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dc-is · 2 years

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I've always headcanoned that Wally retired from the team because his powers were killing him. This is something that happened in the comics and there are a few scattered hints throughout the series that it happened to Wally in Young Justice as well.

So first of all, what happened in the comics? Wally was ten when the accident that gave him his powers happened and, this part is important, it took a few weeks for his powers to 'fully' kick in. I put fully in quotation marks because despite developing superspeed Wally was never able to vibrate his molecules through objects like Barry.

(Barry attempting to teach Wally to vibrate through a wall)

Until one day he did.

The day he figured out how to vibrate his molecules through objects marked the day that his powers had actually fully kicked in. Sweet, right? Wrong. His body couldn't handle it, every time he used his speed he had seizure and was in immense pain. Barry told him that he didn't have a choice, he had to retire and stop using his powers or he would die.

(Barry takes Wally to the doctor)

So how does this relate to Wally from Young Justice? Well for starters, YJ Wally's powers also took weeks to kick in. It's a small detail from the tie in comics but it's also a strange and specific detail. One that'd be weird to add in without a reason. It's also not a thing we see happen with other metahumans. Every other meta instantly got their powers when their metagene was activated, so what makes Wally so different?

(Wally telling the team his origin story)

YJ Wally also couldn't vibrate his molecules through objects. "Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall. Every time he tries it? Bloody nose." - Dick Grayson. So if learning how to vibrate is the triggering event that marks 'fully developing' his powers then we know that, as of Season 1, Wally wouldn't be having seizures and his powers wouldn't be killing him. Again, keep in mind that comics Wally had been operating as Kid Flash with no pain or issues and it was only learning how to vibrate that triggered everything.

The bloody nose comment is a hint as well. Comics Wally didn't give up on being Kid Flash. He kept pushing himself, despite the overwhelming pain. And when he pushed the limits of his powers and body what happened? He got a bloody nose.

(Wally pushing his powers to the limit)

It makes sense to me that YJ Wally attempting to vibrate before his powers were fully settled would count as 'pushing himself to the limit' and that he would get a bloody nose from it.

My theory here is that sometime before Wally retired he finally figured out how to vibrate through objects and that triggered his body to start fighting against his powers. He realized that if he continued to use his powers he would die. Wally had to decide between a short life doing what he loved or a long life with the woman he loved. He chose Artemis over being Kid Flash and he tried to put that life behind him.

You'll notice that Wally only uses his powers twice in Season Two. During the episode Bloodlines and in the final fight against the Reach and the Light. He used his powers specifically to save Barry and to save the world, both things that Wally would consider important enough to risk his life saving.

But other than that? He walks. He doesn't speed around. In season one he used his powers for the smallest of things. He'd speed across the room just to talk to someone or to snag a cookie. It's such a noticeable difference. He was choosing not to use his speed in season two for a reason. It was killing him.

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dc-is · 2 years

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Okay, so this info-gathering saga over the DC Comics archivist and his lack of qualifications is coming to an end, I think. Here's the information I and @secretlystephaniebrown have gathered over the past 24-36 hours:

The current Head Archivist/Librarian of DC Comics, Benjamin LeClear, is wildly unqualified. He has not only never been to library school but had never worked in an archival/information specialist capacity before being named Archivist.

He has no MLIS or Certificate in Archival Science/Archival Administration/Public History, with only a B.A. in History; despite being an Archivist for seven years, he’s neglected to obtain such credentials or educational certification.

If he does have some sort of additional qualification, it’s not publicly available on either his LinkedIn page or any officially published DC material, and isn’t obvious from his professional conduct.

He had no prior library, archival, or information specialist experience or training. He was a customer service manager for decades before becoming an Executive Assistant at DC in 2012; in 2015 he went directly from being an Executive Assistant to “Manager of the DC Library Archives.” He’s since been promoted to Senior Manager.

Multiple library and archival professionals, after viewing the few public videos of him/the archives that exist, have noticed several issues regarding archival storage and preservation practices (potential lack of UV-protected glass, disorganized and un-sorted materials, shelving issues, etc.)

