Jeff: pleasure. I’m a big fan. What you’re doing with the flash? I am. I actually really like while the west end secret to anyone on the show, I like while he was better than Barry island. So I really appreciate what you’re doing with the show. And you went to calm book. So how did you find out you’re going to be involved in the flat complicated.

Jeremy Adams: So, obviously I’ve been doing writing for a while now and mostly I’ve been doing animation. And I’m, I’m very steeped in the Warner animation world. So like this year I like came out the Bruce, Tim Batman. Solar dragon was something I wrote and I co-wrote a justice society, world war II, animated feature.

And so I, you know, obviously I’ve been doing superheroes. I’m a huge nerd. I grew up that way. And so what happened was when Dan video was running, you know, was over there. He had called in a bunch of animation writers because, you know, Warner animation. Gotten a lot of acclaim for the way that they portray [00:01:00] superheroes.

And he asked us to come in and then he was going to do this thing called , which was like this crazy, like leap forward in time, I guess, for the DC universe. And he was like, Hey, would any of you guys want to write a comic? I wanted to write a comics since I was a little baby. You know, my father actually was an artist for DC back in the day and did a few things back in the day.

So, but my parents were divorced early. I, you know, I known about that and in my head, I think it was more legendary than it was, but it was something I always wanted to do. And and because of my experience in animation, they thought I’d make. Obviously 5g did not happen. And all my dreams were dashed to the floor.

I was really sad about it. And but then my friend, Tim Sheridan, who’s writing teen Titans academy. And Shizam, I think he mentioned to the editor is working for my cotton is like, oh, you should talk to Jeremy. And so [00:02:00] cotton called me up and we talked and he asked me if I wanted to do future state, future state was just kind of.

The version of 5g, the truncated version of 5g, you know, it was like what they ended up doing. And so I did this black Adam future state. And at the same time I did for Jamie rich, a black racer reboot for the Superman world’s at war. So I did these two little mini features in the comic. The, the black Adam one was a good 22 issues.

And holy cow, I had. And I think they were like, oh, you’re you got a lot of crazy ideas. I was like, yeah, I do. And so Putin came to me like, Hey, what would you do with the flash? And I was like, I would like quantum leap him. And I would have him. He’s like, great. That’s better than what we were thinking. So, you know, here you go.

You know? And so I started mapping. Kind of my first arc for Wally [00:03:00] and the return of Wall-E and it was really designed. I mean, although the mechanism of him jumping into different speedsters, it was kind of a way to acclimate me to the flash in a way, like in a very real, like ownership way where I got to kind of like touch on all the characters in a, in a peculiar way.

I got to really. You know, create this kind of bond with this character of Wally and just see, like, what is it I want from her? What is it I love about him? What is it that drew me to him and that I love and justice league unlimited and I love and mark Wade’s run. And, and what was it that, that, that made Wally the guy.

And so it was a great way to kind of explore that character. And, and it was funny because. No, I’m rambling. So tell me if you want me to stop, but Wally in a way as a fan, it’s like, oh man, he’s been a human pinata for so long. [00:04:00] He’s been beaten on and beaten on. And so kind of the way that I thought about it was like, no, one’s going to touch the puppy anymore.

He’s gotta be fine. He’s going to be great. We’re going to have adventures. And, and so I think people have noticed. I have a lot of earnestness in, in what I’m writing. And a lot of just, it’s almost a throwback comic because it’s, it’s, it’s much more just adventure based and having exciting, you know, things happen and, and bringing in his family.

I mean, the truth is I wish it was a by like, like it came out twice monthly because I feel like there’s just so much ground to cover and so much stuff I want to tell. And I’m, I’m I, as the writer, I’m like, oh man, I gotta wait for a month. You know? So, I don’t know if that answers your question, but I, I just, I.

Getting to know this character and now created this kind of like, I love this character, like, you know, and I, and they were like, how, you know, how long do you want to write this [00:05:00] for? I’m like, until you kick me, keep buying it guys, please.

Jeff: So if anyone from DC comics is listening twice a month on the fly to make it happen.

The use of volume west as the primary flash, was that a you decision or a DC decision asking you to do that?

Jeremy Adams: What I recall was like when cotton was like, Hey, we’re thinking about bringing back Wally west, you know, as the flash, because Barry Williamson was going to use Berry in infinite frontier. And this was a perfect opportunity to kinda like put wallet to the, the front again.

And I just had to figure out how I wanted to do it. And not only is it just, I want to bounce through speedsters, but obviously I wanted to address the elephant in a room in the room in a way, which was the heroes in crisis moment. And, you know, I, I did get [00:06:00] pushed back on that. You know, it was like some people just didn’t want to talk about it at all and ignore it.

