Is It Good? The Flash #25 Review

It’s that time again! Time for tie-ins! Yay! We got ourselves The Flash, tying into Zero Year this time around. However, this will a be a special issue as this is Francis Manapul and Brain Buccellato’s final Flash issue and a prequel to their upcoming Detective Comics run. Oh how curious! Is it good?

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The Flash #25 (DC Comics)

With the storm coming straight at Gotham, the city has called out for help from all over the country for police departments to spare extra officers. One of them is newbie Barry Allen, who is paired up with Officers Bullock and Thompson in order to investigate the new street drug called Icarus. The drug has a real strong high that makes the users think they have super powers — as you can imagine, this also happens to be a very dangerous side effect.

“He’s heating up!” — NBA Jam announcer voice

Did you read Gotham Central by any chance? You know, the comic series about the police detectives solving crimes in Gotham? If you have then this comic will feel very familiar. Flash #25 is a very police-centric issue, as we witness Allen try to solve this crime and find out who is distributing the drug to the public. Flash #25 is very well done (outside of it feeling rushed at points) and if this is any indication for what the team’s Detective Comics run will be like, then I’m looking forward to reading it. Hopefully it comes back to a lot of the hanging questions left over, because there are quite a few.

Besides that, the writing is fantastic. Buccellato and Manapul know Barry very well (well obviously since they have been writing the character for so long now), but they also know Harvey Bullock and nail his character’s demeanor as well (the detective that has seen a lot and may be hard, but still is a good detective). The pacing is great, the story flow is excellent, all of the characters are very smart and have great moments, and the ending is very well done and can elicit a smile for the fans who have been following the book up to this point.

Focus! A man just burned to death in front of you, so stop staring at the girl.

The issue employs two different artists: Francis Manapul and Chris Sprouse. Chris does most of the issue, while Manapul does remaining 8 or so pages. Both of them have a very good style and work in different ways; Sprouse bringing a more grounded and “real” feel to the book during the normal and down points (sans people going up in flames), and Manapul bringing a more “out there” feeling when the book takes on a more superhero like feel. The only downside to this is the change in the artist is rather abrupt, since it happens in the middle of a scene without any transitions.

8.0

• The crime drama aspect is very well done.
• Characters are very well written.
• Both artists bring a lot of life to the issue.

• Art shift feels a little random.
• Feels a little rushed at times.
• Three unanswered question left hanging by issue’s end.

Is It Good?

The Flash #25 was a good issue, presenting a possibility for what the future will be like when the team moves to Detective Comics. It’s enjoyable, well characterized, and sweet at points. If you want one last dose of Flash with these two on board, give this a shot.