REVIEW: ‘Absolute Flash’ Issue 5

Absolute Flash Issue 5 is published by DC Comics. Written by Jeff Lemire, art by A.L. Kaplan, colors by Adriano Lucas, and letters by Tom Napolitano.

The Flash must try to contain Heat Wave when his new home is put in danger

Absolute Flash Issue 5 has an interesting concept because of how new this universe is and the characters within it. There’s a kid with super speed, a psychic monkey, and an escaped science experiment that burns at an unbelievable heat. It’s all the makings of a superhero comic.

Except there aren’t superheroes yet. Not in this world. So instead, there is a lot of fear and uneasiness. It takes very little time for the pace to ramp up with intensity, as the mission that Ralph Dibney runs is at the end of the tunnel that Heat Wave is travelling down.

For the first time, Wally has to try to protect something instead of running from it. The action is amazing, with a monumental sense of peril and potential loss. And that’s just the story on the ground. There is much more within Absolute Flash Issue 5. There are the machinations of the villains, who are beginning to squabble between themselves, and there is also the beginning of something much bigger, more celestial, and universally important than what’s happening in that tunnel. The opening reveals another level to this sci-fi conspiracy that takes it off-world.

This issue explores a great deal about Wally’s personality and his relationship with Grodd. At this early stage, he’s still a young kid who barely understands his power. So when he comes up against a threat like Heat Wave, he just doesn’t know what to do. Most of the first part of the comic consists of reactions triggered by fear. But he finds a bravery that is all centered around protecting his new friends.

The narration shows that Wally can be pessimistic and even nihilistic. He talks about dying young and being too afraid to act, slowing him down. The connection with the little monkey is established through minimal speech. Grodd only speaks in very short sentences. But the words carry more meaning than what’s just being said, and Grodd is Wally’s support, inspiring him to act.

The art is incredible, showcasing the Flash’s speed in a way we’ve never seen before, and also revealing how it will be utilized in action. Nick Robles, the artist in the first issues, employed a geometric approach, characterized by sudden explosions of shapes. Kaplan is messier, but it still works really well at unleashing this speed. Wally’s form seems to melt as he moves out of the panel, whizzing around with very little control over what he’s doing. Those lines that Robles started are still there, but they’re less precise.

Wally spends the first half of the comic out of the costume, but puts on the Flash suit in the latter stages. The design is sleek and impressive, staying close within the confines of his body. Heat Wave has been completely reimagined. He’s a figure completely covered in a globular mess of magma.

It makes him even more dangerous, as just touching him would incinerate anything. There’s a haunting quality to this villain, a sadness and a feeling of pity towards him. He is somewhat ghoulish as this mound of molten magma. 

The colors feature a sea of red and yellow, but not just from The Flash. With a villain coated in lava, there’s a lot of fire. In the first pages of the comic, Wally’s speed is mainly shown through yellow lightning, which is brighter than the fire that Heat Wave is made from. As Wally dons the costume, the similarities of the shades are part of the story, and it’s still easy to tell the two apart. The lettering is distinct and comfortable to read. Wally and Grodd have word balloons when they communicate, indicating their unique telepathic connection. It’s clear to see which one is talking due to the color-coded balloons.

Absolute Flash Issue 5 is starting to become a hero story. At first, this comic was about a young boy running very fast from a nefarious group that was hunting him down. Self-preservation was the key. But now Wally has to be brave and try to save other people. It’s a terrific script by Lemire, showing how Wally has to learn to be courageous. It truly feels like a young person who is entirely out of his depth. The art style and the bewildered approach to everything show that the boy is very far away from being the finished article.

Absolute Flash Issue 5 is available where comics are sold.