In Jay Garrick: The Flash #3, we learn the identity of Dr. Elemental, and I’ll be honest, I was worried about how connected it was to the origin of Jay and how similar it could be to another of Flash’s rogues, the Rival. Thankfully, Jeremy Adams has crafted a backstory that surpasses the premise of the New Golden Age. Adams and artist Diego Olortegui have taken the Garrick family to incredible heights in this miniseries, making it a worthwhile adventure. So, how does Dr. Elemental fit into the Garrick legacy?
This issue is comics at its finest. The opening sequence perfectly shows the readers how calculating Dr. Elemental, a.k.a. Professor Hughes, is. The Flashes are supposed to be fast, yet when they arrive at STAR Labs, the mystery is waiting on them. After that, the story dives into Professor Hughes’ waiting diary as he explains his motivations, which parallels nicely to the previous issues as we now see things from his side. The idea of the diary is excellent as it justifies the narration style and presentation, making Hughes a more vital addition to Jay Garrick’s past and present. We can see that the professor has been driven by the idea of the super-powered man since 1938 as he watches Green Lantern Alan Scott lift and smash a car, ala Action Comics #1 – a nice nod to the classic.
A nitpick about that sequence is it jumbled the order of Golden Age heroes with Superman in 1938 and Jay Garrick and Alan Scott in 1940, but Garrick was first in January, with Scott in July. I like continuity, yet it can be a double-edged sword regarding story and character. Jeremy Adams handles the situation well because he engrosses you in Professor Hughes’ motivations, and it adds to all the characters instead of subtracting or limiting the story. Adams has taken a background character from the 1940s and injected him into the DC Universe in such a vivid way, making him a part of the foundation of STAR Labs, which also adds to the lab’s origins. As the story continues from the diary, Adams builds Hughes as a determined, detached scientist.
I don’t want to leave Diego Olortegui and Luis Guerrero out of the picture, as they take Jeremy Adams’ script to the next level. The facial work on Professor Hughes is excellent as it shows how engrossed he is in his quest for powers that he doesn’t care about what happens to Jay Garrick as he experiments on him. There is another great nod to the Golden Age with Edward Clariss’ personnel file being so close to Garrick’s. I also enjoyed how Hughes looks menacing in the background as he stalks Garrick intensely and creepily, watching his prey. Another great scene is the “origin scene,” as Hughes knows he needs to play a part in the ruse. Wait until you read Hughes’ conclusion of Garrick’s metagene and what that means for Judy Garrick.
Jay Garrick: The Flash #4 is a fantastic origin for a new villain to the Garrick family and a superb example of what the New Golden Age is about! Jeremy Adams weaves Dr. Elemental into the DNA of the Garricks perfectly while building up a villain that could hold his own due to his connection to STAR Labs. Diego Olortegui and Luis Guerrero combine to paint the perfect picture of a madman and an outstanding addition to the DCU.
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