LeClear's lack of qualifications and competency are leading to a marked institutional-level inability to carry out work competently: DC Comics has a clear lack of writing/artistic style guides, required reading lists for writers, established continuity and lore-keeping best practices, cross-office information sharing guidelines, etc.

It’s also leading to an obvious institutional disengagement with both the academic community and the general public. Archive access appears to be exclusive to DC Comics insiders and specific comics journalists, and there’s zero official presence (on or offline) for the Archives. This is extremely odd for one of the largest media companies in the world, and has had a notable impact in the academic space (the lack of a DC-focused equivalent for Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, for example).

Not sure how to solve this problem at this juncture, but I think it's an issue comics fans and professionals in the library/archival space absolutely need to know about.

Relevant Links:

LeClear's LinkedIn

Two DC Universe Infinite Q&As, one from May 2020 and the other from Jan 2021, where he discusses his experience (or lack thereof), how he got the job, and how he approaches his work

A "behind the scenes" video interview with Syfy that shows the DC Archives and showcases LeClear's professional conduct

Also potentially helpful: a page from DC Nation #1 (publicly available for free on Amazon and published in June 2018) that talks about LeClear's job and mentions his scanning practices

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dc-is · 2 years

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Masterlist

Characters (ok, only Steph and Jason for now) skills metas:

Jason and Stephanie’s smarts

Jason Todd’s fighting skills

Stephanie Brown fighting skills

Jason Todd’s strategy abilities

It’s time to appreciate how acrobatic Steph is

Jason Todd’s shooting skills

Stephanie’s stealth

Jason Todd’s flexibility and acrobatic skills

Stephanie Brown’s less known skills appreciation

Jason Todd’s less known skills appreciation

Fic recs:

My absolute favourite Jason fics

Lantern!Jason fic recs

Talia Al Ghul fic recs

“Jason being skilled, smart and competent” fic list (with my messy reviews)

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dc-is · 2 years

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dc-is · 2 years

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Honestly if Bruce was written this good in modern comics it'd change his so many people viewed the character.

He's still clearly a flawed troubled man in The Batman, but he's compassionate and inspiring and everything a hero should be.

dare i say. 2022 bruce felt the most genuinely Bruce Wayne out of all of them, to me, because it felt like they understood that the core of batman’s character is love.

that whole final act of the movie where he starts accepting his own fear, and understanding the negative effect his vengeance has had on gotham city, and seeing the importance in love. that whole montage of him lifting children out of rubble and holding the hands of scared, injured civilians and smiling comfortingly at them even though he’s covered in dirt and has a whole city full of people left to save after them. that individual kindness he gives them all. the way he doesn’t so much as hesitate to throw himself into the flood to save them.

that’s batman. that’s who batman has always been, at least from my perspective, and i’m so glad they’re finally putting it on the screen properly. i got so sick and tired of seeing comics and movies and games etc where bruce is portrayed as this cold, brutal, downright villainous character - he should be scary, and strong, and sometimes a little violent, but overall he should be caring. batman is terrifying to the people who deserve to be scared, and comforting to those he saves. batman was the hero i looked out of my bedroom window and daydreamed about coming to save me from all my problems when i was little, because i knew i’d be safe with him.

and sure, you could argue that i’m wrong - he’s DC’s character, i have no say in how they characterise him, if they want to make him brutal and cruel they can go ahead - but if you’re asking me? this movie was the first time i’ve seen my bruce wayne on screen in a long time. it felt like they finally remembered that under all that kevlar, he’s a human being.

