The Flash #755 Review
Written by: Joshua Williamson
Pencilled by: Rafa Sandoval
Inked by: Jordi Tarragona
Colors by: Arif Prianto
Lettered by: Steve Wands
Published by: DC Comics
The end of the “Flash Age” is here and Paradox is more powerful than ever. Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne have teamed up to take down this foe and save the multiverse. But, their inability to agree on a proper course of action may cost not only them, but everyone.
This is the final showdown of an arc that has pitted the Flash against a compelling and intimidating threat. The last issue showed how the unlikely team of Flash and Reverse-Flash could jeopardize their goal of defeating Paradox by not agreeing on how to accomplish it. This issue hinges a lot on the question of Thawne’s loyalty and ability to compromise his plans to take down Paradox in a way that Barry condones of. This poses an interesting question. Since Barry is obviously the heroic character and Thawne is the villainous one, it should be no question who should be correct. But, Eobard’s idea to deal with Paradox is an interesting one. He wants to take the “baby Hitler” approach and kill Paradox before he becomes a threat. And, in the last issue, he seemed to have an opening. The moral and ethical problems with that course of action are apparent. But, with the grand scale of the threat (the fate of the entire multiverse), you could see how Thawne’s plan might have been a safer bet. He was literally a step away from executing it (and Paradox) and saving everything.
But Barry chose to not let his new partner compromise him. And, that heroic choice ended up proving fruitful. The triumph of this comic is a well earned one and Barry finally gets reunited with Iris. But, just as safety is restored, we are quickly shown the next threat. Barry has just finished a fight that took him through his history and now that history is catching up with him again. With one shocking page, we are shown that the “Legion of Zoom” is upon us (bad guys, but a great name).
The facial expressions in this issue were very interesting, all the way to the last sinister smirk. The art team, for the most part, has returned from the last issue where I praised the art. The depth that the coloring and the great shadows add to the illustrations are still apparent in this issue. The palette is also a great mood setter for the issue. The mega powered-up Paradox was an impressive sight. I enjoyed the first page not only for it’s writing but for the varied headshots of people affected by the Flash. Flash, Reverse-Flash, Godspeed, and Paradox all get plenty of panels of them delivering dialogue, and those great facial expressions made you feel their emotions and attitudes. There are some monumental visuals in this comic. One is a wonderful shot the trio of speedsters returning to Central City. But the show-stealer is undoubtedly the full-page shocker that shows things are far from over for Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne.
This is a great conclusion to what turned into a really good chapter in the Flash's adventures. The villain was shown to be near-unstoppable, needing an unexpected team-up to attempt to take it down. The escalation of this arc reached its peak in this issue. And it wraps it up while also beginning an even crazier situation. Joshua Williamson adds his own flair with characters like Godspeed and Paradox, but it’s the use of the Flash’s history that makes his stories compelling. The struggles Barry face resonate because of how core they are to his experiences, and the one coming up next is the most timeless and personal of all threats.
Pencilled by: Rafa Sandoval
Inked by: Jordi Tarragona
Colors by: Arif Prianto
Lettered by: Steve Wands
Published by: DC Comics
The end of the “Flash Age” is here and Paradox is more powerful than ever. Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne have teamed up to take down this foe and save the multiverse. But, their inability to agree on a proper course of action may cost not only them, but everyone.
This is the final showdown of an arc that has pitted the Flash against a compelling and intimidating threat. The last issue showed how the unlikely team of Flash and Reverse-Flash could jeopardize their goal of defeating Paradox by not agreeing on how to accomplish it. This issue hinges a lot on the question of Thawne’s loyalty and ability to compromise his plans to take down Paradox in a way that Barry condones of. This poses an interesting question. Since Barry is obviously the heroic character and Thawne is the villainous one, it should be no question who should be correct. But, Eobard’s idea to deal with Paradox is an interesting one. He wants to take the “baby Hitler” approach and kill Paradox before he becomes a threat. And, in the last issue, he seemed to have an opening. The moral and ethical problems with that course of action are apparent. But, with the grand scale of the threat (the fate of the entire multiverse), you could see how Thawne’s plan might have been a safer bet. He was literally a step away from executing it (and Paradox) and saving everything.
But Barry chose to not let his new partner compromise him. And, that heroic choice ended up proving fruitful. The triumph of this comic is a well earned one and Barry finally gets reunited with Iris. But, just as safety is restored, we are quickly shown the next threat. Barry has just finished a fight that took him through his history and now that history is catching up with him again. With one shocking page, we are shown that the “Legion of Zoom” is upon us (bad guys, but a great name).
The facial expressions in this issue were very interesting, all the way to the last sinister smirk. The art team, for the most part, has returned from the last issue where I praised the art. The depth that the coloring and the great shadows add to the illustrations are still apparent in this issue. The palette is also a great mood setter for the issue. The mega powered-up Paradox was an impressive sight. I enjoyed the first page not only for it’s writing but for the varied headshots of people affected by the Flash. Flash, Reverse-Flash, Godspeed, and Paradox all get plenty of panels of them delivering dialogue, and those great facial expressions made you feel their emotions and attitudes. There are some monumental visuals in this comic. One is a wonderful shot the trio of speedsters returning to Central City. But the show-stealer is undoubtedly the full-page shocker that shows things are far from over for Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne.
This is a great conclusion to what turned into a really good chapter in the Flash's adventures. The villain was shown to be near-unstoppable, needing an unexpected team-up to attempt to take it down. The escalation of this arc reached its peak in this issue. And it wraps it up while also beginning an even crazier situation. Joshua Williamson adds his own flair with characters like Godspeed and Paradox, but it’s the use of the Flash’s history that makes his stories compelling. The struggles Barry face resonate because of how core they are to his experiences, and the one coming up next is the most timeless and personal of all threats.
A Look Inside
