The Flash, Vol. 2: Until Time Stands Still

The Flash (2023)

by Simon Spurrier, Ramón Pérez (artist), Vasco Georgiev (artist)

Wally West has vanished! With Rogues getting power upgrades, two Flashes under mind-control, and the debut of the deadly Arc Angles (not a typo) and the Crown of Thawnes, the twists of this bold new science-fiction take on the Flash are coming faster than ever! Collects The Flash #7-13 and The Flash 2024 Annual #1.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2024

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambitious and entertaining with a strong focus on family and faith.

[James DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simon Spurrier's second volume is certainly... a choice. I have to respect the ambition; Spurrier really goes for a high-concept, cosmic horror vibe that tries to push the boundaries of what a Flash story can be. And honestly, there are moments where that attempt at something different shines, especially when the wider Flash family steps up to deal with the chaos. However, that's where the praise largely ends for me.

The biggest issue is how incredibly dense this volume is. It feels like you need a a degree in theoretical physics to truly grasp what's going on, and trying to untangle the constantly shifting cosmic threats and paradoxical timelines becomes more of a chore than an engaging read. On top of that, this just doesn't feel like the Wally West I know and love. He's disconnected, influenced by external forces, and lacks the charm and relatability that defines him. For a character-driven reader like myself, that's a major turn-off.

Ultimately, despite its lofty aspirations, "Until Time Stands Still" ends up feeling pretty boring. The high-minded ideas get lost in the impenetrable narrative, and the detachment from its main character makes it hard to care about the stakes. It's a bold swing, but one that largely misses the mark for me. I'm giving it a 2 out of 5 and likely passing on the rest of this run.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much high concept for my little brain. Probably a great idea but I got left on the side of the road anyway.

So they win at the end but I couldn’t explain you how to save my life.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8 stars

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Після важкого старту першого тому, де науково-філософський потік Саймона Спарріера більше плутав, ніж захоплював, була надія, що друга арка зможе намацати ритм і запропонувати щось більш структуроване й читабельне. І хоча «Доки час не зупинився» й справді виглядає як крок уперед, аде це все ж той самий Саймон Спарріер.

У цьому томі Воллі Вест зникає, світ обростає новими загрозами — як-от Арк-Ангели, які намагаються знищити саме джерело часу. Різні Флеші піддаються контролю свідомості, з’являються нові тимчасові вороги і найголовніше любов, яка має врятувати все. Також в гру вступає ще більше дивних концепцій, які важко зрозуміти. Тут все складно, сюрреалістично, подекуди цікаво, але переважно виснажливо.

Другий том читається трохи легше, ніж перший, особливо коли в центрі опиняються емоції, динаміка родини Вестів та теми кохання, провини й прийняття. Попри те, що Воллі майже відсутній, Спарріер доволі вправно розставляє акценти у родині Вестів. Айріс, Баррі, навіть Джей — усі мають свої моменти. Проблема в іншому, ці емоційні арки персонажів просто губляться в павутині складних концептів.

Так, стало цікавіше. Так, є потенціал. Але стиль оповіді Саймона Спарріера не такий легкий бар'єр. У другому томі є і світлі моменти, і вдалі ідеї, але їх потопає химерна структура і надмірна філософія. Це не поганий комікс. Але й не той, який хочеться радити усім. Сподіваюсь, далі буде… простіше.

[Scotts Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to struggle with hard sci-fi concepts, and whilst I managed to keep up better than I have with other writings of this style, I struggled here and there. However the pay off at the end of this brought the score up for me.

At around issue 9 or 10, I was ready to give this book a score of three. But when everything that was introduced from the start of this volume started to slowly click together and make the full picture clearer I really started to get behind what Spurrier was trying to convey.

And then when the "family" dynamic is brought in, I was hooked and happy to see that the classic traits that make a Flash story are still at the root of this arc.

Regarding the art; everything looked great, but there were too many artists. I find it jarring when the art style changes throughout an issue.

