Impulse #1 (April 1995)

Two of the big themes of the Flash mythos are legacy and family. Over the decades, numerous people have taken up the mantle of the Flash, from Jay Garrick, to Barry Allen, to Wally West, to the character that we're going to meet here: Bart Allen.

But before he was the fourth Flash (at least, before DC canon became the mess it is now), Bart Allen was once a teenage hero with a tendency to run without thinking, a kid who operated...on Impulse. Created by Mark Waid and the late Mike Weiringo, Bart's first full appearance was The Flash #92 (July 1994), making a cameo in the previous issue. He would go on to be a member of Young Justice and the Teen Titans.

But before all that, he had his own series as Impulse. This series lasted from 1995-2002. The first issue of it is the comic we will look at here. So, let's look at Impulse #1!

The cover is a Humberto Ramos and Wayne Faucher piece. It's pretty neat, depicting our hero outrunning a missile. It gives the vibe that Impulse is a bit devil-may-care, which fit his character at the time.

"The Single Synapse Theory"
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciler: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Wayne Faucher
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulous
Editors: Ruben Diaz, Brian Augustyn
Executive Editor: Jennette Khan

The story begins at what appears to be a military base. They're testing a brand-new missile. But someone ends up invading the test.

Say hello to Bart Allen, aka Impulse. Due to his...unique upbringing, Bart has a bit of trouble when it comes to discerning fantasy from reality. His speed attracts the missile, making it pursue him. Bart thinks that's awesome. He causes the missile to hit its intended target. The people administer the test are left confused by what had just happened. Bart briefly appears to them, then zips off. 

We next switch scenes to a high school in Manchester, Alabama. 

In a bit of contrast to the seemingly ultra-confident Impulse, Bart Allen is quiet and what appears to be somewhat shy. We also see that he's actually pretty observant.

The teacher gives the class a little assignment: write about your own personal history. I can imagine that this would be a nightmare for a superhero in the DCU, as its history constantly changes.

But it's here that we get a basic idea of Bart's history up to this point. He's the grandson of the second Flash, Barry Allen. A short time before his death in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Barry had moved to the 30th century with his wife Iris. They had two children, twins named Don and Dawn Allen, who became known as the Tornado Twins. Don would be the father of Bart. Bart was born with a hyper-fast metabolism...that was causing him to age at an accelerated rate. 

As an attempt to help keep Bart sane, he was plugged into a virtual reality world. However, it wasn't fixing his hyper-fast aging problem, so Iris sent him back to the "present day" to see if the then-current Flash, Wally West (who is Bart's first cousin once removed), could help him. Wally was able to fix that problem, but Bart's, well...impulsiveness proved a bit hard to handle.

As such, Wally sent him to live with an elder speedster called Max Mercury, the self-proclaimed Zen Master of Speed. Max is unimpressed with Bart's attempt to write about his life. After all, Bart has to maintain his secret identity, much to his chagrin. The young speedster is struggling with living in 1990s Alabama. It's too quiet, peaceful, and primitive for him. Impulse's new mentor then shows him a newspaper article about his's little misadventure.

The elder hero notes the oddness of this, as the plant that produced the tank that the missile was being tested on was produced at a plant east of town. Its test range was there, too. Meanwhile, the people at the plant are preparing defenses for Impulse. And being the type to just jump into things, Impulse races towards the plant. He gets ambushed, but the speedster is able to overcome his foes. Bart then eyes a room, and just...walks in. He ends up falling into a dark void, and the story ends with our hero finding himself at...a whole lot of gunpoint. Nice work, Bart. 

This issue was pretty good. It does what a good first issue should do, in my opinion. It introduces us to Bart Allen, and gives us a bit of an idea of who he is and what he is about, character-wise. I do like that Bart is shown to notice little details. It helps show off his potential, that he is smarter than people give him credit for. Humberto Ramos's art has a bit of a...cartoony vibe to it, for lack of better words. It certainly fits Bart and his personality. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2021 trade paperback Flash/Impulse: Runs in the Family. Thanks for reading this blog entry! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! See you next time!

The Flash #62 (Early May 1992)

Two of the big themes of the Flash are family and legacy, especially during the years Wally West wore the Flash suit. With the Crisis on Infinite Earths having passed, Barry Allen's mantle as the Flash had passed to West, who was Allen's nephew and former sidekick as Kid Flash.

In 1990, Mark Waid made his formal debut in the realm of comic scribing. He had sold a couple of Superman stories to DC in 1985, and it led to him getting a staff editor job at DC Comics a couple years later. His time in the position did not last long, but it did result in him forming a friendship with the editor of the Flash's book at the time: Brian Augustyn.

Waid was a fan of the Flash, and knew even then, the character was about legacy. It made perfect sense. Jay Garrick was the very first Flash, debuting in 1941. In 1955, Barry Allen took up the suit. And in 1986, Wally West became the third Flash.

Also at the time, CBS debuted a live-action TV series focusing on the Flash, with John Wesley Shipp playing the role of the Barry Allen Flash. Yeah, they used the Flash that had been dead for four years in the comics beforehand. Go figure. The series lasted one season, but it would be referenced in the 2014 Flash TV series. Shipp even reprised his role as Barry Allen in that series. The comic did get a sales bump from the TV show, but it was not to last. In fact, some editors felt the book should have been cancelled.

Waid's actual Flash debut was on Flash Special #1 (1990), a generational tale that linked the three Flashes (as well as a far-future Flash) in one story. Flash #62, the comic were going to look at here, was Waid's first debut on the regular Flash book. He would stay on the title for eight years. The first story he would tackle in his run? A retelling of the origins of Wally West. How he gained his powers and his adventures as Kid Flash. And with that out of the way, let's dig in!

The cover is a Greg LaRocque piece, depicting Wally West presumably being struck by lightning. The facial expression is amusing to me, as it looks like Wally just got mildly spooked instead of taking a lightning strike to the face. I do like the nod to AC/DC. "Thunderstruck is an awesome song."

"Flash: Year One - Born to Run!, Chapter 1: Thunder Struck"
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciler: Greg LaRocque
Inker: Jose Marzan Jr.
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Letterer: Tim Harkins
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with Wally West racing into action as the Scarlet Speedster.