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dc-is · 2 years

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HOLY FUCKING MOTHER OF JESUS I AM LOOSING MY SHIT WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK GUYS PLEASE TELL ME I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW THIS 😭😭😭

AND THIS

BARRY MY BOY 😭💀

IK That Justice League is a Dceu property and Peacemaker is also their property and them being together shouldn't make my heart go " Whooosh " and for some Strange and unexplainable reasons i am so fucking Happy rn 😭

THE FINALE OF PEACEMAKER IS OUT OF THIS FUCKING WORLD I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS HOW FUCKING GLAD I AM RN !!! I AM SO HAPPY THAT I DECIDED TO WATCH THE SHOW 😭😭 I had so much fun watching this i am gonna miss the show now :(((

Every Character Got a meaningful ending and a Redemption Arc

From Being emotionless in the first episode to laughing and finally crying in the end by the last episode harcourt has came a long way not only does she have friends who love her and take care of her but THEY ARE ACTUALLY HER FAMILY

Chris & Harcourt are also a Kind of a thing now 👀

Leota Adebayo not only got her redemption arc in the end but she also proved that SHE IS NOTHING LIKE HER MOTHER AND IS A WAY BETTER PERSON and hey hey hey she also got a Happy ending

Economos was Heroic af thru out the series and Vigilante is OFFICIALLY A SUPERHERO NOW 😭❤

And The whole Final Battle was so bloody,brutal and Satisfying to watch

From Saying " Who tf needs a PeaceMaker show " to " OMG WE WILL MISS THE SHOW , WE CAN'T WAIT FOR SEASON 2 " we all came a long way 😭 and Thank You James gunn for that .

PEACEMAKER ROCKS BITCHES !!!

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dc-is · 2 years

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🏹 oliver queen reading recommendations: carrd edition 🏹

since the last one was primarily in response to people asking me how to dodge the (imo) bad writing, i thought i would make a newer, more neutrally worded shareable version! there's still parts that are tba, and i'm sure to go in and move things around some more, but the meat of it is all here, so i figure it's ready to be posted.

please reblog, show your pals, or however else you choose to share it. if you can afford it do please also consider leaving me a tip! i'm saving up to move out of a toxic situation and would appreciate any help.

thank you, i hope you enjoy these!

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dc-is · 2 years

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btw I'm actually obsessed with the way Josh Williamson is reintegrating Ra's al Ghul's original ecoterrorist motivations back into his character. It's been far too long since Ra's was anything more than an ultra-wealthy and super-intelligent cult leader:

"This..is why I come here."

"I don't see anything."

"The stars, Damian. You see that star there? It's called the Algol. The Demon star. It is what inspired my namesake. My mother would tell me stories about the stars when I was a child. They are a gift from our gods. And yet every year, humanity steals more stars from us. Toxic smog. Trash. Debris that obscures the origin of life itself. Our society literally blind to the truth of our existence.

But when I come here, I can still see some of them. It reminds me why I do what I do...why I fought to save the world so many times. I learned from Earth's greatest minds for hundreds of years. I am labeled a villain, and perhaps to your eyes, I am. But my life's actions in the past had purpose. A purpose I do not take lightly. But you must understand...there is only so much room at the table for humanity."

"Why don't we just build a bigger table, grandfather?"

"You sound like your father." -Robin (2021) #4

Also obsessed with the way he's flawlessly merging the two different names for the League of Assassins while doing so:

"The Earth is worth saving, Mother. The air, the land, the water, and the sky. They are all still worth-"

"-No! I had to die to be reborn. So does everyone in the world...the Demon is right."

[to Damian] "You see that look on my son's face? That was when he knew he made a mistake. He had hoped that the Lazarus Pit would heal my mind and body, but also heal me of my faith in the Demon. And yet, all it did was strengthen my faith."

"You were there when Ra's started to build his empire?"

"My son created the League of Shadows to aid him in his quest to save the world, and the League of Assassins to kill anyone who got in his way. -Robin (2021) #10

Are some of the events discussed in Robin a slight overwriting of previous canon? Sure. But it's an interesting retcon in a way that actually services Ra's as a character, and I really love it.

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dc-is · 2 years

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Ok, I’m tired of the “Dumbing Down of Stephanie Brown and Jason Todd” crap that DC (I’m looking at you Urban Legends) and many fans seem to do so I’m making this to prove that Jay and Steph are super smart.

