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The Flash issue 300 – 1981 A Flash Odyssey

20th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

This is the 25th Anniversary addition and I think that the writers were celebrating with something when they wrote this. It isn’t technically a Zoomy (Professor Zoom aka Eobard Thawne) story but he is kinda in it as both an imposter and in flashbacks.

Because it isn’t a Zoomy story I’m going to keep this review short. However it does cover a load of classic flash origins and law both for the Flash family and the Rogues. So if you are looking for that then it’s worth a read.

The basic story is that Barry Allen finds himself bandaged up and paralysed in a hospital bed. He believes that he is the Flash but this disturbs his doctor. They call in a psychiatrist called Patrou who reveals that although he was struck by lightning he didn’t get super powers. He got chemical burns and paralysis. During his recovery he was given reading material including Flash comics and has adopted the Flash’s story as a coping mechanism. Dr Patrou is there to make him confront his delusion of being a hero and help him to recover.

The story is basically in two parts. One is Barry playing along with patrou but not believing him. Thus he spends his time musing on his own origins and which of his rogues gallery could have done this to him. So you get to read mini stories about Vandal Savage, Grodd, Mirror Master, Pied Piper, Captain Cold, Heatwave, Top, Golden Glider, Rainbow Raider, Weather Wizard, Captain Boomerang,Trickster and Dr Element. You do also get a recap of what happened with Zoomy after Barry found out he killed Iris, leaving Zoomy lost/dead somewhere in space and time.

The other half of the story is Barry receiving guests. Ira West, Dexter Myles and Wally West visit first and are disturbed by his apparent delusions. Elongated man and Green Lantern turn up. Barry tells them personal stuff about them that he couldn’t possibly know but it turns out that both of them have revealed themselves to the public / written autobiographies and so Barry’s argument isn’t valid. Finally Iris turns up. Not dead but she left him and remarried his college friend Wiley Summers. They now have two children.

Barry seems broken. Dr Patrou confronts him claiming that actually Barry had already undergone cosmetic surgery and that the paralysis is psychosomatic, meaning that if he breaks his delusion then he’ll be well again, free and able to leave. He also claims that even Zoomy is still alive. Barry says that if he can prove that then he’ll believe that being the Flash was just a delusion.

Shock horror! Dr Petrou is evil! He has created all of Barry’s visitors and now creates himself a Zoomy too (wish I could do that…). He explains that it’s all down to his telepathic hypnotic suggestions and that Barry still has super speed, he is just unable to use it. And so he takes the new Zoomy to see Barry. Barry claims that he now believes and Petrou gets Zoomy to undo his bandages at super speed as final proof. Barry is suddenly cured and can get up to walk!

But what’s this!? The Flash is standing in the doorway. Patrou can’t believe it. But then Barry explains that as soon as he was no longer paralysed he got his super speed back and was able to use a speed mirage to make it look like he was in two places at once. Barry confronts Petrou who is actually Abra Kadabra! He wants to know how Barry worked it out and he explains that Zoomy wouldn’t exist if the Flash didn’t due to his origin story. And so it all turns out ok in the end.
Well….except that Zoomy is still lost somewhere in space and time if not exploded : (

The origins of Eobard Thawne

15th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

eobeth:

ladyofpride:

eobeth:

So far there have been 4 versions of Eobard’s origin. I’m going to explore these below. I have each of these comics so can provide reference if anyone has questions.

First appearance Issue 139 1963 (Review HERE)

Is originally a thief (issue 139) and a science teacher (issue 153)

Stumbles upon a Flash suit and re-engineers it to give him super-speed when wearing

Hates the Flash because he was a hero and Eobard felt that his speed was wasted on doing good deeds.

Loves to steal fine art and antiques.

It’s also shown over his next few appearances that Eobard has mind powers, is an engineering genius, expert tailor, hates the Flash, knows that the Flash is Barry Allen, and falls in love with Iris West (Barry’s girlfriend and then wife until Eobard kills her).

