Eobard Thawne has decided to build his own “family”. With the help of this new “Legion of Zoom”, Thawne hopes to beat the Flash once and for all. Last issue, we saw Thawne putting the band together. This issue they unleash…complete chaos! This promises to be an exceptional arc – wanna know more? Follow us after the jump!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Thawne is hitting Barry where he lives…literally. And not only that, he is placing doubt in Barry’s mind on every front. Flash has been scouring the globe in search of Thawne without success. It’s the only thing he can think about…even crime fighting is a side hustle while searching for the Reverse-Flash.
In a classic “Barry” moment, he interrupts that search when he realizes that he is, once again, late for a dinner with Iris. Actually, it’s Iris, Wallace and Avery waiting for him, but you get the idea. After time with them, he gives up the global search and returns to the CCPD, to find a case that is eerily similar to something from his own past.
It’s a father who has been arrested for the murder of his wife…with a young boy certain that his father is innocent. Everyone considers this case closed, but of course Barry has to investigate. What does he find?
Thawne did it. Of course he did it.
The timing is just as important here. The murder happened on the night that Wally West returned from the Speed Force (see REBIRTH). Now, Barry feels that he was off his game that night, and being off his game allowed this to happen. That’s nonsense of course – but still it’s exactly how Thawne wants Barry to feel.
Next come simultaneous attacks by every member of the Legion of Zoom (I love that name). And, they are hitting specific targets with ties to the Flash and to Barry Allen. The Turtle is hitting CCPD. Trickster is outside Barry’s apartment building. Captian Cold and Golden Glider (yes, Golden Glider) are at S.T.A.R. Labs. And, Grodd is hitting the Speed Lab at the Flash museum. All. At. The. Same. Time.
Flash has rushed Iris, Wallace and Avery to safety…but they aren’t having it. Iris tells Barry to…RUN! That’s where we leave it for now.
NOTES:
- For continuity’s sake, it’s important to remember that Thawne plucked each member of his new “family” from various points in time. Len and Lisa Snart are pre-meta here. Grodd was still in charge of Gorilla City when he joined the group. And, its the James Jesse Trickster, not Axel. That’s a great thing for this reviewer, because…
- This arc looks to pay homage to just about every era of Barry’s DC History. We start with that Bronze Age moment when Barry snapped Eobard Thawne’s neck (it started “The Trial of the Flash”, leading up to the end of that volume of THE FLASH and Barry’s supposed death in CRISIS). The “Barry is late again” moment is classic Silver Age. The appearance of Barry’s uniform as it wraps around him is a mixture of several portrayals of that moment. The return of Wally West gets us to REBIRTH. Throw in S.T.A.R. Labs, Wallace and Avery and you are covering a lot of ground.
- This is part of what I absolutely love about Joshua Williamson’s time on the title. He nailed Barry’s voice from the first issue. His stories have managed to tie so many eras of Barry’s life together – paying respect to what has come before while adding a fresh new twist to the tale…and even adding important pieces to the mythos. This has been a wonderful “run” on THE FLASH, and it leaves some pretty big shoes to fill when Williamson leaves the book.
- I enjoyed the artwork, particularly that last splash page. It’s also the key moments in the book that appeared to get special attention, including Wally’s return from the Speed Force. That’s thanks to Rafa Sandoval (pencils), Jordi Tarragona (inks), Hi-Fi (colors) and Steve Wands (letters).
SUMMARY:
This arc is off to a fantastic start. Barry Allen is being tested physically, mentally, and emotionally to his limits and beyond. Whatever happens next, I’m in. This is a 9/10 for me – of course, that’s just my opinion. What do YOU think? Leave your comments below!