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Wally West Reading Order (Kid Flash, the Flash III, the Scarlet Speedster)

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Created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, Wally West made his debut in The Flash #110 in December 1959, as the original Kid Flash.

Wallace Rudolph “Wally” West is the nephew of Iris West who accidentally gained powers while visiting Barry Allen in his Central city police lab. There, he is splattered with lightning-charged chemicals as the freak accident that gave Barry his powers happened again!

Wally West became Kid Flash, the sidekick to the second Flash, and distinguished himself with a primarily yellow costume. He also was a founding member of the Teen Titans, where he became close friends with Dick Grayson (alias Robin/Nightwing).

He eventually succeeded Barry Allen as the Flash and had to deal with the difficult task of replacing his mentor. At the same time, he became a founding member of Justice League Europe, then moved to the Justice League of America, and had stints with Titans and Justice League Elite.

This Scarlet Speedster has appeared in many animated television series and video games and was played by Keiynan Lonsdale in the Arrowverse.

Wally West Reading Order

Want to read about other Flashes? Check out our Flash Reading Order to discover Jay Garrick and Barry Allen’s adventures before Wally West was introduced (and after!).

I. Kid Flash: Wally West in the Silver and Bronze Age

Wally West made his first appearance as Kid Flash in The Flash #110. He’s a junior high school student and president of the Flash Fan Club. His life took a turn while visiting his aunt Iris and her boyfriend Barry Allen in Central City… Following a freak accident, he became Kid Flash!

The Flash Wally West 48What about issues 200-350? We are in the Bronze Age and this time in The Flash is not well collected, at all.

Wally West in the Mystery of the Matinee Idol (Flash #138)

Teen Titans 1966-1978 Icon Reading OrderThe superhero team the Teen Titans made its first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #54 (July 1964). Kid Flash aka Wally West is a founding member and he’s a regular in Teen Titans Vol. 1 (1966–1977) and The New Teen Titans Vol. 1 (1980–1984).

Major event alert! The end of the Pre-Crisis era is marked by the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, written by Marv Wolfman and penciled by George Pérez. Barry saves the universe at Great Cost and The DC universe will never be the same! Naturally, Barry’s actions have consequences for Wally who becomes the third Flash! To know more about it, check out our full Crisis on Infinite Earths reading order.

Flash Barry Allen - Flashpoint Reading Order

II. Post-Crisis: Wally West is The Flash!

Wally West made his first appearance as The Flash in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 in March 1986. In a post-Crisis world, former sidekick Wally West must take up his idol’s mantle as the Scarlet Speedster! But at only 20 years old, is Wally ready to drop the “Kid” and be the world’s one and only Flash? 

As he took over as the Flash, Wally West worked for a short time with the Titans again, before leaving for his solo career. But he didn’t take to long before he joined another team, as he is invited to be part of the Justice League International. More importantly, he is a founding member of the European branch, and later moved on to the Justice League of America where he became a regular member.

Justice League International/Europe! Wally West is invited to join the Justice League International in issue #24, and it will lead him to be one of the founding members of the Justice League Europe, stories you can read independently to his solo run.

  • Justice League International Omnibus Vol. 1
    Collects Justice League #1-6, Justice League International #7-25, Justice League America #26-30, Justice League Annual #1, Justice League International Annual #2-3, Justice League Europe #1-6 and Suicide Squad #13.
  • Justice League International Omnibus Vol. 2
    Collects Justice League America #31-50, Justice League Europe #7-25, Justice League America Annual #4, Justice League Europe Annual #1, Justice League Quarterly #1, and Justice League International Special #1.
  • The second part of the Justice League Europe has not been collected yet, though Wally West stays as a member of the team until the end of the title, with issue #50.

The Flash by Mark Waid

Following a 14-issue run by Mike Baron, William Messner-Loebs took writing duties on The Flash, until issue #61. This period is uncollected and mostly never discussed. This changes with Mark Waid’s arrival on the title on issue #62 in 1992.