Issue 79, 1993

This version of Eobard is meant to be a younger version of the 1963 one.

Eobard was a huge fan of 20th century heroes, particularly the Flash who he was obsessed with.

He has reconstructive surgery to look like his hero, Barry Allen.

He finds a cosmic treadmill in a shop and kills the owner to obtain it.

He hopes to travel to Barry’s time but gets Wally’s instead (Wally is the 2nd Flash). The time traveling fucks him up a bit and so he goes to the Flash museum.

He discovers that the person he hates the most, the Flash’s worst enemy Professor Zoom, is actually himself, Eobard Thawne. This causes a psychotic break and he pretends to be Barry Allen instead as he looks like him.

Wally and co work out he isn’t Barry, Eobard comes back to his senses and undoes the plastic surgery though it is never explained how, and him and Wally fight.

Eventually defeated he is returned to his own time with amnesia remembering nothing of this adventure.

I hate this origin re-write because it just seems like just a way of resurrecting Eobard and shoe-horning into a plot with Wally West. Also in the 1963 version he hates the Flash and general heroes cause he’s a criminal, but in this one he had a room devoted to his hero worship of the Justice League and the Flash, it just seems totally contradictory.

Issue 8, 2011
This is a total rewrite of his origin.

Eobard is still from the future. His life sucked so he goes back in time to remedy all his life issues and to gain his powers (this is a total paradox and doesn’t work and I consider it terrible writing).

His older future self goes back and erases his brother Robern from existence. The ramification of this being that he was more academically successful and became an expert on the subject of the Flash.

Due to the most prominent professor of speed force studies refusing to share his research with Eobard, his future self goes back and murders him. The ramification being that Eobard is promoted.

Next his parents are concerned he is working too hard and so his future self kills them too, allowing him to work harder.

He falls in love with a reporter, but she is taken so his future self kills her fiancé. This doesn’t work, so he then kills every person she’s ever dated. This doesn’t work either as she’s now scared to date and so in the end his future self leaves her mentally damaged in an institution and Eobard never meets her or falls in love. (If he never meets her, he wouldn’t have the memories, so couldn’t go back to erase her etc. So much paradox! Arrrgghh!)

Eobard then goes on to find one of Barry’s old suits in a capsule (nod to the 1963 version) and gives himself super-speed.

He tries to be a hero in his own time, doesn’t really have the morals for it, Barry travels in time to stop him. He now hates Barry Allen, feeling betrayed by his hero.

Ok, I hate this version too. The writing about time travel is sloppy and leads to many paradoxes.

Issue 47 2015 (Review HERE)
This is a total rewrite, new universe, new costume.

Eobard Thawne is still from 2463. He comes from a family of criminals, his own father having killed his mother. He didn’t do well in school, and resented how he was always told about how great and perfect the Flash was and how he’d never measure up to him

He got hit by speed-force lightning and given the power to slow down the time around him, making him appear fast.

He takes over Central city and Keystone, believing he is chosen and that he can replace the Flash. The Flash is pretty much worshipped as a god in his time, their justice system built in his image and everyone praying to him.

Eobard is jealous of the Flash’s popularity and so tears down the Flash museum and bans his image. The people of the twin cities rise up against Eobard and try to take him down. A huge fight ensues.

Using Rip Hunter’s journals he manages after many years to reconstruct the cosmic treadmill and travel back to Barry’s time to try and damage his image so that he never reaches god status.

I still prefer the original 1963 version but I don’t mind this. There is no complication and he is amusingly unhinged, going from patient and manipulative to manically angry (as opposed to previous incarnations pure rage anger) in a heartbeat. I don’t like that he has been dumbed down a bit, losing his genius but maybe there is an ability for growth there.

“expert tailor”

*immature giggle snort*

Yeah, he had all sorts of skills in the old comics. Considering his first Flash suit was taken I presumed that he created the next two himself. And then there is the wedding dress he made for Iris. Little on the short and revealing side for a wedding dress but hey, if that’s what he likes..

