The Flash #793 review

Flash Gordon had 14 hours to save the Earth. The Flash Family have maybe a minute…

Earth is under seige as alien conquerors The Fraction enact their plan to steal the planet’s resources, killing the population along the way. Their connection to the Speed Force means the World’s Greatest Superheroes are too slow to have a chance against them.

Well, most of them. The Flash Family also access the Speed Force and the fact their link is organic, unlike the Fraction’s technological connection, means they have a chance of beating back an army of invaders who have already razed world after world.

It’s not often there’s time or place for for a breather issue in the middle of an Earth invasion storyline but here heroes and villains are both locked into super-speed mode. Relatively, speedsters Wally West, Barry Allen, Jay Garrick, Jesse Chambers, Linda Park-West, Max Mercury, Bart Allen, Ace West and Irey West must slow down for a minute to take stock, work out what to do next. And they have someone to help – a rescued Fraction prisoner.

What he tells them helps our heroes come up with a plan; it’s complicated, and requires many moving parts, but one thing we know about the Flash Family is that they can really move.

While the three Flashes, Jesse Quick, Kid Flash, Max Mercury, Linda and Impulse all have roles to play, youngest speedster Irey isn’t factored in. She’s understandably frustrated at being benched.

That’s the second time in the issue that Jesse acts gives Irey the benefit of her experience and I love it – every speedster needs a mentor. This is just one of loads of character moments writer Jeremy Adams packs into this issue, from Barry’s reaction to the death of Iris as the Fraction struck to the improving relationship of teen Flashes Ace and Bart. And as it backs up a theory I’ve had for months, I loved this moment between the freed prisoner and Linda.

Adams never tells us the fella’s name – maybe he’s going to reveal that the dour interplanetary speedster is someone we’ve met elsewhere, or will meet in future. Heck, maybe someone Linda and Wally are going to meet in a few months…

At the centre of everything, as indicated by Taurin Clarke’s sombrely stylish cover, is Wally. Despite the greater experience of the older Flashes, he’s emerged as the leader – he’s lost and regained so much since his beginnings as Kid Flash that he’s the embodiment of not so much the Speed Force, as Hope.

Wally understands.

It’s amazing to think that it’s just a few years since Wally looked to have been made unusable by the events of Heroes in Crisis (I’m not linking to a review because we should all forget the details of that horror), but Adams and other creatives have put Wally back where he belongs, at the forefront of DC’s heroic community. Adams has done such a good job that Wally’s adventures are now published 24 times a year. And this is a darn good one, the first big teaming of the Flash Family in years… the only member not involved is Irey’s twin Jai, aka Surge, whose connection to the Speed Force lets him accelerate his muscle growth in short bursts, but not run fast – perhaps that’s why he’s ‘frozen’. I do hope he’ll come into play before the minute is up.

Adams also gains points for putting so much science into this issue – I couldn’t tell you what’s real and what’s pseudo-science, but I’m sure Silver Age Flash scribes John Broome and Gardner Fox would be proud.

The only thing I don’t love about Adams’ scripts is a bit of Wally dialogue apparently referencing a Bruce Springsteen song; I looked it up, but still can’t work out the relevance.

And I’ve never understood ‘welp’. Oh well.

I do understand Roger Cruz’s pencils, which do their part in carrying the story – this is his strongest issue since he joined the series recently. Highlights include a page whose panels form a lightning bolt, the emotions in the Wally/Barry scene and a classic hero shot.

Completing the visual team are inker Wellington Dias, colourist Luis Guerrero and letterer Rob Leigh, all of whom do excellent work, giving us sharp definition, moody tones and crystal clear words.

The final page offers several cliffhangers and I’m hugely keen to have the next issue in my hands – this is the best Flash run in years and I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am.