Flash – Fastest Man Alive #1

I’ll say this right here and now: after reading Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1 from DC Digital, I’m starting a petition to get Gail Simone writing the regular Flash comic. That’s not to knock regular writer Josh Williamson, but there’s something so perfectly, flawlessly, fun about this story, that it’s a can’t-lose prospect.

To wit: the Flash is the fastest man alive, sure, but what happens when he’s put in a situation when his speed does no good? A sinking cruise ship is a Superman problem, not a Flash problem. What’s a superhero to do? Like all of DC’s Digital First offerings, this tale takes place outside of continuity, so calling the JLA isn’t an option. This is a bare-bones, new reader-friendly take on the Fastest Man Alive, but there’s a more than enough fun, twists, and turns that seasoned fans will enjoy it as well.

This being outside of continuity, fans will quickly recognize that the African-American iteration of Iris West is being utilized, presumably for ease of identification for fans of the CW’s Flash show. This has absolutely no bearing on the story, mind you, but there will undoubtedly be a noisy contingent of “fans” who take umbrage with this change in everyone’s favorite Flash Girl Friday. These people are morons. Iris, especially in artist Clayton Henry’s hands, is brave, drop-dead beautiful, smart, and intuitive. And she is every bit the perfect match for Barry Allen as she would be in her “classic” iteration. Writer Gail Simone has a natural grasp on the dynamics of her relationship with Barry, and their interplay and banter is perfect without being overly cute.

As for the plot, it’s a real zinger. The addition of Simone-favorite doofy villain King Shark is the icing on the cake, especially when it comes to the twist at the end. Taking the Flash out of his normal element and forcing him to use his brain instead of his speed shows that Simone understands that Barry Allen’s real superpower is his brain. The only real downer is that it’s only sixteen pages. Calling DC, give me more!