And I didn’t think that was fair because. I wanted, I wanted to do it, but one of my favorite things in comp, I love, I love quote unquote, Rhett conning, especially if it fits within the context of what happens. And the main idea I had was like, you know, the reality is that the flash moves so fast that there could be these entire adventures that happen in a blink of an eye.

And that was kind of the thing that like hit me. It’s like, oh, and, and trying to build up to this moment. It’s super contentious within fandom, you know, and not, and not diminish it as a, as a piece of art, what they did and just say, no, but this is, this is the other story that happened inside that story, you know?

It was, it was a weird needle to thread and I hope I did. Okay. But again, I’m new, I’m new to

Jeff: this. [00:07:00] I think if you did a great job, one of the things that it can remind me of. 20 something years. Cause I’ve been a fan for comics for a very long time, is the agree Lynch and rebirth. When Jeff Johns had to rehabilitate how Jordan 4d could use them.

And it was a question of how to do it respectfully and still do it. So readers would accept. And I feel like you did that same thing with Wally west. You managed. Recognize what happened in heroes in crisis, regardless of your afford or against it doesn’t matter. And, but also make it so while the us on some level is to rehabilitate it and you can be forgiven for what happened in that storyline.

Jeremy Adams: Right. Right. I mean, that’s, that’s how I felt I am. And again, it’s, it’s all it’s comic books, you know, that’s the fun of a lot of comic books. It’s a lot of it is, you know, sometimes. People will dig a hole and it’s like, You know, it’s like, oh yeah, I gotta get out of this hole. You know, I always, I think back to like, you know, in the X-Men [00:08:00] comics when dark Phoenix died and then, you know, Madeline prior, I mean, this is for those that don’t know, you know, Jean Gray died and th the most epic run of comic books probably ever has been.

And then I remember years later, they introduced Madeline Pryor. Yeah. No, we didn’t have internet. We’re looking around, everybody’s going to see that she looks just like Jean, Greg, like something’s going on, you know? And then they slowly started chipping away at like what had actually happened.

Jeff: And I love

Jeremy Adams: that because I’m sure.

That someone years from now, after they finally fired me from this job, we’ll go back and change it even more, you know? That’s. That can be kind of the fun, but for me, it was about finding Wally’s voice and finding out, you know, just remembering why people like Wally and what was it that. That made people excited about him.

And it’s not because he has super speed because there’s like 12 people [00:09:00] that have super speed, you know, and it’s, and it is more of that every man and that, and I always feel like that earnestness and that hopefulness. And I feel like, you know, as far as characters go, I’m, I’m writing it from a very familiar voice.

Like I have two kids while he has two kids, you know, trying to, you know, Live life and pay bills and all that sort of thing. And, and except, except I feel like with, with the character of Walter. You know, he was a fan of the flash, like that was his thing. And he dreamed of that stuff. So him getting those powers is such a different vibe than somebody that accidentally got those powers.

Like he’s been wanting these powers. He’s been wanting to be the flash presumably. So the fact that he gets it and it’s like, it’s a little more fun for him. I think now the

Jeff: only thing, interestingly Wally west, I think was just different than with any other superhero. And especially with your run, is that Wally west?

This is [00:10:00] actually the first time I think I might be wrong that while he was, has been the flash about the same time as Barry Allen has existed as the flash, because before Berlin was taken out of the storyline before.

Jeremy Adams: Yeah. So that’s right. And, but you know what. Whatever. I mean, how many Superman’s are there now?

I don’t know

Jeff: what my question to that is. How do you differentiate a Wally west story from what it would be a Barry Allen story. And what is quintessentially? A Wally west

Jeremy Adams: flash story. That’s different. Well, If I was, you know, if I could, if I was, I had the opportunity to explore Barry a little bit, Barry is to me, a scientist, Barry is, you know, he also is like kind of square jawed hero.

Like I think he, he does these things very straight down the middle. Like, I, I love the fact that he is kind of a detective and a CSI and like, he can kind of think about that. And he’s, he is. I don’t [00:11:00] know, just logical about that stuff. I feel like Wally is much more like seat of his pants, you know, and, and Wally is having everything while he does.

He kind of has a smile while he does it. You know, if, if Barry his brains, Wally, his heart and, and there, and that’s both great. You can tell great stories with both of that, but I think that Wally is, is. Again, Wally’s such an outlier of most heroes because he’s married because he has kids. It’s such a different, because they never really like canonized.

