Flash #3, August 1987

Story overview:
This issue is not a good day for Wally. First, he gets a speeding ticket (oh the irony, Flash getting a speeding ticket) and he says ‘I’m not going to let this ruin my day.’ He gets home to his mansion and there’s a note for him from Fran. It reads:
Dear Wally –
I have moved out. It was a mistake to move in with you. Things are happening too fast. I still love you, but I need some time to myself.
I’ll be in touch!
Love,
♥ Francine
Wally’s response is once again: ‘I’m NOT going to let this ruin my day. Flash has an appointment with a few doctors at S.T.A.R. Labs in Utah the next day about this speed, which can’t even pass the speed of sound. There are rumors going through the Lab about a mechanical monster that is near the Labs. Flash hears of them but of course disregards them. His main doctor is Professor Schmitz and his nutritionist is Tina McGee. Flash wakes up for an early jog when he passes a huge mechanical robot monster in the desert not too far from S.T.A.R. It attacks him, so instinctively he runs back to S.T.A.R. and the robot follows. It starts attacking everyone outside of the building and during the attack Professor Schmitz loses a finger. Everybody is forced inside by security, only to be locked in by the robot that controls all the computers in the world. It calls itself Kilg%re and announces its control of computers and play to rid the world of humans through S.T.A.R. Labs’ computers. The National Guard eventually breaks in and Kilg%re’s message is spread upon every television and computer in the USA telling everyone to flee the country or die. Flash, Tina, Professor Schmitz, and two of the National Guard are in a car driving back to the local town when flash notices that Professor Schmitz’s finger grew back.

Review:
Overall a very good issue. I liked the “This is not going to ruin my day” motif throughout the book. I feel like in Flash books, a lot should happen fast and this issue does just that. Very action packed, a lot of high paced crazy robot fighting goodness. The Flash getting a ticket for speeding in his Porsche is pretty funny… oh the irony. Kilg%re’s is a little bit iffy, it seemed very far out. I definitely liked how it ended, very cliffhanger-y. It makes you question whether Professor Schmitz is completely innocent, something I for one took for granted.

Rating:
Writing: Five out of five stars. Loved it. Pacing, action, and cliffhanger all were nicely excicuted.
Art: Four out of five stars. Anatomy and consistency were a little off.

Favorite Quote:
“That does it! Everyone into the building right now!…”-Security Guy, time passes, “Its coming in the building! I think everyone should get the hell out!” –Wally; page 13

More after the break:

Flash #4, September 1987

Story overview:
This issue continues the events of Flash #3. The Flash, Professor Schmitz, Tina, and the National Security Advisor speak with the president via video satellite, only to be cut short by Kilg%re. Kilg%re creates a robot machine from the metal in the room that attacks the group. One of the National Security Guard is killed and Flash beats the robot when Kilg%re cuts off all power to the city. Flash tells Tina about his suspicion that Prof. Schmitz is actually a clone that Kilg%re created from the finger of the real Schmitz. Flash tells Tina and the National Security Guard that he is going to go to Cyborg to see if he can help. Tina, who is married in a relationship that is about to fall through, makes out with Flash just as he leaves for Cyborg. Flash eventually gets to New York City and all the power is out there too. There is chaos going on in the streets which Flash doesn’t have time to deal with. He finds Cyborg and bounces off ideas with him. Note that anything that requires electricity that Wally or Vic do is powered by the TT Comsat which is solar powered. They decide that they will have to cut all the power in the world to get rid of Kilg%re, which is considered impossible. They conclude that it’s the only way, and they are worried that the Russians will never agree. After Flash takes a little nap (12 hours) Wally and Vic fly out to Utah to check out the silver dome that Kilg%re left behind there… sort of like a shed skin of a snake. The NSA figures out its hollow and light but wait for Flash and Cyborg to get there to see what’s under it. What’s inside is both amazing and scary to Vic and Wally. It’s a cloning chamber, just as Flash feared. The inside starts attacking Flash and Cyborg, so they leave. They explain to the NSA that what’s in there is off limits and infectious. When they ask what to tell the president, Flash says that it’s communist propaganda. That night, Flash sleeps with Tina and they discuss what Flash saw. After a morning meeting, they all move out to the desert so that Kilg%re can’t use the facility at S.T.A.R. against them. In the car, Vic tells Wally that ‘Schmitz’ has as much metal in him as Vic does; only it’s the alien technology that was in the dome which had the cloning material inside. They get to their temporary place and Cyborg sends a message to all nations in the world to turn off their power. ‘Schmitz’ jumps out of the room and runs at superhuman speed to ‘a tentacle of some monstrous mechanical octopus’ which is trying to get to ‘Schmitz’. Flash gets the robot professor out of the way just in time and the Kilg%re is finally finished.

Review:
I had a good time reading this issue. A good not rushed way to end this arc, and sort of realistic. The only problem is the fact that they were able to shutdown all the power in the world, which I don’t think would occur so easily. It ends with the Flash going to bed with Tina, which definitely makes me want to read the next issue to see what happens between Wally, Tina, and Tina’s husband.

Rating:
Writing: Five out of five stars. No problems.
Art: Five out of five stars. Same thing as writing, no problems.

Favorite Quote:
“Been expecting you, leadfoot.” –Cyborg, page 9

No scan today, nothing really scan-worthy.

Share