Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: barry allen, black hole, dc comics, Joshua Williamson, justice league, Kid Flash, meena dhawan, michael moreci, negative flash, pop mhan, rebirth, Speed Force, teen titans, The Flash, wally west

The Flash #35 Review: More Upbeat And Energetic

Meena Dhawan has absorbed the Negative Speed Force out of Barry Allen, becoming the Negative Flash. She explains how Black Hole saved her from the Speed Force, and she blames the Flash for getting stuck within the dimension in the first place. She abandons the Barry and Wally to be captured by Black Hole.

So, now we have Meena's motivation, and it's not especially satisfying. Even considering how the Speed Force may have driven her a bit mad, it's still a fairly standard villain explanation. They could have played more to her concerns as a scientist, which they at least touch on. However, she's not the most compelling Flash villain every created.

That is, of course, Daniel West, aka the Reverse-Flash, as we all know.

There are some good moments from this comic though, and it manages to be more gripping than last issue. Barry and young Wally reconnect more and cooperate for some Black Hole ass-kicking. It's nice seeing them have each other's backs again and Barry trusting Wally's capabilities more. Things aren't completely mended, but they're working on it.

We get to see who is behind Black Hole in this issue as well. It's a "new" character, unexpected, and more than a little ridiculous. Think Mortal Kombat and Japanese/Shinto mythology.

Pop Mhan's artwork gives the comic some extra energy and excitement. He knows how to play with the fighting styles of the Flashes, and he understands how to make a scene feel kinetic. I also dig Meena's new duds quite a bit Ivan Plascencia gets creative with the color balance, adding a bit of neon and darker shades against the regular bright palette of Flash. It looks very good.

Flash #35 doesn't go far to justify the existence of yet another anti-Flash speedster villain, even if Meena does add some ethnic and gender diversity to this particular pool. This comic does improve on the previous issue's slow pace and reserved tone with some energy and fun. I can recommend this comic, and you should check it out if you have a love of the Fastest Man Alive or are interested in getting to know the character more after the Justice League film.

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