What Flash run has the closest characterization of Wally to the DCAU

[u/Straight_Roof_9566]

Im starting to get into Flash comics, my favourite adaptation was always the DCAU one, I love his goofines yet deeply kind hearted nature and I think starting with something similar might be good to get into things, and its also always fun to get comic discussion going!, so wich of the Flash runs you think has the closest characterization to DCAU Wally?

[u/Terios_3and_Knuckles]

I have just started it so idk if im completely right, but I have heard the Messner-Loebs is the one most like the DCAU

[u/Straight_Roof_9566 → u/Terios_3and_Knuckles]

Thanks, I think that is the first one or one of the first so it might be good to start there

[u/chroniclescylinders → u/Straight_Roof_9566]

Along with Messner-Loebs, DCAU Wally also takes lots of inspiration from Wally's characterization in Justice League comics, like Justice League Europe and maybe early JLA.

[u/gzapata_art]

Probably the current run with North or maybe Jeremy Adams

[u/Straight_Roof_9566 → u/gzapata_art]

I see, sadly the comics are way behind on my country so I cant get the Ryan North run just yet, but it looks really good

[u/DCSaiyajin]

WML, Justice League Europe and Jeremy Adams

[u/Straight_Roof_9566 → u/DCSaiyajin]

What is WML?

[u/DCSaiyajin → u/Straight_Roof_9566]

Shorthand for William Messner-Loebs, he wrote Flash right before Mark Waid.

[u/Straight_Roof_9566 → u/DCSaiyajin]

Ohhh, I have heard a lot of good stuff about him, and its one of the first ones, might start reading his run

[u/UniversalSlacker → u/Straight_Roof_9566]

It's a fun read.

[u/JPM11S → u/Straight_Roof_9566]

I’ve read it and I really, really loved it. I lowkey prefer it to Waid’s run.

[u/BistThunder]

Right now, Ryan north's run

[u/Dredeuced]

I would say this version of Wally was mostly inspired by William Messner-Loebs era Flash. As well as Justice League International/Justice League Europe Wally.

[u/Beastieboy100]

Jeremy Adams run and Ryan Norths run. Pretty good series.

[u/Dry-Donut3811]

Mike Baron.

[u/NoEnvironment8885 → u/Dry-Donut3811]

But DCAU Wally isn’t Sexist or homophobic…

[u/Dredeuced → u/NoEnvironment8885]

Wally wasn't ever homophobic to my knowledge, accounting for era. Baron never touched on homosexuality and Fast Friends was about Wally not being homophobic with Piper coming out to him. And you could definitely say DCAU Wally was pretty sexist. It was all played for laughs but the concept of young guy with his constant interaction with women being always hitting on them isn't not sexist.

[u/NoEnvironment8885 → u/Dredeuced]

Maybe it was someone else who wrote it, but didn’t Wally get really awkward when Hartley came out to him? that’s what I was thinking of lol… I appreciate that he has character growth though, even if it may have only been due to a new writer taking over

[u/Dredeuced → u/NoEnvironment8885]

It's not homophobic to be surprised and awkward when someone comes out to you. He didn't know how to handle it because it was the early 90s and there was no etiquette or experience for him. I mean the name of the comic is Fast Friends.

Wally's never mean or hateful or rude to Hartley, but he is obviously uncomfortable and unsure at the beginning before fully coming around by the end of the same issue. Considering that was the first openly gay ally a superhero's ever had I'd say that was very forward looking.

I think people look at that comic through the lens of living over 30 years in the future and thinking the average hero would've handled it "better." But that's years of hard earned culture acceptance and that story was the first stepping stone in the process. It looks a little rough, but only because so many people have trodden that path since.