He runs into an airport. He's in a bit of a crisis. You see, two captured terrorists were in a jail cell after committing a series of local bombings. However, they had one last bomb ready to blow at midnight. But the terrorist in charge of setting the timer screwed up. He set the bomb to explode at noon. This happened at 11:42 AM. Whoops.

Wally himself didn't learn about it until 11:55 AM. The terrorists refused to reveal the bomb's location, so Wally West has less than five minutes to find and defuse the bomb. Wally may be the Fastest Man Alive, but even he needs time. He's able to find the bomb with seconds to spare...but he has no time to defuse it. He races to the airport's tarmac as the bomb starts to explode.

This leads Wally to reminisce about a game he used to play on the Fourth of July as a kid. He would light a firecracker and hold on to it as long as he dared to before throwing it. He was good at it. And yes, he does admit it was pretty stupid. His dad tanned his hide good for it. Wally pitches the bomb in the air.

With the crisis over, Wally can change back into his civilian clothes and rest a bit. He goes to a restaurant and orders a lot of food. Yeah, being super-fast comes with super-metabolism. As a result, Wally needs to eat a lot of food. Gotta consume those caolries! It's there he runs into his beloved grandfather, Ira West. A Nobel Prize-winning professor and lecturer, West is a bit of an absent-minded man. Wally is feeling a bit guilty. You see, the old man lives about twelve miles away from him...and he never comes to visit. It feels even worse because Wally could literally zip over there in seconds. To be fair, life can consume people...even if they're the Fastest People Alive. The two agree to have lunch together.

It's then that Wally starts thinking about his family.

Ira West had three children: Charlotte, Rudolph, and Iris. Charlotte was the oldest, and she always talked down to Wally. I don't think we've seen her much in the comics. She may not even exist anymore in the current comics. Current DC canon is a giant fustercluck. Rudolph was Wally's dad, and the middle kid. He never was close to anyone. Finally, there was Iris. Wally worshipped Iris. She was married to Barry Allen, the previous Flash before she passed away in The Flash #275 (July 1979). She was killed by Professor Zoom.

Wally is then at Ira's home, looking through Iris's old personal effects. Ira had forgotten he had them. You know, Wally, maybe you should consider the possibility that the old man has dementia or something. Wally finds Iris's scrapbooks detailing Barry's career as the Flash. It leads him to wonder if Iris knew he wanted her to be proud of him. He worshipped her, and he hopes that she knew how much he loved her.

Iris had kept a scrapbook of him during his Kid Flash days. Turns out was pretty darn proud of her little nephew after all. Aww. It leads the new Scarlet Speedster to reminisce about his childhood. When he was ten years old, he was living in Blue Valley, Nebraska. His parents constantly fought. Iris had called and offered to let Wally stay with her in Central City for the summer. Naturally, Wally was all too eager to go. Central City was home of the Flash, the coolest hero ever!

After a long bus ride, the young Wally arrives at Central, where Iris was waiting for him. The two get ready to check out the Flash Museum when he gets to see the Scarlet Speedster himself. The Flash was stopping a bank robbery. He managed to take down two of the robbers, but ended up tripping on some jewelry the third robber dropped. Wally comes up with a plan to save the Flash. He grabs a wrench from a worker, and goes to a nearby fire hydrant.

"HAVE A DRINK ON ME!"

In the hot Midwest, fire hydrants can be very useful. It buys the Fastest Man Alive a few extra seconds...which is all he needs. He's able to easily take down the robbers. The Flash then makes Wally's day by thanking him for the help and saying he's his hero.

It's then Wally gets introduced to Barry Allen, Iris's fiancé. He was also operating as the Flash at the time. The three have lunch, and Barry tries to explain to Wally his job as a forensic scientist, but the young boy finds it dull. He couldn't find Barry Allen more dull if he tired. It's like he intentionally tries to be boring.

Heh heh, a young boy would really not have a lot of patience. Barry then takes Wally to his home. He claims he's a friend of the Flash, and he's coming to visit. Wally's like, "Yeah, right. The Flash. Friends with you. Quit pulling my leg, Allen!" But Allen isn't pulling any legs.

Naturally, Wally is amazed. He's taking to the Flash in the flesh. But why is here? Well, Barry lets the Flash use his lab to crack cases. He lets Wally ask anything about him...except who he is under that mask. Got to protect that secret identity, after all. Wally then asks how he got his powers. Well, that one's alright. The Flash was standing in front of a cabinet of chemicals. A thunderstorm had erupted...and a bolt of lightning smashed through the window, causing the man who would become The Flash to be doused in electrified chemicals. And the Fastest Man Alive was born!

As if fate is having itself a bit of a laugh, there's a thunderstorm outside. And Wally is standing in front of a cabinet full of chemicals. You can guess what happens next.

Yup. They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but that turns out to be bull.

This comic was really good. I really like that Waid gave much more depth and development to the early years of Wally West. It really does help explain why Wally became the man he is, and why he held Iris and Barry so highly in his life. I like the idea that he was a fanboy growing up. For Wally West, becoming a superhero was a dream come true, getting to fight crime and colorful villains alongside his favorite superhero. I also liked the scene with him using the fire hydrant to help save the Flash from the bank robbers. It showed that Wally already was a hero at heart, even before getting superspeed.

I love Greg Laroque's art here. It's very clean and has a bit of a cartoony vibe to it. There was good art in 90s comics, you just had to look beyond Image and the X-Books. If you want to read this yourself, I recommend picking up the 2016 trade paperback The Flash by Mark Waid Book One. It's a good trade, worth the money.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! Join me next time as the Secret Wars rage on...

Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold #2 (November 1999)

The Brave and the Bold. To DC Comics fans, the name holds a great significance. The original Brave and the Bold was a long-running comic series that lasted 200 issues, from 1955 to 1983.