Like this is his skillset as a worker, you know, it’s like, he, he definitely is a different type of person. And I think he approaches problems differently. I mean, one of the things, obviously the last issues saw is the fact that. He’s not just going to bludgeon it a villain to death. You know, if he sees the opportunity is going to see how can I empathize with this [00:12:00] person, especially with all that he’s gone through and that, and by the way, that’s another wonderful thing that happened.

Because of heroes in crisis because they pull them out of the universe because he lost his kids because he lost all his things. And then he gets them all back. It’s like this guy knows the lowest of the low point where people don’t remember, he existed in his friends. Don’t. And then he gets that back.

And I, and I tried to make that, you know, with that adage, that, that that AA adage, like don’t leave before the miracle happens. Like, I think he’s, that is very much who he is. It’s like, there, there can always be a brighter day tomorrow. And I love that about him. Where’s Barry, you know, and I haven’t had I’ve, I’ve written Barry and.

Besides complex my, like my first Lego movie, I think with the Lego flash movie with Dwight white Schultz play the reverse flash in it. And and it was this great Lego thing and he was more, you know, there’s this blending of Wally and Barry’s personality that [00:13:00] happens in other media.

Because I think, I think Wally has a much more. Fun sensibility. But. Barry for the JSA that I did with my friend, Megan you know, we wrote him more of a, he was more, but he was a little bit, he was a little bit nerdy, you know, he was like, oh yeah let me change this. I know the sun’s going to be this way because he knows science and kind of nerds out.

He’s like bill Nye, the science guy with like ours. And I love that. I think that’s, you know, and, and so with any of these characters, I think. As a writer, you have to find the hook, the voice that you can, you can write too. But you know, I haven’t, honestly, I haven’t had the, I mean, other than, and you saw it in my first run because Barry.

W they’re solving the problem like Barry, Mr. Terrific. And, and Ali, you know, to a lesser degree, but they were trying to solve the problem. They were trying to figure out how do we get Wally back? And you can see the train of thought and issue the issue. It wasn’t like, oh, we figured out the problem. And [00:14:00] now it’s like, oh, we were totally wrong.

We have to go back and figure out this again. Oh, now we got another piece of data. So we have to go back. Meanwhile, while he’s just running, like, yeah, I gotta, I gotta save this thing. I gotta, you know, gold beetles here. We gotta do this. You know?

Jeff: I don’t know. And I will say we just brought up issues 7, 7 73.

That’s the scene with heat wave. And the flash really was a great touching moment that I really do think differentiated from almost any other combo you would read, because I think every reader had the same expectation that I did that. Right. At the end, you’re gonna have a massive heat wave flash fight that you’re building towards.

The fact that you didn’t do it and you kind of subverted. That was so very clever and it just feels so much like Wally

Jeremy Adams: west. Yeah. Thank you. I mean, I I’m, I’m lucky that I have people around me too, that, you know, cotton Mike Cotton was helping me with that. And as we, we dived into it, it was like, oh, this is, this is the right.

This is the right ending for this. And it’s just, it’s just one of those things. [00:15:00] There’s so much I want to do so, so, you know, the way I look at it as like my favorite television shows even like we had talked about supernatural or Buffy or X-Files one of the things I love that they did was they would do a few episodes that were kind of standalone.

And then they do a few episodes that dealt with the bigger arc. And then they would go back to a few standalones and that’s kind of the way that I’m looking at this run on the flash. Like I hint at a bigger thing that will like the mysterious thing flying through space you know, hopefully will lead to a bigger arc.

And then after that arc, hopefully we can come back and do a little something else, you know, and just start threading in those things for the flash and. And that that, because that’s, that’s what excites me about the flash is he is, you know, timey Wimy, you know, it’s, this guy can go anywhere. I mean, that’s the fun it is [00:16:00] to me, when I, when they asked me to do the flash, I was like, yeah.

And we talked about what type of. What type of stories we should tell. And I was very much like, I want it to be weird. Like I wanted to go all over the place and, and there was kind of a common, I was like, okay. But as long as we use some grounded ones too, it’s like, okay, great. We can do some grounded ones too.

And then can we go back to being weird? You know, I mean, I it’s a dream come true for a comic fan. Like I got Kevin Maguire to draw. You know, part of a book where the joke with the super, like it’s, it’s like, it doesn’t get better than that for me. Yeah. And,

Jeff: and I feel like I’d really like to do it. And as you mentioned, and the, the, the, the blade, it should introduce it in 7 72, that’s hurtling through space.

I really want to ask you a question about that because you wrote a very interesting caption, and I’m going to read it to the fans who to listeners who may not have read it, hopefully they will. You wrote and wet at the fate of many worlds. Rest on whoever is unworthy enough [00:17:00] to wield it. Interestingly put in the word unworthy enough to her.

