The Flash #33 – Ryan North, Writer; Gavin Guidry, Artist; Adriano Lucas, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Ryan North has gained a reputation for being one of the best weird-science guys in the whole industry, and that makes him a perfect fit for Flash. He knows how to explore the weirder sides of his powers, while also packing a ton of action and humor. Flash is literally racing against time this issue, as a nuke is set to go off in the city and he only knows via one of the strange flash-forwards he’s been having (nicknamed his “Flashes of Insight”). The only person who can help him is Captain Cold, back to his classic rogue characterization and ready to work with his enemy for the greater good. These two are a lot of fun together, and I love the little detail that if Flash pulls someone into his speed aura, they can exist in a sort of “super-speed bubble” that allows them to feed off the Flash’s power. That leads to a race to defuse the bomb with only seconds to go – stretched out to oblivion.
Captain Cold and Flash make a great crime-fighting duo, and these scenes often feel like an 80s buddy comedy. But when the crisis is over, Flash is fired up – someone tried to destroy his city, and the explanation for why it happened is one of the most cynical and petty things I’ve seen in a while. It’s actually a fairly brilliant development – a villain willing to sacrifice the lives of millions solely for his own bottom line, assuming that the chaos will cover up what he stands to gain from it. Amid all the class-warfare comics right now, a common theme, this was one of the best-executed. And once it’s done and our villain faces justice, Flash is able to breathe for the first time in this run. As things get back to normal, he tries to explore his new superpowers a bit more – and hits on a reveal that changes everything. Depending on how this plays out, it could be a huge evolution for the way Flash operates, and North has me very excited for more.
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