The Flash #29: Saving the Speed Force

The Flash #29 continues the current arc tied to the DC K.O. event, spotlighting a team-up between Wally West’s Flash and Bart Allen (Impulse) as they race through the past to prevent the Legion of Darkseid from erasing the Speed Force and replacing it with the Omega Force.

One of the most interesting aspects of this issue is how it redefines the role of tie-ins in major DC events. Traditionally, tie-ins are brief one-or two-issue stories that provide supplemental details to the main event. In contrast, this Flash arc is a full-fledged, multi-issue storyline that can almost stand on its own. This approach is a refreshing change of pace, making the tie-in feel meaningful rather than obligatory.

This issue picks up after DC K.O.’s “Fight Month,” where the main event paused to showcase individual battles across the bracket. For Flash fans, that fight featured Jay Garrick versus Guy Gardner. Unlike most fight-month issues, the previous Flash installment still advanced the tie-in plot with Wally and Impulse, leading directly into this chapter where they race to ensure Barry Allen’s origin unfolds as it should. Thankfully, this issue keeps that momentum going, delivering an action-packed yet deeply personal story with some exciting reveals.

A central tension in this issue is the ticking clock for Impulse, who is on the brink of death due to his intrinsic link to the Speed Force. The story establishes that if the Speed Force dies, so does Impulse, giving this sci-fi-heavy narrative real emotional stakes. What follows is classic Flash storytelling, with writers Mark Waid and Christopher Cantwell pulling out all the stops, weaving DC lore and continuity into clever twists. This exploration isn’t limited to the Flash family; the Legion also gets some intriguing development despite being under Darkseid’s control.

The issue closes with a major reveal for Impulse that could have lasting consequences for his character. Without spoiling specifics, the twist ties directly to his connection with the Speed Force, a plot thread conspicuously absent from previous arcs under the prior creative team, despite their heavy focus on the Speed Force’s nature. As its original architect, Mark Waid is the perfect writer to expand and, in some ways, streamline its mythology, making this reveal both satisfying and exciting.