The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #2
Jul. 19th, 2006 05:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shankie::jumps up and down for a while::
Lightning In a Bottle, Part Two: Origins.
The artwork is, again, fantastic. Lashley owns my soul right now for getting everyone so damned right-looking. I really adore the way Bart looks in every single panel, no matter what age or uniform, he looks like the Bart we're starting to get to know.
This series is going to rock. I can feel it.
The first few lines... just got me.
No chemical bath. No lightning. The speed was my inheritance, from my grandfather Barry, and my father Don. It was in my blood... in every cell.
And thusly begins a gorgeous recap of the first years of Bart's life; INCLUDING Max Mercury. He has NOT been retconned, I repeat, Max was still the major influence in Bart's life. I know that was a giant worry for a lot of people, because they had the panel of Jay talking about Bart becoming part of his family. Rest assured, that was just about what happened after Young Justice.
As beautiful as this 21-year-old Bart is, I wish he'd smile more. The Speed Force has turned into something that's threatening to tear him apart, and he doesn't want it. But that isn't the way it works with speedsters; it chooses them. And despite his refusal to accept Jay's advise on that, he's getting there.
He went to S.T.A.R. Labs to try and find a way to get rid of it... as if such a thing was possible... and was given one of Barry's rings, repeatedly telling Valerie Perez, intern and love-interest it seems that he didn't want any of it anymore. Wants a normal life. I suppose who can blame him, right?
But when push comes to shove, he's been a speedster, and a hero, for almost the entirety of his short life so far, and if someone's in danger... that's all it takes for him to put it all aside and run.
There's something very right about watching him put the suit in the ring, facing his destiny like an inescapable truth.
Another great thing about this issue is we finally get to hear from Wally about all this. He recaps his own story, comparing Barry to Bruce as a mentor, what he went through before finally learning what it was to be a hero. As far as I can tell, these sections from the other speedsters are communications through Bart's dreams, advise, speaking right to him.
Wally's advise isn't a pep-talk, which isn't surprising, seeing how much awful he went through as the Flash. Just honesty, as he sees it.
And then, the money shot. A freakin' sweet shot of him unleashing the suit and then FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY Bart, as the Flash, on his way to save the one person that can still put a smile on his face. All determination and fire and I love it.
::bounces around::
I'm not sure how I feel about the actual plot happening in this book so far; his friend, Griffin, has apparently developed speed as a result of the accident that first caused Bart to tap into the Speed Force and attempt an unsuccessful rescue. And angry automotive workers bombing shit left and right.
We'll see, we'll see.
All I know right now is, Bart is the goddamn Flash, and it's awesome.
Lightning In a Bottle, Part Two: Origins.
The artwork is, again, fantastic. Lashley owns my soul right now for getting everyone so damned right-looking. I really adore the way Bart looks in every single panel, no matter what age or uniform, he looks like the Bart we're starting to get to know.
This series is going to rock. I can feel it.
The first few lines... just got me.
No chemical bath. No lightning. The speed was my inheritance, from my grandfather Barry, and my father Don. It was in my blood... in every cell.
And thusly begins a gorgeous recap of the first years of Bart's life; INCLUDING Max Mercury. He has NOT been retconned, I repeat, Max was still the major influence in Bart's life. I know that was a giant worry for a lot of people, because they had the panel of Jay talking about Bart becoming part of his family. Rest assured, that was just about what happened after Young Justice.
As beautiful as this 21-year-old Bart is, I wish he'd smile more. The Speed Force has turned into something that's threatening to tear him apart, and he doesn't want it. But that isn't the way it works with speedsters; it chooses them. And despite his refusal to accept Jay's advise on that, he's getting there.
He went to S.T.A.R. Labs to try and find a way to get rid of it... as if such a thing was possible... and was given one of Barry's rings, repeatedly telling Valerie Perez, intern and love-interest it seems that he didn't want any of it anymore. Wants a normal life. I suppose who can blame him, right?
But when push comes to shove, he's been a speedster, and a hero, for almost the entirety of his short life so far, and if someone's in danger... that's all it takes for him to put it all aside and run.
There's something very right about watching him put the suit in the ring, facing his destiny like an inescapable truth.
Another great thing about this issue is we finally get to hear from Wally about all this. He recaps his own story, comparing Barry to Bruce as a mentor, what he went through before finally learning what it was to be a hero. As far as I can tell, these sections from the other speedsters are communications through Bart's dreams, advise, speaking right to him.
Wally's advise isn't a pep-talk, which isn't surprising, seeing how much awful he went through as the Flash. Just honesty, as he sees it.
And then, the money shot. A freakin' sweet shot of him unleashing the suit and then FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY Bart, as the Flash, on his way to save the one person that can still put a smile on his face. All determination and fire and I love it.
::bounces around::
I'm not sure how I feel about the actual plot happening in this book so far; his friend, Griffin, has apparently developed speed as a result of the accident that first caused Bart to tap into the Speed Force and attempt an unsuccessful rescue. And angry automotive workers bombing shit left and right.
We'll see, we'll see.
All I know right now is, Bart is the goddamn Flash, and it's awesome.
no subject
on 2006-07-19 09:18 pm (UTC)*does the dance of joy because MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!*
no subject
on 2006-07-19 09:20 pm (UTC)Yes, Max! I was concerned for a while there, but yeah. It's good to see him, even in a flashback.
no subject
on 2006-07-19 09:25 pm (UTC)MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!!!!!!!
Sorry, had to.
no subject
on 2006-07-20 07:42 pm (UTC)I'm with you all here. But a part of me feels really... sorry, because I don't know if this is what Bart wants. Him as Flash os just music to my ears, but... still... I have this niggly feeling inside of me saying "but he doesn't want it, so he'll be sad, and that'll make YOU sad, Scarab."
*sigh* s'hard...
no subject
on 2006-07-20 07:45 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-07-21 09:18 pm (UTC)FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY Bart, as the Flash This made me cry a bit as I read it. I mean, damn. I have got to go out and buy this, as soon as I get back to civilization.
I can't wait.