Many know The Flash as the super-powered alter-ego of Barry Allen, but he’s not the only speedster to have graced the pages of DC Comics or various adaptations over the years. In fact, his successor, Wally West, came to represent the hero for quite some time after Allen’s death in the beloved “Crisis on Infinite Earths” storyline, and appeared as The Flash on a variety of animated TV shows and films.
Barry Allen will be the man behind the iconic red suit in The Flash television series, but according to the producers Wally West will show up “eventually.”
The CW held a panel for The Flash at PaleyFest this weekend, with several producers and cast members in attendance. It was executive producer Andrew Kreisberg who dropped the news about Wally’s existence in their Flash universe, and noted that the casting of African-American actors Candice Patton and Jesse L. Martin (as Iris West and her father, Joe West, respectively) was no coincidence. Wally West was a red-haired Caucasian originally, but was given an African-American re-imagining in the company-wide New 52 relaunch.
Kreisberg talked about West’s eventual appearance by saying:
“What’s very cool is in the New 52 they hadn’t reintroduced Wally [yet]. When they reintroduced Wally [in the New 52], they made him African-American. So now and forever, Kid Flash will be African-American.”
Then, fellow exec. producer Greg Berlanti weighed in:
“We made the West characters African-American so we can eventually head in that direction, absolutely… That’s our hope.”
While they definitely didn’t confirm that Wally West will show up on the series (or even suit up as Kid Flash), it’s great to hear that the foundation has been put in place so that if he ever does, it will feel organic and part of an overall plan.
The Flash premieres on Tuesday, October 7 on the CW.
Originally published September 8, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
