The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #5
DC Comics
Writers: Danny Bilson and Paul Demeo
Penciller: Ron Adrian
Inkers: Alex Lei & Rob Lea
Colorists: Richard and Tanya Horie
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
The restart of this title with a new hero in the leading role hasn’t been working out. Despite the OYL gap, none of the characterization, action, or dialogue have felt up to par. Combine that out of left field writing style with art that initially leaned far too heavily on the Image 1990’s school (little background details, lots of metal and power effects, not many unique facial details) and this book couldn’t have gotten to a worse start. Though it is still in its initial arc, very little has improved. This review will seek to determine whether this title’s condition is terminal.
This issue, the fifth, centers around the new hero of Keystone’s apparent disintegration. The city’s new darling, the Griffin, also Bart’s roommate, is being eaten alive by his newfound superpowers and is either going loopy as a side effect or is getting more envious and petty as all he has gained starts to slip away. That’s well enough. It never hurts to have a jerk force his way into the life of the hero to force the protagonist to grow up a little. The Griffin just seems so one-dimensional that it’s a hollow victory. Combine that with the subplot about Bart’s new love interest and this whole arc feels done to death. Cyborg even guest stars to give Bart a lecture on fear, much like Max Mercury did for Wally West in The Return of Barry Allen. It’s just not original or innovative enough to stir much interest, except for the reveal of another villain near the end of the issue, which was more shocking than sensible.
To be fair, the art has improved quite a bit since the beginning of the new series. There are actual credible backgrounds. The familiar characters look like themselves. The word balloons are pointing at the right people. But even this laudable improvement comes with a couple of questions. First, did we have to almost double the number of people working on the book to make it bearable? There are two inkers and colorists on this one issue. Second, did the more realistic and less generic style have to include an on-panel torture scene? That just seems a bit too over the top for a book still trying to find itself, or for that matter an audience.
The book might be righting itself. There is actual excitement and a few surprises in this issue. But the protagonist isn’t anywhere near ready to be the Flash, and there’s no way for this not to be a let down. So, this title is either marking time until the end of 52 and the return of his mentor, or it’s an unworthy successor that needs to refocus its energies in another more credible and fresh way.