[Alex Sarll]

Having already shown that the Flash done as a horror story isn't the terrible idea it sounds like, for a victory lap this proceeds to make satisfying use of a modern DC crossover and then, just to show off, gets into grand theories unifying the cosmic forces of the DC Universe, and still somehow manages not to suck. Hell, it even saved the world with the power of love and family and only had me very slightly sneering. But in the phase before that, where some of the characters are trying to do too many things at once for even speedsters to handle, while others are so numbed by the constant stream of craziness that they simply can't engage anymore, I wondered: just as the original Ultimates retooled superheroes in the wake of 9/11, is this doing something similar with the ongoing firehose of the 2020s?

[Will Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally caught up on this series. Overall, I like Spurrier's take on the Speed Force and it's symbiotic relationship with its users, as well as the message of relationships being the key to pushing back depression. It's a *VERY* slow burn and filled with sci-fi jargon that doesn't totally get explained until 2 thirds of the way through. If you're going to read this story at all, read it in collected editions like this. Reading it in single issues is a much worse experience.

[elef · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm being generous with this rating

[Aidan]

The art change and Absolute Power crossover really drag this down from the moody, creepy, and unique genre story it was in vol 1 to more generic superhero fare. The crossover narrative forces an annoying existential conflict on DC’s “heroes” about whether or not they’re beneficial, a tired self-satisfied moralistic hogwash story Mark Waid’s been doing since Kingdom Come in the 90s, and that once again proves only the detrimental nature of crossovers invading a once good run.

The story here is a lot of sequences where Flash characters either grip their head in pain or curl up in the fetal position or both while caption boxes swirl around them as the over complicated concepts trample any sense of intrigue. The characters feel less distinct with less to do, the conflict and action is visually vague, and the idea of love being an unconquerable, unquantifiable force has been done millions of times in science fiction and fantasy already. It’s at its saccharine, undeveloped, worst here, confusing over-explanation with depth, and reads as a worse version of what Spurrier did quite well with self loathing in Suicide Squad: Blaze.

I still like Spurrier’s writing style, and I’m hoping the next arc will course correct, but I’m pretty close to dropping what for a few issues was my favorite ongoing at DC.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After setting up a lot of intriguing concepts in the first volume, Spurrier unfortunately leans into the weirdness in this closing volume on his run. I think there were simply too many plates spinning for this thing to land successfully.

Notably, there are about a million speedsters caught up in the goofiness going on with the Speed Force, including a band of Linear Men (time cops?) who keep showing up to deliver exposition. The villainous Stillness are revealed to be working at the behest of the Arc Angles (beings beyond our ken) who in turn are trying to destroy a being even further beyond our ken who is the source of time. Like, this being's dreams are "time" in our world. And they've somehow convinced Wally West to do this murder, mostly by making him think everyone hates him.

Yeah. So. The book gets weird. Ultimately, "love" saves the day, though I couldn't tell you why. Some of the intriguing concepts from the first volume continue to intrigue, and Spurrier does a decent job with the dialogue to keep you engaged even as the visuals lean Dali. I appreciate the big swing, though I suspect future Flash series will move away from the whole "investigating the undergirdings of universal constants" thing.

[Raul Reyes · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5
What the hell just happened. The big middle chunk of the book was so boring and really confusing at parts since I didn’t read the first and second volumes back to back, but even after that, the ending was just even more confusing and felt like it came out of nowhere. And, the metaphor (?) if you can even call it that of Wally just trying to be too many people was so clunky, what’s even worse is that Barry explicitly says “I tried to wear the hero, and dad, and idk hat”; trust that your reader has enough intelligence to suss that out. Really, the only reason I’m not giving it 1 star is that I like sci-fi and specifically the Amanda Waller part I though was pretty nicely done. So, thank god that next volume we’re starting a new storyline, because this one was just not it.

[Ilan Preskovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the first volume, I'm really impressed with Spurrier's take on the Flash. I don't think it's perfect, but I've really, really enjoyed what he's done with the book so far. He swings for the fences and goes hard on the sci-fi stuff (and mystical stuff, it was interesting to read this at the same time as I'm finally making my way through Promethea) - but keeps the focus on the characters. And though Wally was sidelined for much of the second trade, I still think Spurrier really has his voice down pretty perfectly. Plus, for all the "cosmic horror", I do love that like Waid's run, the whole 13 issue arc ended up as a love story.

I will say, though, that I can't imagine reading it in single issues: its plot was very convoluted at times, and it did suffer some pacing issues, especially around the first couple issues of this second trade. The annual especially, which was a bit too much exposition for its own good.

