The Flash 2024 Annual #1 – Simon Spurrier, Writer; Scott Koblish, Amancan Nahuelpan, George Kambadais, Tom Derenick, Artists; Marissa Louise, Lee Loughridge, Matt Herms, Colorists
Ray – 7/10
Ray: The transformation of Flash into a cosmic horror book dripping with existential ennui has been one of the biggest risks DC has taken in a long time, especially coming off the sunny, Silver Age-inspired Jeremy Adams run, which retconned many of the black clouds following Wally West. But the happy days are over, as Wally is plagued both by a complex and deteriorating home life and by a group of cosmic entities using him as a plaything. That’s never been clearer than in this issue, which follows Wally as he catapults around beyond time and space, while his family and friends continue to search for him—and discuss if maybe, it’s better if they don’t find him. This is also a jam issue, one that features four different artists covering the different timelines, dimensions, and characters that make up the issue. Visually, it works quite well, but the story is a more complicated issue.
There’s an interesting plot device this issue that brings all the characters together. As Irey, Jai, Ace and Avery, and Linda (who is currently being investigated by Amanda Waller) go about their own plots, Wally bip-bops in and out of reality at the worst possible moment, seeing their doubts about him and about the role of the Flash in the world. That sends him into a spiral, which makes him easier prey for the strange cosmic entities he encounters. But a mysterious woman he encounters in the world beyond worlds offers him an anchor point. There are also a surprising number of villains in this issue—two major Flash villains, as well as a major DC villain, all play a role. It’s certainly clever and ambitious, but overall I’m not sure it works when it comes to moving Wally’s story forward. It seems to be dragging him down even further, if anything, and leaves me wondering what the larger plan is for this run.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
