No Wally West (or Lightning Lad) in Justice League 3000

Justice League 3000 Flash by Howard Porter

Remember that Justice League 3000 design that had fans wondering about the identity of a future Flash? Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis are still being cagey about just who the JL3000 are, but fan speculation has led them to reveal who they aren’t to MTV Geek:

Geek: Real talk: Is this Flash Wally West? Are we going to finally see him in a New 52 context?

DeMatteis: One thing I can say unequivocally: this is absolutely not Wally West.

Giffen: No! Too harsh? Sorry again, but I’ve got to kill this whole Wally thing before it gets out of hand. Wally never even crossed our minds. Nor Donna. Nor Stephanie. Nor Snapper, nor Binky, nor Casey the Cop, etc., etc.

They also clarify that these characters aren’t the Legion of Super-Heroes recast in a Justice League mold. “Superman is not Mon-el. Green Lantern is not Rond Vidar.” Flash, we can assume, is not Lightning Lad.

It’s just as well that they chose to nip this in the bud rather than let the speculation build up steam over the next few months, leading to massive disappointment from fans who were hoping for a return of Wally West as Flash, Donna Troy as Wonder Woman, etc. when they picked up the book and it didn’t line up with their expectations.

Presumably the red hair and green eyes in the design sketch simply reflect artist Howard Porter’s affinity for the character, since he drew several years of JLA with Grant Morrison and Wally West’s Flash series with Geoff Johns.

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24 thoughts on “No Wally West (or Lightning Lad) in Justice League 3000

  1. Wally East

    Pretty much what I expected. I’m glad for a new Flash character but this will be the fifth Flash that’s been introduced in the New 52. I mean, that’s great but it’d be better if one of them was Wally.

    Reply
    1. Justthatkid

      I’d personally rather see Wally in the 21st century sometime soon, despite the lightness of the color if they used past characters Walter west would of been cool.

      Reply
  2. Kyer

    Part of me is relieved since I honestly am not excited about future-themed fantasy worlds (except for that Wally World single issue when Wally was lost in the Speed Force and bouncing around realities….that was a blast.)

    The other part is upset that Wally and Donna didn’t even cross their minds. Considering all that’s bordering darn right insulting! If they’d said “We wanted to use….but *they* (the DC Powers That Be) said ‘no'” well, my esteem for them would have actually shot up even more. As it is I could doubly care less about the series.

    This means all my hopes for seeing Wally in something new that isn’t independent fan produced falls solely on Multiversity… and I’m not feeling all that optimistic on *that* storyline even if it does turn out to be more than a one-shot-and-forever done tale.

    Reply
      1. Kyer

        Probably wouldn’t have been. This book just doesn’t have the background to have appealed beyond the presence of Wally. Granted that initially would have been enough (I disliked the Wally of first year Young Justice animated, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to see more Wally in that come Invasion.)

        On the other hand have been feeling really melancholy of late due to mounting personal issues so my world view is currently colored grey anyway.

        Reply
  3. Lee H

    I’m fine with this. When Wally is introduced in New 52 I want him to still be Iris West’s nephew.

    Reply
  4. Scott Timms

    Ok its not Wally (I dont want a JL3000 Wally anyways), but its kinda a d**k move to intro a red haired green eyed speester who isnt Wally.

    Reply
  5. Jason Malecki

    Everyone’s crying about how Wally isn’t in the New 52, yet they’re realizing that it’s a re-imagining of the start of Barry’s career. He isn’t fully involved with Iris, and as a result, has not met her young nephew Wally. Wally’s not kicked out, he’s just not introduced in Barry’s life yet. Have patience, have faith 🙂

    Reply
    1. Penny Dreadful

      Been there, done that. Wally in Multiversity will likely be the last Flash-related title I ever pick up. I gave up on the Flashverse long ago. At least I hope Piper is not featured in the book anymore. Please, don’t let him be in the Villains Month books or the Rogues mini. Please.

      Reply
    2. Javi

      Wish I could have faith, but we already had Spider-Man choose his aunt over his wife, now we have Barry chosing his mom over his wife and nephew/surrogate son, except he still lost his mom!

      Reply

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