Written by: Joshua WilliamsonArt by: Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 11, 2018
What DC said:
The lightning-fueled finale of “Flash War”! Zoom adapts two new Speed Force powers into his arsenal against both Barry Allen and Wally West. What are these strange new powers? What can they do? And how will this haunt the Scarlet Speedster long after “Flash War” is over? It’s the power of two Flashes pitted against the seemingly unstoppable Hunter Zolomon!
The issue opens with a jump back and forth between a happier Barry and Wally and the grim reality of now...yea, Zoom has put them both down for the count! After comparing himself to Barry (really, they are very similar), we get his plan. It's a simple one, but pretty crazy nonetheless...he wants to be the new Flash!
At this point, I was all in! Zoom may be a piece of shit, but really, who doesn't want to be the Flash, right? Unfortunately, I was hit with a surprise left (Jeremy?!?) or two...the Strength and Sage Forces. Like the Negative Speed Force before it, Williamson just throws the two new Forces at the reader with little to no explanation of what they are and what they can do. I know what you're thinking, "the Strength Force makes you strong, idiot!" and yes, I can go with that, but if you are going to change the game this much, we need some rules so we all can play along.
As Hunter runs off to "fix time", we are already privy to the troubles of the future and that's where Williamson speeds us off to. We get a quick peek at Iris, Kid Flash, and Commander Cold who run into the Time Stream as Zoom, Barry and Wally come racing in and head smack dab into...Hypertime! I guess Zoom is no Wrong Turn!
With Hypertime, we get a mention of the Still Force and then Barry and Wally get to see everything they always wanted back...but have to chase Zoom instead. It's a bit of a tease, but a heartbreaking one. We continue with Hunter wanting to create his own little Flashpoint, but Barry and Wally figure out what just might stop their foe.
We then get to see who really is the fastest Flash and most of our heroes end up back in present-day Central City where Kid Flash mopes off, but there are bigger fish to fry. I am actually a bit shocked with what Williamson does here, but thinking about it, it might be about time. There might be a pun there, but I'm not telling!
The issue ends with Wally running off and Barry trying to pick up the pieces of this War. Oh yea, there is a surprise character return at the end and another character ready to kick ass in the 25th Century.
Like a lot of DC events lately, this whole Flash War seemed a bit incomplete story wise and more of a way to set up things for the DCU to play with. Yea, I'm talking about the new Forces and other changes. Still, there was some stuff to like, it looked really good and we get some new (old) characters to play with going forward. Overall, I'd still say I was a bit disappointed, but not angry or anything like that.
Bits and Pieces:
While the overall narrative of the War seemed to fall apart a bit by the end, the story ended up being a game changer for fans of the Flash and we even get a fan favorite return by the end. The Flash War may not have hit on all cylinders, but it sets up a lot of interesting things going forward for the book.
7.0/10
I'm feeling off the wall impulsive! Woop woop! Mope some more Fauxlly because the coolest Kid Flash reentered the DC premises.
ReplyDeleteNice one, clever! Man he's back, it's so full-blown Rebirth meta. Only Wally could do it because he is his lightning-rod and mentor. Flash legacy chain is the best.
DeleteMax Mercury was Bart's mentor and trainer but in his heart Wally West is the hero who cured and shaped him. I detect a wonderful pattern of family bonds and respect to these stories and it's what readers have missed the most since Flash Rebirth and Flashpoint. Thankfully Wally and Barry didn't mean what was said in the heat of the moment and best for Bart to be free of metabolism anomalies.
DeleteAs I'm typing I still can't believe that the Flash War has granted us this sweet aftermath surprise. We were shouting from the rooftops for his return after Scott Lobdell assassinated his character and Wally West was still M.I.A. Seeing the Flash family being able to be rescued I feel super excited. Hunter Zolomon was fierce and has become my new favorite villain. Zoom made sloppy seconds out of Thawne after what Iris did to him and he needs to have a sit-down with Wally and talk it out.
