Review: The Flash Vol. 8- Flash War

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is filled with action and intensity that is coupled with great levels of emotion. The entire volume does a great job in transitioning the comic from one era to the next.

Cons: Nothing significant.

Overall: This is a fantastic volume on its own and a wonderful point of transition for this series. It details a tense and emotional struggle between some fan-favorite characters. While doing this, it addresses currently ongoing storylines and helps start new ones. The result is a volume that appeals to readers just looking for a good Flash story and to readers looking to extend their enjoyment of the Flash in this era.

Story

While The Flash Vol. 7: Perfect Storm (Review) provided resolution to a number of ongoing plotlines and worked as a climax for the current storyline, The Flash Vol. 8: Flash War, by Joshua Williamson, provides the basis for new plotlines and helps start a new era for the series. The events of this comic have a direct impact on the lives of various characters, the trajectory of this series, and the DC Universe itself. It helps provide a transition from the previous volume and build excitement for new ones. All of this is also accomplished through a wonderfully thrilling and emotional conflict. All in all, this is a highly enjoyable and worthwhile read. 

(spoilers start here)

Flash War centers around the titular “Flash War”: a conflict between Barry Allen and Wally West I that is instigated by Zoom. This pits two Flashes against each other in a struggle where both heroes’ point of views can be justified. Barry is clearly worried that Wally’s actions may have Flashpoint-style consequences to them, which could be entirely possible; meanwhile, Wally makes it clear that he will do anything to have his family back, an equally understandable position. This allows the emotions to run hot and creates some inner turmoil for the reader, as they are never quite clear who exactly to root for.

This conflict is also high on action and intensity. Barry and Wally’s battle pits two incredibly powerful characters against one another. This power level is punctuated by the Justice League’s attempts to stop them, all of which fail. Then, as Zoom’s deception is revealed, the drama refocuses on him and the Flashes’ attempts to stop their shared villain. All of this creates a wonderful cycle of rising and falling action that helps foster an even more captivating journey.

Flash War concludes by pushing The Flash series into the future. By the end of this volume, new universal forces have been unleashed, relationships have changed, and Bart Allen has returned. The volume also has Wally continue his attempts to reconcile his past with his present, attempts that I’m sure will be expanded upon in his next appearances. It also teases more conflict with the future, as one of the future heroes is stuck in the present and a future villain has escaped.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in Flash War looks good and matches the bombastic nature of the subject matter. Howard Porter’s visuals are detailed, imaginative, and full of life. The level of detail and imagination ensures that the unique characters and environments always stand out. Meanwhile, well laid out pages and a sense of energy give the story life. The volume also includes a good-looking introduction and conclusion from Scott Kolins. These chapters help mark a distinct tone shift as the titular “Flash War” starts and ends, while also providing a visual flashback to Scott Kolins’ time drawing this series back in Geoff Johns’ time writing it, a period of time that is heavily referenced throughout the narrative. This helps create a book with beautiful visuals that connect back to the story’s themes.

Continuity

The Flash Vol. 8: Flash War continues the story from The Flash Vol. 7: Perfect Storm (Review).

The story here continues in The Flash Vol. 9: Reckoning of the Forces (Review).

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• Numerous mentions are made to Wally West I’s disappearance, which happened due to Flashpoint (Review) (Reading Order), and his return, which happened in DC Universe: Rebirth (Review).
• The Flash #46 discusses Hunter Zolomon’s supervillain origins. These origins are detailed across The Flash Vol. 2 #193-200, collected in The Flash By Geoff Johns Book Three. 
• The crack in the Source Wall was created at the conclusion of the Dark Nights: Metal (Review) (Reading Order) event. The fallout from this crack appearing is further explored in the Justice League: No Justice (Review) (Reading Order) event and across the Justice League Vol. 4 series, starting with Justice League Vol. 1: The Totality (Review).
• The Flash #46 makes a passing reference to Batman spending time with Booster Gold. This refers to “The Gift” story arc from Batman Vol. 3 #44-47, collected in Batman Vol. 7: The Wedding (Review) (Reading Order) 
• The “Poison Ivy Incident” is mentioned. This refers to the “Everybody Loves Ivy” story arc from Batman Vol. 3 #41-43, collected in Batman Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar (Review). 
• Eobard Thawne recently fought the Flash during Batman/The Flash: The Button (Review) (Reading Order) and across The Flash Vol. 4: Running Scared (Review).
• The Flash #47 briefly shows the Justice League lineup from the JLA series, which began with JLA Vol. 1. 
• Views of Hypertime in The Flash #50 depict scenes from Crisis on Infinite Earth, in which Barry Allen died.
• The Justice League (Reading Order) began investigating various “forces” of the Multiverse in Justice League Vol. 1: The Totality (Review).
• The conclusion of this volume is a prelude to the Heroes in Crisis (Review) miniseries.