Originally, The Brave and the Bold started out as an anthology series that told tales of adventure set in the past. These stories would focus on characters like the Viking Prince and the Silent Knight (Hooooly niiiiiight...). With issue #25 (which introduced the Suicide Squad), the title would be retooled into what was essentially a "tryout" comic for new characters and ideas. It was during this time that the title would really become known for introducing some DC Comics institutions that still exist today:
- Issue #28: Justice League debut
- Issue #34: Silver Age Hawkman debuts
- Issue #54: Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash team-up, setting up the Teen Titans
- Issue #57: Metamorpho debuts
- Issue #60: Wonder Girl (Donna Troy) debuts
- Issue #79: Neal Adams' first work on Batman
- Issue #85: Neal Adams redesigns Green Arrow
- Issue #166: Nemesis (Tom Tresser) debuts

Indeed, the title was very important to the DC Universe. As such, even though the original series ended in 1983, the name never really went away. In 1991-1992, DC released a Brave and the Bold miniseries by Mike Grell and Mike Baron. It focused on Green Arrow and the Question. In 2007, another ongoing series of the same title was released. It lasted 35 issues. And then, there was the animated series Batman: Brave and the Bold, which had Batman team-up with various heroes around the DC Universe. It was a fun cartoon. It deserved more seasons. That cartoon also had a tie-in comic, which I looked at a couple issues of here and here.

The comic we're going to look at her is the second issue issue of the 1999-2000 miniseries, which focused on the Flash and Green Lantern. In particular, the Barry Allen Flash and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern. Each issue was set at different points in DC continuity, and it explored the friendship between the two men. So, with that intro out of the way, let's take a look at Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold #2!

The cover is pretty awesome. It's a Barry Kitson piece. I love the reflective effect on Hal Jordan and Barry Allen in the mirror traps. I also like that the mirror motif is repeated with the villains in their pose as they blast the pyramid. It's really cool. Also, the text "Introducing: Kid Lantern" and the font of it helps give the cover the feel that this is a comic that you could find on a newsstand back in the swinging Silver Age sixties. I love this cover.

"Lightspeed"
Writers: Mark Waid, Tom Peyer
Penciler: Barry Kitson
Inker: Barry Kitson
Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Editors: Peter Tomasi, L.A. Williams
Executive Editor: Mike Carlin

The story begins with a dinner date. Former hotshot test pilot Hal Jordan is at a restaurant with his latest galpal, Eve Doremus. The two dated between the events of Green Lantern #58 (January 1968) and #68 (April 1969). Iris West is there, and she brought along her young nephew Wally.

Hal is visiting Central City, so he thought he'd come play catch up with Barry and Iris...even though Barry isn't here yet. Late as usual, our Mr. Allen. Hal mentions that Barry can't stop talking about becoming an uncle, thanks to his marrying Iris in The Flash #165 (November 1966). Wally was looking forward to meeting Hal, as he's never met an actual test pilot before. However, Hal has given that up, and is now an insurance claims adjuster.

Hal tries to explain the job to Wally, but the redhead is bored by it. Barry finally arrives...in time to pay the check. He wants to pay, but Hal insists on doing so. However...he doesn't have the cash on him, so he asks Barry to loan him some money. Hal needing to borrow some money from Barry was a bit of a running gag throughout this miniseries. Barry explains that the reason he was late was because he ran into something that he, Hal...and Wally need to look into.

The three drive away into an alley and suit up.

"You're darn right I'm Green Lantern, son!"

Yeah, this is evidently where Hal and Wally first learn the other is a superhero. There was a bank robbery earlier this morning. The vault was cut open, and the responsible party used some kind of energy weapon to do it. It left behind energy residue...that matches Green Lantern's ring. What could duplicate that energy so perfectly. Flash and GL get zapped before they can make any theories, and the responsible parties make themselves known.

"I was thinking of calling our team Mirrorhand, but Mirror Master threatened to punch me."

Meet Sam Scudder, the Mirror Master! You may know him from my Crisis on Infinite Earths reviews, in which he died. Scottish mercenary Evan McCulloch would end up taking up the mantle. And who's his partner? Meet William Derek Hand, the Black Hand! Hand has an energy device that can absorb Green Lantern's ring power and use it for his own purposes. Hal thought the device was drained. So did Hand. But Mirror Master had discovered that there was still some residual ring-power left in the device, so he used his mirrors to...enhance it somehow. I dunno. Silver Age science. Hand admits he did not expect to see the Emerald Gladiator in town. Kid Flash charges in, but Mirror Master creates a bunch of images of himself and Black Hand to throw the teenage hero off. Black Hand fires his power-draining beam at Hal, but Wally takes the energy bullet.

"AW GAWD THIS HURTS! WHY DID I DO THIS?!"

The two villains take advantage of the confusion to flee. Hal and Barry pursue them...but Wally can't keep up. It seems the young speedster has lost his speed powers. Barry then realized something. Why did Black Hand come to Central City? Green Lantern mainly operated in Coast City. It turns out he wasn't there for Green Lantern's power...he was there for Flash's power. Wally is scared, as he fears that his powers are gone for good. Barry assures him that they'll find a way to get his speed back, but he has to sit this out for now. Wally eagerly wants to help, so Hal gives him a way.

"Finally, I get to have a sidekick!"

Meet Wallace West, Kid Lantern! Black Hand and Mirror Master are flying on a giant mirror. The heroes chase after him, Wally enjoying being able to fly thanks to his new ring. To get the heroes off his and Mirror Master's trail, Hand zaps a police car with Wally's speed, causing it to careen out of control. Hal and Barry make a plan to stop the car, but Wally grabs the car in a construct of a racetrack. However, that doesn't slow it down. Barry takes apart the car's wheels, and the vehicle is able to stop.

Mirror Master fires at Hal and Wally with a mirror beam. The beam bounces off a building's window, and hits a pair of helicopters. Wally tries to catch one with a net construct, but the helicopter is yellow...and Green Lantern rings at the time were useless against anything yellow. Wally is able to quickly recover from his goof by using a piece of gray concrete to catch it. Hal and Wally are celebrating while Barry is helping the cops out of the car. The forensic scientist has concerns about their working together, but a call on the police car's radio forces him to table them.

Hal and Wally fly off, eager to kick some butt and save the day. Barry...is not feeling this right now. Meanwhile, what's happening with the girls? Well, they're hanging out in Iris's apartment. Eve just finished telling one of her stories about her misadventures in the high life, when she remarks that she finds it funny Barry and Hal are good friends, considering how different they are. Iris wonders what Hal sees in Eve...while wondering what she sees in Barry.

