Tag: barry allen

The flash issue 186 – Time times three equals…?

2nd Nov 2015 · Leave a comment ·

This issue starts with an exhausted Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash getting some loving advice from his wife Iris about how he should take a holiday. Iris doesn’t have time to go with him so suggests he takes a holiday in time thus could leave and be back only minutes later. Unfortunately once he gets back he collapses and is rushed to hospital. No-one knows what’s wrong with him but Barry is now in a coma.

Then we cut to 500 years in the future to see what Zoomy (Eobard Thawne a.k.a. Professor Zoom/Reverse Flash) is up to. It seems that the prison service has finally worked out that he has mind powers as well as super speed and thus are flooding his cell with radiation that saps the will. They’re making him watch day time tv too! Oh the horror! Anyway, Zoomy is just noting how he should emulate the way gangsters talk when he’s interrupted by the disembodied voice of Sargon the sorcerer. He explains how he will break Zoomy out and bring him back to the 20th century. Zoomy obviously agrees and suddenly find himself in Sargon’s creepy lair.

Sargon somehow has one of Zoomy’s many spare uniforms (ok so it’s later explained that he stole it from the Flash museum which means that Barry did strip Zoomy in that previous comic and kept his suit). So whilst he’s putting that on Sargon explains that he’s studied the occult all his adult life and although the past has taught him many great secrets, he really wants to travel to the future to learn more. However Zoomy says it would take months and he can’t be bothered so he runs off to kill the Flash instead. But Sargon won’t be deterred so easily, so resolves to make Zoomy think that the Flash is already dead so he’ll come back and teach him. Cause obviously that’s what he’d do with his free time, not go on a crime spree or anything else….

So Sargon dresses a skeleton in a Flash suit and arranges for it to be found. The news reports Flash as dead and Zoomy checks with Iris to see if he really is. She believes so as Barry’s missing from the hospital and the skeletons match. So Zoomy goes back to Sargon who is still bothering him about learning to time travel. Zoomy isn’t having any of it so pretends to teach him whilst tricking Sargon into banishing himself to a remote dimension. Good job too as apparently Zoomy was starting to get freaked out by all the magic.So as predicted Zoomy goes on a crime spree.

But where is Barry? He apparently felt better, skipped out on the hospital and then collapsed in his Flash costume in an alleyway. Eventually getting up he hails a cab but the radio informs him of Zoomy’s current crime spree. The Flash resolves to stop him but disappears on getting out the cab, having been summon to Sargon in the other dimension. Flash then saves him and brings him back. Then whilst Sargon is passed out, he goes off to find Zoomy and stop him.

Meanwhile Zoomy has stolen all the best loot and shrunk it down to easy carrying size. But upon running into the Flash he resizes it all to attack him, then uses his shrink ray on the Flash himself, putting tiny Flash in a jar. Zoomy then goes on a crime spree across time.The Flash finds that he still has Sargon’s magic gem in his pocket, having torn it off his costume earlier. He uses it to break free, defeat Zoomy and then resizes himself. He deposits Zoomy back in jail, but when he goes to where he left Sargon he has already disappeared. So he nips to the 25th century doctors to get cured of what was making him pass out. Sargon swears he’ll be back for his ruby.

The Flash issue 175 – Race to the end of the universe

12th Oct 2015 · Leave a comment ·

Ok, so this comic is a little light on Zoomy (Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom / Reverse Flash) action but he is in there so I’m going to review it anyway.

It starts with Barry Allen on his way home when a bulletin comes in saying that Weather Wizard is going to attack a power station. Wanting to try out a lightning rod he was working on and conveniently carrying with him, Barry as the Flash rushes to the scene.

He’s just fighting with Weather Wizard when Superman turns up to help out. Flash is a bit pissed at Superman muscling in on his territory but Supes claims he was called by Flash. Both leave, rather confused.

Well it seems that Barry has now informed Iris of his secret identity as he busily bitches about how this is all a set up by Supes to prove he’s faster than Barry. Someone has some deep seated insecurities about their speed.

Next day the same thing happens in Metropolis, in which Barry gets the call and Supes denies it. They both resolve that someone is obviously playing them and so go for a meeting with the whole Justice League. However, the league has no idea who called the meeting.

