Review: THE FLASH #752
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Howard Porter
Colours: Hi-Fi
Letters: Steve Wands
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
The Flash #752: Exiled outside time and space in Paradox’s realm, the Scarlet Speedster is confronted by ghosts from his past! Meanwhile, Iris discovers the one person who may help the Flash defeat Paradox-and it’s not anyone Barry Allen would ever ask for help! Will they be able to find where-or when-this unlikely ally is hiding before it’s too late?
Positives
Last issue saw the Barry being killed by the supervillain Paradox, and being greeted in the afterlife by his late mother, Nora Allen. So, it seems like he really may be dead. But he soon becomes suspicious of the paradise he find himself in. The main clue that something is wrong is the presence of Wally West, Kid Flash, and the Flash of China – none of which were killed along with Barry.
I found it interesting that a little behind the other speedsters, almost blending into the other figures is a gentleman wearing a winged helmet. So, Jay Garrick is also present. This makes me wonder if the continuity of The Flash has caught up with the re-integration of the Justice Society into DC continuity. Does Barry remember Jay yet? Perhaps not, or at least not fully, otherwise Jay would have been out front and shown more distinctly. But his presence there may show that Barry is starting to remember him. Given the hints from issue #750, I’m sure we’ll be learning more soon.
Also, Barry realizes that the realm he is in appears to lack its own vibrational frequency, meaning it’s not a real world, but a virtual reality created for him by Paradox. Williamson shows his knowledge of Flash lore here. Barry is quite familiar with the vibrational frequencies of different universes, planes, and dimensions in the DC Multiverse. So much, that he is sensitive to the frequency around him, even when not consciously paying attention to it.
Positives Cont.
Barry breaks the illusion, finding himself in Paradox’s world outside of the timestream. Unfortunately, the realm is toxic to Barry, requiring him to enhance his costume with some makeshift armour. The effect looks very much like Ezra Miller’s Flash costume from the Justice League movie. This is a nice little nod to the DCEU version of the character. Hopefully, we will eventually get to see that franchise’s Flash solo movie.
That’s not the only thing Barry constructs. Barry builds a copy of his Cosmic Treadmill. Acting on the information Iris gave him last issue, Barry intends to turn to the only person who has defeated Paradox before: Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash.
Williamson heaps on the irony. Barry is already wary of time-travel after causing the Flashpoint. However, he has to travel back to the very same time as then: his mother’s murder, because that’s the one point in the timestream where he can always find Thawne.
Negatives
“Flash War” continues to gain momentum in The Flash #752 without any evident flaws. Williamson’s storytelling is on point and Howard Porter’s art is beyond reproach. The only problem I have is that outside circumstances will force us to have to wait for an unknown period of time until the next chapter. In the middle of a story arc is a hell of a time for a hiatus, but that’s hardly the fault of the creative team or DC.
Verdict
The Flash #752 is another great issue with stellar writing from Joshua Williamson and gorgeous art from Howard Porter. Waiting until things return to normal for the next arc will be excruciating, but in the meantime, perhaps this is a great time to reread Williamson’s run from the beginning.
