The Flash #33 Review

Open your eyes.

While the future told a tale of redemption, the present shows that everything is never what it should be.

Vendetti has a great handle on Barry and it really shines in the future segments. The present ones though don’t work that well thanks to an unfocused arc that feels like it’s giving Barry something to do until his future self arrives.

SPOILERS FOLLOW…………

In the present, Barry digs up connections between past homicides and the new one, which everyone is calling the ‘Mash-up murders’ thanks to Iris West. Apparently, five members of a six man crew are now dead with the last Nate Jones either a target or the killer.

Iris informs Barry that Wally is getting involved in some nasty business, but he is sidetracked by Inspector Seaborn’s tip about Jones. Arriving at the place, he finds Jones using a drug that gives him the appearance of an inside-out Venomified Bane.

Somehow dodging his attacks, Barry sees Jones die from heart failure. Remembering his visit to Wally, he finds himself loosing time again and arrives too late to stop Wally from getting arrested.

Back at the Lab, Barry finally realizes that Seaborn was the killer all along.

Meanwhile in the near future, the future Flash arrives 7 years from now and takes the Trickster to the top of a building.

Even as far gone as the Future Flash is now, he’s still a good guy on a suicidal path. This shines through in his interactions with Axel aka the Trickster.

Apparently, in a few days, Axel will use his robots to rob a bank. But unable to carry the strain, the vault will fall on top of a family, killing them. A guilt ridden Axel will commit suicide the next day from that very building top.

Barry manages to use some really scary death trap scenarios and his knowledge of the future to 'convert' Axel.

I like that they’re taking different approaches to Flash’s dealings with his Rogues. While for out-and-out savages like Grodd, murder was his option. For Cold and Axel, it was compassion and hope (sadly in Cold’s case, it was too late). And for Mirror Master, it was contempt.

SPOILERS END……………

The Future segment was very interesting, but the lack of a proper antagonist and Wally being plot device again is grating me.

Booth artwork is good through nothing exactly popped up as great.

I’m happy that they didn’t make the Future Flash into an out-an-out psychopath and we keep seeing the good man inside. Will make it hard to watch when he meets the present him.

So, I give it 7.5 out of 10.

+The future segment was excellent

+Well handled characterization of future Barry

-Wally still plot device material

-The lack of an antagonist in the present time is grating