The origins of Eobard Thawne

15th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

eobeth:

So far there have been 4 versions of Eobard’s origin. I’m going to explore these below. I have each of these comics so can provide reference if anyone has questions.

First appearance Issue 139 1963 (Review HERE)

Is originally a thief (issue 139) and a science teacher (issue 153)

Stumbles upon a Flash suit and re-engineers it to give him super-speed when wearing

Hates the Flash because he was a hero and Eobard felt that his speed was wasted on doing good deeds.

Loves to steal fine art and antiques.

It’s also shown over his next few appearances that Eobard has mind powers, is an engineering genius, expert tailor, hates the Flash, knows that the Flash is Barry Allen, and falls in love with Iris West (Barry’s girlfriend and then wife until Eobard kills her).

Issue 79, 1993

This version of Eobard is meant to be a younger version of the 1963 one.

Eobard was a huge fan of 20th century heroes, particularly the Flash who he was obsessed with.

He has reconstructive surgery to look like his hero, Barry Allen.

He finds a cosmic treadmill in a shop and kills the owner to obtain it.

He hopes to travel to Barry’s time but gets Wally’s instead (Wally is the 2nd Flash). The time traveling fucks him up a bit and so he goes to the Flash museum.

He discovers that the person he hates the most, the Flash’s worst enemy Professor Zoom, is actually himself, Eobard Thawne. This causes a psychotic break and he pretends to be Barry Allen instead as he looks like him.

Wally and co work out he isn’t Barry, Eobard comes back to his senses and undoes the plastic surgery though it is never explained how, and him and Wally fight.

Eventually defeated he is returned to his own time with amnesia remembering nothing of this adventure.

I hate this origin re-write because it just seems like just a way of resurrecting Eobard and shoe-horning into a plot with Wally West. Also in the 1963 version he hates the Flash and general heroes cause he’s a criminal, but in this one he had a room devoted to his hero worship of the Justice League and the Flash, it just seems totally contradictory.

Issue 8, 2011
This is a total rewrite of his origin.

Eobard is still from the future. His life sucked so he goes back in time to remedy all his life issues and to gain his powers (this is a total paradox and doesn’t work and I consider it terrible writing).

His older future self goes back and erases his brother Robern from existence. The ramification of this being that he was more academically successful and became an expert on the subject of the Flash.

Due to the most prominent professor of speed force studies refusing to share his research with Eobard, his future self goes back and murders him. The ramification being that Eobard is promoted.

Next his parents are concerned he is working too hard and so his future self kills them too, allowing him to work harder.

He falls in love with a reporter, but she is taken so his future self kills her fiancé. This doesn’t work, so he then kills every person she’s ever dated. This doesn’t work either as she’s now scared to date and so in the end his future self leaves her mentally damaged in an institution and Eobard never meets her or falls in love. (If he never meets her, he wouldn’t have the memories, so couldn’t go back to erase her etc. So much paradox! Arrrgghh!)

Eobard then goes on to find one of Barry’s old suits in a capsule (nod to the 1963 version) and gives himself super-speed.

He tries to be a hero in his own time, doesn’t really have the morals for it, Barry travels in time to stop him. He now hates Barry Allen, feeling betrayed by his hero.

Ok, I hate this version too. The writing about time travel is sloppy and leads to many paradoxes.

Issue 47 2015 (Review HERE)
This is a total rewrite, new universe, new costume.

Eobard Thawne is still from 2463. He comes from a family of criminals, his own father having killed his mother. He didn’t do well in school, and resented how he was always told about how great and perfect the Flash was and how he’d never measure up to him

He got hit by speed-force lightning and given the power to slow down the time around him, making him appear fast.

He takes over Central city and Keystone, believing he is chosen and that he can replace the Flash. The Flash is pretty much worshipped as a god in his time, their justice system built in his image and everyone praying to him.

Eobard is jealous of the Flash’s popularity and so tears down the Flash museum and bans his image. The people of the twin cities rise up against Eobard and try to take him down. A huge fight ensues.

