REVIEW: ‘Absolute Flash’ Issue 2

Absolute Flash Issue 2 is published by DC Comics. Written by Jeff Lermire, art by Nick Robles, colors by Adriano Lucas, and letters by Tom Napolitano.

This issue is part of the Absolute Universe. Wally West tries to escape as a team of tech-based soldiers hunts him down, but his powers are starting to kick in.

This issue is frantic and pressurized. Wally is trying to run from the Absolute versions of the Rogues. And as the situation gets more intense, Wally’s powers begin to surface. They’re sudden and unpredictable, and the sudden bursts of speed cause explosions of energy and electricity to accelerate the pace of Absolute Flash Issue 2. There are also flashbacks to when the accident happened.

It’s a noisy, chaotic scene yet easy to follow. The Speed Force in this world seems much more volatile, causing devastation when it appears. The exposition is minimal, with many questions still hanging in the air. The comic still doesn’t want to unleash its full speed, but the trepidation and tension cause the fascination and intrigue.

With the noise and the chaos, it can be challenging to learn about the characters. Wally is in such a panic that his personality is obscured by just trying to escape and survive. In the early stages of the series, he is the entry point for the readers to explore the world. We are learning about the fractious world around him. His anxiety and fright are exciting, especially without any allies around him.

The Rogues are chasing Wally. They have all been recalibrated and altered. Captain Cold, Golden Glider, The Trickster, and Boomerang are all involved and never far away from Wally, no matter how far or fast they run. The relentlessness of their assault controls the movement and momentum of the issue. They herd Wally into places that cause his powers to surface, pushing his anxiety and fear to uncontrollable levels. It makes the issue vibrate with energy.

The art is sensational again. The design of The Speed Force is the most captivating part of the new issue. When it ignites and explodes, its ferocity is startling. It covers the page, activated in a display entirely different from the Speed Force in the central universe. It covers the panel with lightning and various lines and shapes, making it a visual cacophony. Wally seems to disappear, melting and falling apart. It’s a magnificent spectacle that turns the issue into a whirlwind. The uncontrollable nature is terrifically captured by Robles, showing the terror and confusion on the faces of Wally and those who are witnessing the chaos.

The characters look fantastic, with distinct designs. Each of the Rogues has drastic changes to how they look, and the details are impeccable. Even though they look different, they are recognizable by their identities and codenames. Each costume and device has a story attached, and I really hope they get explored down the line.

The colors are terrific. They’re vibrant and exciting, with color coding already being used to denote who these characters are. But the intensity ramps up when Wally’s powers kick in. The red and yellow are startling, and the unnatural tones are extremely powerful. They swirl, strike, and surround the characters, becoming an enormous part of the storytelling. The lettering is phenomenal, with some creative uses of the location captions and sound effects. They appear within the panel, big and part of Wally’s powers.

Absolute Flash Issue 2 is a complete extension of the first issue. The origin story and conflict with the first chapter are rounded out here. It feels much more like the second part of the origin tale than a progression of the story or timeline. The possibilities of Flash’s super speed start to be explored. Lemire, Robles, and Lucas’ excellent portrayals show how a sudden influx of extreme power affects a normal kid and the understandable panic that would manifest as a consequence.

Absolute Flash Issue 2 is available where comics are sold.