Turns out it was Rokk and Sorban, rulers of gambler planet Ventura. Apparently they bet on a charity race that Flash and Supes did. Each bet on a different hero, however the result was a draw hence they are there to demand a rematch. This time it is 240,000 trillion miles to the edge of the universe and back. And as an incentive they will blow up the home town of the looser, or both if they don’t take part. They use their mind powers to demonstrate that they can destroy stuff, to make Barry able to run and breathe in space, and to restrain Green Lantern who is pissed that there is a space plot that he isn’t part of. In fact they capture the whole of the league so that they can’t aid their team mates.

Flash and Supes start the race, though Flash only has a week’s worth of oxygen. The race starts ok but then it all gets fucked up. Supes has to take a detour due to a red star, happens across Ventura but although it’s got a huge volcano erupting, he doesn’t help cause he sees something that stops him.

Meanwhile Flash finds an old space craft and seeing people inside goes to help. The people are actually fake and the Flash is trapped inside some giant man eating space plant. He manages to vibrate out of it though Sorban, who is meant to be betting on Flash winning the race, is miffed that he survived.
In space, Supes catches up with Flash and is trying to explain to him how something rotten is going on but Flash doesn’t believe him. He gets cut off anyway by kryptonite meteors. Flash gets in trouble with a sticky meteor but Supes saves him.

Back at the watchtower, Martian Manhunter has escaped his bondage and posing as Supes he tries to take on the aliens. However they use yellow kryptonite on him which he turns to lead so they can’t use it on the real Supes. But he gets captured again.

The race continues and Supes and Flash keep getting into trouble and then helping each other out. Though Barry is very distrustful of Supes and keeps on racing even though Supes has said that this is a trap and they should just go back. Just as they are getting to the end of the universe Flash gets tired, realising that Supes has the advantage because he doesn’t. So he stops for a little bit on a planet. Strangely he hears someone calling his name. Whilst this is happening, Supes falls into a trap and only just manages to send a distress signal to Flash. Flash is now all up for helping Supes out and goes to rescue him. They then make it through one final trap with the aid of teamwork and pass the finish line. Oddly enough, it looks like each of them won depending on what screen they looked at.

Supes goes to confront Rokk, who tries to attack him with magical demon powers. Supes calls him out on this and punches him in the face. Flash confronts Sorban and although he is strangely fast, the Flash is faster and punches him too. Turns out it was Abra Kadabra, a magician from the 64th century and Zoomy all along. Supes knew something was wrong because when he went passed Ventura he saw that the volcanos were being bet on by the real Rokk and Sorban. And Flash found out cause Green Lantern used the last of his lantern power to inform him through a talking fish on the planet he rested on.

The Flash issue 165 – One bridegroom too many!

5th Oct 2015 · Leave a comment ·

This issue starts with the Flash, Barry Allen, debating as to if he should tell his soon to be wife, Iris West, that he is the Flash. And he better make his mind up quickly because the wedding is tomorrow.

The next day we see everyone at the church. Both of Barry’s parents, Al Desmond and his now wife Rita, Iris’s dad who is a professor, Wally West and his parents, the curator of the Flash museum and Daphne Dean, a movie star and childhood friend of Barry’s are all there. Anyway, Barry isn’t late for once and they are just about to start the wedding when the Flash turns up and protests, saying that Iris is marrying the wrong man!

Meanwhile in the future, Zoomy (Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash /Professor Zoom) is being held in a cell by radiation. However he has been using that radiation to make himself smarter and enhance his mind powers. Yep, he still has mind powers… And due to those he now knows that Barry is the Flash. Yay for telepathy! So he decides that he is going to switch bodies with the Flash and take his apparently cushy life. He also absorbs all of Barry’s memories as they trade physical places in space-time. Then once in Barry’s house he modifies an electric shaver into a matter distributor to make his face look like Barry’s.

Having taken over Barry’s life and having found his spare Flash ring he dons the uniform and goes out to be a hero. However despite apprehending the criminals he can’t bring himself to put back the loot so runs off with it resolving to sort it out later. He gets back just in time to make it to Barry’s wedding. Apparently he wasn’t planning on getting married but will take it as a perk of the job.

