Absolute Flash, Vol. 2: Still Point

Absolute Flash (2025)

by Jeff Lemire, Nick Robles (Artist), Travis Moore (Artist)

In a desperate bid to save his father and himself, Wally West must wage the ultimate war of speed, which will define the fate of the universe—and his soul!

After a disastrous military experiment left him disjointed from time and struggling to understand his strange new abilities, teenager Wally West has been on the run, without a home or safe harbor, pursued by the metahuman mercenaries known as The Rogues. But neither Wally nor the Rogues know the true intent behind the world-shattering work that was being done by Barry Allen back at Fort Fox, nor do they know the identity of its mastermind…and when those secrets are revealed, all of their lives will change forever!

Collects Absolute Flash #7-12.

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

160 pages, Hardcover

Published June 23, 2026

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great second volume!

I read this as single issues, so I've already reviewed them. If you're interested, I left links to the individual stories. But if you're just looking for the skinny gist of the overall arc, Still Point keeps the action rolling as Wally and Grodd uncover the secrets at Fort Fox.
The final boss battle with Reverse Flash doesn't disappoint, and the Rogues are in top form in this Absolute Universe.

Issue #7


Issue #8


Issue #9


Issue #10


Issue #11


Issue #12


Good stuff!
Recommended for Flash fans.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Any interest sparked by the first volume is smothered by this damp rag.

Boring flashbacks, boring fight scenes, boring plot developments. Absolutely no understanding of super speed.

I'm pretty sure I'm done with this, but I still might pick up the third volume if I see it in the library catalog on a day when I'm in a good mood. But I hope I don't.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Absolute Flash #7-12.

Contents [All chapters written by Jeff Lemire]: The Trials of the Flash, Part 3 / Travis Moore, illustrator -- The Life and Death of Barry Allen / Travis Moore, illustrator -- Rogues' Revenge, Part 1 / Nick Robles, illustrator -- Rogues' Revenge, Part 2 / Nick Robles, illustrator -- The War of the Flashes, Part 1 / Nick Robles, illustrator -- The War of the Flashes, Part 2 / Nick Robles and A.L. Kaplan, illustrators -- [Cover Gallery] / Nick Robles, InHyuk Lee, Haining, Carlo Pagulayan and Jason Paz and Romulo Fajardo Jr., Tirso, Christian Ward, Riley Rossmo, A.L. Kaplan, John Giang, Jorge Molina, Clayton Crain, Joe Quinones, Dustin Nguyen, Karl Kerschl, Guillem March, and Leirix, illustrators

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this went down, especially the treatment of the Rogues. I'm curious where we go next. These first 12 issues were more or less one big story. I do think Robles relies on too many effects in panels at times and it makes it difficult to tell what is happening, especially towards the end.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.7 stars

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things come full circle as Wally heads back to Project Olympus with the Rogues in tow, only for a creature from Doctor Thawne's past to return and cause havoc instead.

Still moving at top speed, Absolute Flash Volume 2 bombards us with some answers about the Speed For- I mean, Still Point, the truth about the Thawnes, and a look forward at the future, all in six issues. I love the take on where the power comes from; it's not quite as imaginative as Absolute Green Lantern's take on the emotional spectrum, but I can see the potential to dig even deeper with the little crumbs we've been given here.

And the artwork's flawless, thanks to continued contributions from Travis Moore, Nick Robles, and AL Kaplan. Beautiful, beautiful book, even when it's full of chaotic energy blasts and monsters from another universe.

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wraps up Wally's origin story, alongside some swerves from the Rogues. Not quite as interesting as the first volume, but adequate. (B)

[Person Michaels · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume (I believe comprising #7-12) was a chore to read month to month. I think being able to binge the majority of the first volume helped me to stomach the glacial pacing; at this point, pretty much all of my goodwill for the series is gone.