So how important is that one extra prefix

Jeremy Adams: on to the storyline? I agree. I think it’s very important. I think it’s very important and you know, and, and, and years from now, when I can go back and talk about. Some of the other things we wanted to do with it. You know, it changed it’s it. I’ve had this happen to me a couple of times where I have this really kind of like big, high concept idea, and then somebody else beats me to the punch.

So we’re down the road, but this, this does. Play out, you know, very soon. And I’m excited. I’m excited to kind of like go on the next journey with Wally to see what that is. And obviously some of it’s spoiled because there’s solicits. I’m sure people have seen the solicits for my favorite covers.

We’ve done probably so far, which is I think flash 7 78, I think. I think it’s that one. I think the solicits for that are crack me [00:18:00] up. I think with the Wally is you’re going to get adventure. You’re going to get excitement. The tongue is firmly pushed into the cheek. I, the artists that I get a right, like write for are just so dang good.

It would be a disservice to just have two people talking in a room, honestly. It’s like, you know, and I’ve been working a lot, you know, I, and I had, I got spoiled very early on because. With black Adam future state. I, the artist was Fernando passer. And, and I don’t know if you’re familiar with his work, but it just, it feels like, no, like back in the day when Jim Lee was drawing X-Men and you’re like, oh my gosh, they’re sending me these, these pencils.

And I’m just like, I am such a schlub, like compared to what. Inkers and colorists and these artists do. I am just, I am like the low man. I mean, they really are magic people.[00:19:00]

Jeff: Well, the only thing, and I kind of want to know about this. So in issue 7 73. Okay. Do you have an appearance by the yellow lanterns and you, and it says in one of the boxes and editorial, note that to check out green lantern, annual number one. Which has not come out yet. So three came out before the annual, I don’t know that there’s something that happens in the annual that I don’t know him

Jeremy Adams: prior to yours.

I don’t know. I, I w I I’ll be very transparent here. I had written it and I was like, Hey, I need a couple of green lanterns for the scene. And then I was told, no, we can use these two people and blah, blah, blah. What’s going on over a green lantern world. Like, like it was just one of those things where I’m like, oh gosh, I got to catch up on these books too.

So I think, you know, it’s so hard. I mean, it’s no secret that, you know, [00:20:00] There’s been many upheavals, you know, at DC and whatever, but I think they’re doing such a, I really feel like they’re moving and grooving and you can feel the continuity kind of coming together a little bit. And and you know, the annuals will be out, I think next week or something.

Yeah, maybe it was, you know, I don’t know that the, the real deal about that, except that that’s kind of, I was told the fact

Jeff: that you have the old entrance in the issue at all, seem to suggest a fans of Greenland anyone who’s a fan of the flash and green lantern knows that the flashing green lantern crossover.

A long history of crossing over to the storylines, going back to the 1960s, I think class number 12 in civil rights with the flash green lantern story, are you, then it hit intending that there’s going to be a green lantern flash crossover.

Jeremy Adams: How much do you want to know, man? But the reality is that I, I hope.

Because I’m new. Like I said, I’m new. I’m, I’m [00:21:00] learning this all and you betcha what? I love to be able to use other characters as much as possible and do stuff. Now. I want to do that. I’m not, but right now, now is not the time. At least for those characters, now there are some other characters that I’ll probably share up, but I also feel like the flash family is really big and I.

I want to incorporate them over time in ways that are organic and, and don’t feel like, oh, we’ve got 12 flash people. Like I would love, I would love to, you know, and I, I also have to find out who’s using who and what the, you know, what the obligation is like. I, I, I don’t think I could use wallet. W I mean, I’ve been, I could, I would just need to talk to Tim and cotton about, Hey, could I bring wallets in for a car?

Like there’s certain character like Bart, you know, I, I, I have to figure out where they are in the course of the DC universe, but there are many people I [00:22:00] would love to use and really kind of, again, I’m exploring the flash universe through Wally’s eyes. But right now in the run that just happened, you saw.

I’ve hinted at things in the future, you know, there’s future Iris and a planet with a lightning bolt around it and, you know, gold beetle and different things that I actually in my head have stories for whether or not I get to tell them that’s a different story, but, but, you know, I have stories that have, that are kind of nebulously mapped out for a while.

Yeah. As far as the green lanterns, I know I gotta, I gotta find out what’s going on

Jeff: now. One thing that’s great about the flash also must be hard as a writer. Someone who moves at the speed of light is a very, it’s hard to pick them up villains, to properly challenge a guy who can do the who. And I think in many ways, people, I think underestimate the power of the flash.

