The Flash #799 – Jeremy Adams, Writer; Fernando Pasarin/Oclair Albert/Wade Von Grawbadger, Tom Derenick, Artists; Matt Herms, Pete Pantazis, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Jeremy Adams is bringing the curtain down on his Flash run with the next issue, and this final arc has been a perfect testament to just why this run is so beloved. When we last left off, Wade West was born—only to be immediately kidnapped by Granny Goodness, who intends to train him as one of her child soldiers. Wally sets off for the stars, joined by a motley crew of Kid Flash, Mister Terrific, Hourman, Gold Beetle—and as of the cliffhanger, Wally’s bizarre space wrestling buddy Omega Bam Man. Not exactly what you’d call a crack assault team, especially once Gold Beetle and Omega Bam Man start playing off each other. But it’s good enough to get them to Apokalips, where the team goes up against an insane barrage of guards including a giant ape and a killer robot, before breaking through to Granny’s inner sanctum and being met with her collection of superpowered child soldiers.
Granny Goodness has long been one of the absolute worst villains in DC’s stable—utterly monstrous, maybe even more so than Darkseid, and with a particular zeal for preying on children. It’s pretty clear that while Wally always tries to help his villains, here he’s filled with barely contained rage as he pursues her and tries to rescue not just his son, but the other kid warriors. It’s great to see Adams remember that Wally is the fastest member of the Flash family and the only one to truly master the Speed Force, as he pulls off the impossible. There’s also a crazy twist towards the end for one supporting character, one that I really hope will be followed up on next issue or in a future project. The ending has a melancholy edge, but one done so much better than what another comic did with a similar plot device this week. This was the perfect appetizer to next month’s mega-sized finish.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
