this tendency to be trusting to the point of silly.
The man promptly dies of a heart attack.
Well, not really, but that would sure scare the hell out of anyone, or at least make them paranoid about the forces of nature taking an active hand in controlling their lives. On the other hand, this is the DCU, maybe that old guy would just wave off the whole thing and just mutter about "those damned aliens" now and again.
"It's okay Mr. Allen, you're really boring, anyway."
And is it just me... or are the Wests a bunch of elves with ears that become spontaneously pointy, but only for a second?
Wally is thinking: "WTF Aunt Iris, do you really think I'd tell?"
Iris is thinking: "Oh, those boys are so adorable. Thinking they can hide anything from me is a hoot."
I will never, ever, get over how freaking adorable Wally is in these old comics.
But I have a first question, here: why is Barry going "Hmm!" before he says hello? Or maybe, "Hmm! I just don't know what to think of you, boy! Stealing my fashion sense are we?" I mean... who does that? Was he expecting another chick for a threesome and is trying to contain his disappointment? Does that weird smile and "Hmm!" equal bad touch thoughts? I don't know, it's weird. Especially since it's got an exclamation point, what the hell?
Anyway, onward!
It continues to be painfully obvious that Iris knows Barry is the Flash. When he does finally get the balls to out himself to her in #174, after they've been married a year, she's all like, "Yeah, I know." She gives him some excuse like he talks in his sleep every night, but seeing how she's been faking ignorance for a year at that point, at the very least, it wouldn't be a stretch to have her telling him something like that so he'll feel better. She's like that sometimes.
You know what Wally's face is saying there? "Flash better be in that room, 'cause if he isn't, Iris is dating a pedo. I'm scared." Or just plain incredulous doubt that Flash is just going to be hanging out in some random room in this guy's house.
D'awww! "Mr. Flash!" So adorable!
So, if you know anything about Wally's origin, you may see where this is going. Barry arranges the beakers so they're just the way they were when he got his speed, then random lightning strikes, and bing bam boom, pint-sized speedster, and one of the laziest origin stories ever written.
"Let's just write what we did before, that worked, right?"
As mentioned in this estimate of Central City's size and population, everything in that town is friggin' huge. One room in that apartment has enough space for lab benches, shelving units, and two speedsters racing each other? That's one friggin' big-ass apartment.
So Barry tests out Wally's speed by doing stuff like tossing balls and running around for a few minutes, then promptly decides to take him on as a sidekick, complete with mini uniform. (Just to spite Batman's need to train kids for at least a year before they get to wear a costume. Or so I suspect.) Seriously, though? A ten-year-old boy has just become a teeny version of the man he's obsessed with, and upon knowing him for almost an afternoon, Barry thinks he can trust the kid to not go tell every other ten-year-old in the country?
Luckily, Wally's obsession runs deep enough that apparently he'll follow Flash's instructions to the letter, and Barry has enough sense to at least follow Wally around for a little while and keep an eye on him. Which amazes me, because Barry has this tendency to be trusting to the point of silly.
The man promptly dies of a heart attack.
Well, not really, but that would sure scare the hell out of anyone, or at least make them paranoid about the forces of nature taking an active hand in controlling their lives. On the other hand, this is the DCU, maybe that old guy would just wave off the whole thing and just mutter about "those damned aliens" now and again.
"It's okay Mr. Allen, you're really boring, anyway."
And is it just me... or are the Wests a bunch of elves with ears that become spontaneously pointy, but only for a second?
Wally is thinking: "WTF Aunt Iris, do you really think I'd tell?"
Iris is thinking: "Oh, those boys are so adorable. Thinking they can hide anything from me is a hoot."
no subject
on 2009-04-25 03:48 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2009-04-25 04:42 pm (UTC)I totally know what you mean, it just doesn't seem right for so many reasons. No matter how well done the story might end up being... the concept will always be kinda lame to me.