Flash #44

The cliffhanger already has me amped up for where Williamson is taking the title next. Flash keeps rolling strong and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Read Full Review

Dense, heartfelt, and gorgeously illustrated, The Flash #44 from Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Ivan Placencia is the perfect end to "Perfect Storm," and sets up the next big story in Williamson's The Flash beautifully. Read Full Review

Finally, after months of battling with negativity, Barry seems to be getting back to his normal optimistic self. But if the hints about the Flash War are true, it may be Wally that's about to have a crisis of faith. That promises a powerful story, as it hearkens back to how he grew into the role of the Flash in his own title. Read Full Review

In this issue, The Flash and his team of speedsters fight Gorilla Grodd to save Central City from the Negative Speed Force. Meanwhile, a new enemy from the 25th century is waiting in the wings to confront the already stressed speedsters. Read Full Review

This is not only a great issue for The Flash, but it may be the one yet in the new Rebirth line. The action and scale is nothing like we've seen before in a solo Flash comic for years, and the characters are more fleshed out than ever. Although is does set up Flash War, it's great to see Barry and Wally with the rest of the Flash fam working together. Read Full Review

THE FLASH #44 is a truly enjoyable book. Williamson ramps up the emotion this issue, which makes it very memorable. Barry's letter to Iris is especially touching. Di Giandomenico's art makes the action look just beautiful. Read Full Review

Heading into Flash War, Williamson has readers right where he wants them, and that's great news for Flash fans. Read Full Review

The final chapter of "Perfect Storm" in Flash #44 delivers some serious action and a redemption of sorts for Barry Allen (who set much of this arc's chaos in effect with his shortsighted actions), but it also delivers some serious emotional punch thanks to its framing device " which takes a dark turn in the cliffhanger. Read Full Review

It will be interesting to see where this story goes next and what this new direction for Barry and company means going forward. Read Full Review

In the end, this was a satisfying, but rushed issue, that wraps the arc up in a nice, neat little bow. The answers given about Barrys odd behavior arent as detailed as they should be, and Grodd is swept off the page with little care, but the Flash is left in a nice place emotionally, surrounded by family, and the love of his life, so the weaknesses are excusable. Especially, when the last page promises an epic arc to come next month. Read Full Review

The writing of the issue is fine, with emotional beats. However, the art and colors are what makes it stand out. Read Full Review

While not necessarily a book-of-the-week contender, "The Flash" #44 is an excellent read and a strong end to the current arc. Read Full Review

One remedy could be to stop wallowing in the speedforce drama and world of the Flashes and explore new grounds that does not include the Rogues or anything concocted by Mark Waid or Geoff Johns. Read Full Review

Joshua Williamson adds in a few good character moments and the artwork by Carmine Di Giandomenico is good enough, but ultimately there's nothing here Flash fans haven't seen done before and done better. Read Full Review

The Perfect Storm story ended in a not so perfect way.  After issue and issue of setup, Joshua Williamson rushes the reader to a quick and forced ending that left a bad taste in my mouth.  The art was good (it usually is in this book), but this ending made the whole arc feel like meaningless filler. Read Full Review

mrDovydas

Apr 13, 2018

Great ending to this story with plenty of emotional moments. The new Flash family all had very good moments here. The last page only added to my excitement about the upcoming Flash war.

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln

Apr 14, 2018

That cliffhanger though.

Keola Kent

Apr 15, 2018

Some of those rating points are for Grodd, because I'm a Grodd fan. I would have preferred the Gorilla City contingent to get more to do. The letter to Iris was very well done, both for the text and for what it portends. I am hoping that some serious time will be given to an Iris and the Wallys arc. I'm too through with the 25th century. Reverse, Negative, or Upside Down Flash, they all need to take a nice long hiatus. For maybe 4 centuries.

egonnn244

Apr 13, 2018

Finally a solid issue I have no complains about. Great art, great action and satisfying conclusion to otherwise uneven story arc. Grodd gets defeated and Barry finally regains his hopefull, positive spirit. Maybe all the moping and negativity where the result of Grodd's mind tricks? I choose to think so. Also the narration in this issue in form of a letter to Iris was a really good move on the writer's part. Looking forward to Iris and Wallace reunion.

Dispatchdcu

Apr 12, 2018

Welcome to the Oblivion Bar where the first round is on me and the pretzels are free! Be warned: like the pickled eggs at the bar, this issue is going to get SPOILED rotten. Im sorry but this is what I’m talking about... why do we build up to these huge stories that seem epic and it just ends with the Flashes running really fast? What happened to Raijan? Multiplex? Black hole? We get the reveal that Grodd is the big bad, which was a pretty sweet reveal. Heck, he took Barry’s powers for this and Barry gets them back an issue later. Really? We get Godspeed and Meena back... the negative speed force even.... but this entire run built up to team Flash running fast and we’re done. Again really? Come on!!!! J-Dub has had his chance. We have seen his run and I think it’s time for fresh Blood. It’s had its ups and downs. And as a whole, we got tons of new and interesting characters, trips into the future, new power sets, and even new jobs for Barry. He’s come a long way and it’s been pretty good for the most part. But, I think it’s time for a change. I’m tired of big mind blowing arcs being dismantled by small, easy to fix, non-sensical solutions like running faster the other way, or a magical wishing machine, or a 10th metal that grants magical abilities to its wearer. You start with the end of a story and work to the beginning. I feel like J-dub, as well as many others, are just floating around from arc to arc and giving us these whimsical conclusions which deflate everything they’re working towards. Summary: Barry fights Grodd. Other apes take a Grodd away. Team Flash all run fast telling the readers that they will lose their powers. They don’t since they all run together. And we end by seeing Hunter Zolomon in the future at the Flash museum saying how he’s better than Thawne and is going to stop Barry. This was supposed to be the culmination of J-Dubs entire run and we find out nothing. We get new characters is about all we get a more

+ Like • Comments (2)

Dispatchdcu - Apr 12, 2018

We get new characters is about all we get and another trip to the future. I’m excited to see what we get with Zolomon but are we getting it before or after Flash War? I ultimately leave this arc disappointed.

Dispatchdcu - Apr 12, 2018

If you like what you heard, love talking all types of comics, and are interested in joining a comic chat group, hit me up at dispatchdcu@gmail.com or @dispatchdcu on twitter. Catch you all later! Peace