There were things I appreciated about Absolute Flash in those early issues. These qualities were mainly tied to Wally West’s origin story. As is typical for Absolute, it’s a bold twist on the concept of Flash and “the Speed Force”, with a heavy dose of Lovecraftian horror elements. Grodd, here the telepathic sidekick of Wally as opposed to part of his mainline rogues gallery, was also a pleasant surprise and lent some necessary heart to a narrative frankly lacking in strong characters or emotional tissue.

An origin story, by design, can only carry a superhero comic for a few issues. The further out we get from that, the less impressive this series becomes. It’s unfortunately settled into the role of my clear least favorite in the Absolute DC line. Wally himself is a dreadfully uninteresting and annoying protagonist. I have a clear bias against teenage characters, especially when they’re brimming with dull angst. Volume 2 could’ve been the time to hunker down and develop him (just as Vol. 2 of Absolute Green Lantern successfully did with Jo). It instead wastes its page time having him dick around with an entire uninteresting interpretation of the Rogues. Making them a Suicide Squad-esque antihero team in this universe is incomprehensibly lame. It also wastes the chance to go truly hard with new versions of some of Flash’s most iconic villains. I mean, Captain Cold’s design here is literally just Omni-Man with a Captain Cold jacket.

Every issue ends on a cliffhanging tease, but it never feels like anything of substance happens in the pages themselves. Things (TRAUMATIC things, even!) happen to Wally, but I’m somehow further from feeling a connection to him than I was in #1. Thawne is uninteresting as an overarching big bad and the Speed Force lore is starting to feel like smoke and mirrors more than anything. It’s all very monotonous.

We’re a few issues into what will make up Vol. 3 and it hasn’t gotten better. When the only exciting recent development is the tease of a character who has nothing to do with Flash, I’d say I have a bit of an investment problem. In any other case, I would’ve dropped this series by now. Absolute DC has been killing it so hard in general, however, that I’m willing to keep up with one crappy part of the line for the sake of completionism. A 4/10 for this volume and probably the series overall.

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Absolute Flash volume containing issues 7 through 12 was an excellent read. Very trippy and exciting. Read it in a Flash ⚡️

[Alex Sarll]

After the first volume of this, I couldn't work out why people were talking about it as the Absolute also-ran; it seemed to be working in perfect harmony, super-speed the ideal metaphor for that adolescent desire to get away from everything, art which caught the explosiveness and alienation of that. This, though, is hollow, running through the hand-me-down tropes, reminiscent of one of those godawful imitation superhero universes (Massive-Verse, Catalyst Prime, you know the type) except that instead of knock-off names, the 2D characters are all called the same thing as the original, far more interesting versions of themselves. Weird little guy Grodd is the sole exception, and by the end even that's being wound back. To fall so far, so fast!

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have paced my house and tried to collect my thoughts on this book for like an hour. Ultimately, it was fun. But I think that's where it stops. I appreciate the creative leaps with the story to retcon the Flash mythos for the Absolute universe, but the emotion behind the character never really lands. The big bad at the end did not feel scary or threatening. Art was phenomenal, but the story was middling at best. Not what I generally get with Jeff Lemire, which makes me think that a lot of the story and the points in it were more more editorial driven.

[Siona Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting continuation from the first volume. Really like the set up with Grodd, and the Still Point was really cool. Gotta love Flish lol also really enjoyed this interpretation of the Rogues

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

At one point during this Wally asks, "What are you even talking about?!" and that's about the size of how I feel about this book. Waste of so much potential here - Wally is my favorite Flash by miles, but I just can't care about him here.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genuinely curious, but did the creative team get a note from DC to pull their punches with this one? Dragging the corpse of your would be mentor behind you as your body and mind mutates was such a banger way to start this series off, but we've quickly devolved back into "this is edgy-ISH but no one's gonna get hurt, and when we do kill a character off, we're totally not just gonna follow the heroes journey clumsily and half heartdly." And I'm not saying I WANT an edgy Flash, more-so I want a new take on the character. I want to feel like I'm learning something new about Wally, the way I do with Absolute Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter. What makes a Flash story a Flash story? What's at the heart of this character? Going for the horror of being a speedster is a decent way to explore this, but not if you don't commit.