Also collected in:

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! The biggest DC Event since 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths, it involved almost every DC Universe monthly series published at the time and, in the end, some past events were changed—and some series were rebooted. The Flash #(92-)94 are tie-ins in this crisis. Go here for the reading order.

In October of 1994, all of the existing mainstream DC Comics titles released a special “0” issue to coincide with the Zero Hour crossover event. In this issue, The Justice League reforms after the revocation of their UN charter with a new lineup and headquarters in Justice League America #0. Wally West became a member of this team and was present in this title from issue #93 to #113. Those are not collected yet.

Grant Morrison JLA Reading Order - JLA LogoTo stop the falling sales, DC tried to revamp the League with the help of Mark Waid and Fabian Nicieza with the miniseries Justice League: A Midsummer’s Nightmare in 1996. But it was in 1997 when Grant Morrison reformed the Justice League with artist Howard Porter in the new JLA series that the team found success again. And, you guessed it, Wally West was part of it all!

DC One Million! This event occurs during The Flash Book 7, as issue #1000000 indicates. The 20th-century Justice League of America and the 853rd-century Justice Legion Alpha cooperate to defeat a plot by the supervillain Vandal Savage and future Superman nemesis Solaris the Living Sun. Go here for the reading order.

  • DC Comics One Million Omnibus
    Collects DC One Million #1–4, plus the #1,000,000 issues of Action Comics, Adventures Of Superman, Aquaman, Azrael, Batman, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat, Catwoman, Chase, Chronos, The Creeper, Detective Comics, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and many more!!!

Wally West as The Flash III by Geoff Johns

As Mark Waid took over the JLA and wrote one of the most famous JLA storylines, The Tower of Babel, Geoff Johns started his five-year run on the Flash. Wally West may be the Fastest Man Alive, but even he has trouble keeping up with the changes in his life…

 

Justice LeagueIntroduced at the end of JLA #100, the Justice League Elite are a not-exactly-sanctioned, don’t-ask-don’t-tell, covert operations unit– newly formed to hunt and eliminate extra-normal threats to the earth before they go public. Wally is part of both teams but used a new, dark costume for his time with the Elite.

Identity Crisis! After the spouse of a member of the Justice League of America is brutally murdered, the entire superhero community searches for the killer in this unpopular DC Event. The Flash #213-217 are tie-ins to the event. To know in which order to read the story, you can check out our Identity Crisis Reading Order.

Infinite Crisis! The end of Geoff John’s run takes place during this sequel to DC’s 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earth. It’s the DCU’s darkest day, and long-lost heroes from the past have returned to make things right in the universe… at any cost. (go check out our Infinite Crisis Reading Order!)

  • Infinite Crisis Omnibus
    Collects Action Comics #826, #829, Adventures of Superman #639, #642, Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Day of Vengeance #1-6, Day of Vengeance Infinite Crisis Special, JLA #115-119, Infinite Crisis #1-6, Infinite Crisis Secret Files 2006, The OMAC Project #1-6, and much more!
  • JLA: World Without a Justice League
    Collects JLA #120–125. (part of Infinite Crisis)

The Flash Wally West 48What about issues The Flash #226-230? Joey Cavalieri took writing duties for the end of The Flash vol. 2, but no collected editions exist for those issues.

Flash Barry Allen - Flashpoint Reading Order

III. From One Year Later to Flashpoint (2006-2011)

Following the events from the miniseries Infinite Crisis, Bart Allen became the fourth Flash and headlined a relaunched third volume of the title, called The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. His stint as Flash was short and Wally was brought back in the JLA/JSA story The Lightning Saga. His next appearance was in All Flash #1 (2007), followed by The Flash vol. 2, which resumed publication after the long hiatus with issue #231 (October 2007). The series found the character struggling with trying to raise his two super-powered twins, plagued by accelerated growth and their inexperience in the heroic game, a task made more difficult by Wally’s unemployment, his inability to keep a steady job, and the mistrust of the League for his decision to bring two children into the fold. The series was canceled with issue #247 (February 2009).