As for the art, Ramon Perez is a good artist, but I really don't love the way he draws faces, in general, but most especially when the characters are wearing a cowl. His Bart Allen is especially ugly. I preferred most (though not all) of the fill-in artists. Speaking of, since he filled in on issues in both volumes, I'm pretty wowed by Scott Koblish and am surprised we don't see him working as a penciller very often; he would actually be the perfect artist for this book. Fortunately, Vasco Georgiev looks like he's a good fit for whatever comes next.

There doesn't seem to be much love for this comic out there right now, but I'm genuinely really, really digging it. Its flawed, yes, but kudos to Spurrier for aiming high with The Flash and even giving it quite a bit more substance than your average superhero comic. I'm very glad, though, that I decided to trade wait - even if volume 3 is only due in June!

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

This followup to volume 1 was initially difficult for me to comprehend with a considerable time gap since I read the first book. It expects the reader to keep up with a plot at its midpoint that kicks back off at full sprint, like jumping on a supersonic treadmill set to max speed. Even just a couple of paragraphs of “previously on” in the front of the trade would be a help!

Once I caught up with it, though, I really enjoyed this back half of Spurrier’s initial Flash arc. He continues to offer a complicated but relatable emotional metaphor for feeling like you can’t meet the myriad commitments you’ve made to others and being tempted to withdraw from all of them instead of failing anyone. He grounds all that in wild superhero stakes with a ton of plotting rogues and dimensional craziness, and a heartwarming assist from a bunch of allies. Even without any personal history with these characters, the big emotional climax is a delight and one of my favorite recent moments in a Big 2 ongoing series.

“It’s better to feel anything than nothing. There’s always more wonder around the corner. Sometimes it just—takes a little time.”

“If you learn one thing from all this craziness, let it be Talk To Your Wife, dummy.”

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Spurrier brings his first big Flash story to a close, but unfortunately it doesn't manage to rectify the problems that the first volume had - there are too many people and concepts running around.

I'm used to Spurrier's higher concept stuff, it's what I like about his stories, but just like the first volume's blurb, something's off here. It feels like big, important things like the Crown Of Thawnes should be much more important than they feel, and even when everything finally comes to a head, it does feel like there's something missing. I did like the ultimate conclusion, there's something kind of profund about what Spurrier says about the Speed Force, but it takes a lot of digging to get to it.

The artwork has improved, at least for me personally, with Mike Deodato Jr in the rearview and Ramon Perez and Vasco Georgiev taking over instead - a more straight forward style, if it a little less individual.

[Jamie Revell · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Wally remains lost in increasingly strange planes of existence, the focus moves more to the other members of the Flash Family, struggling to hold the Earth together as it falls prey to reality-bending catastrophes. This inevitably has to be mixed in with DC's latest cross-series arc, but, for once, this doesn't feel especially forced since there's a logical tie-in between that and the effects of Speed Force breaking down that underlie Wally's story.

There's more introspection than combat, with the story getting philosophical in places, which may not be to everyone's taste. Familar Rogues do turn up, although they're arguably less important than usual, and there's some good material with Iris and Linda. A lot of it is big picture stuff with higher dimensions, trippy visuals, and universe-spanning threats, but it manages to hold it all together in a way that's more high-concept than usual for this series.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost TOO metaphysical to be understood...
This gives Grant Morrison stories a run for the money on the 'high concept' spiel...
Break down the speedsters and isolate them until you have one perfect weapon left...
Kill the SpeedForce...
End...time(?)

While setting things up for/during 'Absolute Power', this doesn't get too tied into that event. Waller goes after Terrifi-tech and there's a Flash fight between a Batman powersuit wielding Green Arrow.

Otherwise, we've got....YET ANOTHER revision to the Speed Force mythos. The 'spectrum' of Forces mentioned post 'New 52' is done. Think of it all as one big pool of energy (Force) that everybody can tap into and use to their abilities.