Using Rip Hunter’s journals he manages after many years to reconstruct the cosmic treadmill and travel back to Barry’s time to try and damage his image so that he never reaches god status.

I still prefer the original 1963 version but I don’t mind this. There is no complication and he is amusingly unhinged, going from patient and manipulative to manically angry (as opposed to previous incarnations pure rage anger) in a heartbeat. I don’t like that he has been dumbed down a bit, losing his genius but maybe there is an ability for growth there.

Image · 13th Jan 201629th Jun 2019 · Leave a comment ·

eobeth: From Matt Letscher’s instagram

Image · 8th Jan 201629th Jun 2019 · Leave a comment ·

eobeth: Its my birthday this weekend 🙂

The return of Professor Zoom part 8

8th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

This is the last part of this arc. Other parts can be found here; PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6 & PART 7.

The Flash 47: Reunion

Last issue, so this review is going to be long with lots of picture. I want to highlight all the interesting points.

This comic starts with Henry Allen discovering that his son, Barry is the Flash. He doesn’t seem too shocked by it really. Whilst they are sharing secrets Eobard gets Henry to tell Barry the truth, that he didn’t kill his wife, Barry’s mother and that he only confessed because otherwise Eobard would have killed Barry.

Barry forgives his dad for the lies and swears to bring Eobard to justice, however first he wants to know why Eobard did it. So Eobard starts to describe his past and the future. First of all it turns out that he funded Henry’s haematology lab when Barry was born. He wants to destroy Barry because of what he’ll become, but we knew that from the acolytes plot.

Eobard states that he is from the future, 2463 to be precise. He spent years building a cosmic treadmill and using Rip Hunter’s journals to master time travel (which is really different from original Eobard from the comics who is a total engineering genius. Gonna post about their differences separately). He travelled back in time, apparently sacrificing everything, to fix one thing and that was Barry. Barry however doesn’t believe him.

Eobard and Barry fight as Eobard whines about giving up everything he’s ever known (though you know, it was his choice to do this). He continues to talk about his past, saying that he saw his world burn cause of the Flash. Barry points out that he isn’t alive that far in the future so Eobard must be lying. However this is when we get to the truth of it all. The Flash had reached a god like status in Eobard’s time and even their justice system was based on him. Eobard took over the Gem cities (Central and Keystone) and then an army of people rose up against him all in the name of the Flash.

Now Eobard claims that he was a benevolent ruler, giving the people what they needed but they rose up anyway. Considering that the Flash was revered as a god and Eobard destroyed the Flash museum and tried to erase his image out of jealousy I’m pretty sure that is why they rose up. Though he didn’t really make things better as Eobard is shown killing the people who rebeled against him, and the mayor when he took over the cities. He didn’t really get the chance to show what kind of ruler he could have been, like in regards to important everday things like health care, taxes and looking after the vulnerable. Loving the costume though…

Anyway, so Flash’s legacy is the reason that Eobard hates him and why he needs him to not be a hero rather than die a martyr. Due to all the talking Eobard doesn’t notice when Henry sneaks up behind him and smacks him round the head with an iron bar. Eobard then goes to kill Henry but Barry speeds him out of the way. Henry is surprised that Barry is suddenly faster than Eobard, and it seems that Barry has somehow levelled up. He doesn’t know how it happens but he feels faster.

So Barry gets on with fighting Eobard again, though he still loses, Eobard boasting about how he is the fastest. Unfortunately for Eobard he mentions time, and Barry has a sudden epiphany. It turns out that Eobard isn’t fast at all, he is simply using time-dilation to slow the time around him to appear fast, the total opposite of Barry’s powers. Barry goes on to talk about running not being his only power, that his connection to the speed force is what moves time itself forward and that he can use this.

