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The Flash (2016)
The Flash, Vol. 14: The Flash Age
Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne… allies? Can the Flash trust the Reverse-Flash? He may have to, if he’s going to stop the massive threat of the brand-new villain Paradox!
Meet Paradox: a new time-traveling villain with a tragic backstory who poses a big threat–and carries a big grudge against the Flash. He’s determined to destroy the Flash legacy at all costs, and he’s powerful enough to do it! With the Flash about to be erased from time and space, only one ally can help him defeat this seemingly insurmountable foe… Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash? Can Barry Allen really trust his greatest enemy? And does he even have a choice?
As Paradox accomplishes his mission to make the world see the Flash as a monster, both the Flash and the Reverse-Flash are trapped in a 25th-century Central City that hates everything about the Flash legacy. Can Barry return to his own time and defeat Paradox? Or is too late to undo the damage that’s been done? This volume collects The Flash #88, The Flash #750-755, and The Flash Annual #3.
Meet Paradox: a new time-traveling villain with a tragic backstory who poses a big threat–and carries a big grudge against the Flash. He’s determined to destroy the Flash legacy at all costs, and he’s powerful enough to do it! With the Flash about to be erased from time and space, only one ally can help him defeat this seemingly insurmountable foe… Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash? Can Barry Allen really trust his greatest enemy? And does he even have a choice?
As Paradox accomplishes his mission to make the world see the Flash as a monster, both the Flash and the Reverse-Flash are trapped in a 25th-century Central City that hates everything about the Flash legacy. Can Barry return to his own time and defeat Paradox? Or is too late to undo the damage that’s been done? This volume collects The Flash #88, The Flash #750-755, and The Flash Annual #3.
216 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2021
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137 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 2, 2021
The best part of this collection was the annual told from Captain Boomerang's perspective. It ties in closely with what Tom Taylor was doing over in Suicide Squad: Bad Blood which you should check out if you haven't. Boomerang is a lot o fun as the unreliable narrator.
Then we move onto The Flash Age . It's a story we've all heard before. There's yet another time traveling villain who's mad at the Flash. He's altering time, blah blah blah. Flash does team-up with Godspeed and Reverse Flash which is fun and the ending was actually surprising. This does not include the anniversary stories that were part of issue #750, only the main story. All of the art inside is good. I will be glad when Williamson's Flash run ends though.
Then we move onto The Flash Age . It's a story we've all heard before. There's yet another time traveling villain who's mad at the Flash. He's altering time, blah blah blah. Flash does team-up with Godspeed and Reverse Flash which is fun and the ending was actually surprising. This does not include the anniversary stories that were part of issue #750, only the main story. All of the art inside is good. I will be glad when Williamson's Flash run ends though.
April 14, 2021
Once again, the timeline gets messed up. Once again, a villain escapes a prison. And once again, The Flash "saves" the timeline.
I mean I am really not surprised that Barry once again has to fight a villain who is obsessed with getting revenge on him and gaining power. And I'm even less surprised that the timeline totally gets messed up with and then set back to what we knew it to be before it got messed up with in this story. But of course it's not all back to normal, because another old enemy of The Flash gets set free.
Paradox seemed like an interesting villain, but I feel like Joshua Williamson didn't really explore this character and the story opportunities this could have given. It was all over very quickly, some people got killed and now we have to live with another new future, that we don't quite understand yet. Where will this end?
I mean I am really not surprised that Barry once again has to fight a villain who is obsessed with getting revenge on him and gaining power. And I'm even less surprised that the timeline totally gets messed up with and then set back to what we knew it to be before it got messed up with in this story. But of course it's not all back to normal, because another old enemy of The Flash gets set free.
Paradox seemed like an interesting villain, but I feel like Joshua Williamson didn't really explore this character and the story opportunities this could have given. It was all over very quickly, some people got killed and now we have to live with another new future, that we don't quite understand yet. Where will this end?
November 3, 2021
Reread: 03/11/2021
Its been a year since I read this but it still reads so well!
We get the origin of Paradox and its fun the way it happens, this Chris guy and then we see his gripe with the Flash and how he blames him for well everything and his "absorbing the temporal power" shtick and so he teams up with Godspeed too take down Barry throughout history and its an interesting double turn and the only way to stop this guy is to team up with Reverse flash and we see Barry recruit his arch nemesis and its a fun battle as all the 3 speedsters unite to take down this monstrosity and I love the way it happens and the way they defeat him is nothing short of epic!
