If you thought the stakes couldn’t get higher for Wally West, Absolute Flash #10 proves you wrong. Jeff Lemire and the art team deliver a blisteringly paced issue that balances a Rogue’s civil war with a family reunion that goes horribly wrong.
The story picks up with high tension at Fort Fox. Elenore is doubling down on her mission, revealing that her work with Barry Allen wasn’t just a science project but a higher calling connected to the Still Point and her grandfather’s legacy. She claims Barry died after the doorway to this other world snapped shut, but she’s convinced she can reopen it using Wally.
Outside the base, all hell breaks loose. The Rogues are fighting each other, with Heat Wave launching a terrifying assault on his former teammates, specifically hurting Golden Glider. The sheer power coming off Rory is enough to make the other characters question if the temperature just spiked, spoiler alert: it did. Meanwhile, the emotional core of the issue is Wally’s infiltration of the facility. Accompanied by his monkey companion, Grodd, Wally is desperately searching for his father. What he finds is a figure we’ve been expecting for some time now, leading to a bone-chilling realization that Wally has walked straight into a trap; luckily, help is right around the corner.
Writing, Art, and Colors
Lemire does a fantastic job of splitting the narrative without losing momentum. The transition from the chaotic, fiery battle outside to the cold, sterile, and creepy laboratory inside creates a palpable sense of dread. The villain twist is also executed well; you can feel Wally’s confusion and desperation when visions of “Barry” start to glitch in and out of the panels.
Nick Robles and Adriano Lucas continue to do great work, though there is a noticeable drop in the visual depth of the characters’ faces in some panels. Regardless, the visual storytelling during Mick Rory’s attack is stunning. You can practically feel the heat radiating off the page as Rory battles the Rogues. The colors shift to intense, suffocating reds and oranges that contrast sharply with the cooler, eerier tones of the laboratory scenes.
One highlight that continues to delight is the depiction of speed and impact. When Wally runs, the artwork becomes kinetic and jagged. The panel where the skeletal energy figure screams “THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE” is terrifying, visually distinct, and screams danger. Finally, Tom Napolitano’s lettering deserves a nod for helping distinguish the chaotic voice of the villain from the desperate cries of Wally.
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Critique & Verdict
Absolute Flash #10 closes one door and blows another open. While that shocking reveal raises the stakes for the upcoming ‘Flash World’ arc, the series is starting to tread water with its slow progression.
‘Absolute Flash’ #10 Rogues Civil War & A Family Reunion From Hell
Absolute Flash #10 closes one door and blows another open. While that shocking reveal raises the stakes for the upcoming ‘Flash World’ arc, the series is starting to tread water with its slow progression.