ReplyDeleteI want desperately to forget about Bar Torr and the New 52 Teen Titans at once. But it's hard when DC doesn't admit that Rebirth is a reboot and commit to restore everything to the previous state. If Bart is a good omen then there's hope for a Young Justice reunion but seeing Donna be a golem doesn't make me optimistic.
DeleteWally's back, Bart is back and the criminal 25th century has to be SuperBoy Prime then. Sigh... More reality punches coming!
ReplyDeleteI was actually letdown this issue with what we got. No real answers on how or if Wally can get his kids back, no explanation on how Hunter was the only speedster to be able to tap into Sage & Strength forces and not Wally or Barry. The thing that makes this issue any good was the truth that dc is going to stop it with these bullshit time travel stories shanagiens. Didn't really want to see Bart, I'd rather wallys kids, or Jay Garrick so we get some freaking movement on the JSA rebirth storyline. It would weird and complicated if that guy in prison was superboy prime. Art was okay, but nothing to brag about.
ReplyDelete6/10
I too want Wally to get his old life back with Linda and the twins but other stories are set as priorities. It looks all will be done excruciatingly slow and things will progress as the Doomsday Clock tells the final time, JSA is tied to this book you know.
DeleteDon't blame the forces blame Scott Snyder for spurting ideas and leave them to writers who have no clue and no direction from him what to do with them. James Robinson spilled the tea about the Dark Gods and how he was left free to do his thing with them without any guidance from Snyder. The end result was terrible. Maybe Williamson didn't consult him but it's unlikely, they have worked together on No Justice.
For Bart would you want the Bar Torr version to stay? For real? Would it be more preferable to you that kind of crap to remain canon after rebirth finally corrected many crimes? Because if you want Jai and Irey back the Tornado Twins and their kids have every right to be brought back also.
I don't think SuperBoy Prime is the Crisis inmate, if he is, it is dumber than dumb with the Source Wall broken and editorial at DC will be rendered useless.
I'm fine with Bar-Torr being in continuity because he is only a possible future amongst dc's many possible futures. Just like Batman Beyond there can be multiple versions of the character. And I can't put all the blame on Snyder because the rate we're getting answers at dc for any kind of rebirth stuff is truly bullshit. Reasonable Answers at a reasonable rate of time. That's not to much to ask for since where a year into this rebirth.
DeleteIf you find it fine and reasonable Bart Allen to come from a dystopian 30th century officially the future of Prime Earth and not a possibility or alternate 52 reality, which for your info contradicted the Legion of Super Heroes story and established Bar Torr as an ALIEN you're lost and not found darling.
DeleteYes an alien from Altros Prime who has a split Inertia personality and fights the Purifiers. Can it get more sickening and obvious? We know Lobdell has written for the X-Men decades ago but stealing from the X-source to write stories for Teen Titans that were destructive is not OK. He could have the decency not to botch Bart and his history so badly.
Bart had the best origin to date; his father was Don Allen and mother Meloni Thawne, he bridged the gap of a family feud that runs deep in time. He lived lives fugitive in different dimensions and as a Dominators experiment thanks to his ancestor Reverse Flash, who because of his actions and purist hatred was refined to a bigger menace and a true villain, not the notice-me-Flash-senpai fan-girl or else I'll stalk you and kill your mom.
If you are not reasonable enough don't expect others to be what you aren't. Bart is a troubled child who despite the adversities never loses his cool and smile. Of that Bart we were robbed therefore we welcome him back with great delight like we did with the real Wally. Patience is a virtue Rebirth will pay off.
Joshua Williamson pulled a Bart out of the blue. His return was flat and emotionless used in cliffhanger. He should make up to us with a good introduction of Bart Allen and where he has been till now. The forces behind the speed force are dumb and show that when Snyder meddles with powers out of his comfort zone the outcome is tasteless. Invisible, Sage, Strength and Still forces are laughingstock.
ReplyDelete