REVIEW: ‘The Flash,’ Issue #795

The Flash #795 is published by DC Comics, written by Jeremy Adams, with pencils by Roger Cruz, George Kambadais, and Fernando Pasarin, inks by Wellington Diaz, Kambadais and Oclair Leigh, colors by Roger Leigh, and Matt Herms and letters by Rob Leigh. This is part 6 of the One-Minute War. Barry and the rest of the Flash Family are tired of running from the Fraction, ready to take the fight to them. But that may not bring everyone back.

If this is a war movie, then The Flash #795 is the first half of the final battle. It is the rallying cry as the heroes charge headlong at the enemy. This war movie has been supercharged with the Flash mythos, containing the Speed Force and the possibility of time travel. While this is a road well traveled, it is always entertaining to explore the furthest reaches of sci-fi in the DC Universe. It has also been adapted by the inclusion of the Fraction, a race that has commanded and utilized the Speed Force themselves. Every aspect of this story seems larger while still contained within the Flash Family. The structure of the comic alternates between the current battle and a flashback to just before they moved out. This allows the plan to be explained and the exposition to unfold while the excitement of its execution is ramped up simultaneously. Then comes the fight, and it is filled with energy and weight. This comic uses action and emotion with equal power. And while there is drama, those beads of hope are starting to ring through. Then the final page takes a different direction altogether. While the premise may have been expected, it moves in a way that could not have been predicted.

The focus of the characters within this Flash run has shifted, especially with what happened to Wally in the previous issues. Wally is dead, so Barry steps up to be the leader of the Flash Family once again. And throughout the issue is an undercurrent of things not being said to protect the most positive and joyful of those among them. But the older members, those with keener sense, can tell that things may not be the same even if the heroes succeed. The conversation between Barry and Linda is fraught with awkwardness but beautifully written, featuring two people who have now lost their partners in a painful war. It’s a reminder of how extraordinary Wally and the other speedsters are compared to any other being in the multiverse. The villains may not be multi-dimensional, but their menace has made them impressive to follow through this arc.

The art is interesting as so many creators are involved in this issue. That leads to a brilliant variety in the book. Helming the One-Minute War are Cruz and Diaz, who have been excellent. That angular style makes the pages incredibly dynamic, working perfectly with the lines of the typical Flash masks. But also included in The Flash #795 is Kambadais, with a similar yet individual style of his own. The perspective can take some getting used to, with characters having extremely long legs, but the expressions Kambadais etches onto character faces are impeccable and brilliantly cartoonish. Functioning as the main story, these pages can work together pretty seamlessly. Most of the action is unleashed by Diaz and Cruz, and the fast-paced battle is terrific and intense. Then in almost an epilogue, Pasarin enters the fray with the most different art style of the lot. There are more lines, more textures, and more volume in the character models. Revolving the artist keeps the interest piquing for the entirety of the issue, also allowing previous contributors to the run to make guest returns.

The colors are stunningly vibrant, but there is always the capacity for darkness. The sickly background shades are countered by the warmth and rich tones of the Flash costumes. In the pages drawn by Kambadais, the palette changes due to the difference in style. There are still those intense shades of the characters, but with a lovely blue that hangs in the air for the background. The lettering is brilliant and easy to read.

The Flash #795 is hurtling towards its conclusion, shining as it does. The One-Minute War has been a powerful story arc; this issue is another excellent inclusion. It has so much weight and enthusiasm to it. The tone constantly shifts slightly so that hope can filter through before the danger and realization of loss sift through. Characters that haven’t been accessed as much during Adams’ run now have the spotlight shone on them with Wally out of the picture. But Adams isn’t entirely done adding to the Flash mythos yet, with more surprises up his sleeve.

The Flash #795 is available now wherever comics are sold.