The Flash speeds into his 800th issue

THIS WEEK: The quickest man alive hits one other milestone as The Flash celebrates 800 points with tales from an all-star lineup of creators.

Note: the evaluate under comprises spoilers. If you need a fast, spoiler-free purchase/go advice on the comedian in query, try the underside of the article for our last verdict.

The Flash #800

Writers: Jeremy Adams, Mark Waid, Joshua Williamson, Geoff Johns, and Si Spurrier
Artists: Fernando Pasarin & Oclaire Albert, Todd Nauck, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Scott Kolins, and Mike Deodato Jr.
Colorists: Matt Herms, Ivan Plascencia, Luis Guerrero, and Trish Mulvihill
Letterers: Rob Leigh and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

It seems like not that way back that we had been handled to an outsized Flash anniversary celebration, although this week’s The Flash #800 is a bit completely different. 2020’s issue 750 was an 80-page, eightieth anniversary spectacular with a heavy concentrate on the Barry Allen model of the character – pure, contemplating Barry was the star of the sequence on the time. This week’s #800 is way smaller, a 38-pager that includes 4 tales from creators who’ve all labored on the sequence up to now, plus a prelude story from a brand new inventive staff who’re coming onto the sequence later this yr.

The issue’s first story, “Don’t Come to Central City,” comes from the outgoing inventive staff of author Jeremy Adams, artists Fernando Pasarin & Oclaire Albert, colorist Matt Herms, and letterer Rob Leigh. It’s a enjoyable story with a gaggle of lower-tier villains swapping tales about why to not commit crime in The Flash’s hometown, and it’s completely consultant of the remainder of the inventive staff’s run on the sequence. Adams’s script is gentle, contrasting The Flash’s adventures towards these of different heroes within the DC Universe in a approach that’s humorous and character-driven. Pasarin, Albert, and Herms’s art work all through their run on the sequence has been highly-stylized and energetic, capturing comedic and dramatic moments equally properly, and their work on this story isn’t any completely different. It’s a pleasant capper for a powerful run on the sequence from creators who will likely be missed.

Next up is by far the issue’s spotlight, an Impulse-centric story referred to as “The Max in the Mirror” by author Mark Waid, artist Todd Nauck, Herms, and Leigh. This story, set within the early days of Waid and Humberto Ramos’s Impulse solo sequence, is a sheer delight, as in a couple of brief pages, this staff captures the dynamic between Impulse, Max Mercury, and Flash clearly and hilariously. Bart Allen has come a good distance from his first appearances, however after studying this story from Waid and Nauck, who for years drew Impulse’s adventures within the pages of Young Justice, you’ll wish to return and skim these tales in a single synapse.

Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Ivan Plascencia, and Leigh’s story, “Flash Family,” focuses on the connection between Barry Allen and Iris West, an attention-grabbing alternative for a Wally West-centric issue. The Flash Family as readers comprehend it got here into being throughout Wally’s time as DC’s lead Flash, however this story, narrated by Wally, frames Barry and Iris because the inspiration for it. It’s a celebration extra of Williamson & co.’s pre-Infinite Frontier run on the sequence than of Wally, nevertheless it’s a tremendous reminder of how stable their grasp of Barry and his world continues to be.

If there’s a dud to be discovered on this issue, it’s Geoff Johns, Scott Kolins, Luis Guerrero, and Leigh’s “Blitz Back,” a narrative targeted on Hunter Zolomon, the time-manipulating speedster generally known as Zoom. Johns and Kolins created the character again throughout their run on the sequence, and this story is basically a rehash of Zoom’s origins and historical past below Johns’s pen. The Flash is barely current on this story, which looks like it’s perhaps meant to set one thing up for Zoom however there’s no indication of what that is likely to be. As teasers go it’s fairly weak, and there’s simply typically not a lot to this story in any respect.

The issue concludes with “Between Love and You,” the teaser story from the brand new Flash inventive staff of author Si Spurrier, artist Mike Deodato Jr., colorist Trish Mulvihill, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. This story, which has Wally ducking out on date evening with Linda at super-speed and getting caught in a bizarre, hyper-science-y lure set by a powered-up outdated foe, is an intriguing introduction to the brand new staff’s plans for the character. Spurrier’s Wally is, at his core, a person attempting to take care of an honest work-life stability, a relatable wrestle even for readers who don’t get caught in extra-dimensional traps between the ticks of a clock. The science facet of the caper has largely been a Barry trapping up to now, so seeing it utilized to a Wally story is an attention-grabbing shock. Deodato Jr. and Mulvihill definitely carry a novel look to the story, however the art work is at instances arduous to decipher, particularly when a brand-new character is launched and you may’t inform what physique half is what and even what number of components they’ve. The artwork staff brings a daring departure from earlier Flash visible kinds, for higher or worse.

With some nice highs and one notable low, The Flash #800 is an uneven assortment of tales that additionally feels prefer it misses the mark at its said mission assertion. The cowl touts the issue as “A Celebration of Wally West,” however the assortment of tales finally ends up being extra a celebration of characters and ideas created throughout Wally’s time as The Flash than of Wally particularly, which is a bit disappointing given Wally’s historical past and the vital function he’s performed within the DC Universe over the many years. It’s a principally gratifying assortment of tales, simply perhaps not what was anticipated.

Final Verdict: Browse.

Round-Up

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