Comic Review: The Flash #32 (DC Comics)

Since the beginning of Dark Nights: Metal, the seven evil Batmen from the Dark Multiverse invaded the home of our DC Heroes.

The demon Barbatos used Batman as a doorway to unleashing an unspeakable nightmare. As the world’s greatest champions scatter to find answers, The Flash assists Superman in his search for Batman. But for the Flash, searching for Batman is the least of his worries as each of the League are on the run from none other than the Dark Knights. Can The Flash stop the slaughter occurring in Central City? What lies beyond the darkness for each of the League? And who will protect them from the horrors of Barbatos?

The Flash issue 32 kicks off as a tie into the mainline Snyder/Capullo event Dark Nights Metal. Admittedly, I feel that this story arc or tie-in should have been a separate book instead of it being a tie-in that basically interrupts the main story arc that is occurring in the main Flash book. It would make it easier for readers to keep track of instead of hopping onto one title and then hopping onto a different title to characters that they may not take a chance of reading about just for the sake of the story arc. But that’s always been a thing in comics for decades, it’s just that it may not be the best thing to do at times in the current day and age for newfound readers who may not be interested in reading another title that they may not find interest in. In addition for long-time readers or readers in general, I think that’s just something they wouldn’t want to have to spend money for just to keep up with an event (even if it’s a tie-in). Now before you (the reader) decide to roast me on this, that’s the only real criticism I have. Overall, I think that this first chapter of the Bats out of Hell arc was really entertaining.

Joshua Williamson is the sole writer of the main Flash title, and I feel it was good that he was the go-to guy to start this arc off. Since the tie-in goes off of the events that occurred between the time of Superman’s search for Batman, and the revelations discovered by the end of issue 3 of Dark Nights Metal, it was good for DC to allow Joshua Williamson to start the book off with The Flash as he investigates the devastation that is occurring within Central City. Williamson gives readers some good exposition as to what the other heroes are doing, especially focusing on what the Flash is doing in the midst of all the carnage the Dark Knights are wreaking upon the world.

The pacing is handled well, showing what the League are up to as they are tending to their own missions while keeping constant communication with each other, making the stakes feel dire for everyone else aside from The Flash. Williamson obviously knows how to write The Flash and the league, and it makes one wonder why he isn’t writing a Justice League title, although it’s not the point, his handling of characters and their interactions is a highlight and should be recognized. The conflict when The Flash and the others face as the plot progresses is executed nicely, and Williamson’s dialogue for The Batman Who Laughs fits perfectly alongside what Snyder has already established in the main Metal event.

Howard Porter art is just top-notch overall. I feel that he gets better with time every time he’s illustrating, especially when it’s in regards to the Justice League. Porter is no stranger to drawing the JLA, and his work on “The Button” story arc with Williamson before is exemplary of his skill and talent as a solid illustrator. I have to add that I love the way he illustrates Aquaman. He just makes Aquaman look cooler than he already is (I mean, it’s not easy to make a tacky orange and green superhero look awesome). Overall he does a good job in the art department and he was a great choice to be the illustrator for this specific chapter. Hi-Fi’s color work blends beautifully with Porter’s artwork, giving it power with every page and panel.

Overall, while I’m not fond of making tie-ins interrupt a main plot in a regular series, (I prefer it be a tie-in series excluded from the solo character titles), it’s a good first chapter. Williamson knows how to write The Flash, and Porter shows he’s still honing his craft after all these years in the business. This is an issue worth picking up and adding to your pull list since it gives a nice extra layer to the main Dark Nights Metal event. While I ponder about how this will all be collected in trade, and whether they will be included in the trades of each solo character, it’s still worth checking out and reading.