FLASH #15

[ FAST PACED BARGAIN ] 

The mind is a very powerful thing. It's sprightly yet made in Beijing. Just imagine a great ape. Who likes to stay out late. Whilst playing with his ding-a-ling-a-ling. Oh! That reminds me to call the super-fast creative team of Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato, Marcus To, Ryann Winn, and Publisher: DC Comics, in January 2013. Ogga-Ogga!

So what’s the STORY morning glory?

Whilst the Flash lies in a fractured comatose state, dreaming of the future, this third part of 'Gorilla Warfare' sure does ask a number of very intriguing questions. Such as:

• Where does Gorilla Grodd travel to, to recharge his batteries?
• How will Patty react to knowing Barry's true identity?
• What the hell are Solovar and the rest of the apes hiding from society?
• What in Wally's name does Iris's brother, Daniel, have to do with anything?
• Will Turbine be able to turn things around?
• If I had five bananas, and a monkey took three of them, would that equal five bananas and one dead monkey?

To be answered just as soon as the Flash wakes up...

What is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

With hand on my heart, there was a lot of good reading in this issue. Barry's monologue. Patty's monologue. And most of the monkey-talk too. But the stand out for me has to be the rhyme Patty said to Barry whilst he was sleeping...

'Spiders here. Spiders there. Spiders even in your hair. Cool breeze. Tight squeeze. Now you've got the shiveries'.

What can I say? I'm a right sucker for a poem.  

What was the BEST thing about this issue?

Apart from the dream sequence -- which I'll come to later -- I did like how this tale was perversely structured. It started off with most of the main players. It then segwayed into a plethora of interconnecting plot-threads. And finally, it concluded with the aforementioned dream sequence.

All in all, a somewhat free-flowing and easy reading tale.

What was the WORST thing about this issue?

Well, if I'm going to be honest about it, I'm not entirely sure if the worst thing about this issue has anything to do with this issue. You see, I was slightly taken back that Patty knew Barry and the Flash were one and the same person, because this fact wasn't illustrated clearly enough in the previous installment. So when I read her say this to herself in the opening monologue, I thought to myself "What? I didn't know she knew that!".

In my opinion this was too abrupt for a 'lead in' piece of dialogue; although this is merely a slight gripe in hindsight.  

What was the most INNOVATIVE thing about this issue?

Now has anybody seen a sequence like that last one illustrated in this book before? I haven't! It was one of the most engaging pieces of sequential art I've ploughed through in ages. My God! It even took me by surprise that it's ended when it did, plus that the title page was depicted one page from the end.

Bravo Frances and Brian. Once again you've manages to make me like this title more than I already do.  

If you had to CAST TWO CHARACTERS in this comic book, who would they be and why?

PATTY: To conclude this months' plant-based casting-call, dear reader, I think it best that I cast this blond haired angel as a 'Butter Cup'. They're both yellow. Cute. And somewhat whimsical to boot.

TURBINE: As for this windy character on the other hand -- well -- I've run out of ideas. Ka-put. Finito. Zilch. So why not cast him as a Turbine Plant? Ha!

What WORD or PHRASE could you use to sum-up this story?

'Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions'. -- Edgar Cayce

If this issue were a MOVIE, an OBJECT, or a piece of MUSIC, what would that be and why? 

Whenever I think of the words 'dream' and 'monkeys', I can't help but think of this song sung by 'The Monkees' -- Daydream Believer.

Appropriate, huh?

FINAL thoughts...

Now I'm not sure if you have read this yet, but DC's balding-boss, Dan Didididdididooo, has alluded to the fact that Wally might return sometime this year. Personally speaking, I'd love this to be true. That way us 'West fans' can finally see our buddy back on a book again.

However, whilst saying that, how will Wally return? Will he be a much younger version of himself? Will he be written into DCnU continuity as a new or long forgotten character? How will his appearance affect the current state of play with Barry and his kin? Plus will he be 'a Flash' or something else entirely?

Ouch! Bloody hell! Too many questions! Plus I hope that it's this existing creative team -- of Brian and Francis -- that gets to do the answering. Honesty. They do a stellar job on this book -- making what was once old new again -- and I'm sure they can do the same thing for Wally too.

MARKS out of 10? 9