Keep reading

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dc-is · 2 years

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I do actually think a really cool thing about Steph is that her reason for hating crime was that her dad did it.

She wasn’t mad at her dad for doing crime, which was bad, except inasmuch as him getting himself jailed left her and her mom in terrible financial straits and open to derision. She was mad at crime for being a thing associated with her father. Whom she hated.

Like, she’s never been a bad person, even as badly as she was sometimes written as behaving in Robin because her story role then was as a foil, goad, and source of drama in Tim’s life. And she grew into caring a lot about protecting and helping, via making the very short leap to identifying with victims.

But her initial motivation for the cape game was that very narrow grudge, and she’s not invested in legality for its own sake, but because its targets align with her own. Steph is one of the most firmly chaotic members of the batfam, probably the most.

And if Arthur Brown had still been Cluemaster but a really awesome, supportive dad whom she loved, as a kid she’d probably have been nearly as mad at the legal system for taking him away.

I kind of really want to read or write (but won’t because I’m dying of WIP and this is a plottier concept than I can just dash off) an examination of that, of the route that AU version of Steph would take, and where she’d reach forks in it.

Places where she could escalate in her urge to defend someone she loved, and paint herself into a corner of teenage supervillainy; places where she could realize that as much as she cared about him and as good as he was to her, his actions had unacceptable consequences for other people, other families, and she couldn’t support him any further.

(I feel like I’ve seen this general story done before, but usually with the greys of it muted by making sure the parent is horrifically evil to other people, or betrays the child first, or the kid didn’t know about the crimes, to make a sharper divide between the perceived beloved parent and the True Badness than realistically exists much of the time, and usually making the kid passive against everything but the parent.

And doing it with Steph, who already has so much established personality, appeals to me for the usual conversation-with-canon elements fanfiction offers.)

It’s really common, of course, for people who are horrible in general and people who are horrible to their families to be the same people, because quite often the being awful comes from the same set of behaviors, presumptions, and philosophies in both cases. Just, carried through.

But it’s not always the case. People aren’t that simple. Charitable pillars of society can make their children’s lives hell. People up to their necks in the worst kinds of violent crime can go home to their spouses and be desperately tender.

And there’s nothing about the Cluemaster shtick that requires him to be a very terrible person. Canonically Arthur Brown very much is, but that was largely established re: Steph, and his supervillain identity is almost tangential to that. He’s the Riddler but dumber, in a worse suit, with a stronger profit motive.

He steals things, mainly. Which is an activity that admits of a wide range of moral constitutions.

It doesn’t break the basic concept of Cluemaster or his role in the supercrime ecology, to flip him around so that he will say in all sincerity that he’s doing everything for his wife and baby girl.

(It’s a reality our prison-industrial complex likes us to flinch away from, that many men sitting in prison for real actual crimes are beloved, faithful, and adoring members of families. Who incidentally are charged an arm and a leg to contact the imprisoned, what the fuck.)

Which is what makes this AU concept so interesting to me, because it means it’s possible to change almost nothing about the setting and story outside the confines of the Brown family home, right up to the point where Steph makes contact with the Batfamily.

Which I guess would be most elegantly done by her finding out that her dad, having served his sentence and come home, can’t find work as a felon and so is getting up to super-crimes again.

And being like oh daddy you promised and assigning her own barely-fifteen-year-old ass to be his secret bodyguard and run interference with the Bats and sneak in to remove the stupid clues….

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dc-is · 2 years

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you got any good reading lists for getting into flash stuff?

I took some time and made my own. Below is a comprehensive guide of everything you need to know about getting into Flash comics: from brief descriptions of arcs and standalone books to different author’s writing styles and whether or not they’re for you, this is an exhaustive look into what’s good, what’s bad, and what you might want to try out.

The only stipulation I put on this list is that I did not include anything post Flashpoint. If you want a separate guide for the 2011 and beyond Flash comics, send me an ask and I’ll make something similar to this. But regardless, I hope that you find this list useful.

SECTION ONE - FIRST AND FOREMOST: WHAT SHOULD I ACTUALLY READ?

