In light of recent events with new forces springing into existence beyond just the Speed Force, Barry Allen finally acknowledges that he is no longer the fastest man alive.
Understanding this, Barry and Iris have decided to go on a Force Quest to understand the secrets behind the different forces such as the strength, sage and still forces. Learning that he is out of depth, The Flash will embark on this journey to understand these new forces in their entirety so that he can earn his former title as The Fastest Man Alive!!!
What new mysteries await The Flash and Iris? How will these new discoveries lead him back to Gorilla City?!
This issue felt like a great jumping on point for any reader that wants to jump right into reading Flash comics. Joshua Williamson has a knack for writing the Flash and with this new arc, it feels like a new fresh direction while also continuing all of the building blocks that he’s been writing since the beginning of the DC Rebirth line of two years ago. It’s just awesome to see Barry/ The Flash having to reach out to other versions of himself from across the multiverse since I always felt that The Flash is quite possibly the most important DC character overall, possibly even more than Batman and Superman, especially when written right. I feel that The Flash has been awarded a great slew of writers such as Waid, Johns, Manapul, Marv Wolfman among many and possibly has a good number of gems that can possibly stack up with Daredevil’s catalog of good writer/artist teams.
Joshua Williamson continues to prove during his tenure that he knows and understands the characters of this title and continues to find different challenges that make this title consistently entertaining and great. I personally enjoy Barry and Iris’s journey traveling across the globe to discover the truth about the various forces and the potential benefits and dangers that come with those different forces. The new (potential) adversaries that The Flash faces are pretty cool, but didn’t leave me with much to really crazy enthusiasm in comparison to the journey that Barry is undergoing. But I feel that these new characters could possibly be more likable and important in the long run. I get a feeling that they may be used as a parallel to Barry and Iris and how they approach things in ethical ways that contrast with their personalities. Overall, I felt the story was very enjoyable and left me interested in what Williamson will build upon in regards to his abilities and the potential developments that will occur in the life of Barry Allen.
Writing and plot aside, I feel that the biggest show stealer that made this book and new arc off to a great start is Sandoval’s artwork. The scenery, the panels, the rendering, and the characters look dynamic, stylistic and powerful. There are some really great panels where it displays how The Flash maneuvers through the crowds with sincerity and politeness. What really stood out for me is the dynamic gestures that evoke a real sense of action and movement which felt perfect for this issue, and contains all the required ingredients that a book like this should always have. Tarragona’s inks coupled with Morey’s vibrant colors just make every panel that Sandoval illustrates burst with power in ways that makes the reader pause and go back and forth between pages just to soak the art in.
This book kicks off a new arc that feels refreshing and ambitious in regards to providing a new pallet to The Flash’s mythology. For new readers that may be familiar with the character from other mediums such as the CW series, or have watched the DCAU or the animated movies etc, may enjoy jumping into this book and buckling up for a fun ride. I definitely suggest adding this to your pull list for both new and old fan friendly alike.
I’d like to mention that in light of Stan Lee’s passing, I feel that he was a great ambassador for comics of various genres whether it be Marvel, DC, Manga, Anime, Lee always advocated for the medium and practice. With every comic that comes out, Stan Lee’s words still echo such truth that “ Every comic is someone’s first comic”. Stan Lee provided a platform for all comic book creators, scholars and fans a place where they could make a career with what they enjoy reading and creating. I hope whether it’s this book or any other title (be it Ryan Cady’s Infinite Dark issue 2, or Murder Falcon issue 2 which are also great books that you should also add to your pull list for this week) that you all enjoy your first steps into the world that help you get by in life.
Keep on reading comics and enjoy the journey!
Newsdesk