The Flash Annual #1 Review

Speedy Delivery

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Howard Porter, Christian Duce, Hi-Fi, Carlos M Mangual, and Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: January 31, 2018


It makes me so happy to say that I've been enjoying the Flash book recently.  After Dick Grayson, Flash is my favorite hero and to set the record straight, Barry Allen is my Flash.  I am not a picky fan, either.  I just need my Flash book to be fun and Joshua Williamson is finally giving me just that.  Yep, nobody else...just me!  I'm selfish like that!  Hopefully, he is also writing the upcoming Flash War for me as well because I want that to be fun times ten.  Heck, let's make it fun times infinity!  So, is this prelude to the Flash War a ton of fun?  Let's find out...


The issue opens in the 25th Century at the Flash Museum and it's a cool little recap/investigation of what happened the last time we saw it...you know, the whole murder of Reverse Flash?!?  Williamson gets a little poke at the number of times Eobard has died as well as having fun with Wally's (older version) origin and Rebirth return.  If you have been reading Titans, there is even a cool little art easter egg for you as well.

Back in the present, we get Barry and both Wallys fighting the Top and the narration that older Wally (yea, I'm already sick of this so Wally is older Wally from now on and younger Wally is Kid Flash) gives about Barry is 100% why I love him so much.  After beating the baddie, there is an uncomfortable moment between Wally and Iris before the three speedsters head off for tacos.

This is where we get the gist of the issue...Barry wants Wally to talk to Iris.  Of course, Barry goes about it the wrong way and even lets slip that Iris killed Thawne earlier in the series.  It's all too much for Wally and he heads off to Titans Tower.  After a really quick reminder of what is going on in the Titans book right now (kudos to Williamson for tying it in here), Wally heads off to find his old friend, Frankie.

What happens next is a combination of "be careful what you wish for" and opening a huge can of worms because when Frankie remembers Wally, she also remembers being Magenta, a former Teen Titan who then became a villain.  It's one of the best bits of missing time/someone messing up the timeline since Rebirth started!  Sure, Wally kind of fixes things a bit too quickly for my liking, but I still really like what we got here as a reminder that maybe some of the things that went missing were for the better.  After all of this, we get a Dick Grayson cameo and Wally deciding to finally talk to Iris.

The issue ends with some Time Cop stuff with Iris West in big trouble for what she did to Thawne, a revamped Rouges and the return of a big villain.  I am now officially pumped for the Flash War!

This is yet another really good issue of the Flash.  I am not sure what changed with Joshua Williamson, but he is really hitting his stride here and I am so happy.  He not only gave readers a good Annual that sets up the Flash War but nails a couple of things with the overall Rebirth story while also managing to tie in a bunch of other books' storylines to boot.  If you don't know, that is a huge accomplishment compared to other writers we've gotten from DC recently.

Porter and Duce do a really good job on art here.  I am a card-carrying Howard Porter fanboy and love his stuff as usual, but Christian Duce really impressed me.  It all ends up being a great looking issue.

Bits and Pieces:

This Annual has got me so pumped for the Flash War!  Joshua Williamson gives readers a great issue that centers on Wally West, the overall Rebirth mystery, a future crime (that already happened) and much more!  The art is great and Joshua Williamson continues making me glad I'm a Flash fan.

9.0/10