The New 52 version of the Reverse-Flash has proven to be as powerful a villain as Barry Allen has ever faced. Daniel West has gained enough Speed Force energy to finally go back in time to “set things right”…by killing his father! Can Barry stop him, or will Daniel add one more murder to his list of Speed Force-related victims? That’s where we pick back up in The Flash #24!
LIGHT SPOILERS ONLY
Daniel finally has his father in his sights…but he is also in plain sight of his younger self and his sister Iris! This should be Daniel’s moment of triumph, but everything seems to be falling apart here. It’s up to Barry to try and set things right…and how he goes about it is something you’ll have to grab the issue to find out. This issue has so much more, though…
In many respects, this issue is a valedictory address for Manapul and Buccellato. They have one more issue together, set in Batman’s Zero Year (then three more issues with Buccellato as writer) – which means this is their last issue together with Barry in costume as the Flash. We see once more how “Moving Forward” has been so critical to all of Barry’s storylines in the New 52 – both as The Flash and in his own personal life. And, we are treated to some classic M&B visuals of the Flash, leading up to a great last panel that brings everything full circle visually for their time on The Flash. While I will miss their work together on my favorite superhero, I am glad to get this resolution to the Reverse-Flash storyline…and to know that we do get at least one more issue from this great team before we say goodbye (and hello to their work on Detective).
I wasn’t a fan of this resolution. Too easy, too brief. It felt like a quick way out and let me down a bit
Am intrigued by the cover.
Is the black lightning there meant to be ‘star stuff’ or black metallic bio-material….think that evil goo stuff that was in the first season of Star Trek: TNG or the symbiote in Marvel’s Venom from Spiderman.
Either way, I think it’s pretty neat looking and now doubly wish they weren’t trading for a Gotham City post office address.
zzzzzzzzzzz
You know what would have made it better?
a BOOOM sounds, and a 2nd scarlet speedster shows up… “BARRY!!! I FOUND YOU!!” -Wally West… “I need to bring you HOME!” And the new52 fades out as a bad nightmare. No more extra pointless lines or killer heroes turned “hero” due to remorse. Barry’s mom is alive and well. Wally & Linda are hitched and the kids are okay… Iris is Barrys WIFE! Lois & Clark are married. Bats is still Bats… oooh the good old days.
It did feel like a simple resolution, with Barry even admitting he’s not sure how he accomplished it.
But with tying up some of their other story lines (Barry’s last conversation with Elias was WAY overdue 😀 ) , this was a pretty good issue, as always, amazing layouts and art, sad to to see them end their run on Flash but looking forward to their work on Detective.
First-BEAUTIFUL art, as always. You can’t beat their layouts and compositions.
However, this issue left me disappointed. As stated above, this wrapped up way too quick for me as I was expecting more of an epic battle and we got none of that. What stung the most was Barry saying that he can’t save one life without sacrificing another. If I’m not mistaken, he unknowingly sacrificed his wife, future, and favorite nephew to try and save his mom. Sure, he’s learned his lesson (twice now), but that doesn’t bring Wally back or get his father out of jail. Are the Tornado Twins officially gone from Bart’s back story? I haven’t read Teen Titans beyond the first trade. If they are, there’re more casualties for Barry’s list.
Bart’s new backstory has remained mysterious and vague, but will be explored over the next few months as the Teen Titans bounce around through time.
I wish they’d get on with it, it’s the slowest origin alive! To be honest, I’ve packed in with the Teen Titans , it’s too annoying!
Nice review Ed, I think you enjoyed it more than me, but it wasn’t half bad. At least there was no gorilla gore!