Writer: Joshua Williamson / Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico / DC Comics
Barry Allen continues to be the least interesting person in The Flash #3. While he sits atop a throne of self-righteousness and carries an obligation to mentor dozens of people with new access to the speed force, he’s losing both his own speed and momentum as a leading character.
And the worst part about it is that he’s completely aware but chooses not to do anything about it. “Maybe I’m a square, but when I got my powers…” is actually a thought Barry Allen has on the first page. Yet he still spends the issue running around trying to hold everyone else to his same standard of character. But, fortunately, no one else holds themselves to it.
August Heart, Flash’s new running buddy, serves as the realistic middle ground in the ethical debate presented in the issue. What do you do if you’re given powers in a world full of people without them? Well, Barry decided to be as plain as a vanilla wafer. But Heart reacts the same way most of us would. At least initially. The way the issue finishes leads one to believe his story is headed straight for villain territory.
Wally West also gets some time this issue, but it mainly shows how desperately he needs someone to show him the way of the speed force because he’s likely going to get himself caught whipping out his powers at the wrong time. He’s not slick enough to be Dash Parr, yet. The introduction of Dr. Meena Dwahan is worth noting. We’ll be watching to see if she becomes more.
At the end of the day, you can’t have a comic book where your title character is unintentionally your least interesting. Intentionally? That’s different because it usually leads to some kind of transformation. But it’s not hard to see Barry Allen being a funsucker for another 10 issues until something traumatic happens to push him close to the edge.
6.5 out of 10
Are you following Black Nerd Problems on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr or Google+?
Show Comments