Barry fears Hal is being a bad influence on him. You see, he thinks that Hal is a bit jealous of Barry's having a rather stable life, and he's using this whole thing with Wally to try and mess that up a bit. Hal thinks Barry is letting his ego talk for him. However, it's broken up by Wally, who points out something's going down at the Central City Stadium. And no, it's not your typical hockey fight.

"This is pucked up!"

Wally goes to find the villains, much to Hal and Barry's consternation. The hockey players have been affected by Wally's stolen speed powers, so making sure they don't end up killing each other or themselves is the priority. Barry's having trouble running on the ice, but Hal can't help him because of yellow boots. Thanks, Parallax. The tension between them starts to rise until...

"Huh. So that's what it's like to see other people get concussions."

Ouch. Normally Hal is the one who gets brained by things. Mirror Master sends out a mirrored pyramid-like device that traps the two heroes. Hal tries to blast his way out, but it's no good. Barry is still a bit dazed...and likely has a concussion. Mirror Master and Black Hand gloat over their victory...but Wally is still free. He tries to engage them, but his ring putters out. With Green Lantern trapped, Wally is cut off. Black Hand prepares to use his gun/wand/cigar-shaped weapon to speed up Wally's heart until it explodes...but the weapon is empty. Wally somehow drained its energy...restoring his powers.

"Room-a-zoom-zoom!"

Kid Flash is back! Black Hand tries to shoot him again, but can't get a bead on him. Mirror Master flees with a mirror, but GL stops him. He traps the two villains in a cage construct. Barry is wondering one thing...how did Wally beat these guys? Well, Wally explains it. He had caught up with the villains. But before they spotted him, he used his ring to get Black Hand's power-absorbing weapon, and them replace it with a fake. He then fired the weapon at himself...and Kid Flash was back!

As the cops take the two villains away, Hal notes that they did all this havoc for seemingly nothing. It's like they cared more about feeding their egos than getting rich. Barry's hoping it stays that way. Otherwise, Wally's going to have his hands full in the future when he retires. After all, who else is going to fill Barry's boots when he's in a nursing home HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, Barry won't get to retire.

As Kid Flash signs some autographs, Barry and Hal apologize to each other. Barry should have given the benefit of the doubt, and Hal cut Barry off at the knees in front of Wally. Hal wonders why he didn't use his ring to stop the trap before it caught him and Barry. The Flash believes that he wanted to save them with his speed to show that at heart, he's a Flash.

That night, the three go to a diner for dinner, alongside Iris and Eve. Iris points out that they didn't take Wally home. The three try to make an excuse, but they're saved by Eve. She spits out her coffee and complains about the diner being a pigsty. The comic ends with Barry and Hal sharing a laugh, while Iris is just confused about the whole thing.

This comic was rather fun. I highly recommend it. The story had a real Silver Age feel to it, which is rather appropriate for this story. I loved that Waid and Peyer remembered that back in the Silver Age days, Black Hand was fond of spouting clichés. Nice attention to detail there. Also, I have to give props to Barry Kitson's art. I love his art here. It's very clean and expressive. I also liked seeing Mirror Master and Black Hand team-up. It's really cool seeing supervillains we don't often see joining forces doing so.

Another nice touch is the tension between Barry and Hal. Barry had just become a part of the West family at this point, so it makes sense he'd want to be a positive influence on his new nephew Wally. It is understandable why he would be concerned about Hal suddenly, and unintentionally, undercutting him by giving Wally Lantern powers for a while. I also have to give a shout-out to Barry Kitson's art. It's wonderful to look at. It does not outright imitate the art of Carmine Infantino or Gil Kane, it does have an appropriate feel for a more lighthearted Silver Age-style story like this.

I only have a couple of complaints about the story. One is how Kid Flash got his powers back. Black Hand's power-absorbing weapon is yellow. At the time this story was set in, Green Lanterns' power rings were ineffectual against anything that was yellow. Heck, the story showed that. So, how did Kid Flash lift the weapon with his ring? He should not have been able to do that. Also, Iris's wondering about her relationship with Barry goes nowhere.

There is also a bit of a timeline goof-up here. You see, Hal states in the story that he's been dating Eve for 2 months, one week, and 3 days. If we went by comic publishing dates, the story should also be set between The Flash #176 (February 1968) and #187 (May 1969). However, Barry and Iris are married, but she seems to be unaware of his being the Flash. So, that means it's also set between The Flash #165 (November 1966) and #174 (November 1967). Whoops. It's just something that I felt I had to point out. It doesn't hurt the story in any way, so it's not a big deal.

If you want to read this story for yourself, I got it from the 2006 trade paperback Green Lantern: The Greatest Stories Ever Told. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! Next time, we take a look at the formation of a unique new Justice League team...

Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (November 1985)

The Crisis on Infinite Earths rages on! In the last issue, we said goodbye to the original Supergirl, Kara Zor-El. She had sacrificed her life to stop the Anti-Monitor from bringing about the destruction of the five remaining Earths in the original DC Multiverse. But she will not be the only hero to meet her end in this miniseries. Yes, this miniseries is also known for the death of Barry Allen, the Flash of the Silver Age. So, how did he go out? Let's find out by looking at Crisis on Infinite Earths #8!

 

The cover is awesome. We got Barry Allen standing defiantly against the Anti-Monitor, a knocked cold Psycho-Pirate in his hand. The angle really shows how big and imposing the universe-destroying madman...mad-machine? ...is. It also reminds me of the film poster of For Your Eyes Only, one of my favorite Bond movies.

Yeah, it's the UK poster, but still, see what I mean?

"A Flash of the Lightning!"
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciller: George Perez
Inker: Jerry Ordway
Colorist: Anthony Tollin
Editors: Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Robert Greenberger

The story begins on...or rather, inside the Anti-Monitor's ship. Inside, the Psycho-Pirate is terrified. He fears the Anti-Monitor will kill him because his powers burned out when the anti-matter tyrant needed them (last issue, the Anti-Monitor ordered the Psycho-Pirate to use his powers to make the heroes who were attacking his citadel his slaves. The Pirate wasn't able to do it because when his powers were amplified to induce panic in the people of the remaining Earths, they got burned out). In his fear, he's ranting and raving to an...unwitting audience.

