FLASH #42

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When I was a young lad, my Mummy and Daddy told me that when I got older I'd be able to do what Robert, Van, and Brett did to this story. DC Comics published it in July, 2015. And yes! That's correct. They did sneak it into Russia during the cold war.

To QUOTE Anyone Who Lives In A Busy Household: 'Families, eh? Who'll have 'em?'.

THE REVIEW:

On the whole I'd say this issue of the Flash was a pretty nifty adventure. As per usual, Brett Booth has surpassed himself in the art stakes -- and done so by illustrating a comic full of very cartoonish yet emotional panels I thought were way above his usual best. And while I'm at it, a big shout out also goes to both Van and Robert in the story stakes too -- mainly for developing a multi-stranded narrative chock full of character, substance, and pathos.

Well, the way I see it, the basic crux of this comic centers on a man who's in denial: A man that goes by the name of the Flash. Now at the start of this story, he obviously doesn't want to believe that his father broke out of prison on his own accord, but rather, was kidnapped by a number of felons who did. Yet as we all know, by the time this story eventually comes to an end, surprise-surprise, the Flash finally flips on this matter by three hundred and sixty degrees.

Now don't get me wrong. We don't only get some character progression where Barry's concerned. On top of that, we also get a great scene where the villain Girder goes home to see his nutty old grandma (bless her unmentionables). Then in another chilling sequence we get to see how the Reverse Flash forces Henry Allen to do something against his free will (Let's just say, Bang-Bang! Ops! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that). Where as in another evolving part of this adventure there's our lovely Iris, who (kiss-kiss), fills Barry in on what Wally and herself are getting up to in their home and work lives (Vroom-Vroom! Flash-Snoop).

OK. So as you can most probably tell from what I've already written, I don't really want to divulge too much or else I may spoil the details depicted in this drama. That said, there was something which was implied in it that I do want to expand upon, and that something has to do with Henry Allen's past relationship with the Reverse Flash.

Now, in one scene, our sinister speedster said that Henry was once a pacifist, and would never raise a finger to act out his aggression. But wait a minute! How did he know that, eh? How did the Reverse Flash know that without being friendly with him in some previous capacity? Could RF be a family member perhaps? Could he be an old work colleague? Or better yet, could he, Henry, and Henry's dearly departed wife, (RIP), be associated together via another character, Captain Frye? Who does mention the word family quite a lot around Barry, implying that he has something to hide.

Anyway. I just thought I get that off of my chest. And now that I have, I can firmly say that more or less this was a very good issue of the Flash. Despite having a fairly episodic approach to its conceptual structure, some great artwork and a suspenseful story-line puts this slight nag at bay, one hundred percent.  

THE MUSIC:

As I said up above, the basic thrust of this comic book all evolves around a man who wants to believe in the goodness of his father. So, when I put it in those terms, how could I not musically match it up to the Cole Porter and Marilyn Monroe jazz-ballad, "My Heart Belongs to Daddy".

THE COMPARISON:

As I've already done the whole Father and Son analogy to death in this review, how about me comparing it to a magnet instead? And why would I want to do that, you may ask? Well, simple really. Like the concept of family, as well as a certain metal based villain, a magnet can either draw people together, or push them apart.

Think about it.

  

THE CONCLUSION:

Now without giving too much away, at the end of this adventure the Reverse Flash leads the Flash to a fairly intriguing destination. So just for... -- get on with it -- let's see if you can guess where that destination is out of the following eight options? Because could it be...

1. 742 Evergreen Terrace: Where people go to see the Simpson's.
2. Buckingham Palace: Where people go to see the Queen.
3. The Amityville House: Where people go to scream and scream.
4. A Strip Club: Where people go to dance naked and eat ice-cream.  
5. Barry's Parental Homestead: Lean, bean, scene, and clean.
6. The Playboy Mansion: Where people see Hugh Hefner and his teeth gleam.  
7. The White House: Where people see politicians who like to scheme.
8. The middle of the Atlantic: Where people get to see the Gulf Stream.

Nuff said.