We’ve met the new avatar of the Sage Force, known as Psych…but is he someone Barry and Iris can trust? And, what ever happened to Gemini after they went in a different direction during the Flash’s last leg of the Force Quest? Don’t worry, you’ll find those answers and more in this issue of THE FLASH! And, you will still get to see a whole lot of classic characters as well! Want to know more? Follow us after the jump!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
As we get back to Zandia, we hear Psych’s story…at least the story he wants to tell right now. He claims to be an agent of A.R.G.U.S., sent to get the dirt on Roulette and her casino for supervillains. Whether that’s true or not (keep reading this review), we do get the backstory of his connection to the Sage Force. It looks like the Sage Force searched him out just as it was leaving Heat Wave, leaving him in a coma for a few days. He shows this to Barry and Iris by using his Sage Force powers, something that was not welcomed by Iris especially. However, Barry trusts Bashir/Psych and agrees to help him.
To do that, Barry and Psych go up against a gauntlet of villains…including Roulette’s personal bodyguards, the Royal Flush Gang! And, how do they do that?
Psych betrays Barry! And did anyone NOT see that coming? He reveals The Flash to a room full of bad guys, including classic Rogues, and the battle is on. Psych uses that distraction to get all the info he needed from Roulette.
As Iris found out while talking to Magpie, Psych is obviously not an agent of A.R.G.U.S., but rather is using his powers to get blackmail evidence on other villains. Psych turns on Barry and Iris…and worse yet, he had made a deal…
…with Gemini!
Gemini has been around for a very, very long time. Back in the 1940’s they were searching for immortality, and their search led them to tech that drained all the various forces. These forces have been around from the creation of the multiverse, and absorbing those forces have allowed Gemini to live in relative youth all this time. Now, if they can drain those forces directly from the avatars (including Barry), they can achieve the immortality they desire so badly.
And, of course, there is no honor among these thieves.
They want Barry’s Speed Force, but they also want the Sage Force from Psych as well. They attack both Flash and Psych…and that’s where we leave the story for now.
NOTES:
- While all of this is going on, Commander Cold and Detective Burns take a break from their date, and find a place that is all too familiar to someone who has studied the Flash archives. They have accidentally discovered the Trickster’s hideout…the HQ of James Jesse! We’ll see more of that soon…
- I keep saying this, but I absolutely LOVE how Iris West is being portrayed in this storyline. Iris is nobody’s fool, tenacious, intelligent, and all around bada$$ (in the best sense of the word). THIS is the Iris West I want to see.
- I really like the artwork in this issue – Christian Duce is doing a great job, with excellent color work by Luis Guerrero.
SUMMARY: Lots of action, lots of intrigue, and a look at a LOT of classic characters in the background. All that and an Iris West we can all cheer for. I’ll give this issue a 9/10. Of course, that just my opinion – what to YOU think? Leave your comments below!