DC Comics’s Absolute Universe is easily one of the best success stories in comic books in a long time. It’s not that the industry hasn’t had major wins over the years, but this is something special. For example, during The Rob Liefeld Show, Robert Kirkman (writer of The Walking Dead and Invincible) talks about how Absolute Batman has helped Image Comics' sales. It makes sense since a consumer may go in for one title, see something interesting, and grab that too.
A hidden jewel in this universe is Absolute Flash. One of the things I love about it is how writer Jeff Lemire seems to always add new characters to DC Comics’ Absolute Universe. For example, other than the main character (Wally West) and the Rogues, readers have seen new versions of Linda Park, Ralph Dibny, Reverse Flash, and Grodd (more on him later). In issue No. 15, additional characters were added to the Absolute Universe, and they’re all major players.
Black Flash
At the beginning of the story, Wally West sees a black entity kill Ralph Dibny. Soon after that, an older version of Wally appears and tells the younger Wally that the entity he saw is death itself, the Black Flash.
DC Comics fans probably immediately recognized that name and its threat to the Flash. For those who don’t, an easy way to describe Black Flash is that, in the Prime Universe, it’s the Death that brings speedsters to the afterlife. We don’t know if that’s the case here, but what we do know is that if Wally doesn’t stop looking for his father, it will be released.
The Scientists
After Wally’s encounter in the future, Linda Park tells him that she’s learned about Star Labs (not S.T.A.R. Labs like on Prime Earth). Apparently, it was a start-up company founded by Barry Allen (who was introduced in Absolute Flash No. 1), Silas Stone, Ray Palmer, and Sam Scudder (DC Comics FCBD All In Special Edition). For those of you who don’t know, in DC Comics’ Prime Universe, Silas Stone is Cyborg’s father, Sam Scudder is Mirror Master, and Ray Palmer is Atom.
At the end of the issue, Ray Palmer is seen via a prerecorded message in his Atom costume. He tells Victor that he needs to stop his research because he (Palmer) found something dark. Ray Palmer is likely Black Flash.
Ray ends his conversation saying that he hopes that Silas finds his son Victor. If something bad happened to Victor, readers may soon see Absolute Cyborg. Knowing the way the Absolute Universe is, it will be something terrifying and creative.
The Suicide Squad?
After their battle in Colorado (Absolute Flash No. 12), the Rogues do the smart thing and lay low. Unfortunately, someone knew where they’d go and contacted them via video call in a briefcase. The person in question is none other than Colonel Rick Flag, who reaches out with a mission and an incentive to accept it.
Rick Flag tells the Rogues that if they complete their mission, their slate will be wiped clean. Digger (Captain Boomerang) says he’s more than ready to kill the target. That’s when Flag explains that it isn’t a normal target. They have to kill Grodd.
The little bit of information given leads me to believe that Flag is creating a version of the Suicide Squad. Flag has run the team before, so the connection makes sense. With that said, if this is the Suicide Squad, that means Absolute Amanda Waller and her brain bombs are around the corner.
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