The Flash #4
DC Comics
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Neil Googe
Picking up where issue #3 left off, the Flash is seen teaching a batch of kids how to use their new found super speed and coping with the responsibility of training them. He is also trying to figure out how the Speed Force Storm happened in the first place, which imbued these new speedster with their speed. Someone calling himself Godspeed broke into Iron Height Prison and killed three inmates. Also caught up in this mess is one Dr. Joseph Carver who seems to have gone rogue and with his cohort, the Black Hole. Helping the Flash along the way are Detective August Heart, his partner at the Central City Crime Lab and a speedster himself, and Dr. Meena Dwahan, who he just met in the previous issue.
Joshua Williamson’s writing is well done, and set at an exciting pace. He keeps the reader guessing as to what is going on and forces the reader to ask himself who Godspeed is and what side is he on. For me, I had to go back and read issue #3, because I was not able to draw any inferences about what was going on thus far other than someone had murdered Det. Heart’s brother and he is out for revenge. Joshua Williamson keeps things lighthearted as is evidenced with one in particular where Meena and the Flash exchange some flirtation banter only for the Flash to become embarrassed by what he said. However, I do hope that he wraps up the Speed Force Storm story arc soon though and here is why: If everyone has super speed such as the Flash then it takes away from the uniqueness of having that superpower. I can see a few heroes and villains having it, but now it seems that everyone is connected to the speed force in Central City. However, at least Joshua Williamson has done great job with the concept of using the Speed Force as a pool so that the more people who are bound to it the slower they actually become. Therefore, they cull their speed from the Speed Force and the more people culling, the less speed there is to give. This is a great idea, and I am sure we will see Barry use it in some way in the future.
Neil Googe’s artwork on this book is terrific. The electricity, lightning, shade, shadows, and facial features standout as superb in my opinion. The amount of attention given on the background and foreground were equal. Some artist miss that and focus too much on the foreground. My only gripe with the artwork is the shadowing around characters noses seems to be off. I know I mentioned above they were superb, but this is the exception.
This is a great book, although I do not like to rely too heavily on investigation. I like to know what has already happened in the first few pages and I still felt a little lost and that is why I had to seek out issue 3. Overall I give the book a 7.5 based on the fact that it used a new concept that I had not heard of, “The Speed Force Storm” and a two new villains I haven’t previously encountered, “Black Hole” and “Godspeed”, and a few new character such as Det. Heart, Dr. Meena Dwahan, and Dr. Joseph Carver. I am looking forward to issue 5 to see whether or not they catch Godspeed and how the Flash continues to deal with so many speedsters.