A Pied Piper and Trickster Retrospective, Part 2: Coming Out and other Piper stories
Today, in a "very special" issue of The Flash...
Wally and Piper are chillin' on a rooftop, talking about tax evasion. You know how it goes. Somehow, Piper's costume has gotten even stupider-looking.
Oh snap!
"Gosh, no! It doesn't bother me! I'mjustgonnagojumpoffaroofnow!"
Yeah, that was real "slick".
Flash meets up with Superman to go rescue Jimmy Olsen (of course). Their plan involves using a body double for the Flash, who turns out to be Piper!
The moral here, I'm guessing, is that your friends are your friends, regardless of their sexual orientation. However, I'm more concerned about why Wally seems to have two pairs of Flash-pants, but only one Flash-shirt.
Isn't "Flash-pants" a great phrase?
*Ahem* Moving on...
This next story showcases Piper's leftist leanings.
An old villain called the Icicle dies and leaves the Flash half of his fortune, much to the dismay of his relatives. Wally takes Piper, his lawyer, and some other dude to an old, spooky mansion for the reading of the will.
Piper has entered what I think of as his "green Blues Brother" phase. Unfortunately, he's not wearing the sunglasses and hat in these scans.
Wally's dress sense is worse, though.
The amount of money the Flash has inherited is announced and the rich people freak out, much to Piper's delight.
I imagine this has a lot to do with Piper's rich parents who were mean to him.
Next, another political thriller!
A very conservative candidate is poised to win the next presidential election. Piper is of course working against this with his fellow political activists.
Oh, and he has a steady boyfriend at this point in time: James!
He says "ladies and gentlemen," but I see no ladies there. Also, I like the guy in the Gold's Gym tank top. Not stereotypical at all!
Actually, The Top, you're close, but I think the word you're looking for starts with an "f" and...okay. I'm just being facetious.
It's like Do The Right Thing!
The top self-destructs without actually blowing up. This is good because nobody dies, but bad because nobody believes Piper that the Top is alive and running for president. Piper goes to see the Trickster...
...who doesn't believe him either.
Clearly, this calls for drastic measures. This means...
...a new costume!
Oh, and blowing stuff up from on top of a building.
A page of Wally being awesome:
I love his inner monologue in the last panel.
Well, Piper gets arrested...
...but a masked man who tunrs out to be the Top breaks into the jail, kidnaps Piper, and ties him up on a bed in a secret hideout.
I am totally not thinking dirty thoughts.
So it's really the vice-presidential candidate who's evil! Why does that sound familiar?
Fortunately, the Flash figures out what's going on, and Piper gets free just in time to help him defeat the Top! And, um, some demons show up and take the Top back to Hell!
Well, I think we all learned something from that: If you're friends are acting crazy, it's because they're the victims of elaborate conspiracies. Vice-presidential candidates are evil. Check your stash of gimmicky weapons every so often to make sure they weren't stolen. And finally, don't make deals with demons.
Next: A Pied Piper and Trickster Retrospective, Part 3: Underworld Unleashed and other Trickster stories.
Wally and Piper are chillin' on a rooftop, talking about tax evasion. You know how it goes. Somehow, Piper's costume has gotten even stupider-looking.
Oh snap!
"Gosh, no! It doesn't bother me! I'mjustgonnagojumpoffaroofnow!"
Yeah, that was real "slick".
Flash meets up with Superman to go rescue Jimmy Olsen (of course). Their plan involves using a body double for the Flash, who turns out to be Piper!
The moral here, I'm guessing, is that your friends are your friends, regardless of their sexual orientation. However, I'm more concerned about why Wally seems to have two pairs of Flash-pants, but only one Flash-shirt.
Isn't "Flash-pants" a great phrase?
*Ahem* Moving on...
This next story showcases Piper's leftist leanings.
An old villain called the Icicle dies and leaves the Flash half of his fortune, much to the dismay of his relatives. Wally takes Piper, his lawyer, and some other dude to an old, spooky mansion for the reading of the will.
Piper has entered what I think of as his "green Blues Brother" phase. Unfortunately, he's not wearing the sunglasses and hat in these scans.
Wally's dress sense is worse, though.
The amount of money the Flash has inherited is announced and the rich people freak out, much to Piper's delight.
I imagine this has a lot to do with Piper's rich parents who were mean to him.
Next, another political thriller!
A very conservative candidate is poised to win the next presidential election. Piper is of course working against this with his fellow political activists.
Oh, and he has a steady boyfriend at this point in time: James!
He says "ladies and gentlemen," but I see no ladies there. Also, I like the guy in the Gold's Gym tank top. Not stereotypical at all!
Actually, The Top, you're close, but I think the word you're looking for starts with an "f" and...okay. I'm just being facetious.
It's like Do The Right Thing!
The top self-destructs without actually blowing up. This is good because nobody dies, but bad because nobody believes Piper that the Top is alive and running for president. Piper goes to see the Trickster...
...who doesn't believe him either.
Clearly, this calls for drastic measures. This means...
...a new costume!
Oh, and blowing stuff up from on top of a building.
A page of Wally being awesome:
I love his inner monologue in the last panel.
Well, Piper gets arrested...
...but a masked man who tunrs out to be the Top breaks into the jail, kidnaps Piper, and ties him up on a bed in a secret hideout.
I am totally not thinking dirty thoughts.
So it's really the vice-presidential candidate who's evil! Why does that sound familiar?
Fortunately, the Flash figures out what's going on, and Piper gets free just in time to help him defeat the Top! And, um, some demons show up and take the Top back to Hell!
Well, I think we all learned something from that: If you're friends are acting crazy, it's because they're the victims of elaborate conspiracies. Vice-presidential candidates are evil. Check your stash of gimmicky weapons every so often to make sure they weren't stolen. And finally, don't make deals with demons.
Next: A Pied Piper and Trickster Retrospective, Part 3: Underworld Unleashed and other Trickster stories.