Bart Allen lost! In an attempt to rewrite the timeline and create an Impulsepoint, much akin to Barry Allen’s infamous Flashpoint, Bart was sent into the past. However, things aren’t exactly lining up for him. For one thing, the Legion of Super-Heroes are agents of Darkseid. More importantly, so is Max Mercury. In this DC K.O. tie-in arc, writers Mark Waid and Christopher Cantwell take The Flash title into a more nostalgic direction as the arc focuses on Wally West and Bart Allen teaming up.
While some hate tie-ins, including me usually, I’m giving this one an honest go. Why? Is it because Mark Waid is writing Wally West again? Maybe at first, but mostly because I honestly appreciate the candid nature of this arc. DC Comics is no stranger to rebooting its universe when convenient, and this time it’s our own heroes deciding to weigh the pros and cons on the idea. This meta reflection of how repetitive line-changing events have become, with them often ending with anything from a “soft reset” to a full-on reboot of the universe, is an interesting concept to be assessed from one of the most impulsive characters in comics. Maybe this means DC recognizes how some of its prior decisions have been criticized for being rash. Whatever the reason, I think this issue is worth checking out, and here’s why.
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Bart Allen might be one of the most misunderstood characters at DC Comics. While he originally began as a hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive character who doesn’t often think things through, a lot has changed for Bart. He’s graduated from Impulse to Kid Flash to even the Flash for a period of time. But, after DC Rebirth, Bart returned to being Impulse. While this is certainly his most popular moniker, there has been a bit of character regression as a result – with several writers interpreting Bart as the same character from the 1990s who doesn’t think things through. This has led to an in-universe interpretation of other heroes expecting Bart to be… well, impulsive.
Back in the day, one of Bart’s biggest critics was Wally West. Wally often chastised Bart for his behavior, and the two butted heads over it. So, it’s incredibly refreshing to see Waid and Cantwell pivot away from this. While Wally expresses trepidation about Bart’s decision making, we see the pair come to a better place because of it. Throughout the issue, the focus remains fixated on how the clashing personalities of Wally and Bart cause challenges for the pair while providing them with a conflict unlike anything they’ve faced before. This creates a heightened sense of urgency throughout the issue as the Legion of Darkseid attempts to hunt them down. Altogether, this issue does a splendid job analyzing the complex relationship with Wally and Bart while having them face off against an interesting threat.
DC
Artist Vasco Georgiev and colorist Matt Herms deliver another beautiful issue full of action, emotion, and a great visualization of how fast our heroes are. I really appreciate how detailed Georgiev’s line work is in this issue. While Wally West is the fastest speedster alive, Bart is the most erratic one in many ways. He speaks to a different type of creativity that he and other legacy heroes from the ’90s (like Tim Drake, Kyle Rayner, and Connor Hawke) had to depict the next generation of heroes as ones capable of thinking outside the box. Here, Bart and Wally’s difference is best seen through how they use their powers. While Wally is as pragmatic and innovative as ever with his powers, to the point he even looks like he’s flying, Bart moves head first. A great example of this is When Georgiev uses a panel to focus in on Bart’s eyes to show how fast he’s moving. This creative decision reinforces how overwhelmed Bart is in this moment while still reinforcing his prowess as a speedster.
This issue is consistently drawn with detail provided towards how swiftly the pair move. By adding thick and repetitive line work to their speed powers, Georgiev is able to illustrate how fast the pair are. Additionally, the colors from Herms are extraordinarily vibrant and help to make the story more electric. Such bright colors in a story meant to tie into DC’s heroes and villains facing off against each other in one of their most violent clashes yet separates the story into one that still feels hopeful. Maybe Wally and Bart can win. Maybe Darkseid will lose to the pair rather after many DC characters die fighting each other. Probably not, but the brilliant colors here reassure the reader that there’s always a non-zero chance when a speedster is involved in a DC event.
The Flash #27 is another fun issue that focuses on two characters who haven’t interacted much in a while. Seeing Wally and Bart team up to try to save the world is very refreshing and feels like a return to basics for the two. While it’s still unclear how important this tie-in arc is going to be to DC K.O., Flash readers can rest assured that the arc will, if nothing else, be fun and offer an exciting concept that reflects DC’s reliance on speedsters resetting the universe when things get tough.
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