DC Reboot Leaves Flash's Marriage In The Dust

[vansau]

DC Reboot Leaves Flash's Marriage In The Dust

Yet another married DC hero is returning to life as a bachelor on the run.

DC's company-wide universe reboot has generated a fair amount of controversy amongst fans, a <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111885-DC-Reboot-Leads-To-Protest-At-Comic-Con>(underwhelming) protest at Comic-Con, and a lot of criticism when it was revealed that the new comic lines would be <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111141-DC-Sends-Clark-Kent-And-Lois-Lane-To-Divorce-Court>doing away with Superman's iconic marriage. Of course, DC is laughing all the way to the bank, since <a href=http://www.the-gutters.com/comic/181-ian-navarro>relaunched titles are breaking sales records right and left. Now, it turns out that DC is retconning another major marriage out of its continuity: The Flash's (Barry Allen) 40+ year marriage is now gone.

The word comes this afternoon from editor Brian Cunningham, who writes at The Source that Barry, like Clark, is a single man who's never been married. ... That's right, as with Clark and Lois, post-Flashpoint the nearly 45-year-old marriage of Barry Allen and Iris West never happened. ...

"If that upsets you, sorry about that," Cunningham writes. "But I make no apologies for opening up a traditional storytelling avenue with our hero's romantic life, something that's been shut closed for a very long time now. This is no indictment of marriage. I'm a married man and wouldn't trade it for anything. But in the realm of fiction, I feel strongly that this change to Barry opens up fresh, new creative directions and exciting new storylines."

Personally, I'm a little torn on this. Barry Allen has always been one of my favorite comic characters and I seem to be one of the few people who actually enjoyed his marriage. That said? Married characters are a bit less relatable for younger audiences and it's way more interesting to watch a relationship unfold instead of starting at the "happily ever after" part. However, as MovieBob recently pointed out, continuity changes have a habit of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/4132-Continanity-Rebooted>not actually lasting for too long before a new one comes along.

Source: CBR via <a href=http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/09/the_dcnu_claims_another_superhero_marriage_1.php>Topless Robot

<a href=http://www.the-gutters.com/comic/186-steve-bryant>Image Source

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[Not G. Ivingname]

Ok, maybe Superman's I get, but the Flash's marriage I never heard anybody having a problem with.

 

[vansau]

Ok, maybe Superman's I get, but the Flash's marriage I never heard anybody having a problem with.

It's especially weird since the end of Flashpoint was just so random. That was the biggest Deus Ex Machina wrap-up I've seen in quite some time.

 

[tirone231]

"I feel strongly that this change to Barry opens up fresh, new creative directions and exciting new storylines."

In other words...new romances with minor characters and potential one night stands (see: post-One More Day Spider-Man). Cunningham, you just wanted Barry to be a swinging bachelor again, didn't you? Aside from hooking up with new women, there is no story that can be done now that couldn't have been done before.

 

[Smiles]

Why can't they just "open up fresh, new creative directions and exciting new storylines" with characters that aren't already married or something?

 

[oldtaku]

'But I make no apologies for opening up a traditional storytelling avenue with our hero's romantic life'

How about some apologies for rebooting your main continuity so often because your editors are such a bunch of f#$!ing hacks you can only shovel the quicksand for a few years each time before it creeps over your chins and you 'have' to reboot everything again? So you can redo all the same storylines and not worry about previous continuity till it crusts over you again due to any lack of planning?

Oh right, no need to apologize, because your fans are dumbasses who keep buying it, and even lap up these reboots like flies on diarrhea?

Well I know you'll be very happy with them while I read some actual books with good stories. At least none of you have any real competition, so there's no pressure to crawl out of your ghetto.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Why do comic book writers and editors hate marriages in their books? Newsflash: People get married all of the time.

 

[oldtaku]

Why do comic book writers and editors hate marriages in their books? Newsflash: People get married all of the time.

The only relationship they know how to write is from Archie comics. Mostly because the romantic interests are so one dimensional.