(Now, if they can just ignore the SpeedForce as a problem for, I don't know, at LEAST A YEAR)

======----=========
Bonus: The most unique thing to come out of this is the Crown of Thawnes

[Ángel Javier · Rating 2 out of 5]

El peor Grant Morrison imaginable se llama Simon Spurrier, y ha guionizado la que sin duda es la más nefasta etapa de Flash en décadas. No solo es ilegible, es también espantosamente pretenciosa («Dios va a tener un bebé»... vamos, no me jodas) y, además, un ejercicio de futilidad, porque toda la basura cósmica que se introduce en estas páginas es cien por cien seguro que nadie la volverá a utilizar jamás.

No voy ni a molestarme en intentar explicar mínimamente de qué va esto, porque la mitad es incomprensible y la otra mitad, ridícula. Simplemente, decir que nadie había hecho tanto por destruir a Wally desde los aciagos tiempos de Mike Baron. El baile de dibujantes, por cierto, tampoco beneficia a esta etapa.

En fin, que le pongo dos estrellas por no ponerle una. Porque no es culpa de Wally la sarta de barbaridades que han hecho con él. Atroz.

[Films · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you do it.

Spurrier has simultaneously written a high concept sci-fi story that continuously ups the ante & an emotional superhero family arc that inspires and leaves you with a sense of hope. He's truly showcased why he's the right fit for The Flash. If that isn't enough for you he leaves you with a tease of a fun genre shift to come featuring all manner of surprises while still keeping the strong family element around.

I wasn't the biggest fan of Ramón Pérez's art at first but he delivered in the last three issues and I finished this trade respecting his ability to convey so much sci-fi craziness & Flash characters without half-arsing it.

I recommend this to fans of Doctor Who, high concept sci-fi, and hopeful family oriented stories.

[Ethan Gohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you didn't like the first volume you will NOT like this

I, however, didn't mind the first volume. I thought it just tried to do a lot and introduce too many esoteric concepts at once.

In this volume, all those random esoteric concepts land a lot better and are mostly used as a vessel to look at Wally West as a character in the context of the people around him. Spurrier shows a real passion for Wally and the Flash Family as a whole that is very evident in this story. It almost feels like a toast to Barry and Wally's relationship and is the kind of wholesome content that we haven't seen much of since Wally came back in Rebirth.

Or I'm exaggerating. Either way, the art is GREAT and the status quo is made a bit more normal again.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Col secondo volume arriva la conferma: Simon Spurrier decide di trasformare la testata in un delirio cosmico, ma con l'obiettivo di aggiungere qualcosa di forte al mythos di Wally West e all'intera Flash Family.

Onestamente pensavo che tutta la costruzione del primo volume durasse tutta la serie, ma in realtà questi primi tredici episodi sono un po' come un lungo episodio pilota che ristabilisce l'importanza di Wally come Velocista Scarlatto. Molto meglio, l'ho sempre preferito a Barry Allen.

Continua a trasudare voglia di essere complesso e complicato, ma per il momento può permetterselo. E i disegnatori scelti per questo volume molto meglio e più adatti di Deodato.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weaker second volume, mainly because Spurrier goes too big picture and we lose most of our characters. That's particularly the case for Wally and his family, since Wally spends the early parts of the volume trapped beyond time and space. Nonetheless, this is a nice continuation of the interesting concepts in Spurrier's Flash that also pays (slight) attention to the many silly forces that were introduced in the post-52 Flash volumes. And the art continues to be gorgeous.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not totally sure what I read but I liked it overall. Spurrier tries to explain how the speed force is used and shared but I always groan whenever the Source Wall is mentioned, and then I THINK it went too squishy into LOVE and FAMILY and MOTHERHOOD being super powers. I don't know where you go next once you've upended the universe you're in.

[Robby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spurrier at his most confounding. It's also a little jarring for all this cosmic, reality-bending stuff going on amidst the backdrop of Amanda Waller taking down superheroes in tie-ins to the Absolute Power event.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A smidge too trippy making it to heavy.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love conquers all, but just what exactly it conquered here is hardly clear. Too bad, because I'm usually a big fan of Spurrier's writing. The art's not bad.

[Will Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second volume of a somewhat interesting, VERY high concept story. I liked the ending, but getting there took my brain too much work.

[GrimDucky ☠️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked vol 2 a bit more than the first… but I still struggled to understand a bunch of what was going on.

[Henni · Rating 2 out of 5]

3 / 10

[Skum Back · Rating 3 out of 5]

im SO bored of those cartoon artworks and wally always vanishing in some way man