Wally doesn't know, but he's damn well going to try, even at the risk of becoming once again lost in the Speed Force.
And that's it for the story this issue, but there's a lot of meat on those bones courtesy of writer Dan Abnett and penciller Brett Booth. Wally's race to save his best friends results in one of the best insights into what it means to be not just a speedster, but this speedster, since Bill Loebs' classic Flash #54.
Along the way we have more from clap-happy technomage Kadabra on how he removed Wally from the DC Universe, hope for those of us dying to see Linda and Wally back together, and we get one step closer to the return of my favourite superhero team.
Abnett's script is as sharp as anything he's ever written, but it's penciller Booth, inker Norm Rapmund and colourist Andrew Dalhouse who steal the show. Abnett's script invites them to go full-on with the super-speed pyrotechnics and they rise to the challenge. Booth's compositions are his tightest yet, Rapmund adds extra definition and depth, while Dalhouse provides the light show. It's three talented creators showing us what synergy means. This page, with panels combining to give us a Flash lightning bolt, is especially effective.
The artists also do a fine job with the cover, I like the non-obvious choice of an upside-down Wally. And Mike Choi's variant is just delightful.
I realise Wally's return to the DCU is powering this first arc, but I hope Abnett and Booth are planning similar showcases for the other Titans. This series started with a bang and I suspect it's only going to get better.
Yeah, as much as I enjoyed this at first 'Wally West With Cameos By The Titans' is not my idea of a good book. Heck, I never was much of a fan of Wally to begin with. The worst part for me was what a great showcase the new Arsenal had with Red Hood was canceled so he could stand behind Wally saying one or two lines a book. I won't even get started on the wholesale dial backs on Omen and Wonder Girl that don't make sense and have yet to be explained...
ReplyDeleteLilith being a version of Omen again, in the worst costume this side of New 52 Raven, is depressing, I hope she can go back to being the mini-skirted go-go dancer or whatever. Why CAN'T there be heroes who just don't feel comfortable in Spandex or robes?
ReplyDeleteI'm OK with Wally getting a big focus as he's running (sorry) the storyline, but definitely, answers as to why Donna is more traditional would be nice. I've been assuming it's all down to Wally's presence and memories tweaking the world, but elucidation would be great.
I think this is a really great example of how slow storylines in monthlies can seem when compared to the bi-weeklies. This opening storyline has taken up the same amount of issues as the first Batman, Detective, or Action Comics stories, but it feels like it's crawling. I think the monthlies are probably better off telling 2- and 3-parters, and linking them together if they want to go bigger.
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