Geoff Johns, who's been writing this title for quite some time now, provides a thoroughly accessible jumping-on point for new readers. It's fitting, as this issue marks the debut of a new penciller, Howard Porter, best known for his work on Grant Morrison's JLA, and a new cover artist, Michael Turner of Fathom fame. The writer taps into the human heart of the title characer as well as the diverse array of colorful villains that make this such a fun super-hero property. But I came away from this issue with the feeling that ironically, there's little in the way of forward motion in terms of the plot.
Wally West has everything he's ever wanted. He's the Flash again, and the most important people in his life have been filled in on the secret once again. His city, Keystone, loves him and is throwing a parade to show it. He has his beautiful wife and a job he enjoys. Wally's fairy tale life is far more shaky than he thinks, and when he loses a piece of it, he demands answers for the seemingly omnipotent ally who made it possible. Meanwhile, the senior members of the Rogues Gallery make contact with a potential ally, and the newer members get up to no good.
Porter does an excellent job of conveying the title character's powers. His angular style is all about energy here, and I'm pleased to discover that some of the stiffness I remember from his JLA work is gone. He's definitely developed as an artist while maintaining his own style. Still, Porter -- as well as the cover artist -- seems to be all about style over substance. Both artists handle the fantastic quite well, but when it comes to more grounded qualities in the visuals, they come up short. The narration calls for a down-to-earth, reflective tone to the storytelling, but the art is all about action.
Johns's script is thoroughly accessible here. He fills the reader in on everything he or she would have to know to follow the story up to this point. The #s 201-206 story arc is summed up nicely, and that exposition is woven logically into the script. Mind you, the plot from those previous issues and this one as well hinges on a rather bitter pill: the Spectre's all-too convenient re-arranging of the Flash's life. Yes, the relationship with Hal Jordan is well established, as are the Spectre's powers. But the cosmic tone of the Spectre's involvement clashes with Wally's down-to-earth personality.
If there's one thing that Johns does well when it comes to The Flash, it's his depiction of the Rogues. He brings some intellect and definite menace to the villains here, and their scenes stand out as the strongest in the book.
It occurs to me that though Wally West's life has changed a great deal over the course of the past few years, it really doesn't seem as though he's changed all that much. The book still seems focused on his relationship with Linda and little else. The super-heroics are a lot of fun, but the focus here has always been on the character. But the character's story hasn't advanced much at all, or so it seems to me at this point.
