For years we have been hearing that Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash, is coming back to life.  The death of Barry Allen in Crisis on Infinite Earths angered many long-time DC fans.  As you know, Wally West, the former Kid Flash, took on the mantle of the Flash.  At first, Wally was not welcomed by the fans.  Although many had loved him as Kid Flash fighting alongside Barry and then in the Teen Titans, to them Wally was not the Flash.  It took a while, but finally many came to accept and even like that Wally was the Flash - a large part due to Mark Waid’s classic first run on the Flash title.

Over the years we’ve seen Barry Allen return in some form.  We would see him traveling through time just prior to his death in Crisis.  He would show up, fight, but always return to his own time because he would have to die to save the universe.  Now he’s back again.  With the current Final Crisis storyline we have seen Barry return once again, but this time it was announced that this would, in fact, be for good.  Even the NY Daily News announced his return. 

Shortly after that, more news came.  Come 2009, we would see a miniseries entitled “Flash: Reborn.”  The same team of Geoff Johns and Evan van Sciver who brought back Hal Jordan from the dead in “Green Lantern: Reborn,” would do the same for Barry.  But what about Wally?

Sometime after that, it was announced that DC was canceling the Flash series with issue 247.  The cover to that issue has Wally with his boots off and looking down at his feet as the shadow of the Grim Reaper looms in the back.  DC has already killed off Bart Allen aka Impulse/Kid Flash II/Flash IV.  Would they do the same to Wally?

This week, in Comic Shop News, a small article had an interview with “Flash: Reborn” artist Evan van Sciver.  In the article, van Sciver talks about Barry and “Final Crisis” as well as “Blackest Night” the big Green Lantern storyline happening in 2009.  He also goes to mention that he will be redesigning Wally West’s new costume for the “Reborn” series and that it will not be a radical change and that it will instantly be recognizable.  That was all well and good, but to say that Wally is still alive post-Final Crisis and post-Flash 247 was fantastic news for me. 

Next to Batman and Wolverine, Wally West is a big-time favorite of mine.  I’ve not been reading “Flash” as of late because it sucks.  I’ve been hoping they would do something to improve it.  Now Wally could still die in “Reborn,” but as of right now he lives.  I hope Geoff is the writer for the new Flash monthly that is sure to follow “Reborn”.  Next to Waid’s first two runs (his third sucked!), Johns run is the best.  If Kyle Rayner can survive and fight alongside a resurrected Hal Jordan, I can’t see why Wally can’t do the same.  Can’t wait to see what happens and I hope Andy Kubert comes on as the artist for the new Flash series.  It’s time DC puts him on a monthly book.

Ride the lighting, baby.  Go Flash!