So in the future Barry find himself imprisoned in Zoomy’s place. He can’t get out at first but uses his ring to shrink some of the radiation walls, in the same way it shrinks his suit to weaken it. Once out he has to run beyond the speed of light as that will always snap him back to his own era. Really solid and understandable science there…

So he rushes to the church, stops the wedding and literally just carries Zoomy off, dumping him in a nearby woodland. Barry says that they must fight for Iris and Zoomy concurs, suiting up. However Zoomy brought some tricks from the future and fights dirty. But Barry powers through and after a brief running tour of Central city, he manages to catch Zoomy when he falls in a lake, not yet able to use his speed to walk on water like Barry can. Barry spends a moment wondering what to do with the now unconscious Zoomy.

But it all works out as the future police were watching the whole time and zap him back to them, leaving Barry with his wedding suit. He gets back to the church where no one questions what happened and he finally marries Iris. As they drive off he is still debating if he should tell her or not…

The Flash issue 153 – The mightiest punch of all time

4th Oct 2015 · Leave a comment ·

This comic starts with Zoomy (aka Reverse Flash / Professor Zoom), whose real name is finally revealed as being Eobard Thawne, being released from prison having fooled the cerebral scanner into giving him the green light. I am yet again amazed at how secure future prison is…

Anyway, back at his hideout Zoomy puts on yet another reverse flash suit, he’s obviously been tailoring in his spare time as the last two suits were confiscated. Whilst in prison he came up with the science of ‘ultra-speed’ and believes he can make nefarious machines based on this. It’s lucky he is also a really gifted engineer as he builds a machine that can bring out a person’s inner evil, not just that but its rays can travel through time. Which is good because his intended victim is Mr Element.

Meanwhile, in the present day, Al (previously Mr Element) is bemoaning to Barry that he is getting urges to steal stuff again. He asks for the Flash’s help but punches him when he gets it. He then runs off to his cave to suit up. Zoomy’s evil beam can’t seem to penetrate the cave, despite being able to travel through time itself and thus becomes unstable, effecting those around.

Thus the Flash has to waste time securing all these new criminals.
In another fit of genius engineering Zoomy creates his own cosmic treadmill, having looked at the original only once. Also, his new science has granted him speed again. No explanation as to why or how, but ok, whatever.

Zoomy lands in the present, dropping one of his machines which accidently emits a radiation allowing him to read and control the minds of anyone in the city. I’m pretty sure that radiation doesn’t work that way. Also, mind powers once again, perhaps he needs to think about a rebranding?? Anyway, he spots the Flash carrying Al to a safe house and gets all jealous and uses his mind powers to convince the city council to outlaw speed powers. He then proceeds to torment the Flash who can’t bring himself to break the law, committing crimes in front of him. The Flash has an idea and runs off, at legal speed, using an underground tunnel to take himself outside the city limits, thus being free to use his powers again.

Zoomy tracks him down and they fight as Al watches from the bushes. He witnesses Zoomy knock out the Flash and carry him off. Deciding that he can’t save the Flash as Al, he goes and gears up as Mr Element.

Zoomy has kept the Flash alive so he can gloat, and then he tracks down Al and sees that he is robbing a bank. Impressed by him being villainous Zoomy astral projects to invite Mr Element to come and kill the Flash. He turns up, double crosses Zoomy who subsequently gets punched so hard by the Flash that it sends him back to his own time where he is put back in prison.

Unfortunately Mr Element is actually now evil and only helped the Flash as he had put a self-hypnosis suggestion into his own mind before hand to make himself help the Flash when he saw him. Yep, cause this wasn’t all complicated enough. But knowing of the reform programme in the future, the Flash takes Al to it using the cosmic treadmill and thankfully he is fully rehabilitated.

The Flash issue 147 – Our enemy, The Flash

26th Sep 2015 · Leave a comment ·

Second appearance of the Reverse-Flash/Professor Zoom in the classic comics. I’m quite enjoying reading the old stuff cause frankly it is just silly. This issue starts with the Professor Zoom and Mr Element introducing themselves.

