The ABSOLUTE lineup from DC has given us some pretty awesome tanks on our favorite heroes. Now, the Flash gets his turn in the spotlight in this strange new world of superpowered heroics. this is not like any FLASH story you have ever seen. There are familiar names, but in unfamiliar roles. Even our hero, Wally West, is only 15 years old… and he is scared. How well does this story fit into the ABSOLUTE universe? Wanna know more? Follow us after the jump!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Wally West is on the run. In this universe, Wally is an Army brat with no real friends, and a difficult relationship with his dad. Wally strikes up a friendship with Dr. Barry Allen, but don’t get too excited about that. He won’t be hanging around for very long.
Barry Allen is working on a secret project for the government. We don’t know a lot about it, other than it appears to be very dangerous. Wally‘s father does not want him hanging around Barry, but that seems to only deepen the divisions between father and son
When Wally goes back to see Barry, there is an accident that appears to give Wally his powers, but at a great price. This accident claims the life of Barry Allen. There is no opportunity to mentor Wally in the use of his powers. Worse yet, Wally, blames himself for Barry’s death. And now, Wally is on the run.
You’ll find some familiar names, chasing Wally, and you’ll see some hints of what will be happening in the future. But, we will have to leave it there for now and look forward to the next issue.
NOTES:
- Like the rest of the ABSOLUTE lineup, everything we know about the Flash has been turned upside down. There is no way to bring any preconceived notion to this storyline.
- Still, that seems to be the genius of this issue. There is just enough of the familiar to let you know this is a FLASH Comic – but that’s as far as it goes. Everything else is brand new. There is no Flash Family, no Teen Titans or JL friends to help him through. That leaves a world of potential for where this story can go.
- Jeff Lemire already has me sold on this series. I cannot wait to see what happens next with this younger version of Wally West.
- The artwork is outstanding as well. Nick Robles, Adriano Lucas and Tom Napolitano set a tone that fits perfectly for this strange new world.
SUMMARY: This version of THE FLASH is off to a great start. I’ll give this first issue a 9/10 – of course, that’s just my opinion. What do YOU think? Leave your comments below!