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'The Flash' #800 is a proper celebration of Wally West
DC

Comic Books

‘The Flash’ #800 is a proper celebration of Wally West

This milestone issue deservingly honors Wally West and his ensemble family.

Wally West is dead. Long live Wally West. Although Wally West may have been murdered again in a Titans story, that hasn’t stopped him from being the mainstay runner of his titular book. And in The Flash‘s 800th issue, several stories celebrate Wally, as well as other speedsters in the story. This makes for a fun story that shows what makes some fan-favorite speedsters. 

DC Preview: The Flash #800
DC Comics

The first story is truly a celebration of Jeremy Adams’ flash run in a story all too familiar to “Almost Got ‘Im” from Batman: The Animated Series. Some unfriendly faces, while playing poker, pose an interesting question: which city is the worst to live in? This is a fun story that showcases the different personalities of Central and Keystone cities’ protectors. In Jeremy Adams’s final story for The Flash, for now, he partners with artist Fernando Pasarin. Adams ends with a story that truly reflects his time on the title. Similarly, Pasarin does a great job bringing a vibrant energy to the story that helps deliver a great story. Don’t Come to Central City is a fun story that puts a nicely wrapped bow on one of the greatest eras for Wally West.

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Up next is something many fans will love: the reunion of Mark Waid and speedsters. Waid partners with artist Todd Nauck to present “The Max in the Mirror”, their story that focuses on Bart Allen and takes readers on a journey across the city. Bart, although once also The Flash, is still rather impulsive and is learning the necessity of slowing down. This story is really fun and gives Bart a well-deserved moment in the spotlight, and it also reminds readers how knowledgeable Mark Waid is on every corner of the DC Universe as he seamlessly writes a phenomenal story. Seeing Nauck return to pencil Bart is also a blast that shows how his skills in depicting speedsters work a mile a minute. Overall, this story is nothing short of a slam dunk.

It wouldn’t be a Flash anniversary special without Barry Allen, and writer Joshua WIlliamson, probably the character’s most popular writer, returns to give his two cents on the character in his story, “Flash Family”. Williamson similarly returns with electric artist Carmine Di Giandomenico who has the uncanny talent for making lightning ripple off the page. It’s date night for Barry and Iris, and how they spend their time may or may not surprise you. It’s a story that can be read with or without reading WIlliamson’s Rebirth run, but there is a nice sense of finality to the creative team’s years of hard work making Barry Allen more interesting and engaging. Although WIlliamson got his farewell to Wally West during Dark Nights: Death Metal: Speed Metal, this truly feels like his final nod to Barry Allen too. It’s a heartwarming story that also will make readers laugh.

The Flash #800
DC Comics

The next story reunites Geoff Johns with Scott Kolins for a story about Hunter Zolomon in their story Blitz Back. It’s a rather complex story that seems to require previous reading on Johns’ Flash run, or at least the arc regarding Hunter Zolomon. Although rather convoluted, it has a simple message for Flash fans. Kolins has a very detailed art style that may be a little overwhelming at first but ensures everything that is included has a purpose. This isn’t the strongest story in the issue, but it will be an important one it seems.

The last story prepares Wally West for his upcoming journey that Simon Spurrier and Mike Deodato Jr. are taking him on. In the story Between Me and You, readers can gain some insight into what troubles Wally will be facing. Although things were rather bright in the current Flash run, things seem to be taking a rather psychedelic turn for Wally. This story offers an elusive premise that may worry readers about what new foe lurks in the shadows of Wally’s busy life, Mike Deodato Jr. has an almost noir style to his art here that further reinforces the ominous introduction to the upcoming run.

Altogether, The Flash #800 starts rather strong and ends on a suspenseful note. Readers will have to wait until September to learn further about what lies ahead for Wally, but it’s clear Spurrier has grand plans in store. Many of the stories show what made each era of The Flash beloved in recent years. Unfortunately, the Flash Family is big, and not every character gets a spotlight in this oversized issue. That said, the stories are overall enjoyable that show the impact Wally West has had on The Flash mythos.

'The Flash' #800 is a proper celebration of Wally West
‘The Flash’ #800 is a proper celebration of Wally West
The Flash #800
Altogether, The Flash #800 starts rather strong and ends on a suspenseful note. Readers will have to wait until September to learn further about what lies ahead for Wally, but it's clear Spurrier has grand plans in store. Many of the stories show what made each era of The Flash beloved in recent years. Unfortunately, the Flash Family is big, and not every character gets a spotlight in this oversized issue. That said, the stories are overall enjoyable that show the impact Wally West has had on The Flash mythos.
Reader Rating1 Vote
8.6
A great farewell from Jeremy Adams that encapsulates his run
A fun story from Mark Waid that gives Impulse the spotlight
Joshua Williamson gives fans one last Barry Allen story
A convoluted story about Hunter Zolomon that could have been used to showcase another Flash character
8.5
Great
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