If Wonder Woman is love, Superman is hope and Batman is justice, what is Flash?

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a Lemire book I actually found this pretty disappointing. Jeff can usually hit that emotional sweet spot that will really make us feel a lot of empathy for his characters but this vol. is pretty repetitive and diverges or derails into a choppy story that doesn't even really concern our Flash all the much directly. The entire book can be summed up as "wait! But no! but yes actually" which makes it seem to me that the book wasn't super tight when first drafted. The actual Flash art and his speedforce or redforce, whatever their trying to call it looks great but I was kind of -meh- about the rest. Overall, not bad, but not one I would put on my top 10 of Lemire works.

[Randy Lander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a Flash fan and I’ve read some great Flash, and this doesn’t reach the heights of what Mark Waid, William Messner-Loebs, or Geoff Johns accomplished, but this sci-fi/military take on Wally West, and especially the Rogues, not to mention baby Grodd, is a fresh and interesting and darker take on the Flash mythos. It sits right in the middle of the Absolute pack for me, just below Green Arrow, Superman, and Wonder Woman but above the rest.

[Mocassin · Rating 2 out of 5]

C'est divertissant mais c'est tellement pas à la hauteur de la gamme Absolute. Les réinventions de personnages sont intéressantes, mention particulière pour Eobard Thawne qui passe de l'un des meilleurs antagonistes du DCU au pire. Toute la réinvention de la force véloce ne convainc pas non plus, ça manque clairement d'inspiration.

[Khurram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than the first volume, but I still just found it okay. I think partly because keep comparing the Absoulte Flash to the main DC universe's Flash. It is not fair but I can't help it.

The back stories of Project Olympus are told. How did Barry Allan get involved and what is the Thawne family legecy? Loyalties will be tested, however the results could disastrous the world.

For a story of the fastest man alive tjus story has been a pretty slow build. It is not done badly but I did expect a bit more. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.

[Xander Haan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute Flash Vol. 2: Still Point - 4 / 5 Stars

This was a great follow up to the first volume! I’m definitely enjoying this series. Absolute Batman still takes the cake on the absolute series though. I’m interested to see where this goes. The last text of this book had me intrigued to the possibility of a time jump or something next volume.

I love the characters! The designs are great. Thawne is really scary looking. But I love Wally’s costume and also Tricksters is pretty neat… I’m always like “wow that’s so weird” but I’m always drawn to it.

Onto the next book!

[Maddi :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a solid 4 for me all the way through. But the epilogue filled me with excitement! Im just obsessed

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely love that the Rogues went rogue! The Still Point is super interesting and very keen to see more!

[Mateus Passos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinceramente fiquei surpreso ao ver avaliações afirmando que a série piora neste segundo volume.

Minha impressão foi o oposto: uma série que parecia ir do nada para lugar nenhum começa a pisar terreno mais firme, com uma atmosfera sci-fi bem interessante!

[André Habet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flash was one of my favorite characters as a teen, so I tend to try new runs on him. I was curious about his Absolute iteration. His speed is depicted in interesting ways, but the reimagining of his powers isn't as interesting as what happens with any of the other Absolute books.

I also find the focus on developing the rogues early on a bit of a distraction; they don't feel much like characters despite the pages devoted to them. It's a beautiful book, no doubt, but it's emotionally a bit empty to me. The core bonds (Wally/Barry), (Wally/his dad), (Captain Cold/Golden Glider), (Dr. Thawne/her grandfather) just never get beyond a sketch here.

It's a curious thing because Lemire has done these parent-child dynamics to amazing effect in many other books, but here the notes don't ring true. I think I'm going to keep reading to see where this goes, but this easily gets the crown for least interesting Absolute volume 2 [I haven't read Green Lantern 2, but let's face it. Ewing almost never misses].

