The Flash has found the first Force Avatar!
The Flash has begun a Force Quest. Along with Iris, Barry has started tracking down the other Forces that left Central City. When answering a call from Gorilla City, a projection of Solovar reveals the truth of the powers. Each of the forces will pick an avatar, and it’s up to The Flash to unite them. The first avatar, Fuerza of the Strength Force, ends up appearing in the nation of Corto Maltese. Can Flash gain a new ally or make a new enemy?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
The Flash faces off against Fuerza on the streets of Corto Maltese. The new avatar of the Strength Force has been fighting the government ever since she has gotten her powers. Upon speaking to the shady police captain, Iris begins to realize that Fuerza is good. This convinces Flash to team up and go against the corrupt police force. After they escape, we learn that Fuerza is a college student who hoped to change Corto Maltese for the better. Barry agrees to help Fuerza with the poor of the country. Back in Central City, Commander Cold teams up with the CCPD to find a mysterious new crime lord.
I like Fuerza. While she isn’t a new groundbreaking (no pun intended) character, she is a relatable one. She has honorable goals and an interesting origin story. It’s very reminiscent to the Flash, which makes her team up with him feel more organic. Speaking of the team up, it was actually exciting to see the pair team up and use their powers. The action scenes are welcome considering the lack in the past two issues. The only real problem this issue has is the jarring inclusion of Cold’s investigation. I expect it to tie together with the Force Quest, but right now it isn’t clear. Besides that, the story is a fun one that gives us a new interesting hero. The only direction to go now is up.
Art:
The art continues to be a mixed bag for me. While I continue can’t get over the bizarre faces of characters, I love the designs of their outfits. Flash and Fuerza stand out in particular with Sandoval’s style. The colorwork on them works as well, allowing their powers to pop vibrantly. That being said, the subdued colorwork across the rest of the comic is a bit of a hit or miss. Sometimes it works for the slower sections, sometimes it makes the comic look boring. Thankfully the story balances it out, but the imperfections are still there.
Conclusion:
I am loving where this quest is going for the Flash. The action is exciting, the characters are interesting, and it now feels like the story hit its stride. While I might not be the biggest fan of the art, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Go pick this issue up yourself to take a step into the adventure.