The flash vs his new arch foe with his two enemies by his side and I love the way Josh writes this whole thing and makes it a big cosmic kind of story and pays off so many easter eggs and that last issue turn was obvious and what happens later is painful but regardless and finally a story with Flash and Cap Boomerang vs Deathstroke to save Suicide Squad which was meh but alright. Its a great volume overall and is one of the best Flash stories for sure and pays off so many things! A must read!
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This book was fun. We meet with a new villain and his story is connected with Flash Year one and then we pick up with Godspeed vs Flash again whose working for Paradox. We travel to the 25th century and find more about Paradox history, his intentions and how he believes Barry is a monster and his alterations with time has ruined so many lives. Its an amazing battle and we also have Reverse-Flash show up and have the formation of these 3 speedsters and can they save the day? Its an amazing read and there is so much build up to this, amazing art and the coloring even better. The consequences after this lead to the biggest finish line ever..
Its been a year since I read this but it still reads so well!
We get the origin of Paradox and its fun the way it happens, this Chris guy and then we see his gripe with the Flash and how he blames him for well everything and his "absorbing the temporal power" shtick and so he teams up with Godspeed too take down Barry throughout history and its an interesting double turn and the only way to stop this guy is to team up with Reverse flash and we see Barry recruit his arch nemesis and its a fun battle as all the 3 speedsters unite to take down this monstrosity and I love the way it happens and the way they defeat him is nothing short of epic!
The flash vs his new arch foe with his two enemies by his side and I love the way Josh writes this whole thing and makes it a big cosmic kind of story and pays off so many easter eggs and that last issue turn was obvious and what happens later is painful but regardless and finally a story with Flash and Cap Boomerang vs Deathstroke to save Suicide Squad which was meh but alright. Its a great volume overall and is one of the best Flash stories for sure and pays off so many things! A must read!
___________________________________________________________________________________
This book was fun. We meet with a new villain and his story is connected with Flash Year one and then we pick up with Godspeed vs Flash again whose working for Paradox. We travel to the 25th century and find more about Paradox history, his intentions and how he believes Barry is a monster and his alterations with time has ruined so many lives. Its an amazing battle and we also have Reverse-Flash show up and have the formation of these 3 speedsters and can they save the day? Its an amazing read and there is so much build up to this, amazing art and the coloring even better. The consequences after this lead to the biggest finish line ever..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2021
I thought this was the last volume for Joshua so was kind of shocked by the ending but there will be one more!
So paradox decides to make his move. I'll be honest, it's a bit cliché and he actually didn't come off as the next big threat. I mean what he was doin bad, and Barry needed both Godspeed and Reverse Flash to beat him. But the thing was that it gets settled so quickly I was a bit surprised. However, I did love that Paradox was basically us the audience speaking. Saying how Barry causes more issues than fixes and how he was better off dead.
The real fun part was watching Godspeed, Flash, and Reverse Flash team up. Seeing them together was pretty badass and a shocking ending sure helped build this up to a "oh fuck" moment that even took me by surprise.
I don't know how the final arc will end but it looks like a good old Flash vs Reverse Flash arc. I'm down with that.
A 4 out of 5.
So paradox decides to make his move. I'll be honest, it's a bit cliché and he actually didn't come off as the next big threat. I mean what he was doin bad, and Barry needed both Godspeed and Reverse Flash to beat him. But the thing was that it gets settled so quickly I was a bit surprised. However, I did love that Paradox was basically us the audience speaking. Saying how Barry causes more issues than fixes and how he was better off dead.
The real fun part was watching Godspeed, Flash, and Reverse Flash team up. Seeing them together was pretty badass and a shocking ending sure helped build this up to a "oh fuck" moment that even took me by surprise.
I don't know how the final arc will end but it looks like a good old Flash vs Reverse Flash arc. I'm down with that.
A 4 out of 5.
May 19, 2021
Enter: Paradox! When Barry's time traveling shenanigans finally catch up to him, a time-bending new villain makes an appearance and threatens the entire timeline in revenge! The Flash's only hope? Godspeed, and the Reverse Flash!
