The Four Color Media Monitor: PC-putdown of Bill Loebs' Flash run

That's what this old interview with Mark Waid from Newsarama from back in 2002 seems to be doing, when the writer says the following at the beginning of the article:

Things weren't going so well for the Flash. Sales were in the gutter, Barry Allen was dead and people were still having trouble accepting that Wally West guy. Come on, he used to be Kid Flash. How could he possibly make the leap from whiny kid sidekick to big time hero?

That Wally made the leap in question is already a moot point, but what's this about the Scarlet Speedster's sales being in the gutter during the time that Bill Loebs was the writer? In fairness, I know that Mike Baron's run was such a mixed bag with everyone reading, and that it might've caused some damage in sales that took awhile to fully recover from, but that's not saying it wasn't doing well when Bill Loebs took over. IMO, that's also obscuring/snubbing a lot of the great story elements Loebs offered, such as the inclusion of Chunk as a supporting character for a few years, making Chester P. Runk more than just a mere plot device, and even the introduction of the Connie Chung of the comics, Linda Park West. Of course there were some shortcomings, but even so, how exactly can they imply that Loebs didn't/couldn't cut it? Coming around the time that Loebs lost his home and mortgage thanks to the fact that the comics companies were shafting him just like they might do to even Waid tomorrow (I sure hope not), that strikes me as more a little bit...insulting.

Labels: dc comics, Flash, good writers

I don't know. I didn't see anything there from Waid implying fault towards Loebs.

He said sales were in the gutter, but never said why (or if someone was to blame, or if there was balme to be had).

He made a comment about the sales of the book at a certain time. Nothing more. Could there been some subtle dig at Loebs in there? Maybe, but I don't see it. And given how outspoken Waid has been in the past over issues with other, being THAT subtle about it doesn't strike me as his style.

I'd think if Waid was trying to knock or blame Loebs for the horrids sales of The Falsh at that time, he'd have been a lot more upfront about it. That would be much more in line with this personality in the past, when regarding such matters.

But that's just how I see it....

Posted by James Meeley | 4:33 PM