REVIEW: ‘The Flash,’ Issue #792

The Flash #792 is published by DC Comics, written by Jeremy Adams, pencils by Roger Cruz, inks by Wellington Diaz, colors by Luis Guerrero, and letters by Rob Leigh. This is part three of the One-Minute War. After Iris’ death, the speedsters must make plans and learn what they can about their new enemies.

This issue starts just as solemnly as the last did as Iris’ death has not quite sunk in for the characters. But they must take action. The scheming is fascinating but is derailed by some of the members going out on their own. This ramps up the speed of the issue and puts people in danger in a believable yet dramatic way. Due to the powers of every hero involved, things move at super speed, and there is a constant sense of peril and danger. Adams wastes no time getting in and among the enemy, pitting the Flash family against dangerous villains quickly. And losing Iris has proven that tragedy can strike and safety isn’t assured. The Flash #792 gets even more high-octane as it progresses, with more and more action. The plot also progressed much quicker than I had anticipated, with a huge amount accomplished within this issue. There are multiple surprises by the end of the issue that raise a lot of questions.

This is a great chapter in terms of its spectacle, but also due to the characters. What I love about this corner of the DC Universe is that they are true heroes. Even in the darkest of moments, their love for each other is something that could be considered cringeworthy, but it is very necessary to read in an intensely negative world. Those classic characters have been superb, especially Barry and Wally. Barry is in shock and very quiet, but he’s not snappy or harsh to those around him. The leadership of the group has been pretty democratic between the two, with that added experience of Jay Garrick. 

The first scenes are a great example of the brains and minds that are present in this arc. There are also different personalities that come from the younger heroes. The energy of Impulse and Kid Flash gives youth and exuberance to the comic. The villains are also fantastic—pure comic book and full of menace and threat. One of the hunters that is tasked with tracking the speedsters loves a hunt, with superb dialogue that captures the fun that can be had from this story arc. 

The art is again fantastic. Every character has so much care taken to their design, with individual ideas taken to how they are drawn and inked. Certain characters have more angular lines whereas others are rounder and smoother. The changes in tone are important in this issue and Diaz and Cruz excellently explore this in The Flash #792. Melancholy is needed at the start with Barry’s suffering. But this is slowly lifted as the energy is pumped into the book. There are some fantastic sci-fi elements in the latter half of the comic, with some fabulous spaceships and alien technology. The Fraction are superbly designed—just as unique as the heroes. Everyone is completely different, helping to identify them. They are awash with details.

The colors are also terrific. Early in the comic, the bleakness is matched with a gloomy aura in the West household. The costumes are still intensely vibrant, but it is more naturalised and fits the domestic setting. By the end of the issue, there are much more extreme and rich shades that come with the more extravagant scenes. The letters are consistently dynamic and the SFX is brilliant.

The Flash #792 is a stunning mixture of tones. It starts incredibly sad and incredibly exciting, and Adams balances that transition beautifully. It doesn’t seem disrespectful or doesn’t give enough time to think over what happened to Iris. But the story must move on and now they have a reason to act. The sheer amount of characters included means that there is a huge amount of possibilities and directions that the story can go on. Not every move the speedsters make will be smart but it leads to chases, action, and drama. Like with the tones, personal and small can be juxtaposed with huge and grandiose.

The Flash #792 is available where comics are sold.