The Fastest Man Alive is Officially Wally West!
DC Comics: Wally West is Officially the Only Flash!
Hold onto your speedsters, comic fans! The DC universe just dropped a MASSIVE bombshell: Wally West is officially the one and only Flash! This major shakeup in DC lore, revealed in The Flash #14 (written by Simon Spurrier, art by Vasco Georgiev, inks by Matt Herms, and colors by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou), is seriously big news for long-time fans of the Flash, and really puts the focus back onto a deserving member of that super-speedster legacy. We all loved Barry Allen, but this era change—with Wally West finally taking center stage permanently–is a massive moment and deserved recognition!
That shared mantle between Barry and Wally went on for years. Barry was mostly dealing with Justice League multiversal adventures; meanwhile Wally had his own amazing, and really impressive set of plots. Now? Everything's different, shifting that whole power structure between those amazing speedsters forever; with only one now remaining!
Barry's Power Loss: The Catalyst for Change
We know this Wally West becoming the main Flash has its roots from Absolute Power #4 (Mark Waid and Dan Mora). This epic reveal highlights how those big events in larger narratives actually matter: it details that entire major moment and is really important; Barry Allen loses his speed powers. After shutting down Amanda Waller's machine connecting Earth to the multiverse. He just doesn’t have it anymore. This isn’t some temporary thing—Barry's super-speed is completely gone.
The Flash #14 shows that result— Wally's at Barry's retirement party; but it's actually him who has that heavy feeling and profound concern, while Barry seemed to have recovered completely and with surprising resilience given the events shown prior! Barry, incredibly and surprisingly happy to retire gives Wally his Flash ring; the ultimate symbol; and now that's completely made Wally into the sole, legendary Flash!
Wally West: A Twenty-Year Reign as the Fastest Man Alive
Wally West's main Flash status? Not new! This was an earlier moment— and what an extremely memorable moment. Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Jerry Ordway, Anthony Tollin, and John Costanza; 1985) showed Barry Allen's death and Wally’s ascension from Kid Flash. This marked a major moment that affected many storylines later and introduced major plot devices, and even after so many years later the effect remains important and highlights the legacy of Crisis on Infinite Earths!
He actually had that role of main Flash for twenty years (from 1987 to 2007)! Those were decades; he did countless amazing things, became immensely popular and iconic, as many young comic fans from the early 2000s grew up seeing Wally as their Flash; this legacy even goes beyond comics – into that extremely beloved Justice League Unlimited animated series and was widely recognized and revered throughout!
The Dark Times: Wally’s Fall from Grace
But Wally's rise wasn’t exactly sustained, after many years the shine and appeal of Wally West's success didn't last. The year is 2008, with that tragic event; Barry's back, the New 52 reset from 2011 erases Wally entirely for five years before that huge event DC Rebirth brought him back. But this homecoming? Not exactly heartwarming. He returns without his family, seriously traumatized leading him toward several troubling actions!
That really crazy, traumatic event that completely impacted his life was that time in Heroes in Crisis! Those intense mental health aspects that he had went very bad; and sadly resulted in Wally's grief and mental issues making those terrible, uncontrolled actions of murder of various other characters, completely changing how others viewed Wally; after all those intense traumas that led to those unexpected events – and his struggles just kept happening! With Barry already racing as Flash, Wally’s redemption felt nearly impossible.
Wally's Redemption: A Brighter Future as DC's Sole Flash
Now though? A completely different scenario. Those troubling moments? Retconned, bringing this happy moment where he doesn't need to carry all that horrific baggage alone. That family was reunited too! The many obstacles preventing Wally West from once again returning to his spot; have finally fallen! He’s proven again that resilience exists after that very bad point in time and is finally given another chance. That all is now rewarded!
Wally doesn't just get his role as main Flash; it's huge! This is much more than some single role—He headlines Justice League's biggest team EVER! He is everywhere now, in even the newly introduced Absolute Universe he's becoming the original Flash! This highlights the extremely impressive nature of the character. This entire storyline emphasizes just how deserved this was, and many are welcoming Wally's triumphant return!
Conclusion: A New Era for the Scarlet Speedster
Barry Allen's run is over (for now!). Wally West's time has arrived and now his new era began! This storyline completely shifts the DC universe; but it's deeply, deservedly earned; after all the terrible trials and hardship Wally West has been through throughout the entirety of that massive timeline. His resilience; his unwavering strength is celebrated. The entire situation truly feels epic, making for an intensely meaningful experience not merely related to the storyline but those moments that bring about human appreciation of the effort and the sheer will it required to remain despite his many tribulations; this will surely satisfy many long-time fans waiting to see Wally West's time to shine, even despite the previous, less-than-stellar creative choices that kept holding him down from the spotlight.
