The Flash #799 Micro-Review – A Mismatched Tone

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 799, cover, May 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #799
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED: May 16, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The tone of this issue is strangely light-hearted. Considering, y’know, Wally’s newborn son has basically been kidnapped and taken to hell by a crazy grandma. If that were my kid, I’d be apoplectic. But apparently Wally has the time and patience for Star Trek jokes.

Incidentally, the kid in this issue looks way too old to be a newborn. He looks more like a toddler. There’s a detail I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I weren’t a dad…

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@Yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter and TikTok.

A Green Lantern #1 Micro-Review – Back to Basics

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Green Lantern 1, cover, May 2023, XermanicoTITLE: Green Lantern #1
AUTHORS: Jeremy Adams, Philip Kennedy Johnson
ARTISTS: Xermanico, Romulo Fajardo Jr. (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer), Montos, Adriano Lucas (Colorist)
RELEASED: May 9, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue references specific songs by both Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones. I like me a good classic rock soundtrack.

This is very much a “back to basics” approach to a Green Lantern book. Hal Jordan is our star, we’re back in Coast City, he’s back at Ferris Air, etc. Nothing wrong with that. Hopefully it proves to be a good jumping-on point for newbies.

Not sure if John Stewart is getting the same approach with his back-up feature. But that certainly seems to be the case thus far. Gotta love a man who takes care of his mother…

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@Yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter and TikTok

The Flash #798 Micro-Review – Infant Abduction!

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 798, cover, May 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #798
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Will Robson, Matt Herms, Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED: May 2, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

A supervillain messes with Wally West’s infant son in this issue. We’re talking pretty much fresh out of the mother, here. As a father of young children, who still has fairly recent memories of being in a delivery room, that hit me in an uncomfortable way. Which, I suppose, is how it’s intended.

This is one of Jeremy Adams’ last issues on The Flash. I’m going to miss him. The “One-Minute War” story was a little iffy for me. But generally speaking, he’s done a fantastic job with these characters. I’ll be following him to next week’s Green Lantern #1.

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@Yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter and TikTok.

The Flash #797 Micro-Review – An Adventure in Babysitting

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

TITLE: The Flash #797
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Serg Acuna, Tom Derenick, Matt Herms (Colorist), Peter Pantazis (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer). Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED:
April 18, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This is a short but sweet adventure story with Jai, Irey, Maxine, and a couple of surprise guest stars. It almost feels like an episode of Teen Titans, or even Young Justice. Very enjoyable.

What’s been going on with the rotating artistic teams on this book lately? Last issue was split between various different artists, and now this issue is split between Serg Acuna and Tom Derenick. Everybody performs well. But it’s almost always jarring when you make a mid-issue switch like that.

Is Knives Maroney a newer character? I like him a lot.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Flash #796 Micro-Review – A Messy Blur

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 796, cover, April 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #796
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED: April 4, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue went by in a messy blur. This “One-Minute War” story was ambitious, and had a lot going for it, including a promising start. But in the end, for my taste, it had a few too many speedsters and a group of bad guys that ultimately underperformed. So we ended on a whimper.

There are a lot of artists on this issue. Three pencilers, three inkers, three colorists, etc. Too many to mention here. What gives?

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Flash #795 Micro-Review – “Flash Family, Forward!”

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 795, cover, March 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #795
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS:  Roger Cruz, George Hambadais, Fernando Pasarin, Wellington Dias (Inker), Oclair Albert (Inker), Luis Guerrero & Matt Herms (Colorists), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED: March 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

For the record, nobody dies in this issue, as the cover suggests.

Barry Allen says a couple of interesting/fun things, though. At one point, he flat out tells Linda that speedsters exist outside of time. Specifically, that they’re “separate from our regular…’continuity’ for lack of a better word.” If that’s not a meta moment, I don’t know what is.

Barry also gives the speedsters an “Avengers Assemble!” type battle cry: “Flash Family, Forward!” Not nearly as catchy. But it works, I suppose.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Flash #794 Micro-Review – Laughing at Miss Murder

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 794, cover, March 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #794
AUTHOR:  Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS:  
Roger Cruz, Wellington Dias (Co-Inker), Luis Guerrero (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED:
March 7, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s a panel in this issue where the Miss Murder character gets played for a laugh. That’s a mistake. This character is supposed to be like the Flash’s equivalent to the Batman Who Laughs, who’s a scary death-like character. Not necessarily good comedy fodder. Plus, we’re still learning about Miss Murder, getting used to her, etc. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

As the (gorgeous) cover indicates, Irey West gets to shine in this issue. Curiously, that’s not what her costume actually looks like, though. Actually, her costume is practically identical to that of Impulse.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Flash #793 Micro-Review – The Flash’s Hot Rod?

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 793, cover, February 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #793
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS:
Roger Cruz, Wellington Dias (Inker), Luis Guerrero (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Taurin Clarke.
RELEASED: 
February 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Wally drives a Speed-Force-powered hot rod in this issue. There’s something that feels inherently wrong about the Flash driving a car. But I suppose Jeremy Adams makes it work in the context of this story.

There’s a big scene between Barry and Wally in this issue, where they talk about what happened to Iris when this “One-Minute War” story began. It’s a fine scene. But for me, it was watered down by disbelief. Inevitably, what they did to Iris won’t stick. It’s just a question of how long she’ll be gone for…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Flash #792 Micro-Review – “Oh…Snarglebargle.”

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash 792, cover, February 2023, Taurin ClarkeTITLE: The Flash #792
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS:
Roger Cruz, Wellington Dias (Inker), Luis Guerrero (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Taurin Clarke. 
RELEASED: 
February 7, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s a point in this issue where Wally says, “Oh…snarglebargle.” Is that a thing the Flash says? If it is, I ain’t mad at it. Just wondering…

Adams seems to be having fun writing Kid Flash and Impulse as a duo that gets into hijinks. Case in point, in this issue they steal a vehicle from the big enemy army. Again, I ain’t mad at it. I just hope he doesn’t overdo it.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

The Flash: One-Minute War Special #1 – Miscellaneous Information Dumping Ground

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

The Flash One-Minute War Special 1, cover, January 2023, Serg AcunaTITLE: The Flash: One-Minute War Special #1
AUTHOR: Jeremy Adams
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Serg Acuna.
RELEASED: 
January 31, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s a lot of good information in here, including the origin of our villains, which expands the scope of this One-Minute War story. At certain points it sort of comes off like a miscellaneous information dumping ground. In other words, this is where Jeremy Adams put a lot of the exposition he couldn’t fit into the ongoing narrative of the story for fear of slowing it down. Makes sense.

On the downside, none of the heroes we see on the cover actually appear in the issue. That kind of thing always annoys me.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.