THE FLASH #235

The Wild Wests, Part Five:  Headlong

February 2008

Written by Mark Waid

Pencils by Freddie E. Williams II

Inks by Freddie E. Williams II

Cover by Manuel Garcia

Synopsis

Wally West (aka The Flash), along with Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Black Lightning prepare to enter the Keystone City river, which will take them to the homeworld of the alien invaders.  When they get there, they are immediately surrounded and attacked.  The heroes fight back.  After awhile, Wally realizes they were fighting illusions.  Wally returns to Keystone, where he finds the aliens have already taken over the city.  Wally runs home to warn his family, but learns his son Jai has gone out to fight the aliens.  Wally goes after his son, furious that he would risk his life.  Jai tells his father that he knows he may die soon because of his unstable DNA.  Wally tells him that he just wants to make sure Jai and Iris live a long life, but if this is what Jai wants, then the two can work together to save the city.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Again, I suppose I Should preface this review by stating I like the current direction Waid has taken the character, so I am already predisposed to enjoying this issue.  And, I do like it, especially the ending conversation between Wally and Jai, as Wally accepts and respects the heavy burden that Jai has placed on himself (by not telling his sister).

As a father of two children, I understand perfectly the state of mind that Wally is in during this issue and, indeed, since he returned to the DC universe.  When you become a new father, you indeed do worry.  It becomes your state of mind, always thinking of your kids, always finding ways to make their lives better and to protect them from anything that can harm them.  Because of that, you tend to be short-tempered and snappy and often times rushing from one thing to another, just so you won’t be occupied when your kids need you.  And for Wally, all of that is amplified like a million times more.  So, yeah, I get what Waid was trying to (and successfully) accomplish.  I also like the fact that John Stewart brought Wally’s change to his attention and Wally admitted that he had changed.  This awareness is important because as much as I like the change to Wally’s family, the one thing that should not change is Wally.  He still needs to be the wise-cracking, light-hearted fun guy, none of which is evident in this issue.  I think it is possible to keep the kids and return Wally to his usual self and if DC doesn’t make that switch soon, they may start losing readers.

THE FAST LIFE,  Part 3 of 4:  Bart

Written by Mark Waid and John Rogers

Art by Doug Braithwaite

Synopsis

On Planet Savorth, Wally West returns, this time as the Flash and with Bart Allen as Impulse, to find that Gorflack has been held hostage by the last remaining alien invader that had been banished to the swamps.  With the help of S’kidds’kakoth, who has been genetically engineered to run as fast the Flash, Wally and Bart race to save Gorflack, but not before the alien transports home, also genetically altered:  like the aliens that just invaded Keystone City.

Review

I should have seen it coming.  I should have realized that these back-up tales are leading into the first story arc.  Thinking about it now, it makes sense.  As for the rest of the back-up, it is as good as the previous tales, with some great comedic moments from Impulse, once again showing how much of a blunder it was to kill him. 

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