Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Flash #233
DC Comics
Waid, Rogers, Williams II & Braithwaite
The conclusion of the opening villain arc of the new Flash-family title. As we have seen from the first issue, this arc isn’t about the bad guys or the evil deeds, but the kids. We are getting to know the Flash's children in this arc.
The overall plot is the water sucking aliens that have invaded Keystone city. They dehydrate the Flash and one his kids bails him out. Meanwhile, Linda calls in the JLA.
The JLA enter and help Flash clean up some of the aliens while many, including the leader, escape.
The story is wrapped quickly, but then the JLA pose an intervention with Flash and Linda. They are concerned that they drag their kids into dangerous situations. It's an interesting twist on today's world telling people how to parent.
During the confrontation Flash erupts, especially at Batman, at the JLA's questioning his love for his kids. It's a good exchange and we watch Wally explain how his kids are aging rapidly with no end in sight. They could be dead within a couple of years at their current rate. It's really not that surprising because they did age 10 years or so in one, so I would think most people would have seen this coming.
The JLA buy into the reasoning that Flash will let his kids fight crime because they might not be alive much longer anyway and they leave the Flash family in peace. One of the kids was eavesdropping which can only damage his psych down the road. Although, he looked cool in his Robin t-shirt.
The final six pages are a backup story to the golden age version of the Flash, Jay Garrick. It's an interesting story where Jay travels through space and time to a world that needs help. Jay does his Flash thing and is left with an open door policy to return. From what the narration explains all the Flash eventually go to this place. This could be a very interesting story in the next few issues. Although, the aliens look an awful lot like the ones from the Dark Crystal movie.
In all I liked the story somewhat and I liked the art somewhat less. I would have preferred an opening arc with one of the Rogues. I just felt the Flash title needed more of a bang to start things off. I know we need to get to know the kids, but there could have been more of a threat than water sucking monsters. I didn’t like the art switch in the middle of the arc one bit. It was radically different and it distracted me.
I'm not giving up just yet, but I do expect more. Especially if this title is to hold more than it's core fan base.
3 out of 5 geek goggles.
 Flash #233 |