Final Crisis! Now superheroes from around the world—and across the Multiverse—must make a last, desperate stand against the forces of Anti-Life. This is an important event for The Flash, more specifically for Barry Allen who has returned to life! So of course, it has repercussions for Wally West.

  • Final Crisis 10th Anniversary Omnibus
    Collects Batman #676-683, #701-702, Birds Of Prey #118, Dc Universe #0, DC Universe: The Last Will And Testament #1, Final Crisis #1-7, Final Crisis: Legion Of 3 Worlds #1-5, Final Crisis: Requiem #1, Final Crisis: Resist #1, Final Crisis: Revelations #1-5, Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1-3, and much more!
  • The Flash by Geoff Johns Book Six
    Collects Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1–3, The Flash: Rebirth #1–6, Blackest Night: The Flash #1–3

Flash Barry Allen - Flashpoint Reading Order

IV. Nowhere to be found: Wally West during New 52

In 2011, The DC Universe was rebooted because of Barry Allen (with Flashpoint!). But Wally West seems to have never existed in this new era. Instead, a new interpretation of the character was introduced in The Flash Vol. 4 Annual #3. Inspired by the television series The Flash, this new Wally West was introduced as the biracial son of Rudy West (the brother of Iris West). His family history will be later retconned, and the character was renamed Wallace West to avoid confusion with the original Wally West.

Though Wally West was totally absent during the whole New 52 era, his existence was hinted at in the final issue of Titans Hunt, when the original Teen Titans realize they art still forgetting an important member of their team. Soon enough, Wally is reintroduced in the DC Universe…

Flash Barry Allen - Flashpoint Reading Order

V. The Rebirth Years and the DC Universe (2016-2021)

As we entered the Rebirth era, the DC Universe was restored to a form closer to what it was before Barry Allen changed the timeline! Good ol’ Wally West made his comeback at the start of the era, after escaping the Speed Force. It was only the beginning of a tumultuous journey for the character, as the next few years will be quite difficult for him.

As Barry Allen is the main Flash, Wally West is mostly present in the Titans written by Dan Abnett.

Heroes In Crisis! Wally West is at the Sanctuary, an ultra-secret hospital for superheroes and reformed supervillains, when tragedy strikes in this poorly executed event, Written by Tom King and penciled by Clay Mann (see our reading order). Beware, this is a real character assassination for Wally!

Dark Nights Death Metal! The sequel to Dark Nights: Metal is here, in which Wally West plays an important role and a whole story finally comes to a close (see Dark Nights: Death Metal reading order).

Following the event of Dark Nights: Death Metal, DC Comics took us to the Future. At least, to one possible future, one that is dark… The Future State (see the dedicated article for more information). The Flash’s stories are collected in the Justice League TPB:

  • Future State: Justice League
    Collects Future State: Justice League #1-2, Future State: Justice League Dark #1-2, Future State: Aquaman #1-2, Future State: Green Lantern #1-2, Future State: The Flash #1-2.

Flash Barry Allen - Flashpoint Reading Order

VI. Wally West in The Infinite Frontier

After some traumatic years, Wally West is ready to call it quits! Barry Allen has other plans for his former partner, counting on him to be the primary Flash as he joins Justice Incarnate. Wally stars in the new Flash series written by Jeremy Adams.

Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths! The Justice League are dead. Can a new generation of heroes save the Multiverse? Find the answer in an event less eventful than announced!

VII. Wally West in Dawn of DC

Under the creative team of Simon Spurrier and Mike Deodato, Wally West is still the main Flash during the Dawn of DC era. He also joins his friends on the new iteration of the Titans by Tom Taylor.

 

 

Did we forget an important issue? Did we make a mistake? Let us know in the comments!

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