The penultimate volume of Josh Williamson's Flash run is just as much fun as everything that came before. Paradox is the kind of enemy that a long-running character like the Flash has to have at some point (someone hurt by the hero saving other people), and while his powers are totally bonkers, he's a great catalyst for bringing back the best characters of the run in Godspeed and Reverse Flash. This all serves to set the stage for the final volume, which is, in true Flash fashion, Barry Vs. Eobard for all the marbles.
Also included is Flash Annual #3, which is a tie-in to Tom Taylor's Suicide Squad run. It's mostly a way for Williamson to get to write Captain Boomerang, who's been off the table thus far since he's been too wrapped up in Suicide Squad stuff. It's fun, but I'd rather it have been collected with the Suicide Squad stories instead tbh.
On art for the most part is Howard Porter, who still surprises me with his ability to draw such detailed issues on a monthly basis, as well as regular Flash artists Rafa Sandoval and Christian Duce. Flash has had a solid team of artists for this entire run, I'm glad DC managed to keep them together for so long.
Flash Age acts as both an explosive arc in itself and a prelude for what's to come, showing once again why Josh Williamson's Flash deserves to stand next to Geoff Johns and Mark Waid's seminal runs whenever anyone mentions good Flash stories.
The penultimate volume of Josh Williamson's Flash run is just as much fun as everything that came before. Paradox is the kind of enemy that a long-running character like the Flash has to have at some point (someone hurt by the hero saving other people), and while his powers are totally bonkers, he's a great catalyst for bringing back the best characters of the run in Godspeed and Reverse Flash. This all serves to set the stage for the final volume, which is, in true Flash fashion, Barry Vs. Eobard for all the marbles.
Also included is Flash Annual #3, which is a tie-in to Tom Taylor's Suicide Squad run. It's mostly a way for Williamson to get to write Captain Boomerang, who's been off the table thus far since he's been too wrapped up in Suicide Squad stuff. It's fun, but I'd rather it have been collected with the Suicide Squad stories instead tbh.
On art for the most part is Howard Porter, who still surprises me with his ability to draw such detailed issues on a monthly basis, as well as regular Flash artists Rafa Sandoval and Christian Duce. Flash has had a solid team of artists for this entire run, I'm glad DC managed to keep them together for so long.
Flash Age acts as both an explosive arc in itself and a prelude for what's to come, showing once again why Josh Williamson's Flash deserves to stand next to Geoff Johns and Mark Waid's seminal runs whenever anyone mentions good Flash stories.
May 23, 2021
The eternal Williamson run continues. And this one's pretty good. Though it introduces a new villain, Paradox, who's thing seems to be messing up continuity in the DC Universe (as if DC needed that!), the solid heart of the book is the return of Thawne. It's pretty terrific to see him through a bunch of lenses, as hero, villain, and everything in-between. But in the end, we learn that we can never really predict what he's going to do. A solid story, and a good lead-in to the next one.
Here's a question, though, did removing Paradox remove any of the continuity mishaps of The Flash? I mean, DC seems to have been introducing people who trash and fix continuity in every one of their comics for five years now, but I can't say their continuity fixes last that long (for example Superman already seems to have forgotten the fact that he's partially the pre-Flashpoint Superman). So ... what's the point?
PS: It was good to learn why Boomerbutt just flat-out disappeared between issues of Suicide Squad: Bad Blood. I would not have expected the answer to be here, but sure enough.
Here's a question, though, did removing Paradox remove any of the continuity mishaps of The Flash? I mean, DC seems to have been introducing people who trash and fix continuity in every one of their comics for five years now, but I can't say their continuity fixes last that long (for example Superman already seems to have forgotten the fact that he's partially the pre-Flashpoint Superman). So ... what's the point?
PS: It was good to learn why Boomerbutt just flat-out disappeared between issues of Suicide Squad: Bad Blood. I would not have expected the answer to be here, but sure enough.
June 6, 2021
Much better than the last volume. At least in this one the problem isn’t a broken speed force. In this one it’s a broken time stream being manipulated by new villain, Paradox.
