SDCC 2012 info - same answer on Wally for now

[xBarryxAllenx]

Thanks to Newsarama's coverage of SDCC 2012 for this, uh, non-answer regarding Wally:

"Last question: Wally West? DiDio: "No plans at this time. We didn't introduce him, but that's not to say the character will never be introduced.'"

I know, but at least we have another Bat-book in Talon and the introduction of Batgirl in Smallville. #sarcasm

Just a note: I am a big fan (make that BIG fan) of the present volume of The Flash by Manapul and Buccellato, as any reader of my reviews know well. Still, I am a fan of ALL the Flashes over the years, and I still firmly believe there could be a place in the New52 for Wally (and Max, Jesse, etc., along with Donna Troy and others). I'm still hoping that this will be realized at some point in the future.

btw - here's the link to the full session, which actually is an interesting read:

www.newsarama.com/comics/sdcc-2012-dce-meet-the-publishers.html

[Savitar]

I think that's the most straight forward answer Dido has ever given to the question. At least he left the door open for Wally's return at some point.

[pennydreadful]

Wally will return when Didio leaves or has less clout. Didio spoke of wanting to return DC's characters to their most "iconic" versions. "Iconic" means the ones Didio likes personally and grew up with. I think it's clear that Didio dislikes Wally. Not as much as he dislikes Cass Cain and Stephanie Brown, though. Steph was written out of a Smallville comic.

At least Wally stars on Young Justice and thus is on Earth-16, which is outside the control of Didio, Lee, and Johns. And DC has stopped blowing smoke about spinoffs and backup features. (DC has really mishandled the Flash franchise, and the reboot doesn't change that.)

Didio prefers Barry because Barry is the Flash he remembers from the Silver Age. The reboot isn't about innovation; it's about regression, so Barry Allen is a much better fit for DC's current, retro-minded approach.

My theory? The comic book industry is dying anyway. This reboot is just a way to prolong the inevitable by a couple of years. Wally already has a fan following via Young Justice (set on Earth-16), and his adventures, if nothing else, will continue there and in media outside comics. And let's face it: the fun, interesting, involving, heartwarming DC stories aren't coming from the comics. They're coming from elsewhere.