Flash #24 Review – Who Is This Reverse Flash?
While Flash and Green Lantern are preoccupied with battling Multiplex, Kid Flash is having a few problems of his own with Reverse Flash. I thought maybe it was part of something playing out in Barry’s head, since he’s so distracted with all the what-ifs. Okay, so maybe that was a wild hope. I was just so pleased that Dr. Manhattan killed Reverse Flash during The Button arc that I assumed he was dead dead and not DC dead.
Turns out Thawne is most definitely not dead dead. That is, unless Barry’s imagination is so wild it includes a fight with Kid Flash and kidnapping Iris West. Barry has a good imagination, but I doubt it’s so-good-it’s-actually-real good. That said, his imagination is somewhat the cause of the awful things happening to Iris and Wally. If he was only focused on the fight with Multiplex, he could have ended it in a matter of seconds instead of minutes.
Late again, Barry. It’s so amazing how someone who is so fast can be late all the time.
Once Barry took a deep breath and focused, he was able to knock out Multiplex in less than a second. Meanwhile, Reverse Flash is beating Kid Flash to a near pulp. All while doing so, he taunts Wally with his knowledge of the world before Flashpoint. Tells Wally he’s not even the real Wally West. Hammers home that he’s not wanted by anyone.
But when he turns on Iris, ready to throw similar tidbits at her, he realizes that she doesn’t know Barry’s alter ego. That absolutely delights the evil speedster. He leaves broken Wally behind and a message for Flash before whisking Iris to the 25th century.
This all begs the question of who is this Reverse Flash? We all saw him decimated by Dr. Manhattan. His skeleton did seem to spark back to life last issue, but is that really the Eobard Thawne Dr. Manhattan killed? Or was that spark a premonition? I have a theory that this Reverse Flash is pre-Flashpoint Thawne, and the one who remembers Thomas Wayne killing him and whose skeleton is at STAR Labs is Flashpoint Reverse Flash. It’s not too far of a stretch, considering there are two different Woman Women and Aquamen from the present world and Flashpoint world.
There’s also the weird, private tour at the 25th century Flash museum. I now think it’s Reverse Flash giving Iris this tour. He wants to tell her who Barry is and about the past he remembers, the one that the 25th century remembers. But is that the past the 25th century remembers as well? That would mean that Dr. Manhattan is combining the multiverse to go pre-New 52, and thus, the future of the 25th century would go on as though Flashpoint never happened.
Oh and did you catch who escorted Multiplex from the premises? That’s going come back to bite everyone down the road.
I need to get off this ride for a moment before I get so dizzy I hurl.
Whatever is going on, we know Flash will save the day. The question is, who and what will survive this encounter? If Iris dies, will Barry and Wally ever repair their relationship? If Iris lives, will they still have a relationship?
Our Rating: Yep
Author: Joshua Williamson
Artists: Carmine di Giandomenico, Pop Mhan, Ivan Plascencia, and Hi-Fi
Publisher: DC Comics
Publish Date: 06/14/2017
Acquired via Purchase
only problem is pre flashpoint and flashpoint thawne are one and the same