After DC Comics' biggest event in decades, "Infinite Crisis", we found ourselves with a new Flash. Wally West had vanished, along with his wife and children, to be replaced by Impulse/Kid Flash, Bart Allen.
Various theories exist about why this was done. I personally believe that some DC execs thought a wife and kids were slowing down "The Fastest Man Alive" and that younger readers "couldn't identify" with an older, family man hero.
Whatever their reasons, they forgot the golden rule of comic books. "Gimmicks only work for one issue, and sometimes less than that." After that, you need well written stories.
Although they produced an arguably fantastic "Flash" T.V. series in the early 90's, Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo did not have what it takes to write a great Flash comic book. Unfortunately, they didn't have what it takes to write a half-way decent Flash comic.
Suddenly, before even wrapping up their first story arc, the duo were removed from work on the book and hastily replaced.
And not a moment too soon. I had determined to stop buying the Flash until a new team took over.
Marc Guggenheim is doing a decent job cleaning up a messy book. But the book has nowhere near recovered, let alone regained a shadow of it's former glory under the guidance of such great comic book writers like Geoff Johns and Mark Waid.
Next issue will conclude Guggenheim's first story arc and promises a permaneant change of some kind in the current Flash's status quo. Hopefully it will be something that paves the way for the return of Wally West (or at least an explaination of his sudden and mysterious disappearance). Hey, I'd even take the return of Barry Allen or the death of all Flashes except Jay Garrick if it will be the move that gets this book back on track.
One of my absolute favorite characters, but DC, the Flash is on my naughty list right now. You'll get my money, for the time being, but only if we see an upward trend in quality.
You goofed, guys. Now go fix it.
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