The Flash #35 Review

Written by: Robert Venditti and Van Jensen
Art by: Brett Booth
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 22, 2014

Tearing a New One

Like John "Hannibal" Smith, I love it when a plan comes together.  I guess that explains why I have enjoyed Venditti and Jensen's Flash run so far.  They've been on a mission since taking over the book and not even a company wide September event was going to distract them.  Nope, it's all about their story and it all leads to this issue.



To those who haven't been reading (shame on You!), the Speed Force has been damaged.  It seems that misuse by Gorilla Grodd, Reverse Flash and Barry himself has caused a tear that is destined to destroy time and space itself.  It sounds like something out of a certain British television show, but I really like it.  Actually, maybe that's one of the reasons I do like it so much.  To fix
everything, the future version of the Flash has been going through time trying to right the wrongs he missed the first time and eventually repair the Speed Force itself.  Everything has lead to now...

Barry starts his day, eating his cereal (which is defiantly not Kix) and next thing he knows, the awesome Future Flash scoops him up and takes him to the Salt Flats that fans of the book will know so well.  There he explains the sitch and shows the tear itself.  It is so simple an idea, but seeing it will make any Flash fan smile.  The stuff gets real.

Like Venditti and Jensen, the Future Flash has a plan to fix the tear and it involves Barry...literally.  I don't like to spoil things in my reviews but the two of them have a fight for the ages and Future Flash came prepared.  Let's just say that he's had time to prepare and has studied with the best.  Barry really doesn't stand a chance, or does he?

Venditti and Jensen have been treading on thin ice their entire run with this time travel story, but they are up to the task.  They have done such a good job keeping things from getting too confusing and as far as I can tell, everything checks out.  Of course, if you throw in a Back to the Future line, I'll look past most things anyway.  They also use the time travel to throw in some really cool moments like Future Flash telling Barry some of his upcoming villains.  I really want to see Plague and Overload now!

Then Wally West shows up and after making fun of Time Travel, changes everything.  If you like the new Wally West, you'll point to this issue to show why.  If you don't like the new Wally, that ends here.  In the end, the tear is healed, but things aren't back to normal.  In fact the book ends in one of the craziest ways I could ever imagine.  Actually, I don't have that good an imagination.  It's that crazy and I watch too much television.

Whoever decided to put Brett Booth on this book should get an award.  His style fits the speed and intensity of the story so well and the Future Flash is my favorite character design going on in all of comics.  Throw in an equally impressive Wally West and a great choreographed fight scene and this is one hell of a good looking book.

Bits and Pieces:

The Flash #35 is a really good issue.  Everything that Venditti and Jensen have done has lead to this and it doesn't disappoint.  If this issue doesn't make you a Flash fan, there is no hope for you.

9.0/10