DC Comics has announced Flash Forward, a new six-issue miniseries starring The Best Flash, Wally West. Written by Scott Lobdell and featuring art by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund, CBR reveals that the series finds the speedster picking up the pieces of his life post-Heroes in Crisis.
After having been erased from existence by 2011’s Flashpoint and the subsequent New 52 relaunch, the return of Wally West in the DC Universe: Rebirth one-shot heralded the beginning of a new era for DC. Since then, though, the character has floundered. He appeared in a Titans series in which he failed to reconnect with his wife, Linda Park, who no longer remembered their relationship; developed a heart murmur that limited the use of his speed; literally died and was somehow resurrected (and cured of the heart murmer) by the younger Wallace ‘Kid Flash’ West; and then just sort of left when the team was disbanded by the Justice League. That was followed by the “Flash War” storyline in The Flash, in which Wally was reminded of the former existence of his kids by returning foe Zoom and went to such lengths to get them back that he broke the barrier keeping several new forces at bay. That storyline, arguably the best and most prominent use of the character since his return, ended with Wally heading to Sanctuary and into Heroes in Crisis, the events of which are well-documented.
Lobdell and Booth have both worked on the character since his return. Booth drew the aforementioned Titans series, while he and Lobdell teamed for the Wally-starring Flash/Speed Buggy team-up one-shot. That non-continuity one-shot had Wally and Linda as a couple again, and featured old Wally villains Savitar and Kilg%re prominently.
Check out the cover to the first issue by Evan “Doc” Shaner, as well as the solicit text for the issue, below. Flash Forward #1 (of 6) is due in stores in September.
FLASH FORWARD #1
written by SCOTT LOBDELL
art by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER
variant cover by INHYUK LEE
His name is Wally West—and he was the Fastest Man Alive. That is, until the Multiverse was rewritten without him or his family in it. Wally returned and tried to make it work, but the damage was done. Spinning out of the events of HEROES IN CRISIS, follow the man who called himself Flash on an adventure to find redemption in a cosmos that has fought so hard to destroy him.
Who cares at this point? No disrespect to the quality of work from Lobdell or Booth, but that’s hardly an A team to clean up the dangling remains of Wally West’s existence. At this point, he is clearly a character DC had no real plans for. A B-team 6 issue miniseries won’t be any more beneficial to the character.
One (credible) theory: this mini was rushed out the door to fix the character. Maybe this will be a springboard for a solo ongoing or a Speedforce ensemble.
It’s great that my Favorite flash is back.
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