The Flash #1

Is Barry outrunning death again already?

The Review!
This issue is called "Deus Ex Machina" because the story it tells right up until page seventeen follows a fairly standard and predictable plot. The foreshadowing is less like a shadow and more like a spotlight. But then all of that story is thrown away so that The Flash doesn't learn the lesson he almost learned when the deus ex machina blasts down from the sky and saves the day. In a way, it's like seventeen pages that didn't need to happen! What happens on page eighteen could have happened on page four, really. I suppose the supporting cast of this comic book had to be introduced. That's what all the middle pages were really about. Williamson does to himself this issue what he did to Ron Marz on Voodoo! He took the narrative, set it on fire, pissed on the ashes, and started an entirely new narrative! Is that his go-to move? I suppose it works fair enough here although I'm a bit concerned about more Flash stories featuring multiple speedsters. Have we not had enough of that yet? I just hope time travel doesn't get wedged in here as well.

The Commentary!
This story arc is called "Lightning Strikes Twice" which isn't any kind of pun as far as I can tell. This actual issue is called "Deus Ex Machina" which might be a pun if I knew how to pronounce it. Maybe it's a play on "Day of Sex Mocking, Eh"? Is that a thing? Maybe a holiday in Canada?

The story begins several years ago when Barry was struck by lightning and doused in CSI chemicals. That's probably because DC's editors demanded Williamson remind the readers how Barry Allen became The Flash. You don't want all the speculators confused when they pick up this comic book simply because it has a #1 on the cover. Although do speculators actually read the comic books they buy? Also do people still purchase comic books as an investment? If so, I have a suggestion! Pick up any independent book written or drawn by somebody whose last name ends in "-man". It totally pays off! Or it has at least twice with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Walking Dead. And two is a pattern! Unless two is just a coincidence.

Now that Flash has been Rebirthed, he can't stop explicating his life through constant narration. Hopefully that'll clear up when he has supporting characters to speak with. August, who was there when Barry was struck by lightning, is one of the first supporting characters to help stem the narration box flood. He must be important since he was added to Barry's origin. He'll probably be the person who the lightning decides to strike twice on Day of Mocking Sex, Eh?

Not An Intern Anymore Kristen is another character being introduced to Barry's work team. She'll probably be important because somebody has to be put in the fridge to get Barry's emotions going.

After checking out the crime scene for about two minutes (just enough time to introduce his coworkers), Barry remembers he needs to introduce Iris and Wally to all of the new readers too!

"Oh Barry! You do things differently than I think you should! So wrong!"

Iris's advice just happens to be pertinent to Barry's life about ten seconds into the future. Two catastrophes take place at once in Central City and instead of being "Oh! This is just like that thing Iris said that I agreed with! I should concentrate on doing my best in one situation and letting other professionals handle the reast!" he's all, "I'll save all of the days!" One of the days that needs to be saved is August's and his STAR Lab transport he's supposed to be protecting. Some gang wearing the same symbol as a symbol that was linked to August's brother's murder years ago are trying to rob STAR Labs. So I may have been wrong about which person was going to wind up in the fridge. I just assumed it would be the female character because that's such a tradition. But it looks like it might be August so that Barry can kick himself for, once again, spreading himself too thin.

Barry runs to the fire first because it's closer because that will give August time to get into a situation where he'll die, probably right when Flash arrives so he can witness it and feel terrible pain from refrigeration.

Whoops!

August isn't killed by the bullet which is okay even though that was my prediction. It was a good prediction and it followed logically based on how stories are always told the same way. But what actually happens was my first prediction so it's okay that my second prediction was wrong because my second prediction doesn't really exist in a world where my first prediction is correct. Understand? So instead of being killed, August is struck by lightning. And since August didn't wind up in the fridge, Kristen should be shitting herself.

So now August is a speedster too! And the copy at the end of the issue says that the storm is just getting started. I bet Kristen is relieved to read that! She'll probably be struck next issue!