The Flash #787 is published by DC Comics, written by Jeremy Adams, pencils by Fernando Pasarin, inks by Matt Ryan, colours by Jeromy Cox, and letters by Rob Leigh. Sat watching TV with his kids, Wally switches over to an intergalactic wrestling show. After realising that it is actually taking place in Central City and causing massive damage, The Flash runs in to stop the match.
The issue and its plot are chaotic but superb. It is filler but utterly immersive. It starts with a feature that Adams frequently uses in his Flash issues: opening at home. Not only does it provide the comic with a consistent basis, but it grounds the book just before it reaches a ridiculous tone. The slow build-up is shot with adrenaline as the cosmic wrestling takes over and the Flash is plunged into something mad.
The battles are purposely bombastic and excessive. The confusion at the beginning is brilliant and leads to a lot of exposition, which may be too much but it provides context for the rest of the story. The plot becomes all action after this with an extremely light-hearted tone. Whilst they are huge and explosive, the following wrestling matches are slightly too short, especially the last one, which dampens their dynamism slightly.
The Flash #787 is a comic brimming with big characters in regards to their sheer size and their personality. Many of these are only visible for a panel, but there are a couple that are memorable. The largest of these is Omega-Bam-Man. A completely incredulous being, he becomes an ally for Wally and the briskly-created friendship becomes extremely endearing. It is also really adorable seeing Wally portrayed as the ultimate Wife Guy. He is utterly devoted to his family and the sheer lack of conflict in this regard is heart-warming. It’s a unit to build the rest of the story and that unbridled positivity is refreshing in a largely depressing world.
The art is a brilliant display of character design. The characters that Pasarin and Ryan construct are huge and imposing, many of them being a blend between ridiculous and fantastic. Only one of the characters created in this issue are there for a long period of time, yet time has been taken to give each of them a distinct identity. Many of them are homages and influenced by existing characters, with Savage Dragon being the first I recognised, with wrestlers also being included in that mix. Omega-Bam-Man is a mess of a design, but his extraordinary visage is a considered choice. The enormous size of the wrestlers is made even more impressive by Flash being so much smaller than them. The fights themselves are magnificent, carrying intensity even if there are no stakes. Implementing wrestling moves on figures with such height disparity is no easy task, yet it is achieved excellently here.
The colours are pivotal for denoting the weird and wonderful creatures. In particular, the Omega-Bam-Man is difficult to take seriously, with his orange hair and purple skin. It is an eyesore that is, again, intentional. Many of the beings and their costumes are vibrant and rich, but this is also the case for all of the characters. The lettering is very easy to read and the SFX isn’t overused in the matches.
The Flash #787 is glorious madness. This comic feels like a time-out issue after long story arcs and events, allowing for a gap before the next one with an incredibly fun adventure. It captures the carefree nature this series can have that makes it so easy to fall in love with. Not every comic needs doom and gloom, some can just be a delight
The Flash #787 is available where comics are sold.
The Flash #787
TL;DR
The Flash #787 is glorious madness. This comic feels like a time-out issue after long story arcs and events, allowing for a gap before the next one with an incredibly fun adventure. It captures the carefree nature this series can have that makes it so easy to fall in love with. Not every comic needs doom and gloom, some can just be a delight
