Flash #7 Review – Run Away!
Funny story; I really liked issue #7 of The Flash. That is, I liked it until I talked it over with another Flash-reading friend. It’s amazing how easy it is for someone else to come in and ruin something you genuinely liked. All it takes is another point of view, understanding that point of view, and then realizing their point of view makes sense. It’s great when you’re solving a math problem, but it’s burdensome when you’re talking about a particular comic issue you like. So thanks a pantload, comic friend. I no longer like The Flash #7 like I originally did. I hope you’re happy.
We begin #7 with Godspeed pummeling the ever-loving crap out of the Flash. More like he’s still pummeling the ever-loving crap out of the Flash. And he’s doing it for the Flash’s own good, since goody-two-shoes Barry Allen doesn’t understand what real justice is. What’s really crazy is that after reading chapter 7 of The Watchmen is that I see an exact parallel between Godspeed’s speech to the Flash and Rorschach explaining to the criminal psychiatrist why he’s no longer “soft.” At least Barry shuts up Godspeed’s monologuing with a suckerpunch. I laughed out loud at that moment.
Issue #7 is also the official introduction of Wally West as Kid Flash, because I know no one saw that coming.
That aside, Barry realizes why when Godspeed took the speedforce from the recently created speedsters he ended up murdering them. He honestly didn’t mean to, although it doesn’t excuse the fact he continued to do it even after knowing it would kill his victims. Once Barry isolates why it kills the speedsters, he figures out how he can remove the speedforce from them without killing them. That’s rather nice and convenient.
What’s also nice and convenient is the fact that Augustus shows up just as Flash and Wally finish harvesting the speedforce from the speedsters. And then he leads Flash on a wild goose chase to Iron Heights, where he swears he will kill everyone there, including Thawne and Zoom in the name of both justice and…to make his best friend Barry happy.
Hold. The. Phone. It’s supposed to make him happy that everyone in Iron Heights is murdered for him? Ignoring the fact that the speedforce obviously corrupted Godspeed’s mind, one that was already on a downward spiral after his brother’s murder, he definitely doesn’t know one thing about Barry. He may consider Barry to be his best friend, but if he knew anything about him, he’d know that he’d never want all of them murdered, especially not for his sake.
On the one hand, I’m glad that the extraneous speedsters have been wrapped up, because that was annoying as can be. On the other, can we please get to some villains that have nothing to do with the speedforce? At this point I wouldn’t mind a trip to Earth-2. On yet another hand, I really like how these artists draw and color the lightning effects. Some seriously beautiful artwork in here.
Author: Joshua Williamson
Artists: Carmine Di Giandomenico and Ivan Plascencia
Publisher: DC Comics
Acquired via Purchase
