The Flash #213 Review

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Reviewer: Paul Sebert
Story Title: Slow Motion

Written by: Geoff Johns
Penciled by: Howard Porter
Inked by: Livesay
Lettered by: Patt Brosseau
Colored by: James Sinclair
Editors: Harvey Richards, Joey Cavalieri
Publisher: DC Comics

For a story entitled “Slow Motion” the latest issue of The Flash certainly has a heck of a lot going on. The story picks up as after last mont’s spotlight issue on Mirror Master, we see a confrontation between the villain and Captain Cold. It seems not all is well within the current incarnation of the rogues. Meanwhile, Wally West finds himself confronted by his former friends, Police Detectives Fred Chyre and Jared Morillo over the recent car accident that put Ashley Zolomon in the hospital. Elsewhere we see a meeting between Heatwave and Captain Boomerang, who cryptically drops some hints regarding Identity Crisis.

That’s a heck of a lot of stuff going on for just one issue and we still haven’t gotten on to the main plot. This issue marks the return of href=http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/images/master.jpg>The Turtle a villain who made his first appearance fighting Jay Garrick way back in All Flash Comics #45 in 1945. There’s been numerous incarnations of the character over the years, ranging from a methodically planning crime lord, to an armored gimmick villain during the silver age, but alas The Turtle never made it into the upper echelon of The Flas’s Rogues.

Now the original Turtle is back, and well time combined with a very long stretch in Iron Heights haven’t exactly been kind to the man. That said, Johns has given “The Slowest Man Alive” a nifty twist, power and concept wise making him a certifiable menace to the Scarlet Speedster. I won’t spoil the exact nature of this overhaul, but it’s one of those revamps that’s so logical you have to wonder just why nobody’s ever thought of it before.

All in all this was a pretty solid, little issue of the Flash. Geoff Johns keeps things moving very quickly, zipping along among all the various plot points at a lightning speed. Howard Porte’s pencils give The Turtle, along with the Flas’s other Rogues an appropriately gritty look in stark contrast to the titular superhero.