“Flash War” has turned from action-packed to emotional, and improves the story with it.
The last issue of The Flash had laid the groundwork for the war to come. During a break from the action, a group called The Renegades appeared from the 25th century. They were sent back in time for Iris West, who was charged with the murder of Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash. Barry, Wally, and Kid Flash stood together and took on the Renegades, but Iris agrees to go anyway. When they arrive in the future, Wally is lead away from the group by Hunter Zolomon, another Reverse Flash. Hunter reveals that Wally’s kids from pre-New 52, Iris II and Jai, are alive and trapped in the Speed Force. He shows the only way to get them out is to break the Speed Force open. Will Wally go through with it and potentially remove speedsters from the DC Universe?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Wally is a bit skeptical at first, as he cannot remember them. When he comes into contact with Hunter, however, the memory comes back, both of his kids and Hunter. Hunter explains that he had lost his powers a while ago and that because of this made him realize how many more people were missing. He also reveals that Wally wouldn’t be the first speedster to do something like this, as Barry had done the same for Flashpoint. This causes Wally to begin questioning if this idea could work. Meanwhile, Barry and the Renegades look for Wally, hoping to save him from a terrible fate.
If fun is the one word of how I describe the previous issue, emotional is this one. Wally learning of his family and history that he lost is both relief and heartbreak. Relief in the case that we are still returning to the old DC continuity, and heartbreak from the realization that the Flash family is trapped. This continues to push that mindset that readers can connect and agree with Wally’s actions. However, on the flipside of that, the result was revealed too soon for readers to hop on board with either side. It’s clear now that what Wally plans to do will cause more damage than good. Despite this, it was still a very well written issue that will do its best to get you on Wally’s side anyway.
Art:
Howard Porter’s illustrations for this story continue to be hit or miss. Unfortunately, there are more misses this time around that can’t be ignored. Weird expressions and bizarre depth are the prime examples here. That being said, there is still plenty of good pieces that are breathtaking. When Barry and Wally finally begin their conflict, it looks fantastic. The masterful colorwork of Hi-Fi helps this further by allowing it to pop off the page with vibrant wonder.
Conclusion:
The Flash War continues to get better and better with each issue. This chapter has plenty of action and emotion to grab readers of all kinds. While there are some hiccups, the art continues to impress, especially when it’s on Wally. Overall, it’s a great issue and, if you haven’t started reading the arc yet, I highly recommend hopping on now.
