Tag: zoomy comics

The death of Eobard Thawne

24th Mar 2016 · Leave a comment ·

The Final Return of the Reverse Flash part 4.

This is the end of Eobard’s run in the
classic comics (1963 – 1983). The other 3 parts can be found here: PART 1, PART 2, PART 3.

The Flash issue 324 – The Slayer and the Slain

This issue starts with Wally West (aka Kid Flash) saving a
baby whilst on his way to Barry Allen’s (aka the Flash) wedding to Fiona Webb.
However despite being late, it hasn’t started yet because Barry is missing.
Fiona is understandably upset.

Barry is actually busy chasing Zoomy (Eobard Thawne aka Reverse
Flash/Professor Zoom) across a desert. Zoomy has Barry in a choke hold and
starts to monologue about why he’s pissed at him. Basically he didn’t like
being trapped in a hell dimension for 4 years. Barry breaks free and they fight
whilst Zoomy continues to waffle on about how epic this battle is and how much
he hates Barry.

Back at the wedding people are speculating about where Barry
is. Fiona is crying. Wally wants to find Barry as he thinks he is in danger, because
he wouldn’t miss his wedding otherwise, but the Guardian stops him. He did
promise Barry that he wouldn’t let anyone help in his fight against Zoomy.

Meanwhile the two speedsters are now up a snowy mountain.
Using his speed sculpting technique Zoomy creates a bust of Iris in the snow
and then proceeds to taunt Barry about her. Yes, Zoomy killed her cause she
turned down his proposal but he does like to go on about how lovely she was.
They fight more, Zoomy continues to taunt Barry. Despite the whole villain
talking to much thing I actually like that he monologues all this stuff, it
gives a good insight into how he sees the world, situation and Barry. They
really hate each other, and Zoomy derives a lot of perverse pleasure in
torturing him.

So the battle continues and the two speedsters end up on a
beach, where Barry has to save people from a tidal wave caused by Zoomy. Then
they end up in space due to hanging on to a rocket. And finally another beach
where Zoomy has left the message that the game is over and that he is going to
kill Fiona.

People at the wedding are still waiting. The police can’t
find Barry and Fiona is getting annoyed by this point, all heart broken and humiliated.
So as it’s been over an hour of waiting she walks out. She bumps into the
wedding photographer outside as she’s stopped to cry some more. She believes
that this was deliberate and that Barry never planned to marry her.

Just at that moment Zoomy turns up but an enraged Barry is
not far behind. He reaches for Zoomy and gets him in a choke hold. Thinking he’s
knocked him out he tries to comfort Fiona but she is very upset, not caring if
she lives or dies. It would be good to remember that this is a woman who lost
her last husband only a few months ago and has been through a lot of hardships.

People rush out of the church and a doctor inspects Zoomy
only to find his neck snapped. Yep, that is the end of Eobard Thawne in the
classic comics. Barry Allen snapped his neck whilst saving Fiona, killing him
outright. I’m going to write one last
review to sum up the end of this plot and series of comics.

The final return of the Reverse Flash part 3

7th Mar 2016 · Leave a comment ·

This is the beginning of the end of Eobard’s run in the classic comics (1963 – 1983). The next part is here PART 4 and the previous 2 parts can be found here; PART 1 & PART 2.

The Flash issue 323 – Run Flash, run for your wife

This issue starts with Firestorm bitching to Wonder Woman about Barry Allen (aka the Flash) having not confided in him about getting married. I guess someone was sore that they didn’t get an invite. Wonder Woman reminds him that their civilian lives are private and that they should just be happy for Barry. That it is a good thing as it means he has moved on from Iris’s tragic death. And so he apparently has the Justice Leagues blessing, though I doubt he needs it.

Barry himself just about makes it in time to get ready for the wedding having nearly forgotten the rings. His dad is happy for him but his mom still prefers Iris. Barry is unaware of all this and is busily admiring his reflection when suddenly one of the Guardians appears in his mirror. The Guardian waffles on about stuff but basically he’s here to confirm that Zoomy (Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom/Reverse Flash) has indeed returned. Barry starts lamenting that his first wife’s murderer is free and decides to go after him. The Guardian offers to send a Green Lantern to help but Barry makes him swear not to interfere, wanting to settle this score himself. And so he runs out on his wedding to track down Zoomy, rather than sensibly wait for him to turn up.

