Review: THE FLASH #772
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Jeremy Adams
Artist: Will Conrad
Colours: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Steve Wands
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
The Flash #772: Leaving past mistakes behind and racing into the future, Wally West returns as Central City’s Scarlet Speedster! Now reunited with his wife, Linda, and their two children, the former Kid Flash begins a new chapter in his life. But Wally quickly remembers that saving lives and fighting super-villains may make him a hero, but they don’t pay the bills. Luckily, an old friend may have just the right job for this blue-collar champion.
Positives
Jeremy Adams’ first story arc did a masterful job of dealing with the Wally’s recent tragedies and restoring his drive to be the hero he was before Flashpoint. But now in The Flash #772, Adams is establishing the status quo for Wally West.
The opening scene is exactly what I wanted most to see in a Wally-led Flash series. Wally is at home with Linda, Jai, and Irey. I hope that Adams begins with this scene is indicative that Wally’s family life will be a central part of the title.
This heartwarming scene leads into the main focus of the issue. What is Wally going to earn money to help support his family? And can he find a job that will allow him to respond to emergencies that need the Flash’s attention?
His first thought is to fall back on his previous career as a car mechanic. Adams clearly knows his Flash history. I collected the whole run of Wally’s original series and had forgotten that he had worked as a mechanic. It did strike me as somewhat ironic that Wally’ would have a job fixing cars, when he has absolutely no need to use a car himself.
Positives Cont.
However, Mister Terrific comes to the rescue, with an amazing job offer for Wally. He offers Wally a position at Terrifitech, on a team investigating “Multiversal Studies”. Not being a scientist himself, Wally doubts his suitability for the job. But considering his powers and experience with both time and dimensional travel, Wally seems uniquely qualified.
And Mister Terrific appears to have a lot of faith in Wally. He tells him that he’s “A mechanic. A hero. A father. You’re more than a person who can move at the speed of sound. You’re a problem solver. You have mechanical expertise. You’ve travelled through time. A lot. And I trust you”. And the job is as ideal for Wally as Wally is for the job. The job comes with a generous salary, free food, and importantly, the freedom to come and go when the Flash is needed.
With Mister Terrific as Wally’s boss, it’s likely that he will have a continuing presence in the title, which is welcome. And hopefully, it means that the Terrifics will make a guest appearance at some point.
The art is also great. The Flash is a title that requires an artist with skill in conveying the character’s kinetic energy, and Will Conrad does so beautifully. And his costumes are absolutely fantastic. He has perfectly captured the classic look of both the Flash’s and Heatwave’s costumes.
Negatives
I have absolutely no problems with The Flash #772 at all. It was everything I wanted to see in the first issue of Wally’s return as the Earth’s main Flash.
Verdict
If you’re not already reading this series, The Flash #772 is an ideal starting point for new readers. It provides an amazingly good start for Wally as he resumes his heroic career. DC is finally treating Wally West with the respect the character deserves.
