It's about time I made this change, though I hoped nobody would notice the previous error and nobody did: I was calling Issues a 'Volume' this entire time. Well, I've fixed that little problem in the titles now and I'm now calling them the correct name. An issue is a single book, the volume is the entire arc thrown into one. I made that mistake a while ago and got so into the reviews that I just went with it. Anyway, for today's little comic issue review, I decided to jump into a comic regarding a character that I've never displayed a single shred of interest in: the Flash. Though this isn't a regular comic book release for the character, it's a new release that joins the great ongoing series within the Absolute universe. Where characters are told from the very beginning and told under a very different light. As if their worlds are starting off with a bit more of a serious tone, while also very different circumstances. Absolute Batman sees Bruce without the money and having only lost one parent. A regular adult besides the anger and brutality. Absolute Superman sees a Superman that is a victim of massive corporations as his planet is mined to death. Kal also not having an AI suit that gives him some of his powers rather than him having all of them naturally. I know an absolute zero knowledge of Flash as a character, and I mentioned I've never really cared. Especially with the incredibly boring and weak Hollywood portrayals.
The new release of an Absolute story has me interested though. These tend to be a bit more serious, with more interesting stories. I was curious, though also still very much sceptical as to whether this would be something I could actually get into. Not all of these Absolute runs have been managing to capture my attention. I didn't think this would be something that genuinely makes me interested in the character, I won't be searching up previous releases to read more about the character and his various engagements. So this is a completely fresh perception of the character, knowing it's not how things generally are, and that the Absolute universe is ultimately a total retelling of their stories. Given this is my introduction, I really liked how it was being told. A teenager growing up on an army base with a father that is incredibly strict. Stuck with a curfew and no friends, nothing to do on the base and little freedom. The base and its events totally classified despite some of the workers wanting to help Wallace and give him something to do, a bit more of a childhood. His father instantly dismissive of such an idea. The issue starts off with Wallace in panic, though. A moment in which he's running far from something, implying some sort of horrific act had taken place and escaping is his only solution. Curious! Cuts between the past and present give a little context, showcasing that he's now being hunted.
With Wallace entering the facility in the night after another argument with his father, who claims he was only trying to protect him. That his work is incredibly dangerous and he has no choice but to be strict with him. He encounters an experiment that led to the death of Barry, the one friend and worker that worked at the facility. This immediately gives a little context into what happened, a tiny fragment of the story that immediately shows that Wallace is wanted for some justified reason: the death of a secret military personnel. And in the process taking up the suit that was on Barry's corpse. It isn't entirely clear what it does, but I guess if you know the Flash character there's a bit of context. All of this happening a year later. It's an interesting start but it's one that is a little confusing with it jumping back and forth between one day ago and the present chase. A lot of what happened isn't entirely clear between a few panels that don't have much dialogue. The experiment being conducted wasn't mentioned prior, it remained secret the entire time even to the reader, though I assume it's up to us to guess that it contained a suit that gave some sort of powers that utilised massive amounts of energy. Despite a little bit of the context not being so apparent, I did really like the art style here.
It's a very vibrant and creative issue that has the moments with the true weight to them looking incredible. I found it immersive enough to get caught up into this world and its little events. Caring for what happened to its characters and curious as to what had happened that was so serious, especially for a kid that had been doing little wrong in the first place. Just minding his own business, trying to find something to do off the military base, though being told to spend even more time locked up on it. Naturally, the kid would inevitably begin to roam and experiment with the various surroundings, and that could lead to some dangerous situations. More so when new technologies are being tested within his general presence. And I assume that's what happened: Wallace stumbling into an active experiment and it went wrong, leading to the death of Barry. And Wallace panicking, running from the situation and thus being hunted. One panel even has Wallace questioning if it was his father that was hunting him down in the first place; his own father giving the order to chase him down and retrieve him dead or alive. It sets up the future issue quite well. I'm really looking forward to that high tension scenario. Looking into what will happen with that family situation. And whether Wallace will continue having to be on the run and figuring things out on his own. Whether his own father did give out that order or not.
For the panic set into the mind of a teenager witnessing death and dangerous experiments that could influence the mind even more, I think it does a great job. This issue immediately made me interested in this version of the Flash. I wasn't quite sure I would come out of it wanting to read on. My prior (lack thereof) interest in the character felt too strong. But I think that this could be an interesting read for people like me: those who know nothing about the character and have no interest in him in the traditional sense. A nice introductory, alternative narrative read.
If it's any consolation given how hard it's been for me to keep up with anything lately and also knowing nothing at all about what you're reading aside from the fact they exist (I don't really like the superhero genre) I was just assuming you were doing either partial or very condensed reviews of volumes XD
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