I liked where this went. Flash teams up with Godspeed and Reverse Flash. This was a fun one. Ends with a story from Annual #3. It’s an adventure with Flash and Suicide Squad told from Capt Boomerang’s point of view. Like I said, some fun stories.
I liked where this went. Flash teams up with Godspeed and Reverse Flash. This was a fun one. Ends with a story from Annual #3. It’s an adventure with Flash and Suicide Squad told from Capt Boomerang’s point of view. Like I said, some fun stories.
April 28, 2025
The Flash Vol. 14: The Flash Age
The Flash's heroics have saved many people over the years, but it also appears that he's literally created the Paradox - a creature who only exists to destroy everything the Flash has done, including the Flash himself.
An interesting storyline, which twists and convulses through the many traumatic events of Barry Allen's life. Great work on the characters to provide a sense of movement.
The Flash's heroics have saved many people over the years, but it also appears that he's literally created the Paradox - a creature who only exists to destroy everything the Flash has done, including the Flash himself.
An interesting storyline, which twists and convulses through the many traumatic events of Barry Allen's life. Great work on the characters to provide a sense of movement.
April 26, 2023
Now that I have some time to myself I can actually write about what makes this volume of Williamson's Flash so great!
Those of you who have been following me on Goodreads this past year know I've been working through Joshua Williamson's Flash stories and I've been less than positive about them. A question Williamson has teased throughout his run is "What makes Barry Allen so special?", a question that feels pretty meta when you consider most Flash readers prefer Wally West spearheading the book instead of Barry, who has had less time as The Flash and less development as a character than Wally. The way he answers it here though feels meaningful and powerful, with Iris and Wallace detailing the quality of his character and how, even though Barry can't see it, they see it every day through the way he conducts his work and the example he's set for his nephews and multiple generations of heroes afterwards. It's particularly great hearing it come from Iris, as it helps highlight why Iris sees Barry as a strong romantic partner and helps their relationship feel more developed than it has been the past few volumes. It also fun to see Barry's optimism infect even his opponents Godspeed and Reverse-Flash, inspiring them to work on becoming better people as well. Now why Williamson needed +12 volumes to say this when he proves here he can do so succinctly is beyond me (I blame the power struggles up at the top during DC's Rebirth era) but its a good payoff for readers who've put with his mopey Barry for almost 100 issues. There's also some great lore sprinkled in for Flash fans curious about the Negative Speed Force, particularly Eobard's "lightning rod" and just how else things Thawne has manipulated in the timestream.
I'm not sure I'd say the destination was worth the journey, but all the good things about Williamson's Flash start to culminate here. We get to see his definitive take on Barry Allen as a character, what sets him apart from the other speedsters of the DC Universe, and what he means to those around him. It's a great book and if you're curious about what makes Williamson's Flash so great I'd honestly skip everything else and jump here. Recommended.
Those of you who have been following me on Goodreads this past year know I've been working through Joshua Williamson's Flash stories and I've been less than positive about them. A question Williamson has teased throughout his run is "What makes Barry Allen so special?", a question that feels pretty meta when you consider most Flash readers prefer Wally West spearheading the book instead of Barry, who has had less time as The Flash and less development as a character than Wally. The way he answers it here though feels meaningful and powerful, with Iris and Wallace detailing the quality of his character and how, even though Barry can't see it, they see it every day through the way he conducts his work and the example he's set for his nephews and multiple generations of heroes afterwards. It's particularly great hearing it come from Iris, as it helps highlight why Iris sees Barry as a strong romantic partner and helps their relationship feel more developed than it has been the past few volumes. It also fun to see Barry's optimism infect even his opponents Godspeed and Reverse-Flash, inspiring them to work on becoming better people as well. Now why Williamson needed +12 volumes to say this when he proves here he can do so succinctly is beyond me (I blame the power struggles up at the top during DC's Rebirth era) but its a good payoff for readers who've put with his mopey Barry for almost 100 issues. There's also some great lore sprinkled in for Flash fans curious about the Negative Speed Force, particularly Eobard's "lightning rod" and just how else things Thawne has manipulated in the timestream.
I'm not sure I'd say the destination was worth the journey, but all the good things about Williamson's Flash start to culminate here. We get to see his definitive take on Barry Allen as a character, what sets him apart from the other speedsters of the DC Universe, and what he means to those around him. It's a great book and if you're curious about what makes Williamson's Flash so great I'd honestly skip everything else and jump here. Recommended.