The Pirate admits to Flash that he hopes that the explosion that killed Supergirl also took the Anti-Monitor out. He also noted the irony that he's feeling all this fear and anxiety...and he can't use it. But contrary to the villain's hope, the Anti-Monitor lives. And he's got himself a new look.

I have to admit, I get the new design here. It's much more sleek than the original appearance. I love the Anti-Monitor's original look, but let's be fair. It's complicated, and extremely intricate. It's something only George Perez can do regularly. This new design is sleeker, and presumably, easier to draw. Reminds me of something Erik Larsen said. He basically said that when you design a costume, you have to keep in mind people will be drawing it over and over again. I can see this design being easier on the artists than the original. Also, I like the design. Very sleek.

But enough ranting about art design, let's get back to the story! The Anti-Monitor plans to head back to Qward, where from there, he will destroy the Earths. The Pirate is grateful that the Anti-Monitor will let him live, but the Anti-Monitor reminds him the only reason the Pirate isn't dead is because he still could have a use for the emotion-manipulator, and he can't exactly get another one at the moment.

On the hellish world of Apokolips, Darkseid's resident scientist Desaad has spotted the Anti-Monitor's ship. He wonders what can be done to stop him, but Darkseid has already taken some precautions. He has had Apokolips cloaked from the anti-matter monster's notice. The tyrant is perfectly content to let the heroes and the Anti-Monitor duke it out. If the heroes win, then the status quo will be maintained. If they lose? Well, that means the Anti-Monitor will be weakened, so it will be easier for Darkseid to finish him off.

Whereas Apokolips is willing to chill out and wait to see what happens next, Oa is not so willing. The merging has stopped, which has somehow freed the Guardians of the Universe from the state they were in in the last issue. Katma Tui is wondering why the Green Lantern Corps weren't called in to fight. Arisia agrees, as the Guardians had to have known about this whole craziness with the Anti-Monitor. They admit they knew of something crazy going down, but they had no idea of the extent of it. The Guardians argue amongst themselves about what should have been done, hinting at a potential split down the line.

In the 30th century on Earth-1, Brainiac 5 is hard at work, trying to find a way to repair the damage to the five Earths. The other Legionnaires know Brainiac 5 is pushing himself so hard because of Supergirl's death. You see, the brainy Legionnaire had a long-going thing for the Maid of Might, and considering the character at this point already had a history of being a bit mentally unstable...yeah. The other Legionnaires have every right to be concerned.

In Earth-1's then-present, the heroine known as Firehawk is visiting Firestorm in Pittsburgh.

She wanted to know what was up between him and Killer Frost. However, Firestorm gets a call. It's Vixen, and she's found the scientist known as T.O. Morrow. The three heroes, alongside the Martian Manhunter, take the criminal inventor to the old Justice League Satellite, now abandoned and in disrepair. Despite this, there are still-functioning areas of the satellite. So, why is Morrow being taken there?

The Teen Titans' Cyborg and the Atom are examining the body of the Red Tornado. They're trying to repair him, but they find his android body way too advanced for them. Considering that T.O. Morrow was the android's original creator, they figured that he may be able to help. The Atom, using a special pair of camera-goggles, shows what he sees on his journey through the inside of the Red Tornado.

Morrow is shocked. The Anti-Monitor had altered the Tornado's insides, making him something completely different from the original android he built years ago. He has no idea what he even is looking at, much less how to approach fixing him. The John Stewart Green Lantern flies out to Los Angeles, and picks up the Blue Devil, taking him to the Satellite. The Devil wonders why they want him, as he's not a scientist. He's reminded he built the original bio-suit. Yeah, the Blue Devil was originally a man in a suit, but thanks to a demon, he got turned into an actual demon. Ain't comics great?

The Blue Devil observes Morrow take off the Red Tornado's head. The demon notes that the insides of the android are glowing. He then realizes something is going on. The Atom leaps out of the robot, screaming that the robot's insides are going crazy.

Yup, the Anti-Monitor booby-trapped the Red Tornado, causing the hero to explode in a firestorm. Speaking of Firestorm, he notes that Firehawk is missing. She's alright, but her costume is busted up. Luckily, she has molecular reconstruction powers, so she can make a new one.

Yeah, this bit was only an excuse to give a minor character a new suit. T.O. Morrow tries to flee for his life, with the Blue Devil after him. Morrow vanishes, leaving the Devil confused. The former stuntman spots a space warp, and it pulls him in. He finds himself on a spaceship operated by the Omega Men. After the events of Omega Men #31 (October 1985), the Vega system thinks the Omegas are dead...and this warp may ensure that reports of their deaths will not be greatly exaggerated. The warp is causing the ship to disintegrate, leaving the Blue Devil to wonder how he's going to get out of this mess. You'll have to read Blue Devil #18 (November 1985) to find out how. Back in the anti-matter universe, the Anti-Monitor is overseeing some construction.

What is it that he's building? Well, it's a cannon. A big ol' cannon. Yup, he's going to use this thing to literally blow the five remaining Earths away. Meanwhile, the Psycho-Pirate has come to visit the Flash. His powers are starting to return, and he wants to have some fun with the Scarlet Speedster, who is trapped in some Jello glue goop. He tries to use his powers on the Fastest Man Alive, but Barry Allen is having none of it. He breaks out of his...Jello glue goop, and gives the Pirate a Mighty Punch, and he has one for his Thunderer guard, too.

The Pirate tries to make Barry afraid of him again, but the forensics expert manages to resist it and give the Pirate another Mighty Punch. And another. And another. And another. And one more just for the heck of it. The emotion-manipulator pleads for his life, and Barry tells him that he's got a little scheme going, and the Pirate is going to help him. What's the plan?

Well, Barry plans to use the Psycho-Pirate's powers to make the Anti-Monitor's Qwardian Thunderers to turn on the cosmic cyborg and attack him.

With the Thunderers raining their bolts on the Anti-Monitor, Flash turns to the anti-matter cannon. The Psycho-Pirate pleads for Flash's help, but he only gets another Mighty Punch. As far as the Flash is concerned, Psycho-Pirate deserves it if the Anti-Monitor kills him. He was willing to join up with a being that killed uncountable amounts of people with no remorse, and the five Earths were next on his hit list. Barry vibrates inside the cannon.