I mean, he is, we think about it probably one of the most [00:23:00] powerful PC characters and people don’t give you, give him credit for that. But if you move that to,

Jeremy Adams: he can do a lot of things. Yeah. I actually think, I think he might be the most powerful character. Like the more I dig into it, it’s like, listen at forces mass times acceleration, there is no one that can accelerate.

You know, like lash. And so the question is though you know, if you’re running as fast as you can, like you individually and you know, and you try to turn. That, you know, inertia and physics still apply sometimes, maybe, you know, but, but I agree with you. I am, I absolutely agree with you. You know, a guy with a boomerang, is he going to be much of a headache

Jeff: for somebody that can move that fast?

Jeremy Adams: Right. Like, you know, so, so I think as a writer, it is tough, but that’s why I I’m really adamant about making it more about Pushing into other realms and dimensions. And that, like I said, the timing of it and how do we have like doctor who [00:24:00] had ventures and have fun with those things. And then when you have a robe, come in trying to do it in a way that’s like, you know, I tried to be in my head logical about the fact that like, oh, listen, he waived, kicked him from behind.

And he didn’t see it because he was just standing there, you know? And and then the fires everywhere. So there’s still cognitive functions that flash has to use. But you, you try to make it as believable as possible. Like, okay, this would be a harder time, but at the end of the day, he’s the flash. And so I think even while he has that awareness, like I can blow through this guy and make him toothpaste on the wall, but you know, that’s not what this is.

And, and, and having that conversation, but definitely it’s a challenge. I mean, I’m enjoying it, but I, a lot of the stories that I’m telling now aren’t necessarily dependent upon that aspect.

Jeff: So, absolutely. Zoom has just introduced the gonna kick me out [00:25:00] that nine

Jeremy Adams: minutes.

Jeff: So, I guess what are reasonably definitely curious about knowing about it? What can you hint at what’s happening next in the life of the flash without can you hand with our sport, it was going to happen next

Jeremy Adams: in the flash? I, you know, I can say that he’s going to go on another adventure and I’m going to also explore the kids and because I, I L I love those.

I’m finding myself gravitating toward J and I. And I, I want to explore that a little more. But yeah, he’s about, he’s about to he’s, you know, I like to take the flash in and maybe areas that, I mean, I’m sure it’s been done in some ways, but like I said, the timing, why me, Dr. Nunez of the flash, I want to take them on adventures that maybe.

Are out. Well, I don’t know. I better stop there. That’s

Jeff: probably good. I got time for one more question. So [00:26:00] in issue 7 73 while he was gets is given a job by Mr. Terrific. Yes. Now is the, does jot that he had is important to the, more to the point of the storyline, or is it more important to explain.

For the audience, how he can have a job and still be the flash

Jeremy Adams: country? Well, I am by myself liking Mr. Terrific. And he is actually telling the truth when he says, Hey, Wally you are more than, you know, you have a, a greater set of skills than to sit here and change oil. Like I need you to come and we’re working on some stuff that.

That is a story that I’m cooking up and I’m not there yet, but that is a story that elicit it’s. I feel like there’s going to be more opportunity for story at, you know, the labs that Mr. Holt has then you know, like I said, fighting old ladies at the Jiffy lube speedy loop, I should say. So. So, I think there’s a lot of story telling [00:27:00] potential and it all.

You know, at the end of the day, if you’re going to look back at 7 68, all the way to now there are like little things that I I’ve dropped that I’m like, I am, I am talking about. There is another story that’s going on. We just haven’t exposed it yet.

Jeff: Well, I want to say you’re doing such a great job with the flash.

It, it, it was a big honor to talk with you. I’m really enjoying what you’ve got going for. I really

Jeremy Adams: appreciate it. I really appreciate, everybody’s been very, very kind to this newbie and I’m I’m I feel very lucky. So, you know, I just hope everybody keeps. Buying it, like I said, I want it to be bought so much that they were like, we have to do this twice a month.

They’ll be like, yes. Yes we do.

Jeff: Well, I guess my question then will be, do you have plans for issue

Jeremy Adams: 800? I in my head, yes. So, you know, I’ve turned in next marches script. So

I’m ahead. Well, I want to

Jeff: thank you for coming on the show. Anytime you want to come back, you’re welcome back. Anytime you want to talk about [00:28:00] your animated movies or. Talk about supernatural. Feel free to come back and have the conversation with me. Thank

Jeremy Adams: you so much, Jeff. I really appreciate it. It was a lot of fun.

Thank you Mr. Adams. Thanks. Bye. Bye.

Spoilerverse.com

Jeremy Adams talks Flash and more!

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