So the big fight begins. Eobard bitches about how he was chosen to replace the Flash, how he is meant to be a hero. And then during the fight we get into Eobard’s past. He was always told about how great and perfect the Flash was, how he’d never measure up to him. His family was one of failures and criminals, his own father killing his mother (we see that Eobard had silver/grey hair as a child as well, so it isn’t an indication of age). He wanted to prove he was better than the Flash, to break him. At the time in the fight he is trying to drown Barry in a deep puddle, but Barry has a sudden power flare, throwing Eobard off.

Barry starts to fight back again, wanting to know why Eobard killed him mother, though it is kinda obvious now. Eobard explains that in his future the Flash had had the perfect family, brought up by two loving parents, something that Eobard was denied, hence he thought he’d level the playing field. So he killed Barry’s mother so that they would be the same. This pisses Barry off no end and so he knocks Eobard out and gives a little speech about how he is off to jail and will always be a failure.

Henry wants to kill Eobard but Barry stops him. Henry and Barry hug it out. Barry rushes off to get something to keep Eobard sedated and then the police turn up. Barry is back in civilian clothes by this point. They arrest Eobard and Barry swears that there is enough evidence to clear his dad. Though what about the guard he murdered, or breaking out of jail, or stealing medical supplies…. I get the feeling that for the sake of a happy ending most of that is going to be overlooked.

So in the end Eobard is locked up in a special cell in Iron Heights, with power restraints too. Not sure how they knew how to make those but ok. He still thinks he has won though cause it seemed that the police and people hate the Flash, but only time will tell is that is true.

And that is the end of this arc. It’s been interesting and I’ll put up my thoughts on the various incarnations of Eobard and his history in another post.

The return of Professor Zoom part 7

7th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

The previous parts of this review can be found here; PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, & PART 6. And the next one is here; PART 8

The Flash 46: End of the hunt

Ok, so we are back to only Booth as the artist again. As much as I find his art variable, it’s nice to have one artist for a whole arc, gives it a sense of consistency.

This comic back tracks slightly as I was sure that Barry Allen aka The Flash had sped off at the end of the last issue. However this one starts with him still arguing with Captain Darryl Frye, who is trying to arrest him. The Flash refuses arrest and unarms the police that are pointing guns at him. The Flash pretty much begs Darryl to see reason and work with him like they used to but he is having none of it. He blames Flash for everything, saying his powers, as demonstrated by disarming the police, are too powerful. The Flash say’s that everything is actually Thawne’s fault. Now here is where it is strange because Darryl doesn’t know who Thawne is, but he did when he was talking in the van to Henry a few issues ago.

Speaking of the devil, Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom and his acolytes; Block, Roscoe Dillon and Xolani aka Folded Man turn up. Eobard threatens Barry, claiming he’ll make him atone for his apparent sins. Barry pushes Darryl out of the way for his own safety and then speeds off into the city, giving chase. Eobard commands his acolytes to get after him but they suddenly realise that Magali isn’t there. Eobard claims that she was weak anyway, but that he also has no idea where she is…. (cause he totally didn’t drain her powers and leave her for dead).

Meanwhile Henry Allen is looking after the now seriously injured, aged and power drained Magali. He tries to stop the bleeding in her neck and helps her up. Magali claims that she can now see how Eobard had lied and manipulated them. She has just enough power left to decay the door and Henry then kicks the door in. They bump into Selkirk in the hallway who they explain the situation to, that Eobard is looking to take everyone’s powers and that he already has Magali’s making him effectively immortal. Selkirk tells them where Eobard was heading and advises that they take one of the vehicles in the basement to find and stop them.

Over the other side of the city, on a bridge, the Flash is fighting with Xolani and Block. He isn’t foolish enough to fall for their tricks this time though. He takes out the bridge under Block, dumping her in the river and then goes after Roscoe only to be stopped by Eobard. He grabs Barry and holds him up whilst he monologues cause bad guys always have to give a speech. Roscoe (who seems to have gone from tween to twenty) bitches that he had the Flash in his sights, but Eobard says that Flash is his alone to destroy.