Barry discovers that the cannon's power source is concentrated anti-matter. He can feel himself weakening somehow. I have no idea. He has to destroy the cannon, and there's only one way a Flash can do it.

Barry Allen begins to run.

He runs, faster and faster, despite his growing weaker. His legs are feeling like lead, but still, he runs. He thinks about his parents. He thinks about his wife Iris. He thinks about his friends and loved ones, like Fiona Webb, Wally West, Dexter Myles, Ralph and Sue Dibny, Hal Jordan...he knows he's dying, but still...he runs. He runs, despite the pain he is in.

The Anti-Monitor endures the assault of the Weaponers of Qward, getting his armor damaged in the process. He manages to fight them off. The cosmic cyborg witnesses the cannon over-loading, Flash's running is causing the cannon to overload, the anti-matter energy inside being forced inside the machine.

Faster and faster Barry Allen runs. He is in pain, and his body is slowly disintegrating. His speed is so great, he starts flashing through points in time, seeing Kid Flash, and the Joker and Batman (from issue 2), and he screams for help. Barry keeps running as his body wears away, leaving an empty costume. His running is not in vain, as to the horror of the Anti-Monitor, his cannon explodes into a useless pile of wrecked metal and rubble.

From a meta-perspective, Barry Allen dying in Crisis on Infinite Earths made a bit of poetic sense. It was a Barry Allen story, "Flash of Two Worlds", that introduced the DC Multiverse. And it is appropriate that his final adventure be in the story that ends the DC Multiverse. The Anti-Monitor takes the destruction of his cannon rather well. He takes the destruction of his cannon so well that he vows to make the humans suffer. He takes it so well that he absorbs the energy of the worlds of his universe, killing everyone on them. What does he plan to do with that energy? Well, do a bit of time-travelling.

The scene then shifts to Earth-1, particularly Challenger Mountain, home of the Challengers of the Unknown: Kyle "Ace" Morgan, Matthew "Red" Ryan, Leslie "Rocky" Davis", Professor Walter Mark "Prof" Haley, and June Robbins. Evidently, they could not be bothered to come up with a nickname for her. The Challengers were essentially a group of four men who miraculously survived a plane crash. This event convinced them they were living on "borrowed time", so they banded together to have adventures. They first appeared in 1957. Yeah. June Robbins, who was an archaeologist and computer expert, would later join the group.

The five Challengers are monitoring some subspace readings Superman asked them to take a look at. They're a bit nervous about this new threat, as even thought they've managed to cheat death despite "living on borrowed time", they usually had some idea what they were facing. Evidently, none of the superheroes who were in the anti-matter universe bothered to tell these guys anything. "Prof" Haley picks up a noise on his equipment. It's a scream. But it's not a normal scream. It's a scream that seems to permeate the entire universe. It's a scream that gives the Challengers agony as lightning cracks in the sky. What could create a scream like this?

The Spectre, that's who. The embodiment of God's Wrath, screaming in frustration and protest. The Spectre is one of the most powerful beings in the entire DC Multiverse. Despite having near god-like power, even he is helpless against this crisis of multiversal proportions. The story has an epitaph to Barry Allen, the man who brought in the Silver Age of Comics in a streak of red and gold, including a quote from Scottish poet William Knox's 1824 poem "Mortality".

Oh why should the spirit of mortal be proud?

Like a fast-flittering meteor, a fast flying cloud

A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave

He passes from life to his rest in the grave.

A rather appropriate stanza for a man known for being fast. In fact, the title of the issue is from the poem as well.

This comic is really good. The obvious highlight is Barry Allen's death. It's powerful, and he went out like the hero he was. This was why fans viewed Barry as the savior of the DC Universe, and one of the reasons why his return to life in Final Crisis was so controversial among the DC fanbase. As I said earlier, his death in this miniseries is appropriate, especially from a meta-perspective. Who better to give his life to save the remainder of the DC Multiverse, than the man who discovered it in the first place?

Fun fact, Marv Wolfman did include a hidden way to bring Barry back to life if another author wanted to do so.

Of course, George Perez turns in some fantastic art. I think Jerry Ordway's inks go very well with his pencils, like Terry Austin's inking complimented Byrne's pencils in X-Men. The usage of panels in Barry's death is very clever, the position and size helping sell the idea of Barry withering to dust. I do have one question, though. How did Barry know this would destroy the cannon? How did he know his running around the cannon's core would cause the energy storied in the cannon to make it explode? It's a minor nitpick, but it's just something I felt I had to point out.

Next time, gather around the Justice League satellite, kids! In a follow-up to my most popular blog entry ever, we shall finally hear Reena's Tale...

Justice League, My Thoughts

There is a great evil out there. One that threatens to blanket the world in eternal darkness. To combat this evil, one needs...heroes. Not just any heroes, though. I'm talking the World's Greatest Heroes. I'm talking about...the Justice League.

We've seen the League come together and fight the DC Universe's greatest threats in various media beforehand, from animation to comics to even an infamous TV pilot. But they've never come together in live-action film. Until now.

So, what happens here? Well, the League (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and the Barry Allen Flash), must come together to face the threat of Steppenwolf, an Apokoliptian warrior who wants to use the Mother Boxes, three artifacts to remake the Earth into essentially...a Hell of some kind.

So, I'm just going to get the negatives out of my system. First of all, some of the designs of the characters, mainly Flash, Cyborg, and Steppenwolf. I hated their designs. Cyborg looked like tin foil. The Flash costume was ugly as sin to me. The Flash costume that Grant Gustin wears as Barry Allen on the Flash TV series looks much better. They should have made it look more like that one. I didn't really dislike Aquaman's appearance, I just wished they made his costume brighter.

And speaking of Steppenwolf, I felt that he was a bit weak as a villain. I didn't quite get why he wanted to destroy Earth. Was it a mission from Darkseid? Or was he just bored? This was where I felt a real lack of MCU-style buildup towards him hurt the character and the film. They should have done solo films with the League members beforehand to expand on Steppenwolf's plans and give a better idea of his motives.

