Comic Book Review: Flash #241

The Revolution has been disappointed with the Flash ever since Johns left the title right before Infinite Crisis. DC has continually bungled the handling of this title. However, I have to admit that Tom Peyer has done a decent job trying to steady the ship. The last issue was actually a solid read. Hopefully, that trend will continue with Flash #241. Let’s do this review.

Creative Team
Writer: Tom Peyer
Artist: Freddie Williams, II

Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: We begin with Grodd holding Spin, Wally and Jay captive. Grodd announces that he will not kill Wally. Instead, he will task Wally with the duty of finding the little white ape who is supposed to be the holy one for Grodd’s city. Grodd then implants a mental command for a mission for Jay to carry out for him. Evidently, Jay will hate himself for having to carry out this specific mission.

Grodd then decides he will probably kill Spin. Grodd then asks Spin how he was able to mentally control Keystone City. As Grodd takes Spin’s helmet off we learn that his secret identity is Mr. Auerbach, the owner of KN News who has been slandering Wally. Spin admits that while working in a special needs facility back when he was working his way up his father’s media empire, he came across Edwar Martinez. Auerbach found a way to harness Martinez’s powers and use them to his advantage.

We then cut to Wally’s kids busting out of the limo that Boss Dark Side’s thugs are driving. We see that Iris has experienced another quantum leap in age growth and powers. She is now around 18-20 years old and is sporting a Kid-Flash styled costume and now has speed powers that rival Wally. Iris quickly takes down the thugs.

Jai then comments that Iris has aged even more. Iris then reveals to Jai that she knew all about the secret that they are aging rapidly and will be dying soon. Iris comments that it was obvious since they are only about three months old.

We cut back to Grodd still holding Jay, Wally and Spin captive. Suddenly, Iris and Jai appear on the scene. They distract Grodd which allows Wally to break free from Grodd’s mental binds. Wally then teams up with his daughter and quickly knocks out Grodd.

Iris is happy that she is an adult and shows off her new costume and powers. Wally is horrified that his daughter is aging so rapidly, but he knows that all little kids want to grow up. So, Wally hides his worries and comments how great Iris looks and how much she must be happy right now.

A KN news employee then runs onto the scene and warns the Flashes that a mob of people are storming the Flash Museum and have set it on fire. Evidently, now that Martinez is loose from Spin’s machine that his emotion inducing powers are unchecked and the residents of Keystone City are all acting crazy.

Jay, Wally, Jai and Iris all race to the Flash Museum. Wally races inside of the Flash Museum and stands in front of Inertia. Wally debates whether or not he should rescue Inertia or let him die in the fire. Wally reluctantly decides to save Inertia and figure out what to do with him later.

We see Wally racing out of the Flash Museum with Inertia in his arms. Wally meets up with Jay, Jai and Iris. Suddenly, Iris begins glowing and crackling full of lightning. Iris asks Wally what is happening to her. End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Flash #241 was a solid read. With back-to-back good reads, Peyer appears to have finally stabilized this title. This was a fast paced issue. Peyer keeps the action scenes coming at the reader in waves. At no point does the reader get bored while reading this issue.

Flash #241 was nicely plotted. Peyer is going a good job progressing the plotline involving Wally’s kids. I really had no interest in this plotline at all until last issue. I am glad that it seems that Peyer has kick-started this plotline and appears ready to resolve it sooner than later.

Peyer delivered some solid dialogue. Each character has their own proper voice. Peyer does a good job giving Grodd, Wally, Jai and Iris nice distinctive personalities. I am a fan of Gorilla Grodd, so I always dig it whenever he makes an appearance. And Peyer writes an appropriately haughty and smug Grodd with that hint of primal fury.

I enjoyed the scene in the Flash Museum where Wally debates if he should save Inertia or not. I always loved the fact that Wally froze Inertia and placed him in the Flash Museum so he could look at the statute of Bart Allen for all eternity. Peyer gives the reader an excellent sense for Wally’s unbridled hatred and contempt for Inertia. However, a hero like Wally is never going to let someone die in such a fashion.

I hate to see the Flash Museum go up in flames. I have always found it one of the cooler constructs in the DCU. Hopefully, a new one will be built better than ever. Until then, it should be interesting to see where Wally ends up storing Inertia.

I liked Peyer’s handling of Wally’s reaction to Iris’ most recent growth spurt. Wally’s natural parental instinct to worry over his child immediately kicks in. However, Wally is smart enough to know that it was neither the right time or place for feelings of worry and fear. Iris was understandably excited about her age growth and power increase. Peyer deftly has Wally put on the brave and happy face as he congratulates his daughter while he battles his own worries inside his heart. Being a parent is never easy and Wally is certainly learning that the hard way.

I dig Iris’ new look and powers. The yellow Kid-Flash styled costume was a nice touch. This is actually the first time that her character has interested me. Peyer ends Flash #241 with a solid hook ending as it appears that Iris’ growth is out of control. I have to admit that I am curious to see what Peyer has in store for Iris in the next issue.

Freddie Williams, II provides for plenty of dependable artwork. Williams is able to draw speedsters nicely and creates a pleasant enough looking issue.

The Bad: Flash #241 has a bit of an awkward flow. I am not fond of how Peyer constructed this issue. The scene transitions were too clumsy. They gave this issue a bit of a jarring feel as the reader feels battered about from scene to scene.

Not for a second have I found Spin even remotely interesting. Spin’s origin that we get in this issue did nothing to get me to change my opinion about him. Spin is a generic and dull villain and I am glad that it appears that his story is over.

Overall: Flash #241 was a good read. Peyer is doing the best he can to salvage this wreck of a title. It is nice to see that the plotline involving Jai and Iris appears to finally be moving with a purpose. If you have avoided this title since Waid re-started the Flash then you might want to check it out. This title is a much tighter and focused read than it has been in the recent past.