Then we cut to Barry and Iris going for food with ex-convict Al Desmond (previously Mr Element) and his new fiancé Rita. Al gets a headache mid meal, excuses himself and ends up back at his old hideout. Funnily enough all his nefarious inventions are still there, obviously the police didn’t investigate too much when they arrested him. He starts to mix chemicals against his will and Prof. Zoom appears. Cross-time hypnotism is now one of his powers it seems…

Having lost his super speed suit and been released from future jail (which I guess, like Arkham, has a revolving door), he started looking into other things to give him speed. He finds an element, names it after himself, but it’s unstable and thus he needs Mr Elements help. He refuses but Prof. Zoom uses more dubious hypnotism to bring out Al’s ‘Inner Criminal’, sending him on a crime spree to strengthen his criminal nature. Yeah, it’s really silly and tenuous.

So Flash turns up when Mr Element is trying to rob a museum, but he just can’t do it! He escapes from the Flash, leaving the hero very confused. Prof. Zoom is pissed at Mr Elements failure and sends him out again, this time following him. They run into the Flash and Prof. Zoom uses his mind powers on him….Yes, mind powers….(I’m so amused)

Ok, so it turns out that Prof. Zoom was actually an astral projection made flesh by chemicals. Does this mean that there are two of him now? One now and one in the future? Anyway, despite the incredibly silly science, Mr Element perfects element Z and Prof. Zoom gets his powers back as long as he wears it. Needing to get back to his own time, Prof. Zoom hijacks Barry’s cosmic treadmill. The first thing he does on returning is free his friend from prison. Zoomy and Foxy go way back (I’m so calling him Zoomy from now on).

So Zoomy threatens his government with releasing all the criminals unless they give in to his demands. But The Flash is hot on his trail and they fight. Turns out that The Flash has worked out how to move faster than Zoomy’s ‘Mind energy’. This catches him off-guard and The Flash beats him, removes his locket of element Z and returns him to jail.

Back in the present all is good. Luckily for Al, Zoomy kept a journal of how he was manipulating him and thus Al is exonerated.

The Flash issue 139, Menace of the Reverse-Flash (1st appearance)

23rd Sep 2015 · Leave a comment ·

Dr Drake (forgotten relation to Tim???) has sent a time capsule style satellite into the future. But he works out after that the atomic clock in the capsule will become an atomic bomb due to “science stuff”. So his friend, The Flash (Barry Allen), literally picks him up, introduces him to the Cosmic Treadmill and offers to travel in time to find and stop this bomb.

Meanwhile in 2463 mischief is afoot! The capsule has landed and a certain very bored wannabe criminal and time traveller has found the Flash uniform that was also in the capsule. Using yet more dubious science stuff he manages to get the suit to grant super speed when he wears it. He also changes the colour, admitting to liking the Flash’s powers but also hating that he used it for good and thus calling himself the reverse and dying it reverse colours.

He then decides to also name himself Professor Zoom because apparently his scientific leanings have meant the police and other crooks have already nicknamed him Professor (ok, though sounds more like wishful thinking…). Thus he does what any crook who has just gotten super powers would do and decides to go on a crime spree, looting fine art first.

So Flash eventually turns up in the future and has only an hour to find the bomb. But he gets distracted when he sees that there is a speedster criminal in town. He finds Professor Zoom really quickly but has to strain as he isn’t quite as fast. He almost gets him when Professor Zooms suddenly ignites his jet pack!! Yes, despite having super speed, good old Zoom decided he needed that extra boost that can only be provided by ‘twin portable electro-rockets’. But Barry has a few tricks of his own and follows Zoom’s invisible super speed molecule trail.

Then they fight! But Professor Zoom suffers from new villain syndrome and thus boasts about how he made the suit friction proof. Cause it is different from how Barry is friction proof he can use it to his advantage. Turns out that Professor Zoom is not as heat proof as he thought and with Barry pushing him faster he eventually overheats and submits. Barry then strips him and hands him over to the police. Ok so you don’t actually see that, but he says that is what he is going to do.
And with a few seconds to spare, the Flash finds the bomb and explodes it where it harms no-one saving the day yet again before returning to his own time.