Flash Issue #0 and #13 - Origin and Gorrilas Attack part one - Review
First off let me apologise for being very late with this. Life's been fairly hectic and I haven't had the chance to just sit down and relax for some time.
Let's start with issue #0, since it did come first.
What we have here is an origin story. It's the usual chemicals/lightning that was the kick-start for both Barry Allen and Wally West becoming the Flash. At least this time around they don't have lightning going *in* through a window. Instead Barry throws a analysis machine of sorts *out* the window and the lightning strikes that and shoots sideways into Barry and his lab. Still a little dodgy physics-wise, but then this is a comic about someone who can run near the speed of light (I can't recall him going faster yet, but he did pre-reboot).
So, unlike usual, Barry's then stuck in a hospital bed. For quite some time by the looks of the number of people who visit him and the length of the beard he grows. He heals up "faster than [the doctor's] ever seen" and when he first wakes up he runs a fair distance away, to mountains and forest, which I'm pretty certain they don't have in the American midwest. That's how he figures out he has superspeed by the looks of things.
We then see Barry trying to build himself an outfit. I'm not too clear on the explanation he gives about metal reacting oddly around him, though we do see a small picture of him in a full set of platemail, which presumably then turned into our familiar red suit after the speedforce had messed with it.
What I find strange is that Barry doesn't tell anyone about this. I know there's probably the usual "they could get hurt" kind of hesitation, but Barry seems like a pretty open guy and he does have a fair number of friends. Superheroes haven't been around that long in this 'verse (I think), so there aren't any obvious examples of "well it happened to *that* guy".
Well, just another point on the Barry is an idiot list.
Alongside this, we have Barry as a little kid (maybe ten) winning a spelling bee and his mother being murdered by his father (or so people say). Now if I remember by pre-boot correctly, this was actually Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, making Barry's life miserable. This isn't helping my potential theory that Barry's dad could be Zoom this time around.
Barry's dad is still alive and in prison. By the sounds of it, Barry's stopping his annual visits, but he's not stopping looking at the evidence, since people lie, but the evidence doesn't. I have no doubt we'll be seeing Barry's dad later on, but what for, I'm not sure. Since there's someone *else* who could be Zoom.
Daniel West.
Iris West's brother. We see him in both issues. In issue #0 he's been arrested by the Flash and also gets stopped from escaping prison by Barry. In issue #13 Daniel's looking for Iris (last seen in the speedforce several issues ago), amidst the carnage that's going on.
Now, considering that the West family have just as good speedsters as the Allen family, if not sometimes better (I'll fully admit to having a bias for Wally West over Barry Allen) and Daniel may end up coming in contact with the speedforce when looking for his sister... plus he's got a reason to hate both Barry Allen and the Flash.
It just makes sense to me 'sall.
Anyway, that leads me on to issue #13 quite nicely.
If you can recall the end of the annual, the Rogues had just managed to knock Flash out and Grodd's army had come out of pods in the sky. Things aren't looking good for the Gem Cities.
After a short "screw this" the Rogues are roped into the fight and take Flash's side. Out of all of them, Weather Wizard's the one who raises most objections to leaving Flash to fend for himself. Possibly out of all of them, Marco's the one who believes in family the most, what with his drug cartel family back in Guatemala.
Aside from Daniel West's short piece, we have two other sets of characters that aren't in the brawl that's taking up most of this issue.
Captain Darryl Frye has a short snippit where he's shown to be the one raising Barry after Nora Allen was killed. Flashing back to the present time, he, Patty Spivot, and Turbine are together before the city's attacked. Turbine says he'll tell them where Barry is if they'll help him in return. He also says he knows who Frye really is...
I've got an inkling that Frye might actually be Barry's father. He really rather likes Nora Allen and took Barry in after she died, and there's the fact that both he and Barry are blond, which is a recessive gene.
The other person of note is the Trickster. Axel appears before Grodd and offers his assitance in taking over the city. Grodd says no. Harshly. Now, considering that Axel's original appearance pre-boot involved him using a fake arm to attack the Flash (then Wally West), the fact that he just had his arm ripped off by Grodd might not be as bad as it looks. Plus the elbow's the wrong way 'round, assuming Grodd just yanked without twisting. The human body's quite good at what it does, and what it doesn't do is rip a bone in half as easily as pulling out a joint. That arm has come off completely wrong.
In the main story, Flash leaves the gorrilas to the Rogues, who seem to have a decent handle on it all, and goes in search of Grodd. Stopping the invasion at the head.
He finds Grodd, who is looking dangerously speedforce-charged and out for blood. Fade to black. End of the issue. We'll see the fight next time.
Alright, my general thoughts.
First off, this might seem a little out of the blue, but I've realised something else that bugs me about Cold, aside from the lack of sleeves that is.
He's got abs.
I'm sorry, but I've got no problems with Cold being strong or a decent fighter, however he's the sort of fighter who *doesn't get moved*. He's solidly built, yes, but someone who is a sturdy fighter doesn't have abs. If you leave out the Turtle, since we rarely see him, Cold is the villain who battles Flash with *lack* of motion, that's his whole gimmick.
I guess it's just one of those things that comes up with comic-book art.
We didn't see Mirror Master today, maybe next issue. I'm really liking Weather Wizard and I hope we see a lot more of him in future.
