The Flash Finds Their Elongated Man For Season 4!
It was reported earlier this year that The Flash would be casting Ralph Dibny for Season 4. Comic book fans might know him better as The Elongated Man.
The CW finally announced that Hartley Sawyer will play Ralph Dibny, aka The Elongated Man.
Sawyers is known for his work in television and digital media. He’s done everything from Sci Fi and Comedy to Drama. His acting chops are there. His screen work includes a stint on the Young and the Restless as Kyle Abbott. He was also Dagr in the TV series Caper which was produced by fan favorite and fellow CW alum, Felicia Day.
According to the series, his character is described as:
A fast-talking private investigator who discovers his metahuman abilities while helping Team Flash solve one of Central City’s greatest mysteries.
In the comics, he is a detective, so it’s great to see the show incorporate that aspect of the character. But in the first season, he is shown to have died. This is seen in an Easter egg. His death was due to the particle accelerator incident. The same one that acted as the catalyst for the rise of many meta humans.
How will the show address this issue? There are many avenues the series could take it. For example, this might be a prelude to a TV adaptation of the Identity Crisis. Or, this could be Earth 2’s Ralph Dibny, one that received powers after the particle accelerator explosion. We’ve already seen something like this with Earth 2’s Laurel Lance on Arrow.
In the comics, The Elongated Man is, of course, no stranger to the Flash. He made his debut in The Flash #112, in May of 1960. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. The Elongated Man in the comics is pretty complex. As one of the first silver age heroes to make public his identity, he took ownership of his dual role. A step many heroes don’t take. He’s also married to Sue Dearborn Dibny who acts as both his wife and partner. Because of this, she is known to go out with her husband and solve crimes with him. Another contrast that separates him from his peers. However, in the 2004 Identity Crisis, she died. Her death was an important factor in Identity Crisis.
In the Identity Crisis story line, his wife is murdered by Ray Palmer who is currently on Arrow. It’s well known that television adaptations take inspiration from the source material. This might mean that DC TV is laying down the foundation for an onscreen “Identity Crisis.”
As of right now, it’s not known how much of The Elongated Man’s material from the comic will be used. Nor do we know if his wife will even be on the show. But since she is an important aspect of the character I hope to see her at some point.
The Flash Season 4 premieres October 10th right before the Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 premiere.
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