@papinacho said:
I grew to like Wally because the JLU cartoons got me into comics, but once I actually started reading New 52 Flash; Booch and Manapul won me over to Barry's side. Barry is a true hero, I don't see why they couldn't co-exist.
Ideally yes, they could co-exist. But the problem with that is the Flash is not a Green Lantern, of which there are hundreds in the galaxy, or a Bat Family member of which each one can grow up into their own identity and adopt their own gadgets and tactics. The Flash comes with a fairly specific powerset. Superspeed, and is defined as being the fastest man alive.
Only one of them can be the fastest man alive. So you run into the problem of one Flash just being faster than the other, making the less fast Flash unnecessary and overshadowed by the other. This set up works for the Super Family, Superman is the top and the others, Supergirl, Powergirl, and Superboy, have the same or similar powerset but are less powerful than Superman himself. Supergirl and Powergirl are ladies, so they automatically have an aspect that separates them from Superman and gives them their own identities. Superboy has a slightly different powerset than Superman and a different backstory, so he has his own identity.
Barry and Wally co-existing as Flashes don't have much to separate them, especially with Barry adopting more of Wally's personality to make him stand out as a character. You end up with two equally fast Flashes with different hair colors and one having a slightly more laid back and whimsical personality than the other, or you have one completely outstrip the other in speed making fans of the slower Flash unhappy.
Wally can certainly show up as Kid Flash, but if he ever tried to branch out and become a hero on his own he'd end up as just a weaker, more watered down barry Allen.
That is why the fans fight. Barry fans want Barry to be the Flash and Wally fans want Wally to be the Flash. But if they co-exist, one of them has to give up being the Flash, and either get a new name and become the weaker of the two, or one has to die or retire leaving only one Flash again.
So I guess to sum it up... THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!!!
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