Once Spiderman marries Mary Jane (using them as generic stand ins), they have no idea what to do with her other than a) have her lounge at home looking sultry and worrying about him being out, b) worries of an affair (either way) as a cop-out back to the Archie model, c) turn her into a super-heroine for a mini-series or one-shot! It's refreshing! (plus even more form fitting outfit), d) have her killed off or kidnapped to make them both briefly feel alive again.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Why do comic book writers and editors hate marriages in their books? Newsflash: People get married all of the time.

The only relationship they know how to write is from Archie comics. Mostly because the romantic interests are so one dimensional.

Once Spiderman marries Mary Jane (using them as generic stand ins), they have no idea what to do with her other than a) have her lounge at home looking sultry and worrying about him being out, b) worries of an affair (either way) as a cop-out back to the Archie model, c) turn her into a super-heroine for a mini-series or one-shot! It's refreshing! (plus even more form fitting outfit), d) have her killed off or kidnapped to make them both briefly feel alive again.

We all know what they did to that relationship:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_One_More_Day
Honestly, it could be compelling if they put some thought into it. As many problems as Spider-Man 3 had, the subplot about Mary Jane getting jealous of her husband's fame and abilities was interesting.

 

[somonels]

That sucks for Flash... wait, did he get uglier? maybe that's why.
Oh, that was a fan-comic.

 

[GiantRaven]

Who cares that The Flash isn't married when you have books like Animal Man, Swamp Thing and Stormwatch coming out.

 

[Quaxar]

Oh yes, DC. Great idea.
The Flash was always married. What the hell makes you change that? Because obviously Barry is so outgoing he could have any woman. Yeah, I suppose that... makes... sense?

 

[Roserari]

It's a real damned shame to see the reboot be so succesful, only for the reason that it's more likely they'll pull this crap again instead of, you know, marketing their comics all the time and keeping the quality of the book going upwards instead of stagnating it, hoping for the next reboot.

 

[Quiet Stranger]

Could someone maybe do something super special for me? Could you list maybe not all the titles but at least all the major titles leading from Brightest Day to Flash Point? I feel like whenever I get done with one major series (Like Final Crisis) there's already two more to be read.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

So now he is the same as every super hero out there?

hoo-fuckin-ray.

 

[GiantRaven]

Could someone maybe do something super special for me? Could you list maybe not all the titles but at least all the major titles leading from Brightest Day to Flash Point? I feel like whenever I get done with one major series (Like Final Crisis) there's already two more to be read.

Brightest Day - The Flash (by Johns, Manapul and Kolins) - Flashpoint

It's a real damned shame to see the reboot be so succesful, only for the reason that it's more likely they'll pull this crap again instead of, you know, marketing their comics all the time and keeping the quality of the book going upwards instead of stagnating it, hoping for the next reboot.

Have you actually read any of the new books? The reason it's so successful right now is due to the quality of books that are coming out. The last thing that is happening right now is stagnation.

 

[Roserari]

Could someone maybe do something super special for me? Could you list maybe not all the titles but at least all the major titles leading from Brightest Day to Flash Point? I feel like whenever I get done with one major series (Like Final Crisis) there's already two more to be read.

Brightest Day - The Flash (by Johns, Manapul and Kolins) - Flashpoint

It's a real damned shame to see the reboot be so succesful, only for the reason that it's more likely they'll pull this crap again instead of, you know, marketing their comics all the time and keeping the quality of the book going upwards instead of stagnating it, hoping for the next reboot.

Have you actually read any of the new books? The reason it's so successful right now is due to the quality of books that are coming out. The last thing that is happening right now is stagnation.

Have you actually read my comment I never said the new books weren't good.

 

[GiantRaven]

Have you actually read my comment I never said the new books weren't good.

Fair enough. I wouldn't say that this relaunch being successful is an indication that they will be pulling the same trick any time soon, especially if the books maintain their quality (I know we're only had the first week but if the next three are anything like this one then they'll be full of good books). The sales of the next few months are going to be interesting to look at, to see what the drop-off rates are. Hopefully they won't be huge, otherwise DC might have a big problem on their hands.

 

[aashell13]

This is why I never could get into comics. Continuity means nothing to the publishers; they'll turn a backstory upside down at the drop of a hat.