July 19, 2021
Another action-packed, lore-heavy Volume of The Flash! Can definitely see it running towards the end of this run... and long it has been! Joshua Williamson has done fantastic.
Highlights:
- An adventure with the Suicide Squad brings Flash back into contact with a rival, Captain Boomerang. Seeing that he wants to be done with them, he helps defeat Deathstroke and takes Boomerang back to his home in Australia.
- A huge portion of this Volume deals with Paradox, his origins and plans. Originally warned about from a future version of Barry, Flash learns just how bad this villain is.... Chris is a scientist who studied the universe. When his own biology (altered due to his experiments) has a reaction to observing the battle between Barry and The Turtle, he gets sent to a forgotten realm. Having to survive on his own, he is altered and powered, and when he is able to finally make it back to his family, he is a monster, intent on destroying The Flash's legacy.
- Godspeed plays a role here. First fighting Barry for Paradox, then fighting with Barry once Paradox reveals his plan... despite his changing sides, Barry is still "killed"
- Flash wakes up in a dream realm, meeting his mom and being shown how all Flashes' are revered here. Knowing it is fake, and turning out to be the realm where Paradox spent all that time. Barry is able to use the Speed Force to get out of it and he goes in search of the only person who ever defeated Paradox: Reverse Flash.
- Thawne comes back with Barry to fight, and is able to send Paradox back to where he was imprisoned, but... this version of Reverse Flash, fresh off of killing Barry's mom, is much more evil. He kills Godspeed and runs off to "create his own Reverse Flash family"
What a cliffhanger! Can't wait for the final Volume!
Strong recommend. This whole run of the Flash has been great.
Highlights:
- An adventure with the Suicide Squad brings Flash back into contact with a rival, Captain Boomerang. Seeing that he wants to be done with them, he helps defeat Deathstroke and takes Boomerang back to his home in Australia.
- A huge portion of this Volume deals with Paradox, his origins and plans. Originally warned about from a future version of Barry, Flash learns just how bad this villain is.... Chris is a scientist who studied the universe. When his own biology (altered due to his experiments) has a reaction to observing the battle between Barry and The Turtle, he gets sent to a forgotten realm. Having to survive on his own, he is altered and powered, and when he is able to finally make it back to his family, he is a monster, intent on destroying The Flash's legacy.
- Godspeed plays a role here. First fighting Barry for Paradox, then fighting with Barry once Paradox reveals his plan... despite his changing sides, Barry is still "killed"
- Flash wakes up in a dream realm, meeting his mom and being shown how all Flashes' are revered here. Knowing it is fake, and turning out to be the realm where Paradox spent all that time. Barry is able to use the Speed Force to get out of it and he goes in search of the only person who ever defeated Paradox: Reverse Flash.
- Thawne comes back with Barry to fight, and is able to send Paradox back to where he was imprisoned, but... this version of Reverse Flash, fresh off of killing Barry's mom, is much more evil. He kills Godspeed and runs off to "create his own Reverse Flash family"
What a cliffhanger! Can't wait for the final Volume!
Strong recommend. This whole run of the Flash has been great.
October 20, 2021
My trade didn't have Issue #14 as far as I could tell, and has a different cover, featuring Paradox choking Flash.
I'm a Flash fan all the way back to childhood, with some fun issue back in the 90s, but it was John Wesley Shipp's The Flash TV series from 92 I believe that really made me love Flash.
Fast forward to 2016 and I develop a real comic book collecting habit initially largely Superman trades from the New52 era, but I quickly branched out and decided Rebirth was where I would begin collecting all the trades.
I collected up to Volume 8 Flash Wars but by Volume 3 I was burnt out. Not happy with the story, but mostly not happy with the art. After a long break I got back into reading up Volume 6 and genuinely felt things had improved with the story but not the art.
I took another long break. When I got the itch to pick Flash up again, particularly because of stories featuring Wally West in HiC and Flash Forward I also decided to pickup a fairly current trade Volume 14 The Flash Age and was very happy to see huge improvement on art and the story was very compelling. I've already ordered vol 15 and will go back and read vol 7 and 8, and possibly grab vols 9-13 to fill in the gaps.
