Warning: Spoilers for Jenny Sparks #3!
One of the strongest members of theJustice Leagueis no fan of a former teammate. The Leaguer in question - or former member - is Captain Atom. Captain Atom has been confirmed to be stronger than Superman, andimmune to his powers. His supervillain turn has seen him reveal his true feelings about the world and its heroes, including a certain speedster by the name of Wally West.
InJenny Sparks#3 by Tom King, Jeff Spokes, and Clayton Cowles, Captain Atom makes it known that he has no respect for The Flash whatsoever, and why. He specifically takes umbrage with the fact that Wally West not only comes from a lineage of heroes sharing the same mantle, but he is the third in that lineage of speedsters.
The way that Captain Atom dismisses Wally for being the third Flash speaks to a larger, almost meta issue:legacy heroes get little to no respect either in-universe or from critics in real life.
Captain Atom Has No Respect for Former Justice League Teammate The Flash
Or the Legacies of Other Heroes
The series centers around Jenny Sparks, the leader of The Authority, as she collaborates withher former flame, Superman,and the Justice League to take down a mutual threat: Captain Atom. Becoming suddenly hyper-aware of the god-tier prowess he wields—that which eclipses even Superman—inspires a change of perspective of the world on Atom. Along the way, Atom finds himself holding hostages captive inside of a bar. Sparks and Superman conceive a plan with the Justice League to end Cap’s tirade. The rescue mission demands the presence of The Flash, specifically the Wally West iteration of the character.
His job is to use his super speed to rush out the bar with hostages one after another, and when the coast is clear, the League will finish Atom off. Things don’t exactly go as planned, as the next thing they know, Wally is being flung into the ocean. When the hostage questions him, Atom is quick to point out, that he didn’t dispose of The Flash, but a Flash,“and not even one of the first two.“Atom even questions how the word"super"in superhero can apply to someone of the caliber of Wally West’s Flash.
Former Justice League Member Captain Atom’s Words as Meta-Commentary
The Problem with Legacy Heroes
Wally West arrives as the third man after Jay Garrick and Barry Allen to call himself The Flash, making him what is traditionally called a legacy hero. While the concept of alegacy hero has been twisted recently, it is a character who adopts the identity and namesake based on a previously established superhero. Some fans are divided on the idea of the legacy hero, with most preferring the original and most not holding the new hero in the same regard as the original.Captain Atom’s meta-assessment suggests that this sentiment rings just as true for characters within the actual canon.
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DC is full of awesome legacy heroes, including the Bat-Family — but now the publisher is finally recognizing its most underrated legacy hero.
It appears that in both real life and within the panels, the legacy hero is not often held to the same reverence or respect as the original mantle wearer. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule and there are someDC heroes who improve on the original. Wally West himself has carved out a successful path for himself. That being said, the fact that his stories still center around if he’sworthy of carrying the Flash mantlesuggests he’s still overshadowed by the heroes who carried the name before him,something that legacy heroes often struggle with.
Is This Justice League Member Doomed?
Is There Hope For Legacy Heroes?
While Captain Atom’s perspective on The Flash isn’t very assuring as to how the rest of the world thinks of legacy acts, it’s not the end of the world for the idea of legacy acts. Again, there are exceptions to legacy heroes who are just as respected in canon and real life as their predecessors, sometimes more so. More people associate Hal Jordan with being the Green Lantern than they do Alan Scott, and sticking with the Flash, most people think about Barry Allen before they do Jay Garrick. Over at Marvel,heroes prefer Miles Morales as Spider-Man to Peter.
As for Wally West specifically, Wally continues to earn respect from all corners of the universe as hecontinues to return to glory. He has plenty of opportunities to change the minds of critics and, most importantly, characters like Captain Atom who may think less of Wally for wearing a mask that once belonged to another man. Regardless of what theJustice Leaguemember turned villain thinks of him, Wally West is still one of the best iterations of The Flash to enter the DC Universe and has earned his rightful place in DC Comics history.
Jenny Sparks#3 is on sale now from DC Comics