1. The Life Story of the Flash

A must-read for everyone, “The Life Story of the Flash” is a memoir written in the perspective of Iris West wherein she chronicles the life-and-times of her husband, starting from his very early childhood all the way down to his tragic death. Instilled with author Mark Waid’s uncanny talent for expressing emotion, this comic is a romantic look back on one of DC’s most iconic superheroes and some of his most famous arcs; except this time, we’re on the outside looking in.

The book is interspersed with nostalgic prose and bright, dewy-eyed art. But it’s main selling point is in just how much personality both Iris and Barry have as you read through their life together. Especially towards the end of the comic, you get this melancholy sense that their story was cut off too abruptly, too soon. But as Iris herself wistfully remarks: the story didn’t end with Barry Allen.

2. The Flash 80-Page Giant

“The Flash 80-Page Giant” is an anthology of short stories from all different eras and characters, ranging from the golden hours of Barry Allen’s heyday as the Flash to the far-off and distant future where his descendant has carried on with the family business. It’s cobbled together with a variety of different writers and artists so the quality is a mixed bag of good, to bad, to straight-up outdated, but there is the guarantee that where it’s good, it’s great.

Of all of the stories written in this comic, “The Answer” and “Thunder and Lightning” are my personal favorites, however all of them have a charming spin that’s worth checking out. But what’s best about reading this is that you get a sense for each and every character. Maybe Jesse Quick’s story didn’t interest you all that much, but you really loved Max Mercury and now you want to learn more about him. Overall, it’s a quick and easy way to get introduced to the world and to find who you do and don’t like.

3. The Flash (1987)

This is where the bulk of the Flash mythos resides. “The Flash (1987)” is where you’ll find the most memorable arcs of the franchise, rife as it is with a well-beloved cast and the ever-expanding world of the Gem Cities. The main focus is on Wally West, the third Flash, and his painful stumble from a grief-ridden, newly-solo hero to a man fully deserving of the legacy sitting on his shoulders. It’s everything that you’d expect from a comic book: packed to the brim with action, romance, and epic friendship.

Due to both its length and varying degrees of quality based on writers, I’ll be going over the exact contents of this book in later sections of this guide. For now, just know that this is the definitive book to read should you want to sink your teeth into all things Flash.

4. Impulse (1995)

At first glance, “Impulse (1995)” is an adolescent comedy, but this book is just as littered with its bitter-sweet moments as it is its goofs and gaffs. The main character is Bart Allen–Barry’s grandson from the future–who struggles to adapt to life in the past after a childhood spent in a consequence-free VR.

It’s a coming-of-age story filled with the ups and downs of family and the archetypal 90s teenage experience. It also contains what’s left of the Flash lore not already covered in any of the aforementioned titles; with side-characters such as Meloni Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne, and Helen Clairborne being featured here and pretty much nowhere else.

5. The Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold

Flashes and Green Lanterns have a long history of working together and the most notable pairing of them all is Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. In this six-issue comic, we’re introduced to this duo’s friendship over their publishing history: from going on vacation with one another, to exploring alien worlds, to dealing with the aftermath of everyday, devastating grief.

This book has guest appearances from Iris, Jay, and Wally, but the “Flashfam” itself is rather sparse in comparison to the rest of this list. Still, it’s a good look at how to define Barry’s relationship with Hal and offers a different perspective on some of the major events and people in his life. Either way, it’s a good comic to check out.

6. Flash/Green Lantern: Faster Friends + Green Lantern/Flash: Faster Friends

While Barry and Hal are a well-oiled machine, Wally West and Kyle Rayner are a completely different story. With this comic set in the beginning of their friendship, this Flash and Green Lantern duo have to suck up their grievances and work together for the sake of the world; all the while wishing fervently that it was just about anyone else they could’ve been teaming up with.