Anyway, not sure what else to say on all this. I'll hopefully see you next time without the huge delay.
Let's start with issue #0, since it did come first.
What we have here is an origin story. It's the usual chemicals/lightning that was the kick-start for both Barry Allen and Wally West becoming the Flash. At least this time around they don't have lightning going *in* through a window. Instead Barry throws a analysis machine of sorts *out* the window and the lightning strikes that and shoots sideways into Barry and his lab. Still a little dodgy physics-wise, but then this is a comic about someone who can run near the speed of light (I can't recall him going faster yet, but he did pre-reboot).
So, unlike usual, Barry's then stuck in a hospital bed. For quite some time by the looks of the number of people who visit him and the length of the beard he grows. He heals up "faster than [the doctor's] ever seen" and when he first wakes up he runs a fair distance away, to mountains and forest, which I'm pretty certain they don't have in the American midwest. That's how he figures out he has superspeed by the looks of things.
We then see Barry trying to build himself an outfit. I'm not too clear on the explanation he gives about metal reacting oddly around him, though we do see a small picture of him in a full set of platemail, which presumably then turned into our familiar red suit after the speedforce had messed with it.
What I find strange is that Barry doesn't tell anyone about this. I know there's probably the usual "they could get hurt" kind of hesitation, but Barry seems like a pretty open guy and he does have a fair number of friends. Superheroes haven't been around that long in this 'verse (I think), so there aren't any obvious examples of "well it happened to *that* guy".
Well, just another point on the Barry is an idiot list.
Alongside this, we have Barry as a little kid (maybe ten) winning a spelling bee and his mother being murdered by his father (or so people say). Now if I remember by pre-boot correctly, this was actually Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, making Barry's life miserable. This isn't helping my potential theory that Barry's dad could be Zoom this time around.
Barry's dad is still alive and in prison. By the sounds of it, Barry's stopping his annual visits, but he's not stopping looking at the evidence, since people lie, but the evidence doesn't. I have no doubt we'll be seeing Barry's dad later on, but what for, I'm not sure. Since there's someone *else* who could be Zoom.
Daniel West.
Iris West's brother. We see him in both issues. In issue #0 he's been arrested by the Flash and also gets stopped from escaping prison by Barry. In issue #13 Daniel's looking for Iris (last seen in the speedforce several issues ago), amidst the carnage that's going on.
Now, considering that the West family have just as good speedsters as the Allen family, if not sometimes better (I'll fully admit to having a bias for Wally West over Barry Allen) and Daniel may end up coming in contact with the speedforce when looking for his sister... plus he's got a reason to hate both Barry Allen and the Flash.
It just makes sense to me 'sall.
Anyway, that leads me on to issue #13 quite nicely.
If you can recall the end of the annual, the Rogues had just managed to knock Flash out and Grodd's army had come out of pods in the sky. Things aren't looking good for the Gem Cities.
After a short "screw this" the Rogues are roped into the fight and take Flash's side. Out of all of them, Weather Wizard's the one who raises most objections to leaving Flash to fend for himself. Possibly out of all of them, Marco's the one who believes in family the most, what with his drug cartel family back in Guatemala.
Aside from Daniel West's short piece, we have two other sets of characters that aren't in the brawl that's taking up most of this issue.
Captain Darryl Frye has a short snippit where he's shown to be the one raising Barry after Nora Allen was killed. Flashing back to the present time, he, Patty Spivot, and Turbine are together before the city's attacked. Turbine says he'll tell them where Barry is if they'll help him in return. He also says he knows who Frye really is...
I've got an inkling that Frye might actually be Barry's father. He really rather likes Nora Allen and took Barry in after she died, and there's the fact that both he and Barry are blond, which is a recessive gene.
The other person of note is the Trickster. Axel appears before Grodd and offers his assitance in taking over the city. Grodd says no. Harshly. Now, considering that Axel's original appearance pre-boot involved him using a fake arm to attack the Flash (then Wally West), the fact that he just had his arm ripped off by Grodd might not be as bad as it looks. Plus the elbow's the wrong way 'round, assuming Grodd just yanked without twisting. The human body's quite good at what it does, and what it doesn't do is rip a bone in half as easily as pulling out a joint. That arm has come off completely wrong.
In the main story, Flash leaves the gorrilas to the Rogues, who seem to have a decent handle on it all, and goes in search of Grodd. Stopping the invasion at the head.
He finds Grodd, who is looking dangerously speedforce-charged and out for blood. Fade to black. End of the issue. We'll see the fight next time.
Alright, my general thoughts.
First off, this might seem a little out of the blue, but I've realised something else that bugs me about Cold, aside from the lack of sleeves that is.
He's got abs.
I'm sorry, but I've got no problems with Cold being strong or a decent fighter, however he's the sort of fighter who *doesn't get moved*. He's solidly built, yes, but someone who is a sturdy fighter doesn't have abs. If you leave out the Turtle, since we rarely see him, Cold is the villain who battles Flash with *lack* of motion, that's his whole gimmick.
I guess it's just one of those things that comes up with comic-book art.
We didn't see Mirror Master today, maybe next issue. I'm really liking Weather Wizard and I hope we see a lot more of him in future.
Anyway, not sure what else to say on all this. I'll hopefully see you next time without the huge delay.