REVIEW: ‘Absolute Flash’ Issue 9

Absolute Flash Issue 9 is published by DC Comics and written by Jeff Lemire, with art by Nick Robles, colors by Adriano Lucas, and letters by Tom Napolitano.

The Flash and the Rogues have teamed up, but not all of them are on the same side.

After the flashback in the previous issue, Absolute Flash Issue 9 takes place immediately following Issue 7. Captain Cold asks Flash to join forces and take on the whole army base to rescue Wally’s father. The story becomes a situation where the readers know much more than the characters do. As they begin their journey, we are aware of what they’re walking into. For a Flash comic, the pace is slow, leading the figures into what is clearly a trap. Not only is there a mole on the team and a secret held by Thawne, but Wally is dealing with mysterious communications due to his powers.

The plot is gripping, constantly revealing more about the more expansive universe. Lemire adds so much atmosphere to the comic every time the Speed Force is mentioned. It’s haunting and disturbing, like a celestial horror. And around that, an energetic, explosive action sequence is triggered by a sudden eruption. The Rogues‘ plan goes wrong, as we knew it would. But that lack of surprise is a red herring for a reveal that’s even more unexpected. All of the accidents that have taken place so far in this series are a part of a wider plan.

There are planners on both sides. On one side of Absolute Flash Issue 9, there is Snart, aka Captain Cold. Disillusioned and completely behind the mutiny against Thawne, Snart has worked out a plan of attack, which would be sound if Thawne didn’t already know of that plan. It creates a feeling of dread, because it’s only a matter of time before the counterattack hits.

Thawne is an insidious villain who is always disarmingly calm. She has failsafe’s and connections that mean she is totally in control. It’s an example of just looking at how these plans have been laid out, and how oblivious everyone else is. It’s interesting, then, that Wally is so raw in this series. It makes his experience so emotive and drastic because everything else he is up against is so precise and dedicated. He is just a clueless kid running his way through an incredibly hostile world.

The art is fantastic. All of those with powers and weaponry are together in a tiny ship. They all look superb with individual designs that Robles uses to convey personality. Wally seems small compared to Snart, who is an experienced soldier. This highlights again just how young he is, not really looking like a hero unless in his costume. Perhaps the most drastic change in the Rogues is the gigantic helmet the Trickster wears. It conceals emotions with cold, robotic mechanical eyes.

In comparison, the person they’re attacking is a human woman with a lab coat and a cane. And yet she is stoic throughout Absolute Flash Issue 9. No frowns or freak outs or even the occasional smirk as her plans came into fruition.

The colors are brilliant at discerning the everyday world and the weirder elements. The Flash and the Rogues are all in vibrant costumes, with colors that match their characterization from the central universe. Around them, the natural world is pleasant and calm. But Wally starts hallucinating, a side effect of his powers, and the ship is then turned a mixture of intense red and purple, the exact same tone as his uniform. It’s striking and evocative, disrupting their readiness for the upcoming fight. The lettering is very bold and clear to read.

Absolute Flash Issue 9 is an example of why rebelling in this world is impossible. The odds are stacked in the favor of those in power. You can be a kid with super speed or a soldier with high-tech weaponry. It doesn’t matter. Thawne and her allies in the other Absolute books have a head start and help everywhere. It’s always amazing how small stories are told alongside wider plot points, demonstrating Lemire’s superb storytelling. The Absolute Universe has so many small parts that fit into something enormous.

Absolute Flash Issue 9 is available where comics are sold.