The second part of the last of Eobard’s arcs in the classic comics. Previous review is HERE, and the other parts are here; PART 3  and PART 4

The Flash issue 322 – Burning a speedster at both ends.

A few hundred miles outside of Central City, Green Lantern; Tomar-Re has been sent to warn Barry Allen (aka the Flash) about something. Unfortunately he crash landed on a farm and his ring is out of power. Fortunately the family on the farm are super happy and friendly to aliens, giving him pancakes and allowing him to modify their tractor into a rocket. He bids the family farewell and speeds off to find Barry Allen.

Barry Allen is out with his new love Fiona Webb. Having only been dating a few days, he decides to pop the question. She agrees, shockingly, and Barry suggests a June wedding. She suggests the day after tomorrow. Wow! I can understand the Flash being fast but Fiona is probably on the rebound and still not over her dead husband. Anyway, there is someone sinister watching them from the disguise of being a dog walker. It is Sabre-Tooth, the assassin who failed to kill Barry last issue and is trying to remedy that.

Meanwhile Tomar-Re has landed in Central City, in the bushes near Barry’s apartment. But he isn’t the only one there. Zoomy (Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom/Reverse Flash) who has finally broken free from the hell dimension is back to stalking Barry Allen, looking for revenge for his captivity. He spots Tomar-Re and realises that the Guardians must know of his escape. So he knocks out the alien and then gets to work on the ship. Using his superior intelligence and history as a criminal scientist from the 25th century (so says the author’s box) he manages to convert the rocket to a proper UFO style spacecraft. He puts Tomar-Re in it, and sends him off into space, stating that “only a demented madman or a hapless fool would even think about killing a Lantern and risk going on the wanted list of the entire Green Lantern Corps”.

Barry is oblivious to all this and is busy arranging his wedding with people. His boss and parents are shocked but go with it. He takes Fiona out rowing but this goes badly as the bridge collapses as they go under it, capsizing their little boat. This is no accident but another assassination attempt. Barry saves the day thanks to being the Flash and all is good again. But it turns out that this wasn’t Sabre-Tooth at all but their protégé using their name. To be honest this doesn’t marry up with the last comic at all and is a bit strange.

Later that night he calls the curator of the Flash museum, Dexter Miles to tell him about the wedding. Dexter is delighted but says that something has come up and he would like to see him in person. Turns out that it isn’t Dexter at all but Sabre-Tooth mk2 who has set a trap for Barry and has the real Dexter tied up.

Meanwhile in far outer space another Green Lantern has found Tomar-Re’s ship and revives him with his ring. He basically states that he might be too late and how much danger the Flash is in.

Sabre-Tooth mk2 is explaining how they love to kill people in super violent, destructive ways, having now rigged a triple barrelled rocket canon to kill Barry this time. They just finish explaining their plan when Zoomy appears from the shadows. After establishing that rumours of his demise are greatly exaggerated Sabre-Tooth mk2 tries to kill Zoomy instead. Funnily enough it doesn’t work. Zoomy gets the upper hand, takes off their disguise, revealing something that makes killing them more “distasteful” but does it anyway, wanting the honour of destroying Barry for himself.

Speaking of Barry, he has just turned up and immediately identifies the corpse hanging upside-down in front of him as Lorretta Nordan, a known criminal. He frees Dexter Miles who reveals that Barry is short for Barrence!! Fucking Barrence! WTF? Who calls their child Barrence! It’s worse than Eobard, that at least has the excuse of being a sci-fi future name.

Anyway, he finds a note on the body and turns white, knowing exactly who just saved him from the assassin.