Barry Allen is dead. Long live Wally West! Although, I’m not sure how long Wally West will live with the Rogues already after him. Turns out after running away and being implicated in a lab’s destruction, people look for you. Run, Wally, run! In Absolute Flash‘s second issue, Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles do some worldbuilding while also getting readers further acquainted with the Wally of this world. Additionally, this issue provides a little insight into what exactly happened, or as others would ask: What did Wally West do?! Short answer: I don’t know! And if you think you do, are you sure you do?
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First, let’s make sure we know our Rogues. First up top bat is Captain Cold aka Leonard Snart, who I think may be the leader of this little group. Next is Captain Boomerang, also known as Digger Harkness. We’ve also got Golden Glider, better known as Lisa Snart. And lastly (unless you count the talking boomerang), is the Trickster James Jesse. With that out of the way, how do the Rogues operate in this world? And are they even a threat to Wally? Yes, yes they are. The Rogues here generally operate as a well-oiled machine. They’re clearly experienced in… roguing?
The unfortunate part is that Wally is far from well-versed in being a hero. Through the giant shift in dynamic, Lemire is able to turn the tables on the reader and show a Flash who is utterly terrified. Forget stopping a bank robbery, this Wally West just wants to survive the day. Through this power shift, the story feels more enjoyable and less like another generic superhero comic. Furthermore, the second issue of this series shows how ingenious the Absolute line has been thanks to its continuous flipping of the familiar concepts we know into unexpected adventures.
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Nick Robles and Adriano Lucas are absolutely perfect in this issue. Last issue, I spoke about how creative Wally’s electricity was whenever he used his powers. That’s still true here of course, but I think it’s more than that. Whenever anything scientific or superpowered happens, it looks magical. Not in the artistic sense, although yes it does look like a work of magic considering how detailed it is, but I mean that the intricacy of the moments looks as if something mystical or magical is occurring. Robles’ line work is so fluid that every swish of movement is almost a sharp slash across the page. Through moments like this, the book truly comes to life and feels like it’s destined to be something memorable for all Flash fans, as it’s evident how much detail Robles is putting into the story.
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Additionally, Adriano Lucas does a great job working in sharp contrasts between the blinding light of the desert and the infinite void found in moments of Wally’s past. Generally, the story has a vibrant and intense color to it that helps reinforce some of the anxiety Wally is feeling by adding a layer of disorientation; but in the darker moments of the issue, Lucas is able to provide an almost infinite amount of depth to the moments set in the past thanks to soft neon colors based primarily off of shades of red and pink against darker backdrops. Altogether, this issue feels like the emotional rollercoaster it was likely intended to be thanks to the incredible artwork.
Absolute Flash #2 is a great follow-up to the series’ debut issue. It’s filled with action, intensity, and enough emotion to captivate readers through a well-paced story. With an intriguing cliff-hanger to end things, this issue is another excellent story by Lemire that shows how his ability to deliver intriguing origins for familiar heroes (such as his work on Green Arrow) can involve twists and turns that will surprise even readers who consider themselves experts on the characters. As a result, Absolute Flash #2 is an incredible read that is just as intriguing as the last issue.
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