Speed Force #1: A Disturbance

As part of the relatively new Dawn of DC initiative, Jarrett Williams and Daniele Di Nicuolo come together to write a series about the Speed Force, the entity that gives speedster heroes, like the Flash, the power to run at their impossible speeds. It played a noteworthy role in the CW’s series, always loomed in comics, and is now getting it’s own series.

The story begins with Wallace West, the current Kid Flash, Avery Ho, the Flash of China, and Connor Kent, a.k.a. Superboy, spending some time together playing videogames. While the three of them go at it, Kid Flash narrates, saying a day like this is what they need and that the superhero lifestyle never comes to an end. Through all his dialogue, Wallace bests both Avery and Connor at their game. The three of them banter for a bit before Connor takes off as he has responsibilities at home he’s in charge of.

Before Avery and Wallace can go back to their game, they are alerted of suspicious occurrences in a couple laboratories. They don their suits, with Kid Flash bearing the classic yellow and red costume and Avery being fitted in purple and yellow. The two look around a lab, until Wallace points out a computer monitor that depicts the events from Flash #1, where Central City was being attacked by an army of gorillas. It clicks then that the disturbances in the lab, along with the events from the Flash series, must be connected.

Avery suggests getting more members of the Flash family to help but Wallace argues against that, saying this is a perfect opportunity to show their team leaders what they are capable of doing. Avery agrees.

On the hunt for a mysterious energy, the two start running around Central City. Within due time, they feel the energy intensify and two speedsters known as Mas y Menos (more and less in English) make themselves known. One of them has a cell phone strapped to their arm, with what we can assume is music playing.

The two identical speedsters run past Wallace and Avery, initiating a chase. As they chase them down and get closer, they begin throwing punches and kicks. The two main characters go to punch both of them at the same time, only to run at them and end up within the minds of Mas y Menos. Inside their minds is a quick flashback to the two boys playing soccer, and as the two heroes try to save their friends, Mas y Menos disappear.

Left dumbfounded, the two return to Star Labs only to be met by Mister Terrific and Cadence, a university lecturer. It’s after a couple introductions which Wally asks about the disappearances of a couple scientists.

In an unknown place, the panels now switch over to Mas y Menos running on treadmills in a laboratory full of scientists wearing red and white outfits, and most notably, red headphones with a music note symbol on their chests. It’s then revealed that Music Meister in behind this all, running a new group called Symphonee.

Daniele Di Nicuolo’s art fits the comic book perfectly as the characters are young, energetic, and fun, which fits in right with the art style that is supposed to make these characters really pop out to the reader. The characters, having to represent young people, do a fantastic job, copying their slang. but can seem a bit too juvenile at times, especially when looking at what’s going on in Wally West’s own adventure in the Flash series at the same time.