The Flash #40 Review

Written by: Robert Venditti and Van Jensen
Art by: Brett Booth
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 25, 2015

Very Fast and Pretty Furious

I have had a lot of fun with this current Flash arc.  Future Flash coming back to right his biggest wrongs while Barry is stuck in the Savage Lands of the Speed Force has been a hoot and I couldn't wait for this issue to see how it all ends.  Well, Venditti, Jensen and Booth do not disappoint.  This finale is action packed, heart wrenching and drop dead gorgeous.  It also has a couple of developments that make me want June to come tomorrow.  Seriously DC, why are you making us wait two months for our stories to continue?  I'll help you guys move if you bring pizza and beer and give me Flash #41 sooner.  No?  Okay, let's talk about this issue...



The issue opens with Future Flash facing off with Overload.  Up until now, I've liked Overload mainly for his character design, but I haven't seen him as a dangerous villain.  He's a guy who doesn't like cell phones...that could be any person over the age of 60 nowadays.  Venditti and Jensen up the ante this issue and finally show his true evil potential.  It's a pretty intense scene that is only slightly ruined by Patty and Iris' involvement.

 I have had a bit of a problem with both Patty and Iris this whole arc, but this issue takes the cake.  I know Future Flash isn't a great guy and has gone to extreme measures, but Patty might get a nose bleed sitting on that High Horse of hers.  "Overload has blown up your hand, Flash?  He's going to kill everyone in Central City?  I fell bad for you, but don't kill him!"  Really?!?  Then Future Flash tells Patty his secret and she yells at him some more.  But guess what?  He listens to her and saves the day...for now.

Of course, this is only half of the story.  We also get my favorite part, Barry in the Savage Lands of the Speed Force.  That damn back stabber Selkirk is trying to steal Barry's Speed Force powers to escape himself, but things go horribly wrong...for Selkirk.  He suddenly becomes the number one contender for a Two-Face cosplay contest and Barry is fast again.  Alright!  Barry uses the Speed Force to escape and return to Central City and stuff gets real.

I made the call early that this arc would end with Future Flash going away, leaving Barry to pick up the pieces of his shattered life and I must say, I was right on.  However, I didn't guess the awesomeness that would lead to it.  It's Barry and Barry versus Selkirk and ends with Future Barry being a hero.  If that wasn't awesome enough, Future Flash gives Barry a hint about his Mother's killer and it will make ever Flash fan out there jump for joy.  The book then ends with Barry's life in ruins (told you) and a cliffhanger that is going to make the two month wait unbearable.

I really liked this whole arc and this finale was the highlight.  Sure, if you weren't enjoying it going in, nothing here will change your mind, but I'm satisfied as hell.  This arc has set up Barry to fight one of his most iconic villains and get his personal life back to where I've wanted it all along.  I call that a win.

I also call Brett Booth's art a win, win, win.  I'd write more "wins", but I think you get the point.  The art in this book just jumps out at you and the action scenes are so energetic that you can almost see them zip across the page.  I really can't say enough about Booth's art throughout this whole arc and also want to give a shoutout to Norm Rapmund (Inks) and Andrew Dalhouse (colors) for their awesome work as well.

Bits and Pieces:

I have been a fan of this entire arc and this finale only strengthens my opinion of it.  Venditti and Jensen wrap everything up and while Barry's life is a complete mess, I wouldn't want it any other way.  The action packed story is only topped by Brett Booth's great art and the book ends with a cliffhanger that will have Flash fans salivating until it picks up again in June.  That's a lot of saliva...I can't wait.

9.5/10