The Flash: Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato, Ian Herring, Wes Abbott, Bernard Chang

This was a cool issue, and we got to see a lot of the Speed Force and how it works in this relaunched DC universe. Before, things were a bit different…but I like how they’ve made it into this sort of removed dimension of lost stuff. What I don’t understand is how it’s related to that “ball of energy” that Turbine describes. Unless this whole dimension is housed within that ball…then it makes sense. There’s a bit of foreshadowing in this issue, what with the introduction of the character Hartley Rathaway…better known as the Pied Piper…and the inhabitants of Gorilla City at the very end. Flash learns a lot about the Speed Force while within, and how it seems to be tied to him personally. Turbine seems to know things…but he’s cryptic on the why. I like this glimpse we see, and how there are still mysteries left over. Usually I feel burned by that, but it just works well here with the manic personality of Turbine. I’m curious as the fate of all these characters, as well as Iris, in the issues to come.

The Flash #8, the verdict: A solid issue that introduces us to some radical realities of the DC universe. The Speed Force is full of crazy stuff that Turbine brought from the real world, and it’s an amalgam of Barry’s life that kind of reminds me of Wackyland from Tiny Toons. The coloring inside the Speed Force is really cool, and it’s not too in-your-face like the design and look for the preboot Speed Force used to be. The issue is laid out very visually, like they all have been so far, and it’s still so much fun to read through. I’m very pumped to see how Grodd fits into the DCnU.

(Photo Source: iFanBoy)