Barry goes to punch Eobard but he grabs his fist and stops him. He gives another speech about time and power as he literally bitch-slaps Barry. He then does the one thing that really marks him as a villain and that is he explains his evil plan. Oh yes, he explains about how he had Henry make the glove and how he is going to steal the Flash’s powers.

Eobard is about to administer the killing blow when suddenly Magali and Henry turn up. The rest of the acolytes are shocked to see the state that Magali is in. She explains what Eobard did to her and how he is planning to do that to them too. Then she tells them how he orchestrated all their situations, which although true there is no way she should know about. Yeah she could guess but she has no evidence of it. Anyway, this sets off Xolani who’s wife was murdered as a consequence. Eobard argues that she needed to die, something he isn’t going to apologise for and then threatens to kill any of them that stand in his way.

He tosses the Flash aside and goes after Magali first but Roscoe comes in to protect her as does Xolani. The Flash goes and collects Block, giving her to Xolani to keep her safe.Eobard tires to attack and drain Xolani but Block gets in the way and his glove gets destroyed. Then Eobard resorts to whining like a 6 year old as his previous team run off;

So Eobard is left to fight with Barry. Barry pretty much thinks he’s a psycho as Eobard is talking about the future and being overly theatrical. Eobard then grabs Henry and dashes off to the Allen family home. He hints to Henry about who the Flash is and then the comic ends there.
Last part tomorrow 🙂

The return of Professor Zoom part 6

6th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

The prevous parts of this review can be found here; PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, & PART 5. And the next two parts are here; PART 7 & PART 8

The Flash 45: Thunderdome

I’d like to note that there are other pencillers on this comic and so the art is slightly different from the previous ones, though you can tell Booth’s work.

The downtown precinct is currently covered with a dome of frozen atoms thanks to Block, and everything is slowly being destroyed by a lightning spitting machine / bomb that was triggered by the Flash using his powers. Captain Darryl Frye of the CCPD is busy pointing his gun at the Flash (aka Barry Allen) because so far it looks like their predicament is all his fault. The Flash pushes Darryl out of the way of a lightning bolt, but it doesn’t make him any nicer. Luckily David Singh, head of the crime lab, steps in to defend the Flash, and they decide that the bomb squad could detonate the device. This isn’t going to work though cause of the atom dome, which is apparently at absolute zero, meaning that they don’t have anything hot enough to ignite the oxygen it is made of. Wally West has a great idea but no-one is willing to listen to him because he is just a kid.

Meanwhile outside the dome people are gathering. Hartley Rathaway (previously Pied Piper) is there concerned about his boyfriend David Singh. Iris West is also there for Wally. She hears her cameraman say about if a kid died then it would be a great story and so punches him in the face, threatening worse if he doesn’t shut up. She’s lucky the police are under a dome otherwise she might have been charged with assault.

But they aren’t the only ones watching events. Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom and his acolytes, Magali, Block, Roscoe Dillion and Xolani aka Folded Man, are also watching from a rooftop. Eobard says that the dome must remain until the whole precinct is destroyed. Magali shows concern for the innocents that may be trapped inside, but Eobard assures her that the sacrifice is nothing compared to the people they’ll save by destroying the Flash. She is still doubtful though as she has only seen the Flash try to help. Eobard explains it away, saying that they have seen enough evidence over their centuries together though I doubt that is true considering she has doubts.

Inside the dome, Wally is sick of being ignored. His friend Tim is hurt and in need of a doctor and so he resolves to put his plan into action even if no-one will help. So he sets off to the garage to do so. The Flash notices that Wally is missing and goes to try and find him. But Wally has attached one of the magnesium engine blocks to the front of a truck and set it alight, remembering that it burns so hot that a fire-crew can’t put it out. He announces over the tannoy his plan and Barry races to join him. The Flash saves Wally, letting the truck crash the dome. He’s about to give him a lecture about being reckless but then they realise that Wally’s plan is actually working.