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Absolute Flash is the most underrated Absolute title, but in fairness I think it's also probably the weakest. It's just that even the worst Absolute title is still incredibly good.

[Sarospice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the rogues and Grodd and all the other characters. Couldn't be bothered with the main Wally West Flash character. Is that enough to bother with another volume? Lemire's writing always peters out for me when it's angsty young men. Just repeating himself.

[scarlet♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

picked up the pace finally and im actually in love with this storyline

[Bertazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lemire doesn't write the Flash as a hero, but rather as a simple teenager who gets caught up in situations whose only thing he can do is running. It also fits well as a Flash Year One.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt like the story was being rushed in the final issue of this volume, but for the most part, this is a very clever, original “Elseworlds” reinterpretation of the Flash universe. It’s been really fun unpacking these characters who, all at once, feel familiar and new.

4/5

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first volume, but I started to lose interest partway through this one. I think that's mostly because I really dislike what Lemire has done with the Reverse Flash here. It's a huge step down in virtually every sense for Eobard, and I really don't get the point of it. But I still think interesting things are being down with Wally's power set, and I'm quite invested in this version of Grodd.

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid reinterpretation of the Flash mythos. Jeff Lemire is on writing duties to the follow up to Absolute Flash, Vol. 1: Of Two Worlds. I collected and read the first six issues and I thought the story was great. Basically we are introduced to Wally West of the Darkseid created Absolute universe. His father is basically a government contracted scientist who has been piggybacking off of the work of Eobard Thawne. The organization has been creating metahuman weapons and discovered an unknown energy force which this universes version of the Speed Force. What separates this from the main line continuity is that Wally West doesn't have the mentorship relationship with the original Flash aka Barry Allen. Barry is seemingly been killed and a scared speedster powered Wally must find his ways to escape the clutches of a government sanctioned metahuman powered mercenary group, lead by Captain Cold. The new take on the Rogues was really interesting and unique. I am intrigue by the new direction we are getting with Grodd, who is not a gorilla by the way in this universe. The artwork & colors where also great and really aids Lemire in the fast pace action scenes. This story does suffer from a few pacing issues and you really need to have read the previous volume to keep up with where the tale is going. It is not as great as the Absolute Batman & Wonder Woman books but it was still a lot of fun to read. Lemire is doing some solid writing for DC comics right now, I'd recommend reading his run on JSA as well. Here are few other recent Jeff Lemire books I'd recommend to readers: Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars, Robin & Batman, Robin & Batman: Jason Todd,Extraordinary X-Men, Vol. 1: X-Haven, JSA, Vol. 1: Infinity, Inc vs. The Justice Society, & The Terrifics, Vol. 1: Meet the Terrifics.

[Neil Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume still feels bogged down in what is too long an opening arc. I honestly feel a knife could be taken to this and it be a much stronger 4 issues. But maybe some character beats would have been lost? I don't know, it's not like Spidey's origin would have been stronger if it had taken 12 issues for him to avenge Uncle Ben's death.

I also felt that this version of reverse flash/zoom was a let down in that it was more like a Doomsday quoting "highlander". I prefer more manipulative/human speed antagonists, but I concede this is at least different to regular Flash.

We get four consecutive issues of Robles' art here and it really helps with the flow and identity of the book (not that Travis Moore's work is inferior in any way). There are some really interesting scenes especially at the end where the art and writing come together very nicely in describing how there are some things the Flash can't outrun. Once again the colouring is really strong in establishing the speed energy but also with regards to making the rogues all stand out. Speaking of Rogues, the Trickster is the breakout character for me in this series. They are quite complicated and it's questionable how much the tech is influencing them, plus they have a killer design.

This volume isn't bad, it just feels like it shouldn't have required two volumes to cover what is essentially an origin story. Luckily, it's at least out of the way and I know the pacing improves from here on out.

I probably won't review future volumes as I've been reading the regular series from this point on, so don't take the lack of a volume 3 as me dropping the series. If anything it highlights how good it is when I switched to reading it monthly.