Williamson clearly has a plan and its nice to see how long he's been on The Flash and really pleased that the art is more my speed (pun intended.)
I'm a Flash fan all the way back to childhood, with some fun issue back in the 90s, but it was John Wesley Shipp's The Flash TV series from 92 I believe that really made me love Flash.
Fast forward to 2016 and I develop a real comic book collecting habit initially largely Superman trades from the New52 era, but I quickly branched out and decided Rebirth was where I would begin collecting all the trades.
I collected up to Volume 8 Flash Wars but by Volume 3 I was burnt out. Not happy with the story, but mostly not happy with the art. After a long break I got back into reading up Volume 6 and genuinely felt things had improved with the story but not the art.
I took another long break. When I got the itch to pick Flash up again, particularly because of stories featuring Wally West in HiC and Flash Forward I also decided to pickup a fairly current trade Volume 14 The Flash Age and was very happy to see huge improvement on art and the story was very compelling. I've already ordered vol 15 and will go back and read vol 7 and 8, and possibly grab vols 9-13 to fill in the gaps.
Williamson clearly has a plan and its nice to see how long he's been on The Flash and really pleased that the art is more my speed (pun intended.)
December 25, 2022
When the audience has been complaining about your character's mental state since the start of 'Rebirth', it's time for.....
PARADOX!
Essentially, our new villain is the voice of the audience who has loved the Flash for SO long...only to see him muck things up repeatedlu. The hero is knocked off their pedestal and Paradox's goal is to go one step beyond showing the world the truth. Paradox wants to erase The Flash for the betterment of all of the multiverse.
How do you stop the unstoppable villain? The darkest team-up in ages. Can you trust ANYBODY with the stakes this high?
-----------
The only consistent nag I can think of is that the artwork in this series is WILDLY inconsistent. I don't know if it's a deadline problem or workload, but there's wild turns in the way Barry is drawn. It isn't exclusive to this volume either. It's a repeated 'problem' in my opinion.
Otherwise? The most enjoyable storylines will always be those that involve time travel. Here's another one....with a classic villain callback.
Bonus: TIME: classic Iris had the memoir she'd written of the future and The Flash. 'Rebirth' Iris has Commander Cold's future crime files database??? That seems like a bad idea.
Bonus Bonus: Thawne is....Thawne
PARADOX!
Essentially, our new villain is the voice of the audience who has loved the Flash for SO long...only to see him muck things up repeatedlu. The hero is knocked off their pedestal and Paradox's goal is to go one step beyond showing the world the truth. Paradox wants to erase The Flash for the betterment of all of the multiverse.
How do you stop the unstoppable villain? The darkest team-up in ages. Can you trust ANYBODY with the stakes this high?
-----------
The only consistent nag I can think of is that the artwork in this series is WILDLY inconsistent. I don't know if it's a deadline problem or workload, but there's wild turns in the way Barry is drawn. It isn't exclusive to this volume either. It's a repeated 'problem' in my opinion.
Otherwise? The most enjoyable storylines will always be those that involve time travel. Here's another one....with a classic villain callback.
Bonus: TIME: classic Iris had the memoir she'd written of the future and The Flash. 'Rebirth' Iris has Commander Cold's future crime files database??? That seems like a bad idea.
Bonus Bonus: Thawne is....Thawne
November 26, 2021
Basic Plot: The Flash battles against a new villain born of Barry's time travel shenanigans- Paradox.
I liked how this volume personified the concept of the time travel paradox concept. He came from a very believable space, and that made him at least a little sympathetic. He was a good villain, and I like how he was taken down. Reverse Flash is back, and he is up to no good as usual, even if he manages to hide it for a bit. The art was a bit all over at first, but came together a bit more in later issues. The big issue 750 special had some fun shorts in it, as well as some bits that furthered the bigger storyline. I particularly likes Captain Cold's beer run. Overall, a solid arc.
I liked how this volume personified the concept of the time travel paradox concept. He came from a very believable space, and that made him at least a little sympathetic. He was a good villain, and I like how he was taken down. Reverse Flash is back, and he is up to no good as usual, even if he manages to hide it for a bit. The art was a bit all over at first, but came together a bit more in later issues. The big issue 750 special had some fun shorts in it, as well as some bits that furthered the bigger storyline. I particularly likes Captain Cold's beer run. Overall, a solid arc.