Barry goes to the Flash museum to look for clues as to Zoomy’s whereabouts. He is so angry that he can’t bear to look at Zoomy’s statue and thus smashes it. This reveals a recoded voice message. Seems that from his dimensional trap, Zoomy has been watching everything that Barry has been up to these last four years. Ironically he is a little pissed that Barry has gotten over Iris’s death, claiming that although Fiona is nice she doesn’t do it for him like Iris did. A furious Barry goes rushing off to find Zoomy, swearing revenge etc.

Meanwhile, everyone both superhero and not, is turning up for Barry’s wedding. Everyone except Barry it seems.

Barry works out that Zoomy is at his and Iris’s first house. As they fight in the house the new owners turn up only to see the house pretty much explode. I kinda feel sorry for them. Anyway, Zoomy bemoans the state that they’ve left the house in, claiming Iris would be upset and that he did offer for them to fight outside. Barry is pretty much just a ball of red anger at this point and the more Zoomy mentions Iris, the worse he gets.

In fact it is so bad that he is now over an hour late for his wedding, leaving a sobbing Fiona at the altar.

The final return of the Reverse Flash! part 2

21st Feb 2016 · Leave a comment ·

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.

The final return of the Reverse Flash! part 1

22nd Jan 2016 · Leave a comment ·

This is the begining of the end of Eobard’s run in the classic comics (1963 – 1983). The following parts are here; is PART 2 and PART 3 and PART 4

The Flash issue 321 – Hell in the fast lane

This is yet another issue that isn’t Zoomy (Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom/Reverse Flash) centric BUT it does set up a load of plot for the next lot of comics that he is in. So it’s going to be a quick review, but it will help understand future issues.

It’s been 4 years since Zoomy murdered Iris, wife of Barry Allen aka the Flash. The fight that ensued left Zoomy hurtling back in time to the point of creation whilst Barry escaped, leaving him for dead. Barry however isn’t sleeping well, his nights plagued by nightmares. But this isn’t guilt over Zoomy, no, this is guilt over Iris because Barry has fallen in love again. In a previous comic Barry helped a woman called Fiona Webb whose husband turned out to be a villain and ended up dead. Now he finds himself drawn to and falling for Fiona, but he feels like he is betraying Iris.

The plot of this comic is that an assassin called Sabre-Tooth has broken out from jail. He is instantly hired by a man who wants to take out a hit against Barry Allen. Barry was the scientist who presented the forensic evidence that got the man’s brother put away for life.

So Barry is with Fiona at the cemetery, each visiting their dead exes, when Sabre-tooth catches up with him. Barry goes to get something from his car and is nearly killed by heat seeking missiles. Due to being the Flash Barry escapes and goes to hunt down the assassin. He doesn’t find him though. Fiona thinks that Barry was dead and is very relieved when he returns. This whole incident puts things into prospective for them and they confess their feelings for each other.

Meanwhile a Green Lantern, Tomar-Re, has turned up with a message for the Flash but he crashed at a farm outside central. He is busy having pancakes with the family instead of delivering the message. Turns out that his ring got broken and so he’s going to have to try and engineer something by hand and find Barry the old fashioned way.

Far away in space and time in some hellish colourful dimension a very familiar speedster is trying to escape. Having cycled through millions of vibrational frequencies, he might finally be close to finding the one that will get him out of there and back to reality.

Next we get a quick mini story about thieves stealing from a graveyard only to be stopped by the Flash. They wonder why he was there but he was visiting Iris. He needed to clear his conscience as he has decided to ask Fiona to marry him. I know he is the Flash but that is fast!

Sabre-tooth finds out that Barry is alive and thus swears to kill him the next day.
And finally Zoomy has found the right frequency and manages to escape the hell dimension, vowing revenge on Barry.

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 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.