As the DC Universe was changing due to the
Crisis On Infinite Earths, there were long published titles that were ending.
Two of the longer running ending titles were the Flash and World's Finest Comics.
Each were there for the beginnings of DC's Silver Age, but had run their course....
World's Finest Comics
Superman and Batman had started
teaming up with
Superman #76 (May-June, 1952), but began regular team-ups with
World's Finest Comics #71 (July-August, 1954), with these issues being some of the earliest tales of what would be called Earth-1, with the friendship of
Superman and
Batman being a foundation of that world, even before the existence of the Justice League of America, or the existence of a hero which started the Silver Age.
Batman and Superman experienced a split, leading to Batman forming
the Outsiders, and though they patched things up, the title came to an end with
World's Finest Comics #323 (January, 1986) as the
Crisis On Infinite Earths was on its 10th issue.
The Flash
Barry Allen, and his premier as The Flash happened in
Showcase #4 (September-October, 1956, around the same time as
World's Finest Comics #84), and ushered in DC's Silver Age, with Flash soon getting his own title, picking up from the
Golden Age Flash with
Flash #105 (February-March, 1959), soon after helping to form the
Justice League of America along with Superman and Batman (and a few others), and even having a hand in finding the
multiple Earths with the Golden Age Flash.
Barry Allen ran his last race in his own title with
Flash #350 (October, 1985), ending his solo run and giving Flash a bit of a vacation, with what was suppose to be the final fate of Barry Allen unfolding then in the pages of the
Crisis On Infinite Earths.
But, as with all things, endings can be new beginnings, as is always the case in comics, as Superman and Batman had their relationship redefined (first in
Man of Steel #3 of November, 1986) and the former Kid Flash took over the mantle of the Flash, and, after a few adventures with other
Legends (including Superman, Batman and the
Suicide Squad), picked up his own title,
Flash #1 (June, 1987)...proving "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end"!
Wally taking over the mantle of The Flash was some of the finest story telling. Although Wally started out very unlikeable and completely out of character, Mark Waid really wrote Wally better than anyone else has. Waid brought so much depth to the character and he truly became the first "sidekick" to not only honor his mentor's legacy, BUT, eventually surpass it. BUT what really made it special was he never tarnished Barry's legacy. Too bad DC eventually tossed out 25+ years of character building get tossed aside to bring back Boring Allen.
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't be more wrong. Wally West never held a candle to Barry Allen.
DeleteUnfortunately Mark Waid's hamfisted writing condemned the revived Flash series once took over from the prior writers of Wally West's adventures.
ReplyDeleteCreating a phony schism between Batman and Superman, killing Supergirl, and cancelling the Flash because of a false "fans are confused!" narrative (has anyone ever met one of these supposedly confused fans?) was the end of DC for me. I gave them a chance and read some of the new Wonder Woman, Flash, and so on, but they killed whatever magic they had when they pooped all over their own legacy.