Wednesday, August 24, 2016

The Flash #5 Review

Speedy Delivery

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Felipe Watanabe, Andrew Currie, Delair Albert, Ivan Plasencia and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: August 24, 2016

In general, I have been a fan of Josh Williamson's Flash so far, but I really want this whole Godspeed reveal to happen and happen fast!  Is it August?  Is it Carver?  Is it Meena?  Is it Eric Shea?  My money is on the latter, but I guess that only time will tell.  Williamson is playing the waiting game and I will admit that I am getting a bit impatient.  So, does this issue give us the big reveal?  Let's find out...

The issue opens with a little Meena backstory and I have to admit, it threw me off a bit.  It seems to me that the only reason that Joshua would give us a refresher course on the Flash's new gal is that she is Godspeed or is in a whole lotta trouble.

After the history lesson is over, we see Barry and Meena enjoying a sunset in Bali and I really do like seeing Barry get to relax a bit.  The guy deserves it and he really seems to be in a good place right now. 

Afterwards, Barry goes to meet Iris for breakfast, while Meena heads off to the STAR LABS Speed Force Center.  Williamson continues showing a happy Barry who is suddenly on time for the first time in his life and stops just short of gushing to Iris about his new love. Speaking of which, Meena is at the Center when she senses a Speedster outside.  It's Wally West and that makes me smile.

It's about time Williamson gets Wally in the mix and while he tries to tell Meena he has no connection to the Speed Force, she knows better.  Alright, we're going to get to see Wally train with the other Speedsters at the Center, right?  Wrong!  Meena is going to train him herself and goes as far as calling herself Wally's partner.  Okay, this felt off.  Why would she go through this much trouble just for Wally?  I smell a rat and it is really stinking up the joint!

After Wally shows Meena that he can go all (Speed) Force Lightning, there is an emergency and the two new partners rush off to save some in trouble window washers.  It's a cool way to show that the two already work well together, but again, it feels rushed and odd.

We then get a scene that we haven't seen much of lately...Barry at work.  While Singh seems ready to fire Barry, it's August Heart to the rescue!  August has been kicking ass at work, even with his secret second life, and has requested that Barry help him on his newest case.

It doesn't last long as we see that the Center has become the site of an attack and even get to see the big bad.  Can you guess who it is?  Avery runs off to get the Flash, but by the time August, Avery and himself get back to the Center, it is in ruins.  The issue ends with Flash wondering what the hell happened and where his new gal pal has gotten off to.

This was an good issue of Flash, but Williamson has been forcing the story along a bit lately and this issue it's Meena and Wally.  That whole part just felt out of nowhere and I hope that it was suppose to make us not trust her because I am right there.  I know that we see some things that say otherwise, but I still think she is involved.  Other than that, Williamson is moving ahead at a snail's pace and until the last couple of pages, not a whole lot goes on in this issue.

I liked Felipe Watanabe's art, but with each new artist on this book, we are getting further and further away from Carmine Di Giandomenico's series defining look.  I know that I bitched and moaned about Carmine's work when Flash started up again with Rebirth, but if I admit I was wrong, can we please get him back?  I was wrong!  Do you hear me DC???

Bits and Pieces:

Joshua Williamson continues his slow burn Godspeed story, but the forced nature of relationships in this book is starting to bring me down.  The issue ends with a pretty emotional and heart wrenching cliffhanger, but after so many issues, I want to knwo what's going on and move forward with it.  Is that too much to ask?  I think not!!!



  1. I agree with your score. I just started reading Flash with Rebirth and and it hasn't been as satisfying as I want. Lucky for me your reviews help me understand what is happening (that is actually how I first found your site during New52).

    As soon as Barry told Meena his identity, you figure she is either going to die or go bad. Which is a shame IMO because it would be really cool to have a female speedster character for a while.

    I haven't read Titans yet this week, but I am also curious why Barry never mentions the other Wally since he basically brought him back into the universe? When he went to see Iris at the cafe I was half hoping it was Wally he was going to meet.

    I guess next week is the conclusion and we find out Godspeed's identity, I hope it is worth the wait!

  2. I thought/hoped it was Wally as well!!! Yea, I don't think Meena will be around much longer!

    I really was upset about how forced the Meena and Wally "partnership" was. It just felt like setup for something crazy next issue. I guess we will see and I am with you...The Godspeed reveal better be worth it!!!

  3. I guess this is set up week? I did enjoy this issue more than #4. The pacing seemed better to me. After #4, Flash was on my "one more shot till your dropped" list and I enjoyed the character moments here enough to pick up #6. Bound to get some answers next time, right? I'm a bit worried that #6 will be a rush of story, though. Maybe they shouldn't have spent so much time recapping the Rebirth Special at the beginning of this run and an issue like this wouldn't feel like so much fluff? I don't know. Maybe I'm talking myself out of liking this issue as I type. Maybe I don't know what I want anymore? Why is a comic about the fastest man alive so damn slow? Do I want a Big Mac meal or a Double QP? Maybe I should just stop reading comics and save for retirement.

    1. First off, double QP all the way!!! I think we will get a rush job next issue, but if it ties it all up, I'll be fine with it. The beginning recap did hamper things imo, but now everything has stalled. The pacing of the entire series is off.

  4. Jim,

    I agree with you on so many points on your review. However I must disagree on your score. I also have to side on the fact that this art is really great. I really like the line work by this group. It feels less like Carmen's Manga like style and more like a comic book superhero style. I see a little bit of Mark Bagley's style in the superhero rendering. It also feel the backgrounds have a style similar to what Sean Murphy does with giving the larger scenes a seens of scope.

    As for the story I have to say the pacing was really good for a "Penultimate issue." I have to say it has been interesting to feel the ANTICIPAAAAAATION for the identy of "Godspeed". If I have a vote I think it's a future version on the Black Wally West. I think it is a way for them to get rid of this Wally and bring the old Wally back into the book in a few months. I mean hes' the other fastest man alive and could be in two books. Titans and Flash. But that's just my thought. The only thing I've found in this story that is a beating a dead horse is August's persistant "Barry you need to do your day job."

    I feel as though the whole relationship with Meena is just background drama like you see in a typical tv drama and that it's just a Mcguffin to make us think the main bad dude is Meena. We all know that Barry and Iris go togther like Tony and Tweety, R2 and C3po, Lois and Clark. So you know that Meena and Barry's days are number.

    My score is closer to a 7.5 or 8 and I am really looking forwar to next issue.

    1. This wally will be leaving soon to join teen titans, so maybe it is a play off the whole Bar Tor deal where he is a villain in the future...but he's killed guys which seems harsh here. If it is that, melena is involved in turning him to the dark side...why she is training him on the sly.

      I hope the reveal is good.

    2. New thought as to the identity of Godspeed. August's dead brother. Did we see a body? Maybe he didn't die per say. Maybe he merged with the speed force and came out of it warped and evil? If there was a body maybe it was time echo.

  5. One of Eric's theories...he also thinks itmight be his brothers killer which would explain why evidence keeps getting destroyed and why august was attacked?

  6. It's August, he steals speed force which enables him to split and be in two places at the same time. Good theory on Godspeed being his brother.

  7. I liked the Brady Bunch-esq feel to the training montage with Wally. I’m really glad we got to see Godspeed in this issue, even if it was at the end. The fact that he was intangible was really cool. I knew that Avery would be one of the only ones to survive the attack because they gave her a last name. I am curious what happened to Meena considering all the other Speedsters are dead and Meena lost her clothes.