And speaking of the Flash...I'm rather mixed on him. Ezra Miller did a pretty good job with what he was given, and he was enjoyable to watch, but I get the feeling throughout the film that they wanted to use the Wally West incarnation instead of Barry Allen. He felt more like Wally. Also, I wasn't fond of the idea of the Flash being a complete rookie to crimefighting. To me, that should have been Cyborg. I would have preferred that Flash was an experienced crimefighter, but his Rogues, despite having colorful costumes and gimmicks, are more street-level criminals, bank robbers and the like in general. Barry would be inexperienced in dealing with cosmic-level threats like Steppenwolf.

And to be fair, I did enjoy Ezra Miller's performance, and I especially liked his interactions with Cyborg. And also, what was the point of Amber Heard as Mera there? She didn't really do much. A bit of a waste.

Finally, I wish this League had a Green Lantern. Minor spoiler:  We do see a GL in the movie. But it would have been nice to see a Green Lantern among the League. Jessica Cruz would have been a great choice here. She's Latina, so it would have made the League more diverse, and it would have balanced the gender ratio of the team a bit.

Just a thought.

So, with my major complaints out of the way, what did I like about it? Well, I really enjoyed the final battle. It was pretty epic. I also liked the performances. The cast did a pretty enjoyable job all around. Jason Momoa was surprisingly fun as Aquaman. There were some enjoyable moments of humor, and the film felt...rather fun all around. There were quite a few moments that made me smile. The mid-credits scene was rather fun. It was nice to see these heroes actually smiling and making the occasional joke.

Justice League, I have to admit, is flawed. It's a flawed movie. But the thing is...when it comes to the reception the DC Cinematic Universe has gotten from fans and critics so far...this film and Wonder Woman seem to indicate that they are taking steps in the right direction. I do think Wonder Woman was a better film overall, but Justice League is perfectly enjoyable in its own right. It does feel like the makers are slowly embracing the idea they are adapting comic books, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. So, I say, give this film a shot. Your mileage may vary on some things, but compared to the first three DC Cinematic Universe films, Justice League is a breath of fresh air in a way.

Crisis on Earth-X Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2012, the television network The CW premiered a little superhero show known as Arrow. It was a show that focused on the adventures of Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow. From there, the show grew into a shared universe, with a spinoff focusing on the Barry Allen Flash, and a group of heroes and villains known as the Legends of Tomorrow. The universe would even encompass the short-lived live-action Constantine series and Supergirl, as well as various other animated projects.

The Arrowverse has had crossover, and a new one is one its way: Crisis on Earth X. And here's the trailer!

The trailer begins with wedding preparations. Yup! Barry Allen is getting married! Hopefully it'll go better than the comics.

Joe West giving a nice speech. I had to do some reading up because I am not too familiar with the Arrowverse. I really need to catch up on Netflix or something.

Heh heh, Heat Wave is sleeping. I bet he was hungover.

I don't believe this. They missed a prime opportunity for Supergirl to make an Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade there. She should have said, "I hate these guys." That was a perfect moment! Geez, writers!

So, the heroes who use weapons kept their weapons with them just in case or something? That's...actually pretty smart.

"Best wedding ever!" That's pretty funny. Also, Rory? The crablegs were good, but I doubt they were that good.

DC's obsession with the number 52 aside, It makes sense there would be more than that many alternate Earths. 52 could only be the number of Earths that are known.

Jax is hit! Ah, crud! There's gotta be a twist, maybe he just gets injured.

So, this trailer looked pretty cool. I do want to give it a look, but I fear I might end up a bit lost. I haven't watched any of the Arrowverse stuff. Not because I disliked it, but because it...just never have. Hope it's good.

The Flash #71 (December 1991)

The Flash. The Fastest Man Alive. One of the World's Greatest Heroes. Since 1940, The Flash has brought criminals to justice using fleet feet. There have been quite a few Flashes over the past 77 years, and this entry will focus on the third man to take up the Flash mantle: Wallace "Wally" West.

First appearing in The Flash #110 (December 1959), Wally West started out as Kid Flash, the sidekick of the previous Flash, his uncle Barry Allen. He gained his power in a duplication of the chemical and lightning accident that granted Allen his own super-speed powers. As Kid Flash, Wally was one of the original Teen Titans. When Barry Allen sacrificed his life to save the universe in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wally took up his mentor's mantle.

Over the next two decades, Wally would grow into the mantle and make it his own. However, despite the character's popularity (boosted by appearing in the DCAU Justice League cartoon), he would be ignored by DC when Barry Allen returned in Final Crisis. Then Flashpoint and the New 52 hit, wiping out Wally's Flash tenure from continuity, a move (among many) that alienated many readers from DC. DC would then reintroduce a new Wally West, a black teenager. And then Rebirth hit, and with it, the return of the original Wally West...while still keeping the New 52 Wally West around.

Yes, folks. You have heard right. There are now TWO Wally Wests running around in the DC Universe. That is totally not confusing. They have tried to explain it as that the black Wally is the cousin of the white Wally. You know, nobody is going to get Peter Parker and Miles Morales mixed up. Nor will anyone get Tony Stark and Riri Williams mixed up. I hate DC Rebirth.

And with that, let's take a look at one of Wally's many adventures during his original now non-canon tenure as the Flash, Flash #71!

The cover is a basic one, showing Flash facing off against the new Doctor Alchemy. We see Wally West valiantly charging towards the new Doctor Alchemy, while he's getting ready to use his Philosopher's Stone. I noticed that above the masthead logo, there is a bit of a pun. "The criminal...ELEMENT!" Get it? Criminal element? Dr. Alchemy can mess with elements. That's the joke.

Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Greg LaRocque
Inker: Tony Richardson
Letterer: Tim Harkins
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Editor: Brian Augustyn
Assistant Editor: Ruben Diaz

The story begins with Wally West being tortured.

For a normal man, waiting in line at the bank is tough. For a man used to running at velocities that would make race cars jealous, it is Hell. He tries to suggest to a man in front of him how to speed things up, but the man tells him to get bent. The wall of the bank seemingly melts away, and guess who has arrived.