The Flash quickly starts collecting people, including Darryl who protests, and putting them outside the dome. However, using his speed is still feeding the lighting machine/bomb and it explodes just as he gets the last person out. Hartley spots David and they reunite with a kiss. He pulls back, not wanting to embaress David considering their last argument was about David wanting to keep their relationship secret. But it turns out that the explosion was a wake-up call and David loves Hartley too much to care what others think. I find their whole relationship really sweet. Darryl finds the Flash and has a go at him, but Barry has finally reached the end of his rope and shouts back before dashing off in search of Professor Zoom.

Professor Zoom is in his tower watching as Henry finishes the device he kidnapped him to build. It turns out that it is a power stealing glove. You simply thrust the needle fingers into a powered person and it drains their power transferring it to the wearer. Obviously Henry tries to use it on Eobard, but he is far too fast and easily gets it off him.

Eobard then goes onto explain that the glove isn’t to stop the Flash but to take his power. Magali turns up and having overheard this is absolutely appalled. She vows to stop Eobard, reaching for him so that she can age him, but he grabs her with the glove and takes her power. He gloats, saying about how he hated relying on her power to keep him young and how he plans to take each of his acolyte’s powers. He leaves her for dead with Henry locked in that room.
And that is where this one ends. Next part tomorrow.

The return of Professor Zoom part 5

5th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

There are 8 parts to this story arc, the previous reviews are here; PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, & PART 4. And the next 3 are here; PART 6, PART 7 & PART 8.

The Flash 44: Bubble

Barry Allen aka The Flash was teleported into the ocean at the end of the last comic and that is exactly where we find him. Two thousand feet beneath the pacific ocean to be exact. Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom narrates about what sort of damage and pain Barry will be in as he comes up from the ocean and collapses on the beach. He goes on to say how he knows that Barry will heal but he doesn’t want him dead yet anyway, he wants him scared, confused and angry.

Xolani aka Folded Man, offers to drop Barry into a volcano but Eobard tells him no, explaining that death would only make him a martyr. They apparently need to tear down his reputation, make the people hate him first and then if he dies no-one will care. He then tells his acolytes to go and get on with things whilst he goes to see their new prisoner, Henry Allen. Henry is understandable pissed at Eobard, considering that he did kill his wife. However Henry’s violent outburst is soon quelled, by both being smacked with a newspaper and Eobard’s threats to hurt Barry.

Meanwhile, across the city, Hartley Rathaway (previously Pied Piper) and his boyfriend David Singh (head of the CCPD forensics lab) are having an argument. Hartley apparently went looking for David at the precinct and David flipped out because he wants their relationship kept secret. Hartley wants them to be public and David just storms out, bumping into Barry who’s on his way home. David confesses to Barry that he has no problem with people knowing that he is gay, but it’s the fact the he’s with the police and Hartley used to be a criminal that is the problem.

The next morning Barry is hanging out with Wally West. There is a Black Canary poster in the background and Wally is reading a Hawkman comic. Anyway, Wally is doing an ‘at work’ day at the CCPD garage. Barry leaves Wally in the capable hands of their head mechanic Tim, who goes out of his way to point out that they have magnesium engines that burn so hot even firemen can’t put them out. That seems like a huge risk and highly unlikely as a real thing, but hey, I know nothing about mechanics and cars.

Meanwhile outside, Block and Roscoe have just finished assembling some machine inside a van. Block heads out to the police station stating that the Flash has failed the city and they have come to hold him accountable. Barry quickly changes into the Flash and confronts Block. He’s pretty pissed as he wants his dad back and so before she can even answer he punches her in the face. Block has the power to stop atoms moving and make things impenetrable/immoveable, including herself, thus Barry breaks his hand and arm by hitting her. He gets up, trying to fight both her and Roscoe, however Block just puts out her arm and he is soon stopped.

Block tells the Flash that she knows he is evil and explains about her powers and Roscoe’s power of centrifugal force. She then points out that her powers will even work on the atoms in the air and creates a large dome over Barry and the police station. Barry tries to vibrate himself through the dome but this just sparks the machine that the acolytes have left which turns out to be some sort of bomb. Energy from the bomb hits Wally and Tim, knocking Tim out but Wally is ok. Barry tries to stop the bomb by dismantling it but the more he uses his powers, the more it feeds the bomb.

