The Fastest Family Alive
We're continuing our Dark Crisis tie-ins with this issue of The Flash and while I really thought that the Search For Barry Allen was our only tie-in for this title, it does make sense to continue on because since this series acknowledged Dark Crisis it would be silly to just go back to doing normal Flash things when we know that Deathstroke and his Secret Society are causing chaos all over the world. Now that Barry Allen has been freed from his dream world prison and is teaming up with Hal Jordan to free the rest of the Justice League it's time to see how the rest of the Flash Family are dealing with the Dark Crisis on the home front. Let's jump into this issue and check it out.
As we saw in the latest issue of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, the heroes have banded together and are going around the world to stamp out the chaos that the Secret Society is sowing. It's not exactly the way we saw it in since it looks like they're branching off in Justice Society members, Bat-Family members, Titan Members, and finally The Flash Family now that they're back from rescuing Barry. With that, we're given an issue where it's the West Famly working together and it has a great feeling even though at first it feels weird that Wally is so willing to put his wife, who doesn't know how to use her powers to really fight evil and kids in danger, but by the end of the issue you see that Wally has sized up the situation and when shit gets real, he's all about aborting the operation because he knows what and who are targets that his family and he can take out safely and I found myself loving this Wally judgment call.
On top of the family dynamic, which also includes Irey running into her best bud, Maxine Baker, aka Animal Girl, which is great, you also get some great moments in this issue that almost feel like a blink and you'll miss it situation, which is funny to say because it's a comic but in this issue, you have references to Judy Garrick, Hypertime and what's to come after Dark Crisis and Flashpoint Beyond are over that looks like it is lining up Wally West to be a big part of what will shape the DC Universe going forward and I can't wait to see what's planned for our Fastest Man Alive because whatever it is, it looks to be the next big step in DC Comics making their titles matter again and I can't wait to see it.
All in all, the art in this issue is as amazing as always and I hope that it continues to be this impressive for a long time. As for the story, Yeah, it is a little disappointing that we're not getting more of the possibility of Linda Park being pregnant and that's where her Speed Force powers are coming from, but I'm guessing that the Annual that this concept was brought up in takes place after Dark Crisis because with that in mind we get a great look at what all hands on deck mean as all our heroes come together to figure out a way to hold the forces of The Great Darkness and Pariah at bay. While that sounds grim as hell, because it's the West Family, they get up to some fun shenanigans that I loved reading here, not to mention the small lines that are setting up big things for the future of The Flash and the rest of the DC Universe. This really is a joy to read and I can't wait for the next issue.
Bits and Pieces:
Watch out for The Fraction....... but for right now you can just watch out for the Flash Family coming together and having some fun together while beating back the forces of The Great Darkness. This is such a fun Dark Crisis tie-in and it's doing the most in showing us the world during this event..... because it's actually doing something. We've got great art, great storytelling, and an issue that reminds us why we love reading about Wally West and everyone in his family.
This was a great issue. I have a few questions though:
ReplyDelete1. Who was the girl in the JSA with the red hair in the green dress? I don't think I've seen her before.
2. Who is this "Judy" that Jay mentioned? I've never heard of her either.
3. So are Hourman and Jesse Quick not married anymore? Before the New52 started Jesse was pregnant and calling herself Liberty Belle. Is that no longer canon either?
That girl in the JSA was Cyclone, she'll be in the new Black Adam movie coming out and is the granddaughter of the original Red Tornado...... and she's just great. As for Judy Garrick, that's a secret that everyone is sleeping on and not picking up that Geoff Johns started hinting at in Stargirl Springbreak Special and now recently in Flashpoint Beyond. It seems that the Garricks might have had a daughter who disappeared, but we don't know much more than a name at this point.
DeleteI forgot #3. Since we've really done nothing with the JSA in over a decade I guess we're going to have to wait and see what the continuity with them is after being brought back in Doomsday Clock.
DeleteThanks Eric. I have just one more question. Is that Hawkgirl on the end there? Wasn't she "killed" with the rest of the JL? is this another version? What is the Hawks' history at this point for that matter? I thought I heard something about Katar Hol being one of Carter Hall's reincarnations. Did they both exist simultaneously at one point? Sorry I'm out of the loop. I just read the stuff I like and ignore the other books so I appreciate everyone answering my questions.
ReplyDeleteThat's Hawkwoman from the JSA. It's a little murky how things work out now that the Hawks' curse has been broken because Hawkgirl who died would have been the next incarnation of Hawkwoman's soul but since she won't have that happen it's kind of weird...... but essentially, Hawkgirl died, Hawkwoman and Hawkman are once again a part of the JSA and in some pockets of the DCU..... all is well.
DeleteSo she's actually from Thanagar essentially making her the post Hawkworld version. I guess that means the Silver Age Hawks still never existed. 😡
DeleteHawkwoman was Thanagarian before the Hawkman series, which put them back to their golden age versions and kind of made them immortal and even though every writer wants to keep calling Kendra Saunders, the Hawkgirl, Thanagarian, she's human.
DeleteAlso, there was as Thanagarian Hawkman for the New 52 series but he died in the Death of Hawkman book.
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