Wally and Kyle eventually grow to be the best of friends, but these two issues introduce us to the very, very beginning of their relationship and the numerous pitfalls that surround it. Jay and Joan Garrick also take on a prominent role, with the comic as a whole having a recurring theme of generational inheritance and familial love. Afterall, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

SECTION TWO - THE FLASH (1987); DIFFERENT WRITERS, DIFFERENT STYLES

Below, I’ve taken the liberty of going through the five main writers of “The Flash (1987)” and summarizing them. Hopefully these descriptions will help you get a sense of if their runs are something you might be interested in and also what to avoid as someone just dipping their toe into this franchise. Though, please be warned that this section is clouded with personal bias and should be taken with a grain of salt.

1. Mike Baron (#1-14)

The one thing I don’t recommend you doing is reading this book chronologically. There is a world of a difference between later authors and the infamous Mike Baron and not in a good way. Because although Baron had succeeded in whittling down the bare bones of Wally’s character–and more importantly, his grief over his Aunt and Uncle and the complicated dynamic he has with his parents–reading these beginning chapters is kind of like being strapped down to a human-sized whack-a-mole.

That is to say: it’s absurd, it’s mind-boggling, it’s painful. Baron seems to have an almost perverse interest with the “material” (think: luxury goods, mansions, and well-to-do tuxedos), and, genuinely, I cannot tell you if this running motif is meant to be a deep commentary about the suppression of self or not. Save this run for last, if you read Baron’s work at all. Unless you’re a die-hard Wally fan, his brattish portrayal in this and the wonky writing will likely tune you off.

2. William Messner-Lobes (#15-61)

I would hesitate to tell you that Messner-Lobes’ writing is good, but it is a sight for sore eyes after the previous chapters. There’s a noticeable jump of improvement coming from issue #14 to #15, and the story itself spontaneously develops coherency, recurring characters, and an actual plot line that it didn’t have before. Still, the writing manages to retain its out-of-the-blue wackiness and anecdotal musing, with most issues seeped with the vague sense that Messner-Lobes’ wasn’t quite sure which way the plot was turning either.

While not quite as obsessed with money as his predecessor, Messner-Lobes’ frequently ties his conflicts together with socioeconomic status; Wally struggles to keep a roof under his head as a newly-minted adult, Hartley Rathaway lectures about poverty while simultaneously sneering at every sociolate he crosses paths with, and Linda Park inwardly monologues that the only reason she has such a high position at her job is because her appearance is just “exotic” enough to be appealing, but not enough to be threatening. With this in mind, the overarching theme of this run is growth. It’s Messner-Lobes’ work on the Flash that rewrote Wally from a naive, often unsympathetic braggadocio, into a man taking his first tentative steps into maturity.

Overall, this era of Flash comics is highly nostalgic. While no true “breakthroughs” or defining moments can be identified in terms of plot, I consider this section to be the backbone of Wally’s character and essential to understanding his development. But despite my praise, this era is clunky and difficult to read and a lot of sections can feel dated. So while I would recommend Messner-Lobes’ writing for anyone willing to try, it’s definitely more of an acquired taste than it is instant gratification.

3. Mark Waid (#0, 62-129, 142-159, 162, 231-236)

When people point to the pinnacle of what Flash comics can achieve, it’s typically Mark Waid’s work that they’re pointing to. From the very first issue, you can tell that Waid is a master of his craft: his descriptions are evocative, the characters flawlessly lifelike, the conflict genuine and tense. There’s a reason why the arcs that he’s written are considered classics, and if there’s any writer in this section that’s a must-read, it’s Waid.

To me, what stuck out the most about his work is how he navigates relationships. Wally isn’t a solo act in this: Linda is an ever-present link, his family a distant if constant reminder, the world’s Speedsters persistently popping in and out for one reason or another. And yet despite the massive web of characters, there’s never the underlying sense that any relationship is forced. Be it romantic, platonic, or familial: you will not be disappointed. With Waid’s work on the Flash franchise comes the majority of canon “Flashfam” and–true to form–they’re written in such a way where you can genuinely believe that they’re a family.

