The Flash #1: I’m Pickin’ Up Dark Vibrations

Fans of the previous Flash run beware, this is something entirely new and different. The Flash #1 picks up in the ongoing Dawn of DC continuity while directly building off of what Jeremy Adams had set up before. Wally and Linda have welcomed their second child, Waid, to the world, Wally now works for Mister Terrific, and life appears to be all well and good… right? Well, not so much. Without giving away too many of their secrets right off the bat, Si Spurrier and Mike Deodato Jr. use Flash #1 to send the scarlet speedster into a new era filled with action, drama, and cosmic horror.

One aspect of this book that is going to be divisive amongst the Flash fan base is the way that Spurrier leaves a lot of this story open ended. A whole lot happens in this introductory issue, with much of it serving as vague warnings rather than a concrete foundation. The book opens with a sequence in which Max Mercury and Impulse discover some kind of imperfection and problem within the Speed Force, kicking off a series of events throughout this issue that raise a lot of questions. It’s hard to tell what Spurrier is going for here, but one thing is for certain, the cosmic horror tone is nailed immediately. As the plot unravels, it becomes clear that Wally has been having some issues with the Speed Force, and much like Max Mercury, he has heard voices and warnings. This, coupled with the premonition-like behavior from Gorilla Grodd really generates an uneasy feeling that permeates throughout the issue. There’s absolutely no question that this is all deliberate, but where does that leave the reader?

While these tones of unease and high concept science fiction make this new start feel fresh, the execution seems to be jumping the gun. Spurrier chooses to introduce a lot of concepts here, some of which are clearly part of the mystery, and others seem like they are missing much needed context. For starters, the idea that Wally has been having some weird interactions with the Speed Force exists throughout the entire issue, but instead of feeling like a new idea, it feels like there should have been an issue or two before this that established a lot of what’s going on. Yes, there was that little stinger at the end of Flash #800, but this issue feels like a lot has happened between then and now that readers aren’t made privy to. Regardless of tone, Flash #1 feels like the middle of a story rather than the beginning.

Outside of the plot, there is a lot to celebrate with the way Spurrier uses prose throughout the issue. The way he describes Wally’s sensations within the Speed Force genuinely captures the otherworldly nature of it, giving it a unique feeling that has never been truly touched on before. Whereas Joshua Williamson helped redefine the nature of the Speed Force during his run, Spurrier seems to be touching on how exactly it interacts with the characters it gives power to. This poetic way of writing enhances the tone and story in a thoughtful way, almost excusing the confusing plot elements.

The highlight of this book has to be the page layouts from Deodato Jr. The panels are often displayed in a grid-like format which highlights the chaos and unpredictability of characters that live their lives at speeds readers would never be able to comprehend. This uneven grid also helps create that uneasy tone, enhancing the cosmic horror elements that exude from every page. This is The Flash like you’ve never seen The Flash before, truly encompassing what it means to be a part of this world. 

Another way Deodato Jr. enhances the tone of this book is through the use of deep, dark inks, which help give off a film-like quality. Much like movies that are actually made on physical film, the blacks are deep and true, adding another level of complexity to the shadows and outlines surrounding the characters. This also makes the colors from Trish Mulvihill pop out even more, giving everything a highly contrastingly vibrant tone. This contrast adds to the sense of dread, building upon the strange and unusual story being told. Overall, the art for this is truly remarkable, and definitely something readers have not seen from a Flash series.

Rounding off the creative team here is letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, who is genuinely put to work in this introductory issue. The unique panel layout gives Otsmane-Elhaoua a lot of room to really play with the lettering, a task he takes on in spades. Almost every page contains something unique, whether it’s the handwritten diary of Irey, or the narration and inner thoughts from Wally. This all makes the issue a ton of fun to read, especially the way that he angles certain narration boxes to mimicking the movements The Flash makes. Otsmane-Elhaou goes in a completely non-traditional direction that, while being a risky choice, proves to be strongly engaging and truly enhances the content on every page.

Just to touch briefly on this book’s status within the Dawn of DC, this issue seems to be taking a different approach than the other entries. Whereas the creators behind the Dawn of DC’s Superman, Unstoppable Doom Patrol, and Wonder Woman are using their titular character’s familiar history to craft a story that feels both classic and modern, The Flash feels more like a hard left turn from anything that’s been done before. This creative team does an excellent job in carrying over many of the plot elements from the previous run, but its overall tone and makeup make it fully wholly different. This also seems to be conflicting with Wally’s role in Titans, the flagship team book of this publishing line. This issue paints a life for Wally that shows him to be much too busy to even fully understand his wife’s postpartum depression, let alone someone who has time to balance a job, family, his own city, and DC’s premier superhero team. It will be definitely interesting to see if this is just the woes of first-issue-set-up or something that will be explored later throughout the series.