THE FLASH:  THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE #4

Lightning In A Bottle, Part Four:  Fast In The Life Lane

November 2006

Written by Danny Bilson & Paul Demeo

Pencils by Ken Lashley & Sal Velluto

Inks by Walden Wong, Art Thibert, Jay Leisten

Cover by Ken Lashley & Art Thibert

Synopsis

While the Griffin manages to save the CEO of Keystone Motors, he does so by killing the bomber, much to the dismay of Jay Garrick.  The next day, the CEO presents the Griffin with a check fro a hundred thousand dollars.  That night, Griffin and Bart Allen go out for a night on the town, which is seen by Val Lopez.  However, Bart is uninterested in partying with Griffin, who himself loses interest when he notices his looking eerily like an old man’s.  At STAR Labs, Dr. McGee determines that the speed force is not gone from Bart Allen; he is the speed force.  She wants to start new tests with Val’s help, but Val runs out of the lab.  Bart follows and she tells him that she has been fired because her father is Manfred Mota, also a mortal enemy of the Flash.  Bart still likes her and he runs her home.  Later, Jay Garrick is in the middle of stopping two drive-by shooters when the Griffin intervenes, nearly killing the shooters.  Jay is upset, but Griffin could care less.  At Griffin’s apartment, Bart expresses his distaste at Griffin’s actions, prompting Griffin to angrily attack, Bart out the window.  On the way down, Bart changes into the Flash and rushes back up, determined to stop Griffin.  Meanwhile, at home Val goes to answer the door, only to find her father!

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

What exactly is going on with Ken Lashley’s work that requires such a multitude of inkers on each and every issue?  I had hoped that with the guest artists on last issue that a stable inker would appear with Lashley, but with this issue there are now three inkers as well as an additional penciller!  I think part of the problem with the quality of these issues is due, in part, by the rotating art team.  The art is uneven throughout this issue, making the reading experience less the enjoyable, and I will assume it is because there are the proverbial too many cooks in the kitchen.  There needs to be some stability to this book. 

The art aside, while the story may not be all the original or different, it is working well and providing a good place to get Bart back into the kid that we remember from his days as Kid Flash.  He went from a happy-go-lucky kid before the crisis to a somber, reflective man after the crisis, mostly because he witnessed the death of his mentor and friend in the Speed Force.  Much of the change, I think, to becoming what he was will probably be the result of his relationship with Val, much like Iris was to Barry or Linda was to Wally.  The only problem I have with that development is that right now the relationship seems defined more by plot needs rather than seeming natural.  I really hope their love is seen in the comic and that it evolves on the pages.  I would like to feel like they love each other rather than being told they love each other. 

The other aspect of the plot is the turning of Griffin from would be hero to would be villain, a switch that is interesting in its execution even if it is predictable.  There is still no explanation for the change in the Griffin, although I suspect the Speed Force may be involved in same manner.  Regardless of the reason, the way his new powers are sapping his life and turning him into an old man, is intriguing because I fully expected Griffin to remain a villain in the DCU.  Yet, this change in him suggests that perhaps his role will be short lived.  This, however, may not be a bad idea as it will give the writers a chance to then reintroduce the plethora of Flash rogues, which ahs always been a strength of this series.

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