Don’t get your hopes (or dander) up just yet, but in DC Comics’ latest “All Access” video aimed at fans, they teased a few fan-favorite characters by leaving the names “Wally,” “Donna” and “Stephanie” on a whiteboard. They’re also planning a series called Five Years Later, rumored to be looking at the near future of the New 52.
Stephanie Brown has been confirmed returning as Spoiler in “Batman Eternal,” so anything’s possible at this point.
Wally West and Donna Troy could appear in the future series, but not the present of the New 52, or perhaps they might show up in Flash and Superman/Wonder Woman as suggested by the board. Either way, it’s worth remembering that many characters have changed significantly in the New 62, and an updated version of Wally or Donna could easily be missing the characteristics that appeal to their fan base.
It could just as easily be misdirection.
Even if it’s a real plan, plans change. The last seven years of The Flash are littered with abandoned plots (everything teased in Flash: Rebirth and Flash Secret Files 2010 that didn’t directly involve the Reverse Flash), dropped characters (never mind the speedsters, how much have we seen of Piper since his reintroduction?) and stories (the Gem Cities cold-case story that was going to focus on Barry Allen’s civilian side), abrupt changes in direction (do I really have to spell it out?), and even outright lies (remember the solicitations for Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #14 and 15?).
(Personally, I wouldn’t put an outright prank past the current regime at DC.)
So the names are out there. Make of it what you will, but it’s way too early to pull out your Jump To Conclusions mat.
We recently had the honor of interviewing Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, the acclaimed creative team behind “The Flash”, as they prepare to move from “Flash” to “Detective Comics”. We get their thoughts on the move, along with the themes they will be taking with their run on the World’s Greatest Detective.