It's Doctor Alchemy, in the flesh. I do like the costume, although I can't help but wonder if he really needs his boots that high. Aw well, if it works for him, I guess. I'm not gonna judge. Wally changes into the Flash with the aid of a revolving door, and engages the villain, who introduces himself as "The Alchemist". The original Doctor Alchemy, Albert Desmond, also started his criminal career as "Mr. Element". Wally asks if that's the original Alchemy's Philosopher's Stone he's holding. Alchemist says, "You tell me", and turns the ground beneath the Flash into tar.

Wally escapes by ditching his boots, and tries to grab the stone. He notes that if he really wanted some easy money, why not use the stone to turn a lamppost into platinum? That does raise a good point. He's stopped by Alchemist changing the air in front of the Flash into a crystal barrier. Alchemy then goes after the man Wally was waiting behind at the bank, revealing his name is Migliani, and they have a score to settle. The shocked Migliani recognizes the Alchemist under his hood.

This Alchemist is named Curt. Which means he's definitely not the original Dr. Alchemy. Flash realizes that the Alchemist may be an assassin. He uses some velvet ropes to distract the Alchemist, allowing Migliani to make his escape. Wally again goes for the Stone, but fails. Alchemist turns the air into unbreathable ozone, and makes his escape while the Flash gets the people out. Flash also notices that Migliani is gone. A search turns up no leads, and Wally West feels down. As such, he knows who to go to when he needs cheering up. He zips by a girl selling flowers.

Heh heh. During this, Wally remarks about his time in Justice League Europe, and that no matter what, the person he's getting flowers for is always there for him. The unmasked Wally arrives at the news studio to his girlfriend, talk show host Linda Park...and her farewell party.

Much to Wally's shock, Linda is taking an offer for a job in Midway City, who have been after her talents for a while. Linda explains that Midway gives her a change of pace. She has no family in Keystone City, no real reason to stay...right? Yeah, Wally and Linda's relationship is having some troubles. Evidently, the speedster can't seem to decide whether they are friends or something more. The Flash may be the Fastest Man Alive, and one of the World's Greatest Heroes, but even he is not immune to troubles of the heart. Linda tells him she's going on the train at two this afternoon, and if he has an answer, he'd better deliver it by then. Flash is forced to table the problem for now by an urgent police bulletin.

While on the way there, Wally practices what he intends to say to Linda at the train station, zipping by various couples. Nice touch there. He arrives at the police department, where he has a guest.

The police explain that Moe Migliani offered to turn in some state's evidence against some big-time mob bosses. His credibility is not get, but it is good enough for the police. They have to keep him safe until the feds can pick him up. Only, there is one problem: Alchemist. Migliani wants the Flash to protect him because he claims the Alchemist was his former cellmate. The police provide the Flash with his file, revealing his name is Dr. Curtis Engstrom, a brilliant biochemist, who is also rather nuts.

I love this spread here. I like that the panels covering Engstrom's origins are in the Philosopher's Stone itself. Long story short, Engstrom stole a medical microcomputer that was made from a piece of the Stone. You know, I can't help but wonder if his name was an homage to Swedish programmer Christian Engstrom. Anyway, Curtis Engstrom was caught, but the computer was never recovered. However, Engstrom's big priority happened to be Migliani. There's a little moment where Migliani tries to buy a favor from a cop with a watch, but the chief puts a stop to that. "Payola." "Bad." "Internal Affairs Investigation." "Really bad."

What the police want Flash to do is zip Migliani around the city, so Alchemist will have a harder time finding him. Migliani is thrilled by this, and in a funny moment, becomes a little kid again when the Flash runs off with him.

Migliani tries to give Flash a watch as a gift, and Wally only accepts it so he'll shut up about it. Wally West asks why Engstrom wants to kill him. See, Migliani couldn't get him out of jail. Yeah. Wally realizes that he's Moe "Mouthpiece" Migliani, the jailhouse lawyer. Yup. He once went to jail, studied law in jail, and was able to use his knowledge to get him out all nice and legal. He considered Engstrom a friend and tried to get him out. However, medical crimes are hard to fight in court, so despite his best efforts, Engstrom couldn't get out. So Engstrom got furious and vowed to kill Migliani.

Migliani asks what time it is, and reveals that he has a talk show appearance to do. Wally is understandably infuriated by this, as Migliani is supposed to keep a low profile. Doing an appearance on a talk show is the opposite of this. Migliani reassures him it will be fine, as TV shows are taped, and won't be broadcast for days, giving Flash time to deal with the Alchemist.

I feel for Wally. He wants to punch Migliani in the face so hard. You can't really blame the guy. Flash takes Migliani to the studio where the talk show is being filmed. The interview is a man named Fernando. Get it? It's a nod to Geraldo Rivera. Fernando states that the episode is being filmed live, much to Migliani's shock and Wally's seething fury. The spotlights explode, and the Alchemist attacks.

Alchemist and Flash fight, but Wally West is left wondering something. If Engstrom is so mad at Migliani for not getting him out, why all these theatrics? Why didn't he just kill him? Maybe there's something more going on here. But the Fastest Man Alive can't puzzle on it right now, as he has lives to save. The Alchemist tries to attack some people with his Philosopher's Stone.

While he's saving people, Wally remembers that the original Dr. Alchemy had to make a lot of effort to mess around with basic compounds, but he was able to change a person into another substance. But that happened only once, and it took years for the original to master the Stone enough to pull that trick off. He's hoping Engstrom isn't able to master the Stone enough to pull off that trick. Flash saves a woman from a blast from the Stone, and...

...Curtis Engstrom has mastered the Stone enough to turn him into gold. Which actually makes sense. Remember, Engstrom is a biochemist. He is an expert on the chemical processes within living beings. He could use that knowledge to make the Stone pull these kind of tricks.

This issue was really good. It had drama, action, and a nice little bit of humor here and there. It was an epic introduction to a new legacy villain. The Alchemist was a great way to update one of the Barry Allen Flash's old Silver Age Rogues for Wally to take on in the then-modern 1990s. Wally is a different Flash than Barry was, so it'd be appropriate the Alchemist be a different man that the original Dr. Alchemy. Waid's love of science does get shown in this issue, and Greg LaRocque's art is well-done. There was also a nice little twist here with Engstrom and Migliani's little sub-plot. If you ever find Mark Waid's Flash run, I highly recommend it.

Next time, we stick around in the DC Universe as we look at an adventure of Wonder Woman...