Few characters have experienced as many major changes in the DC Universe as Wally West. Introduced in The Flash #110 by Carmine Infantino and John Broome, Wally West was originally Barry Allen’s sidekick Kid Flash. In that role, he served as a member of the Teen Titans in addition to working with his mentor.
After Barry Allen passed though, he became the Flash himself and spent the next decade filling in the shoes of a legendary hero. In that time, Wally saved the Justice League and saved the world, the universe, and even time itself. One cannot possibly have gone through as many things as Wally West has without changing in the process. Some of these changes were welcomed with open arms while others were all but rejected outright.
10 For Worse: He’s Always In Barry’s Shadow
Like it or not, Wally West is forever in Barry Allen’s shadow. It wasn’t an issue when he was a sidekick, but once he became the main hero every story had an undercurrent of whether he was a worthy replacement to the Flash title.
As this was finally beginning to stop, they replaced him and Barry took on the main role for an entire decade. Now that he’s back again, Wally is again trying to live up to his uncle’s name and legend.
9 For Better: He Became The Main Flash After Crisis On Infinite Earths
Wally West is most recognized for doing what no other sidekick has ever done—he took over for his mentor. When Barry Allen fell in combat against the Anti-Monitor, his partner Kid Flash took on the mantle of being The Flash, protecting both Keystone City and Central City.
It was something that felt ill-fitting at first, as people were used to Barry, but over time the character’s work convinced both readers and the other heroes of the DC Universe.
8 For Worse: He Was Replaced By Barry Allen In The New 52
In the 2000’s DC, unfortunately, got on a kick of replacing the younger heroes with their older counterparts. This was a very slow change that began with Oliver Queen coming back and making Connor Hawke take a backseat and eventually ended in 2008 when Barry Allen made his return.
The two of them shared the spotlight for a time, but eventually, in 2011 the New 52 placed Barry firmly in the lead role. It’s taken basically a decade, but only now is Wally back as the main Flash.
7 For Better: He Mastered The Speed Force And Learned Tricks No Other Speedster Was Aware Of
The major run for Wally West is defined by the mega-talented Mark Waid, who wrote the character throughout most of the ’90s. In that time, Wally went from barely understanding how his powers worked to truly becoming the Fastest Man Alive.
He became the chosen one of the Speed Force, able to lend and take speed from other speedsters…and even people who didn’t have speed at all. It’s this control that made him capable of fighting some threats other speedsters could only dream of beating.
6 For Worse: He Was Made A Killer In An Event Comic
In Tom King’s Heroes in Crisis, our heroes needed to figure out who was responsible for killing a bunch of heroes that were getting help at Sanctuary rehabilitation center. Unfortunately, the answer to that question was Wally West, who (after losing control of his powers) created a Speed Force explosion that killed multiple heroes, including Poison Ivy and Roy Harper.
Though it was meant to be a story about understanding how ignoring trauma can affect us, it was hard to overlook him being forced into the role of a murderer to tell that story.
5 For Better: He Grew Up, Got Married, And Had A Pair Of Twins
Most superheroes are incapable of actually experiencing growth. They’re not allowed to grow old, and sometimes they’re not even allowed to get married or have kids. Though that’s something more accepted now, Wally West was a trailblazer in that aspect.
His relationship with his wife Linda Park actually ended in the two of them getting married, and eventually having a pair of twins. This allowed fans to grow with Wally and created a special tie to the character that most heroes weren’t able to provide.
4 For Worse: He Lost His Family Because Of The New 52
Having Wally West brought back during Geoff John’s DC Universe: Rebirth story was satisfying. Seeing him and Barry hug after they were finally able to see each other after five years of having their timeline altered was one of the best moments in recent comic history.
But unfortunately, while Wally was able to make a comeback, his wife Linda Park and his kids Jai and Iris weren’t. This loss is what destroyed Wally to begin with, leading to him finding himself at Sanctuary in Heroes in Crisis.
3 For Better: He Got His Classic Costume Back
One of the smaller changes that happened to Wally over the years, but a noteworthy change nonetheless. When Barry Allen came back, Wally got an all-new costume to help people understand the difference between the two characters. It was not the best outfit.
Fortunately, since returning and getting a comic of his own again, he’s been tossed back in his traditional Flash outfit and it looks drastically better. Sometimes it’s just best not to mess about with the classics.
2 For Worse: He Got Mr. Manhattan’s Powers And Forgot His Emotions
Before they retconned Wally killing all the people at Sanctuary, there was another solution posited for redeeming the character. Wally was recruited by a being named Tempus Fuginaut with the goal of fixing the balance between the multiverse and the Dark Multiverse. Over the course of this story, Wally attained the powers of Dr. Manhattan, effectively making him into a godlike being.
Wally getting a massive power-up like this doesn’t really make for stronger stories for the character, and things were quickly reverted back to normal.
1 For Better: He Became A Big Deal In The Justice League Of America
Wally West is one of the founding members of the Teen Titans but he’s not exactly a teenager anymore. He’s managed to grow into one of the finest heroes of any generation, and that’s exactly what the Justice League noticed when they brought him into the fold.
Though he was nervous about fitting in Barry’s shoes, Wally was able to work alongside the Justice League during some of their toughest challenges.
About The Author