Jeff Lemire & Nick Robles on Reinventing Wally West in 'Absolute Flash'

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon! NEWSDC Comics solicitations for June 2025DC reveals covers and preview for sequel 'Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2'Mark Waid’s ‘Dream Project’ ‘New History of the DC Universe’ announced'DC High Volume: Batman' scripted always-on podcast launching April 2025'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' announced with previewMarvel Comics solicitations June 2025Joe Quesada to return to Marvel with new Marvel Knights title in June 2025 (more details)Jean Grey’s sister Sara returns in ‘Phoenix’ #12Marvel’s ‘Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man’ #1 features star-studded creatives‘Marvel United: A Pride Special’ #1 one-shot announced‘Fantastic Four’ set to relaunch with new #1 and creative duoMarvel unpacks ‘Godzilla vs. Thor’ out July 2025Three new Star Trek series coming in 2025 set in three different erasOni Press reveals sci-fi existential 'Benjamin' limited series tackles lonelinessWoah, apparently there is a real Benjamin Carp who is ALSO a writer! Our Top Books of the Week Dave:The Deviant #9 (James Tynion IV, Joshua Hixson)Out of Alcatraz #1 (Christopher Cantwell, Tyler Crook) Alex:​​Psylocke #5 (Alyssa Wong, Vincenzo Carratu)Plastic: Death & Dolls TPB (Doug Wagner, Daniel Hillyard) Standout KAPOW moment of the week: Alex - Magik #3 (Ashley Allen, Germán Peralta)  Dave - Absolute Batman #6 (Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta) TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKAlex: Free For All (Patrick Horvath), You’ll Do Bad Things (Tyler Boss, Adriano Turtulici)Dave: Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 (Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez) JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 (Javier Rodriguez Cover)Alex: Ultimate Spider-Man #15 (David Messina)48 Interview: Absolute Flash - Jeff Lemire and Nick RoblesAbsolute Flash strips Wally West of his usual support system—no mentor, no Flash family, and no Speed Force. What inspired this approach, and what does it reveal about Wally’s character?Jeff, you've tackled deeply personal, introspective stories before. How does Absolute Flash balance superhero spectacle with the kind of emotional storytelling you're known for?Nick, this series presents a unique visual challenge since Wally doesn’t have the Speed Force in the usual sense. How did you approach illustrating motion, speed, and kinetic energy differently?The father-son dynamic seems central to the story. What can you tell us about the relationship between Wally and his father, and how it shapes the narrative?The Absolute line lets creators tell more standalone, auteur-driven superhero stories. What freedom did that give you in shaping this take on Wally West?Wally is often portrayed as an optimist. Without his usual safety nets, how does his personality shift in this story? Can you tease anything about the “nefarious forces” chasing Wally? Are these familiar faces from Flash lore, or entirely new threats?Favorite rogues?What do you hope Absolute Flash adds to Wally West’s legacy as a character?With Absolute Flash, Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Batman all reimagining these heroes in bold new ways, if Wally had to team up with the Absolute versions of Diana and Bruce, what would their dynamic be like? Who’s the most intimidating, and who’s the most likely to crack a joke?