December 28, 2022
A pretty good outing for Barry Allen. The next volume is Williamson's last collection which makes this his penultimate and the book does everything penultimate should do. I've been hot and cold on Williamson's run but the further I get into the more I enjoy it. Primarily due to Rafa Sandoval's art. There's a new artist on here that I enjoyed as well. Christian Duce fits well with Sandoval and I quite like his art. Carlo Pagulayan also turns in good work here too. Never been a Kollins or Porter fan (part of my hot and cold with the Flash.) Already started the next collection and I am enjoying it as well. Working to get caught up to the Dark Crisis crossover.
June 22, 2023
Williamson's run on Flash has a lot of strong points. For the first time in awhile, the series REALLY has the sense of fun that has been missing from the comics since Mark Waid departed the title the second time. It is VERY clear Williamson loves that era of The Flash. But the problem with 'nostalgia' runs is that finding the right balance between making things like they were and keeping it modern is sort of a tightrope walk. And at this point, he's just not cutting it.
When he's good, he still feels like a pale imitation of Mark Waid. And when he's bad... he's almost unreadable. This book alternates on that sometimes in a matter of pages.
When he's good, he still feels like a pale imitation of Mark Waid. And when he's bad... he's almost unreadable. This book alternates on that sometimes in a matter of pages.
February 7, 2025
I haven't really cared for most of the new villains in this Williamson run, and Paradox is no exception: his origin is fairly boilerplate while still being overly complicated, and his visual design looks like if Darkseid had the life sucked out of him. The artwork (alternating between Sandoval and Porter) is fairly lackluster; there is even one panel where either the colorist or letterer gets the two Flashes confused. Luckily, the last issue does a great job of setting up Williamson's final arc.
There is also a Suicide Squad tie-in issue from the point of view of Captain Boomerang that is pretty hilarious.
There is also a Suicide Squad tie-in issue from the point of view of Captain Boomerang that is pretty hilarious.
July 14, 2021
*Lots of reading + no time review = Knee-jerk reactions!*
Excellent. Had me eagerly turning the pages. The concept of Paradox as a villain was just fascinating--and, of course, I'm a sucker for anything time travel related. Plus... a team-up of Flash and Reverse Flash?!? Talk about an interesting dynamic with a fallout of interesting conflicts... Because now there's going to be a Reverse Flash Family?!? Oh, and one more thought.... That scene where Barry traveled back in time, but couldn't stop Reverse Flash from murdering his mom... That scene hit me in the gut.
Excellent. Had me eagerly turning the pages. The concept of Paradox as a villain was just fascinating--and, of course, I'm a sucker for anything time travel related. Plus... a team-up of Flash and Reverse Flash?!? Talk about an interesting dynamic with a fallout of interesting conflicts... Because now there's going to be a Reverse Flash Family?!? Oh, and one more thought.... That scene where Barry traveled back in time, but couldn't stop Reverse Flash from murdering his mom... That scene hit me in the gut.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2022
Fun Captain Boomerang unreliable narrator issue. Then it's a new villain, Paradox, but the same old villain ideal: The Flash actually is bad and I must defeat him!
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
I'm not sure if I just missed it, but Paradox got more power every time he killed an earlier Flash or someone else...but the overall plan was to either kill Paradox before he became Paradox or just make sure he never got sent to the dimension to make him Paradox...which would create a paradox...right? Giving him more power? I'm not sure that tracks!
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
I'm not sure if I just missed it, but Paradox got more power every time he killed an earlier Flash or someone else...but the overall plan was to either kill Paradox before he became Paradox or just make sure he never got sent to the dimension to make him Paradox...which would create a paradox...right? Giving him more power? I'm not sure that tracks!
