THIS WEEK: 7,000 Flashes fight a time-dilated war on the moon in The Flash #20. And if that’s not enough for you, we’ve got a round-up of Absolute Martian Manhunter #2, Absolute Wonder Woman #7, Justice League Unlimited #6, Harley Quinn #50, and (- takes a breath -) Metamorpho: The Element Man #5.
Note: The reviews below may contain spoilers.
The Flash #20
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Vasco Georgiev
Colorist: Matt Herms
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover Artist: Mike Del Mundo
When I first started reading superhero comic books, I’d often jump into the middle of a story with no idea what was going on. In most cases, this did not pose a problem for me. My child brain delighted in figuring out which brightly clad figure was which, what each’s distinct personality and gimmick was, and why each liked/hated/loved/wanted to punch the others. As long as the issue I was reading was compelling enough, I found joy, rather than confusion, in untangling what had come before.
I have not read any prior issues of Si Spurrier and co.’s The Flash run. Not a one. Which is partly why I thought now would be a good time to jump in and see what the current creative team has been up to. After all, this issue has a Part One label on its cover. I like Spurrier. I like the Flash. Time to see what the two have been up to together.
The answer, it appears, is a lot. In the same way reading those first superhero comics of my childhood felt like jumping into the deep end of a pool, dropping into The Flash #20 left me feeling like I’d missed a lot. But not, I want to emphasize, in a bad way. I wasn’t confused. I wasn’t overwhelmed. (Or at least, not any more overwhelmed than the story wanted me to be.) But I was intrigued. By the Flash’s new powers, by the ramifications of those powers, and by the time-dilated war the Flashes (about 7,000 Wally Wests and his allies) are fighting. Apparently, Eclipso ate the Flash’s dog and now has the powers of the Speed Force? I dunno, man. It’s a DC comic book. That sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
Personally, I’d hesitate to call this a part one, as events in previous issues clearly directly caused the “war for the moon” we witness in this one. (Most notably, again, Eclipso having eaten the Flash’s dog.) But that designation’s not worth getting hung up on. What’s important is that Spurrier gives readers all the information they need to (sorry) get up to speed, by having us join the ongoing war alongside one of Mr. Terrific’s T-Spheres. For those outside the velocisphere covering the moon, the battle started just fifteen hours ago. Under the dome, the Flashes have been fighting, and dying, for years. And morale, it’s not high.
If that all sounds wild, it’s because it is. This, to sum it up, is a wild comic book. Artist Vasco Georgiev and colorist Matt Herms are clearly having a ball rendering all these Flashes and the sci-fi lunar war they’re fighting. There’s a two-page splash in this issue that pulls back to show the lunar battlefield at a distance, with hundreds of Flashes charging the enemy lines. That splash, and this issue as a whole, is a spectacle. It’s a comic book-y comic in all the best ways. It’s packed with bright colors, big ideas, and a lot of substance.
But perhaps more importantly, reading The Flash #20 gave me that feeling I had as a new-to-comics kid, diving into these fictional worlds for the first time. The feeling of syncing up with something new and wanting to know not just what came before, but what’s going to happen next. For this superhero comic reader, there’s not much higher praise than that.
The Round-Up
- At this point, my big question regarding the Absolute line is “Can it maintain its quality and momentum?” If this week’s Absolute entries are any indication, the answer is a resounding “Yes.” If we hadn’t just spotlighted Absolute Martian Manhunter, that title’s second issue would have earned this week’s featured review. Instead, I’ll simply tell you this month’s issue is as provocative and visually-arresting as the first. Absolute Wonder Woman also delivers this week, with a compelling conclusion to that title’s short second arc. Together, these issues prove the Absolute line has enough heart and hooks to stay fresh for quite a while.
- Back in the mainline DCU, the most “consequential” comic of the week is likely Justice League Unlimited #6, the second part of Mark Waid and co.’s “We Are Yesterday” crossover event. While I’ve enjoyed JLU so far, my main qualm has been that the book is trying to accomplish too much too quickly. This issue continues that trend, cramming in a bunch of backstory to explain how Inferno (the secret organization that’s been menacing the League) formed, as well as how they recruited Air Wave. While the book’s most impactful moment hits, most everything happening around it feels like exposition or empty plot. Hopefully, this crossover will feel less disjointed as it continues.
- Proving everything doesn’t have to be all Omega and Doom, both Harley Quinn #50 and Metamorpho: The Element Man #5 tickled my funny bone this week. Writers Elliott Kalan and Al Ewing (respectively) provided a well-balanced dose of wit and whimsy, but its the issues’ art teams who truly sold these wild stories. Its heartening to see DC embrace both humor and unconventional art styles, letting artists Mirka Andolfo and Steve Lieber, colorists Tríona Farrell and Lee Loughridge, and letterers Ferran Delgado and Lucas Gattoni cut loose while illustrating Harley and Metamorpho’s antics.
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