COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK

COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK

Hello again, friends!  Once again, we head into the historic comic bin and pull out another one of the classics from our library of comics.  This week, we wrap up our celebration of The Scarlet Speedster's 80 years of history by focusing on the FOURTH man to don the uniform of the Monarch of Motion, Bart Allen.  Bart took the role of The Flash from his first cousin, Wally West, as Wally had disappeared with his family during the events of Infinite Crisis.  This 13 issue run gave us a bit more mature Bart, as he tries to navigate college, and fulfilling a legacy of Jay Garrick, his grandfather, Barry Allen, and of course, Wally West.  So, without further ado, let's peek into the debut issue of Bart's run as The Flash...

THE FLASH:  THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE #1

COVER ART: Ken Lashley, Greg Parkin, Marvin Mariano

WRITER: Danny Bilson & Paul DeMeo

ARTIST: Ken Lashley

INKS: KWL Studio, Norm Rampund, Mario Alquiza, Jay Leisten

LETTERS: Pat Brosseau

COLORS: Carrie Strachan

EDITOR: Joan Hilty, Rachel Gluckstern

COVER DATE: August 2006

PUBLISHER: DC Comics

STORY TITLE: "Lightning In A Bottle, Part One:  Flashback"

The Flash:  The Fastest Man Alive #1 was the new series to feature the Flash after Wally West's story was apparently finished in FLASH #230.  Then, Wally West disappeared in Infinite Crisis, and that left a more grown Bart Allen, who had taken over Wally's shoes as Kid Flash in the pages of Teen Titans, and after his run in Impulse.  Bart is now a college student, studying Criminal Science, while balancing work at the auto plant in Keystone City.  Jay Garrick is trying to hold down the fort as the only Flash between two cities.  Bart has a roommate, Griffin Grey,  However, after Infinite Crisis, Bart's powers seem to be out of control, so he tries not to use them.  He's supposed to be working with Dr. Tina McGee of STAR Labs, and her assistant, Valerie Perez.  Bart's series was written by the creators of the 1990's TV series of The Flash that aired on CBS:  Danny Bilson & Paul DeMeo.  They came back to the Scarlet Speedster to breath a new chapter into Bart's life.  However, Bart's series only lasted 13 issues before he was killed off by the Rogues Gallery, who had been manipulated by his arch enemy, Inertia.  Wally's series would pick up again after a Flash special with issue #231, and would run another near 20 issues before HIS series was cancelled yet again, as Geoff Johns set up the REAL return of Barry Allen with Flash: Rebirth.  Bart would return in the events of that series as his younger version, and would reclaim his role as Kid Flash.  

THE STORY:  Bart Allen and his roommate, Griffin Grey, work for Keystone Motors, which had just laid off some employees, and they were picketing outside the plant as they go to work.  A man in a ski mask and explosives goes to destroy the plant but is caught by Jay Garrick, the Flash.  Meanwhile, Tina McGee of STAR Labs, and her assistant, Valerie Perez, have wondered why Bart hasn't shown up for their tests, in order to talk about his altered speed.  Bart is having flashbacks about his part in the legacy of being The Flash.  The man who tried to destroy the plant returns, and sets off an explosion that both Bart and Griffin get caught in.  Griffin is saved by Jay, and Bart manages to save himself using his powers.

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I was skeptical when this series first dropped, because after Infinite Crisis, and Wally had disappeared, I knew Bart would be next in line.  I wasn't too thrilled with it, but it turned out to be a pretty decent book.  It gave us a more grown up Bart, who had struggled with finding his place in the legacy that is The Flash.  Ken Lashley's artwork was beautiful, and I credit Bilson and DeMeo with their spin on Bart.  For historical sake, it's a short series read, but not a bad one.  Honestly, by the end of the book, I was actually getting more interested in seeing what new adventures Bart could have as the new Flash.  

NEXT WEEK:  A new issue we'll spotlight.  What it is...you'll have to wait and see!