April 10, 2023
I liked the premise of this book, but the way it was resolved was pretty anti-climatic. Some new villain named Paradox pops up and kicks the Flash's a$$. He then has to team up with the Reverse Flash to beat him. They get all the way to the end with Godspeed's help only to have Reverser Flash save Paradox before he became a villain by vibrating next to him? Ok... I guess. I did like seeing Reverse Flash and Godspeed hanging out with the Flash, but man. They've couldn't shown more of Thawne's "epic save". At least make flesh that part out a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2021
The Flash is one of my all time favorite characters, but this is almost painful to read. The characterizations are paper-thin; the whole mythology of speed forces, negative speed forces, time travel, et cetera has gotten unwieldy, ill-defined and difficult to follow; and the story feels small - there’s no sense of vastness, complexity, difficulty, skill in a story that travels across centuries and between dimensions. It’s just.. very disappointing.
June 15, 2021
DNF - Maybe my angst with the TV series is leading me to this decision or maybe it is my friend that has no sympathy for my completist lifestyle, but I will not be continuing this series for a while. I can not take one more Flash story where he is misplaced in the timeline and/or teaming up with other speedster villains to save the day.
When The Flash writers start making better choices I will try to pick it up again.
When The Flash writers start making better choices I will try to pick it up again.
June 23, 2021
This is really well done. The art is excellent. It has lots of action. Williamson makes it clear why the Flash is a hero.
However, it just feels very derivative. It's yet another villain, hurt by the Flash trying to help. The villain is tied to the speed force/time and threatens all of existence. The only exception is that Flash must do something previously unheard of in order to stop him, setting up the next arc.
It's a good ride, but one that I've been on before.
However, it just feels very derivative. It's yet another villain, hurt by the Flash trying to help. The villain is tied to the speed force/time and threatens all of existence. The only exception is that Flash must do something previously unheard of in order to stop him, setting up the next arc.
It's a good ride, but one that I've been on before.
November 6, 2022
I wasn’t expecting much since the latest volumes had been losing steam, but it took me by surprise. Paradox was this big grandstanding villain we’ve all known under so many different names and interpretations, still, the story had enough turns and twists to keep me entertained.
It was quite enjoyable and we’re finally moving from the annoying Forces and getting into plot lines that may have been previously visited, but do define Barry Allen as the Flash.
It was quite enjoyable and we’re finally moving from the annoying Forces and getting into plot lines that may have been previously visited, but do define Barry Allen as the Flash.
January 12, 2023
Thank God I only have one more volume to go, this run has gone on too long, it's becoming uninspired, no offense Williamson. This shows one if the shadowy figures planning Barry's downfall, and he's just so cliche, the supposive "greatest threat ever", and he monologs like any other antagonist. Reverse flash has to help which eats at our hero, and in the end does almost exactly what you expect, it's really becoming a bore, I skimmed most of this volume.
July 16, 2024
Williamson is doing it again with this next Flash volume. I appreciate him trying to tackle the concept of Paradoxes, especially with the Flash being very time travel-heavy. Paradox himself was an interesting villain and would have loved to see him go through more of Flash history, not necessarily within the Williamson run but with his whole history. It's a great volume and definitely recommend it. Grade: B+
April 19, 2022
Flash naprawdę sprawia mi przyjemność. Mimo, że powtarzane są cały czas te same schematy - "Najszybszy człowiek na ziemi zawsze się spóźnia" i "Nauczyłem się, że najlepiej biega się z rodziną, żeby w następnym tomie o tym zapomnieć", to mimo wszystko i rysunki są bardzo przyjemne i historia potrafi dużo lepiej zaangażować, niż chociażby równolegle wydawany Batman :)
May 7, 2022
Collects The Flash #88, The Flash issues #750-755, and The Flash Annual #3
This collection introduces the new villain, Paradox, and I was intrigued by his story. The Reverse-Flash and Godspeed also have a role to play in this story. This is one of the best collections of the entire Joshua Williamson run on "The Flash."
This collection introduces the new villain, Paradox, and I was intrigued by his story. The Reverse-Flash and Godspeed also have a role to play in this story. This is one of the best collections of the entire Joshua Williamson run on "The Flash."
December 27, 2021
Pretty standard Flash fare: speedsters, time travel, one-dimensional power-hungry super-villains. Entertaining but not extraordinary. The annual guest-starring The Suicide Squad told from Captain Boomerang’s perspective was fun.
July 29, 2022
This volume is fantastic. Paradox is an interesting villain and the addition of other characters as Barry goes through the challenges Paradox sets up is so great. I could see this volume cinematically down the line.
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