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FLASH: IRON HEIGHTS
Recommended (8/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Ethan Van Sciver
Inks: Prentis Rollins
Colors: Chris Chuckry
Letters: John Costanza
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Price: $5.95 US/$9.95 CAN |
Normally I steer clear of prestige format specials, but Geoff Johns has been firing on all cylinders with Flash, and the expansion of Keystone with the
introduction of a super-prison was an interesting concept to me. I wasn't let
down, as Johns creates a thrilling done-in-one-issue plot but also uses the
one-shot to set up future stories, including the return of the Rogues' Gallery,
complications in the Wally/Linda relationship and of course the situation at
Iron Heights, the prison that gives the one-shot its title. Van Sciver's art
isn't as stylized as Kolins's work on the title, but this is still some
fantastic artwork, particularly in the grimy underbelly of the prison, and this
turns out to be another in a growing line of impressive Flash issues recently.
One thing I've enjoyed about Johns's run on the Flash is that he's given it an atmosphere the
book has rarely had. Turning Keystone into more of a blue collar industrial town
has had the side effect of making Flash a working class hero, and allowed the
creative team to introduce a bit of darkness into the title. The villains
introduced in this issue are frightening and creepy, and the use of a virus as a
threat is a clever way to get around Flash's very high power level and challenge
him.
Iron Heights is very interesting, a sort of
Arkham Asylum for the Flash that also serves as a commentary on prison systems.
The questions of whether even criminals deserve such treatment, and the
autocratic behavior of the mysterious Warden Wolfe, lays a foundation for
several stories in the future, particularly with ex-con Piper as one of Wally's
close friends. The story was weakened a little by the desire to keep Iron
Heights a going concern, because while Warden Wolfe's powers serve as an
effective distraction, it seems odd that Wally wouldn't take up the conversation
with him again later. Just because a muscle cramp develops doesn't mean he'd
stop caring about the brutal treatment of a prisoner in the facility. But it's a
forgivable story point, as it keeps Iron Heights a viable setting for future
stories.
Van Sciver does a terrific job of
establishing the atmosphere of the Heights, with cramped layouts, rusty pipes
and dripping water giving the appearance of a deliberately primitive and cruel
environment. Actually, the artwork is great throughout. I especially enjoyed the
black and white opening sequence that introduced us to the villainous Murmur and
set the foreboding tone for the rest of the issue. I also loved the detail in
the character drawings... looking at the cover, you could almost believe that
was the work of Brian Bolland, not Van Sciver, and the interiors are just as
striking.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
