The Flash #24

Reverse-Flash really is a stupid name, isn't it?

The Reverse-Flash story has officially gone on too long now. I am the arbiter of stories that have gone on too long which is why I said "officially" in the previous sentence. Mostly I'm just tired of typing a hyphen every time I have to type his name because the first try usually looks like this: Reverse=Flash. Or this: ReversFlash. That last one is because I hit the backspace instead of the dash. I apparently have no aptitude for typing with the pinky on my right hand. Plus, who gave it control of so many different keys on the keyboard?! It's shouldering so much of the work for such a tiny digit. It's got eleven fucking keys to manage and that's ignoring the Function keys across the top of the keyboard that I never really use. Well, I do use PrtSc occasionally but when I do, I hit it with my index finger. So that doesn't count.

The Flash has currently been dragged back in time to witness Reverse-Flash deal with his daddy issues. Also witnessing this: Reverse-Flash's alter ego, Little Daniel West and his sister, Little Iris. Little Iris and Little Daniel don't take kindly to their father nearly being murdered in front of their eyes, even if he was an incredible shitheel. Aren't the Shitheels a college basketball team?

Apparently going back in time and punching yourself in the stomach causes you to turn into a Werewolf.

The Flash beats Reverse-Flash by making him cry. Then Barry absorbs Daniel's powers, travels back in time, fixes time, travels forward in time, saves the world, and wonders how the fuck he did it all. I think Buccellato and Manapul also decided this story had gone on long enough and just decided to wrap it up in a few crazy double page montages that even The Flash doesn't really understand. Ta-da! Day saved! How? The Speed Force, bitches! It just works!

Iris hugs her brother and he says, "Fuck y'all! I'll change time and keep it changed next time! Which is now! But not really now. Just figuratively now because it's time travel and, well, you know. It gets kind of complicated." Then Iris goes, "My brother is an idiot!" And Dr. Elias screams, "Terror attack! Terror attack!" And The Flash goes, "U.S.A! U.S.A!" And his shadow is like, "Look at me! I'm a lightning bolt!" And Dr. Elias is all, "Let's make Salt Angels!" And the audience laughs and laughs.

Bazinga!

I think Barry has a Patty Party to get to now. Patty looks hot. Not as sexy as Iris in her Flash costume though. I'll miss that.

Afterward, Barry visits Dr. Elias to threaten him because Barry can't stand how he relies on science to figure things out instead of syrupy sentimentality. How dare he trust numbers and not his heart! He'd better fucking stop that or The Flash will put him in jail for Science Crimes!

Also afterward, Iris visits Daniel in jail to show him that she has a healthy relationship with her past even if a lot of it was crappy. She understands that changing the past kills who you are in the present. Maybe Daniel understands that as well. What he's really trying to do is an elaborate form of suicide. He can't stand who he's become and if he's going to kill himself, at least he can give the boy he was another life even at the expense of his sister's happiness. And probably a lot of other people's happiness as well! The scene also shows that Daniel still retains some of his Reverse-Flash powers. So he'll be back! What a shock, eh?

This is why Barry Allen is The Reverse Reverse-Flash!

Too bad for all The New 52 haters out there. Barry is currently against a new Flashpoint! Maybe he'll change his mind later when DC needs another infusion of cash.

The Flash #24 Rating: +2 Ranking. Two years later and the initial run of The Flash is over! It really feels like the various plots up until this point have all sort of tied together to tell one long tale. It's been well told and had gorillas and time travel and an idiot named Mob Rule. Manapul and Buccellato have done one of the best jobs setting up their title hero's world. DC harped on about World Building early on in The New 52 but they fucked up a lot of it by trying to force connections quickly. The Flash's world has a really solid foundation now. A few other titles have also done this well. Scott Snyder's Batman. Williams and Blackman's Batwoman. I think Swamp Thing and Animal Man have as well, although with maybe a few more missteps than the others. Demon Knights and Dial H were killing it on the world building but DC gave up on those titles because comic book fans have no taste. I'm sure there are some others but this ain't no retrospective! It's The Flash commentary, man!