The Flash #9 Review: Kid Flash Of Two Worlds

The Wally Wests of the current DC Universe meet for the very first time in The Flash #9.

DC Comics released The Flash #9 this past Wednesday. It was a standalone tale featuring the first meeting of the two Wally Wests, with some small DC Rebirth references mixed in.

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The issue was written by Joshua Williamson (Birthright) with art by Jorge Corona, colors by Ivan Plascencia and letters by Steve Wands. Carmine Di Giandomenico provided the cover, based off the iconic “Flash of Two Worlds” cover from The Flash #123 by the legendary Carmine Infantino. Dave Johnson supplied the open order variant cover.

Before getting into the crux of the issue, let’s just take a moment to acknowledge the creators’ using the first meeting of the Wally Wests to pay homage to the classic The Flash #123. That issue marked the first meeting of the two Flashes, Barry Allen and the original Flash Jay Garrick, in a story called “Flash of Two Worlds.” It also marked the creation of Earth 2 and the DC Multiverse. All of which is still very relevant in the midst of the DC Universe Rebirth mystery. So, kudos, creators and editors.

Wally, Meet Wally

The majority of the issue focuses on the new Kid Flash and his training as a superhero. Both Flashes (Yes, that’s right, Wally West goes by “The Flash” too. No, not that Wally West, the other one.) lend lessons to the budding speedster, but one cannot help but notice that adult Wally seems better suited for the task. This is despite the fact that he puts over how great a mentor Barry was to him.

Barry starts off well-enough. He tries to get young Wally to think smarter when using his speed. However, Barry randomly has a Speed Force attack which causes him to see visions of the future, get taunted by Zoom and have an all around hissy fit.

It is adult Wally who goes and comforts young Wally when Barry’s behavior upsets him. Flash Wally also shows Kid Flash a cool Speed Force trick, rather than lecturing him, as Barry did earlier. Much like in DC Universe: Rebirth #1, the scenes with Flash Wally West have an emotional component that resonates with the other characters, as well as the reader in a way that is missing from many of DC’s current characters.

While on the topic of Kid Flash, re-introducing Chunk to The Flash supporting cast as young Wally’s friend was a nice touch. The character was often a prominent part of pre-Flashpoint Wally West’s cast, so is a welcome return.

Rebirth Answers Cometh … Eventually

The solicitation for The Flash #9 stated that the issue would continue The Flashes’ investigation into the events from DC Universe: Rebirth #1. Even if the solicit did not say it, fan expectation would certainly call for significant Rebirth development when the two Flashes next met up. However, the issue delivered very little in this respect.

Yes, there is a single panel which instills hope for the eventual course of the DC Universe. A panel that is uniquely appropriate for an issue that is reflective of the original “Flash of Two Worlds” story. But, that is all the Rebirth story progression this issue offers.

Well, okay, Barry does reveal how he intends to catch those responsible for manipulating the timeline he had already manipulated, but sought to restore—eventually the culprits will come back. That’s right. The big plan of The Fastest Man Alive, who also just happens to be a crime scene investigator and partially responsible for this mess is to … wait it out.

Fans have waited months to see what The Flash intends to do to resolve the great catastrophe that he set in motion only to get to wait some more. And therein lies the problem with the supposed two year plan DC Comics has laid out for the Rebirth storyline.

Four months in and it clearly seems like the story does not have the legs to run that long (pun probably intended). The effect is that the narrative is gradually becoming more and more shoddy, and the characters forced to spin their wheels looking all the more incompetent or disinterested.

If the characters do not feel like this mystery requires their attention, while should readers care? This is all beginning to feel a lot like J.J. Abrams launching Lost and then leaving it to the other writers to work out the rest of the story. And we all know how that ended. Well, no, actually, we do not all know how that ended.

Corona’s Art Not a Fit

Jorge Corona’s style, overall, is a bit too cartoonish for a traditional superhero book like The Flash. The characters look goofy rather than heroic. His inks are also a bit heavy-handed and, in turn, Ivan Plascencia utilizes a muted color palette, liberal with shadows, which is not what one would expect for a book with such vibrantly colored costumes like this one.

Speaking of the costumes, Corona’s work is just one more example that the New 52 era of costume design does not translate well across a multitude of artistic styles. The excessive lines and color breaks make for awkward, rather than iconic looks for these characters.

Corona also overuses the lightning effect for The Flash’s powers. Worse yet, it looks more like a swirling mist rather than lightning. While the lightning was used to compelling effect when Barry initially turned angry, it seemed like more of a crutch in other instances.

One thing that Corona’s ‘toonish style excels at is conveying emotion. While it lacks subtlety, one never has to question what any given character is feeling or need to try to interpret some facial expression. It is all right there on the page, which provides a smoother reading experience.

Concept for a New Series

While the obvious choices for spin-offs are certainly the Wallys, there was a throwaway line here that exudes a lot of potential for another. When making an excuse to tend to an emergency as The Flash, Barry blurts out that he has to work on cold cases.

The Flash: Cold Cases could be a compelling series with a heavier focus on Barry’s work as a CSI. It would be a great showcase for his professional skills, as well as a platform to enrich the history of Central City and beyond. Perhaps even provide opportunity for frequent team-ups with Ralph and Sue Dibny.

The Flash #9 offers some emotional moments for its co-stars, but little in terms of Rebirth progression or flashy art. The Flash Wally West steals his scenes and instantly ups the family factor for The Flash mythos. The issue is now available in digital and print formats. To find a comics retailer near you, use the Comic Shop Locator. Next up for The Flash and Kid Flash is a battle against The Shade in the Shadowlands, less than two weeks away.