Story Title: Full Throttle
Reviewed by: Mathan “I miss Max Mercury” Erhardt
Written by: Marc Guggenheim
Layouts: Andy Kuhn
Finishes: Ron Adrian
Inked by: Art Thibert
Lettered by: Pat Brosseau
Colored by: Richard & Tanya Horie
Editor: Joan Hilty
The issue begins with Robin and Bart having a conversation. It appears that Robin is interested in having Bart rejoin the Titans. The call happens to take place while Bart is battling a new crook in L.A., who has happened to have adopted the name Impluse. Bart makes short work of the crook before he finds a strange device at the crime scene.
Bart tries to look it over quickly before he’s set to go on a double date with Val in Keystone. On the date Bart suspects that Val has told her friend about his identity. After the date Bart and Val have a spirited conversation in the parking lot.
Back in L.A. Bart attends class at the police academy, briefly before a disturbance calls for an evacuation. Apparently Steppenwolf, Darkseid’s uncle has come to claim the device that Bart found, and put in his locker.
Bart manages to hold his own for a spell, but he’s vastly overpowered by his opponent. On the verge of being beaten, he’s rescued by the cavalry. Later Bart calls Robin and while pondering who saved his hide, declines returning to the Titans.
First off, Guggenheim does a great job of jumping onto this much maligned title. He makes it fun read and even better Bart actually sounds like the Bart Allen that fans have grown to love. Bart’s conversations, with Val and with Robin, are some of the highlights of the issue as they both ring very true to the character and to the ear. He also gets points for using Steppenwolf.
In terms of art, it’s great to have a uniform look throughout the issue. The team also manages to really convey speed very well. And the fight between Bart and Steppenwolf looks equally great. When the cavalry arrives it’s a great moment that’s rendered perfectly. And that cover is amazing, with each of Bart’s incarnations looking just perfect.
