The Flash mini-event is raging on, and this week, we’re getting an informative special, The Flash: One-Minute War Special #1. Central City has been invaded, but by who and why? Find out some critical details in this tie-in that sci-fi lovers will enjoy.
Contained here are four stories, each written by Jeremy Adams. The first is set in the past detailing how the Fraction got into the planet-destroying business. The second and third are set in the present and reveal what a few other speedsters are up to while Earth gets attacked. Finally, the fourth is set in the future.
Each tale features different speedsters we haven’t yet checked in on, making this special feel like a calling of the guard as Wally and Barry will need everyone to defeat this threat. Adams has a good handle on every character, with different voices coming through clearly via captions and dialogue.
Warning, spoilers for The Flash: One-Minute War Special #1 past this point!
Fernando Pasarin crushes on the opening tale with super high detail and tons of inventive alien worlds and technology to take in. The inventiveness and imagination of it all are quite something. This tale also sets up the main villain behind the Fraction and connects them to the real world. Their goal is to strip planets of their energy and leave them like husks, similar to how we’re destroying our planet. The art has a style that doesn’t skimp on the backgrounds, giving it a European comic feel.
Check out that art!
Credit: DC Comics
The second story focuses on Avery Ho, who is in the middle of a supervillain fight. She might lose, but the Fraction slowing down time saves her. Drawn by Serg Acuna, Avery needs to reclaim her soul from the villain the Fraction stopped but now has in stow. It’s a nice reminder the Fraction is moving at the same speed as speedsters at top speed, so the stakes are high for Avery. Of all the stories, however, this one feels a bit half-baked and ends without warning.
Next up is a story drawn by Lisandro Estherren featuring a mysterious speedster. This story leans into a darker atmosphere and tone as it features a villainous speedster revealed at the end of the tale. Given his history with Barry, it’s intriguing to know he’ll likely be helping fight the Fraction, even though he’s technically a villain. Estherren’s art creates a horror movie-style vibe with a darker tone. Somebody is killing some Fraction folks in a mansion, and while they’re the bad guys, it’s like a slasher short story, but we’re rooting for the slasher. My only gripe with this story is it’s a bit one-note beyond the reveal of Godspeed.
The final story is set in the future featuring Jai West. Drawn by George Kambadais, there are a few surprises for readers with some multiversal jumping that’ll delight hardcore DC fans who read it all. The younger heroes have a Teen Titans vibe with some kinetic art by Kambadais to amp up the fun.
There’s a lot to like with The Flash: One-Minute War Special #1 special. All four stories add to the event while doing their own thing with a different artist while giving each speedster a different vibe. Fans of the robust Flash canon will delight in all the familiar faces while learning more about the villain. This is a good special as it shows the scope of speedsters involved and the stakes in play as the villains currently reign supreme.
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