Before we move on, I’d also briefly like to add that if you jump straight into reading this run, you might get lost with references to previous events. For example, Linda Park makes an abrupt appearance early on and as someone just starting out, the lack of context surrounding her significance might be confusing. Still, it’s not anything a quick wikipedia article or google search shouldn’t fix, and there should be no real need to go back to previous issues for info.

4. Mark Millar + Grant Morrison (#130-141)

Compared to other sections, Millar and Morrison are defined by a sense of otherworldliness. Although Waid had briefly touched on the more spiritual aspects of a speedsters’ abilities, this brief but well-loved era is known for its cinematic, visionary concepts: outrunning wormholes, unkillable personifications of death, and suits made solely out of pure energy being among the many things you can expect from this run.

The writing itself is imaginative and almost childlike in its reverie, but can come off as detached, especially since the Flash is most-known for city-level crime rather than battling universal constants. That being said, I have no true complaints about this run and would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested.

5. Geoff Johns (#164-225)

Quite frankly, Geoff Johns’ work on the Flash degraded the quality of the writing to an almost laughable degree. While there are some parts of his run that can be held to a high standard, the majority of his writing misunderstands the characters and their relationships to one another. Perhaps the most egregious example of this is his handling of the Rogues: under Johns’ leadership, the previously lawless if largely inoffensive criminals became callous, unsympathetic outlaws with few, if any, of their previous behaviors left intact. Similarly, Wally is made into a more isolationary force, with most of his motivation focused on his conflict with Keystone’s villains rather than the largely character-driven writing that he had before.

Johns’ focus is on crime. You’re not going to find any nuanced discussions of personhood within his run and overall, it can be an aggravating read simply because of just how far removed it is from the direction Waid wrote it in. Character relationships can also feel strained because of this. However, there are still “Flashfam” moments interspersed within and a collection of other scenes that can endear it to readers. My advice to you is to try reading the first ten or so issues and see how you do; if you like it, good for you, but if you don’t, you shouldn’t expect the story to get any better.

SECTION THREE - THE FLASH (1987); OKAY, BUT WHICH ARCS EXACTLY?

So I’ve covered all of the writers; but what actual arcs are the “good” ones? This is based solely on personal preference, but here are my four favorite arcs–sorted chronologically–and a brief synopsis of each, although these aren’t the only arcs that I consider to be good. If you don’t want to read through all of Flash (1987), then this is your ideal list.

1. Born to Run (#62-65)

“Born to Run” is a four-part flashback to the very early days of Wally’s superhero career. As Kid Flash, Wally recounts his time at Barry’s side, the tumultuous relationship he has with his immediate family, and the maddening complications that using his powers had on his body. This is Waid’s first arc of the series and truly, one of the most iconic.

2. The Return of Barry Allen (#74-79)

My all time favorite, “The Return of Barry Allen” is a tense, action-packed story that is exactly as the title suggests: the return of Barry Allen. This arc fully cements Wally’s growth into the Flash, dealing with his lingering grief of his Uncle’s death, his feelings of inadequacy from taking up the cowl, and the conquering of both. Is it any wonder that it’s a classic.

3. Emergency Stop (#130-132)

There’s a new villain on the block and the mystery of Wally’s own untimely death to solve. From sentient suits to prison breaks to broken legs, this arc may be lesser-known than the others on this list, but it still holds its weight. Especially with the myriad of the Flashfam interactions within.

4. The Human Race (#136-138)

To save the world, Wally must win a galaxy-spanning race. The odds are against him, Earth is a second away from combusting, and most baffling of all, Wally’s long-forgotten imaginary friend is the being he’s competing against. This is a compelling story of hope, awe, and the human condition, and absolutely worth your suspension of disbelief.

And…that’s it! As a reminder this is a reading guide for someone just starting to get into Flash comics, and isn’t meant to serve as the end all be all to this branch of DC comics. There are plenty of Flash comics I didn’t mention for one reason or another, but this is a great jumping off point by itself. Regardless, I hope that this helped and that you enjoy reading. Feel free to send an ask if you have more questions or even if you just have a comment about something or another.

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