The Flash #16 Review

The Heat is On

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Carmine Di Giandomenico, Ivan Plascencia and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 8, 2017

Boy, I love me some Rogues.  While I still wonder why this book didn't start off with the Rogues, they have arrived and so has my love of The Flash.  Joshua Williamson seems to have gained his footing and I can finally recommend this book to my friends down at the five and dime.  So, can I keep doing that between egg creams and malts?  Let's find out...

The issue opens with a rundown of what we've gotten in the book up until now...Speed Force Storm, Rogues left town, Rogues returned, Rogues tricked Flash and...well, now Barry is dealing with the aftermath.  

While Barry was battling Mirror Master in Corto Maltese, the Rogues were robbing Central City and Barry is now standing in the remains of a building burnt down by Heat Wave.  When Iris arrives on the scene, her and the Flash wonder why the Rogues have...gone rogue again.  I want to know myself because I loved them as heroes!

After Barry looks at what was taken, he figures things out a bit and heads off to find the Rogues.  However, this is a bit more than just apprehending them...it's about Flash understanding them as well.

It starts with Heat Wave and while I thought we were getting a cliched goodbye, Joshua Williamson turns it into something else.  It's a harsh look at what makes Rory Heat Wave and it isn't pretty.  Things don't end great for Flash before we move on to Captain Cold and the rest.

The gang is all here as the Rogues are leaving Central City for good, but when Heat Wave tells Cold that he took care of Flash, things get...heated.  We learn the Rogues real plan and how Rory went against it just before the Flash shows up.

We then get a bunch of pages of Flash taking care of his enemies before it's just him and Cold.  While Flash thinks he knows Cold and the Rogues, Snart has a little trick up his sleeve.  It ties into the beginning of this Rebirth run and while I'm not sure what exactly will happen, I can't wait to find out.  By the way, it kind of looks like Leonard took some inspiration from Halo (Halo Covenant Plasma Type-25 Blaster).

I liked this issue.  Carmine Di Giandomenico's art was awesome and the story was quick moving and action packed.  I hope we get some more personal moments with each Rogue because I really liked seeing Flash face off with just Heat Wave and Captain Cold was awesome at the end.  While this issue wasn't as "fun" as last issue, it was still really good and I hope that Williamson continues this trend.

Bits and Pieces:

This is another good issue of The Flash and while it wasn't as fun as the previous one, it was full of action and surprises.  Barry may have figured out the Rogues plan, but that may lead him into more trouble in the near future.  Carmine Di Giandomenico's art was great and Joshua Williamson seems to be using the Rogues as a way to show what makes Flash great, but also expose his flaws.  

8.0/10