This comic ends here, part 6 tomorrow.

The return of Professor Zoom part 4

4th Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

The previous parts of this review can be found here; PART 1, PART 2 & PART 3

The next ones are here; PART 5, PART 6, PART 7 & PART 8.

The Flash 43: Getting the drop

This issue starts with Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom, addressing his acolytes; Block, Magali, Roscoe Dillon, Selkirk and Xolani aka the Folded Man. Block wants to just kill the Flash (aka Barry Allen) but Eobard makes the point that the Flash is more than a person, he is an icon, and his image must be destroyed before they can kill him.

Meanwhile, over in the Aspen Valley neighbourhood Henry Allen, Travis and Ernie are still on the run. They’ve come to meet Anthony aka Girder, but he was apprehended by the Flash in the last issue. Instead it is Barry Allen that they find there. Ernie and Travis try to attack Barry but Henry fires a warning shot to get them to back off. Ernie and Travis do so and Henry gets some alone time with his son. Barry is all up for hugs but Henry is more concerned about Barry’s investigation. Barry says that he saw another speedster at the family home and Henry totally flips out, telling him to run and stop investigating. Barry begs him to turn himself in, but Henry says he is out for vengeance. Barry runs off vowing to clear him anyway. Henry joins Travis and Ernie, promising them money in exchange for help.

Barry gets home to find that his housemate Hartley Rathaway (previously the Pied Piper) is still up mixing music. They have a heart to heart about how Barry shouldn’t take the law into his own hands and that he should trust the police to bring his father in alive. Barry decides it’s time to sleep as he’s meant to be seeing Iris’s nephew, Wally West tomorrow. Hartley makes a comment about how he’s doing it for Iris really, but he denies it.

The next day we switch to Wally West who is doing some sort of off road racing for his school. His teacher seems very impressed at least. Iris and Barry turn up to cheer him on whilst wearing ‘Team Wally’ t-shirts which is kinda cute. However the football coach is less than happy with what Wally’s homemade racer has done to his football field. He starts shouting but Barry pushes him back, knocking him down and pointing out that football season isn’t for another month. The guy backs off, not wanting to be sued, again. Wally is super perky and happy that Barry stuck up for him. He tells Barry that he knows what it is like to not have a father and gives him some advice and a big hug.

Later that day the Flash is out on patrol when he picks up a police transmission that says that there is a hostage situation and the perpetrators will only speak to the Flash. Flash gets there, saves the hostages, finds out that they are actually mannequins and that the perpetrator is Henry. The reason Henry staged all this is that he wanted to talk to the Flash (he is unaware that Barry and the Flash are one and the same). Henry explains that his wife was killed by a man called Eobard Thawne and that he is afraid that Eobard is now going to hurt his son Barry. He says that he believes the Flash is a hero and as Eobard also has superspeed, the Flash is the only one who can stop him.

The cops turn up and arrest Henry and co. Whilst they’re in the back of the van Darryl yells at Henry telling him that he now has no chance of clearing his name and getting out of prison. But Henry is more concerned about Thawne being back. Turns out that Darryl knows about Thawne killing Nora, even though they couldn’t prove it at the time. Henry confesses to being jealous that Darryl got to raise Barry but knows that he can’t do anything from prison and so wants Darryl to swear that he’ll protect Barry. He agrees but then a woman, Block walks out in front of the van (I must confess that I actually quite like Block. She’s a kickass strong female and I’d really like if they wrote some seperate stuff for her later on in the series. Magali too.)

Block destroys the front of the van and then hands over to Roscoe who spins the doors off allowing Magali to abduct Henry. The Flash is about to step in when the Folded Man gets in the way and Barry suddenly finds himself teleported into the deep ocean.
The comic ends there, Part 5 tomorrow.