REVIEW: ‘The Flash’ Issue #8

The Flash #8 is published by DC Comics. It is written by Simon Spurrier, Ramón Pérez, and Vasco Georgiev. Colors are by Sofie Dodgson and Matt Herms, with letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. With Wally still missing, Barry and the other speedsters face many disasters in The Flash #8.

The pacing and structure of The Flash #8 is frantic. It’s trying to follow many threads at once, with several speedsters all over the place dealing with problems the rest of us can barely see. There are members of the Flash Family everywhere, fragments of storylines that occur at the same time and out of time at the same time.

The Flash #8 is full of chaos, but some strands emerge to hold on to for stability. Spurrier brilliantly interlaces the events of the wider DC Universe and this series. Amanda Waller’s ongoing campaign against the superheroes continues and escalates while the Arc Angels are making their presence known in the present day, not just on the fringes of time.

The Arc Angels appear suddenly, emerging from nowhere. They are slowly taking over, and the experienced heroes aren’t noticing. The madness is hard to track, as most of the series is, but many aspects make the story clearer. Waller’s presence and Wally’s absence are key elements that will take the comic further. The book’s final part is a huge surprise, as some traditional Flash characters reappear.

It is interesting that after an arc of solely focusing on Wally and his family, suddenly, the rest of the Flash supporting cast has been reintroduced all at once. Many have been busy in other books, allowing the story of the Wests to take priority here. But The Flash #8 brings them to the front line. Barry is running across the world, with the different conflicts looking like a blur. With so much happening, it can be difficult to focus on the dialogue, which is a shame.

Spurrier’s narration and conversations have been some of the best parts of his Flash run. By the end of The Flash #8, the sheer number of speedsters in the book becomes integral to the writer’s plan. The issue’s culmination also brings back characters with distinctive and nefarious voices, which are more terrifying than the clinical Arc Angels.

The art is both messy and magnificent. Pérez has many pages in The Flash #8 that are fantastic. For example, the first instance of what Barry and the other speedsters deal with displays the situation’s intensity. There is a personal approach to each character, as they all seem to be facing individual threats that only they can see. This makes the issue fascinating, as occasionally a dinosaur will randomly show up, or other features that suggest that reality is falling apart.

But the way that Pérez draws the Flash is unpleasant to look at. Barry’s head looks uncomfortable due to the facial structure and mask. This is the same for other characters, such as the Pied Piper. The faces can look misshapen from certain angles, and the facial expressions are unintentionally off-putting.

What helps the book is that Georgiev also provides pages. The costume is more inviting and exciting, and the sense of speed is phenomenal. This particular artist is much more fitting to the story and the character. The colors are terrific, with a distinct change depending on who provides the line art.

There are more minute strands of yellow on Flash’s costume on Georgiev’s pages, which adds excellent detail and creates muscle definition. The red is also brilliant on the Flash, standing alone among the other shades on the page. The letters continue to be immensely creative and inventive.

Whilst there is a reason for every character’s involvement, The Flash #8 focuses on just carnage, and the speed at which it moves between the scenes and the scenarios can cause vertigo. The art doesn’t always land, although Georgiev is exceptional. The mysterious, unnerving feeling that the comic possessed wanes, and without it, the book lacks the power that excuses the confusion.

The Flash #8 is a cacophony of chaos. There is so much to love about this series and the inquisitive nature with which it tries to break reality and time. But it can also be tough to stay with it.

The Flash #8 is available where comics are sold.