Since the release of the DC Universe: Rebirth one-shot, there have been two Wally Wests running around the DCU: the younger, New 52 version of Wally, and the older, original version. Described as cousins who have never met, a run-in between the two of them has been all but inevitable since Rebirth launched. The Flash #9 gives readers that meeting, and while the elephant in the room isn’t exactly addressed, it’s still a very entertaining read that furthers some of the dangling threads of Rebirth and adds some new ones along the way.
After an opening arc that maybe could have been a couple of issues shorter, writer Josh Williamson does really enjoyable work with a one-and-done story. The dynamic between The Flash and his new Kid Flash is established quickly and clearly, with Barry teaching Wally the ways of both speedstering and heroing. The main event of the issue, the initial meeting of the two Wallys, has some unexpected side effects for Barry, and it gives the two characters an opportunity to work together and develop a bond. All of the scenes between the Wallys reminded me of the brotherly dynamic between Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, which was one of my favorite relationships in comics. I hope that’s how things stay between the two Wallys. And it’s nice to see Barry and pre-Flashpoint Wally together again, too. Their relationship was at the core of the DCU: Rebirth one-shot, but we’ve seen little of it since then. Here’s hoping original recipe Wally drops by more often.
With regular series artist Carmine Di Giandomenico taking an issue off, fill-in artist Jorge Corona does a solid job maintaining the visual look of The Flash that Di Giandomenico has established over the series’ first eight issues, while still bringing his own style and flair to his pages. The colors on this issue, from Ivan Plascencia, are brighter and more primary than the sort of neon-looking colors we’ve seen on this book since it started up. The combination of Corona and Plascencia provides a nice visual shift to go with the fill-in art, and a cue to the reader that the book is on to something different now. It’s a nice change of pace, and I wouldn’t object to seeing Corona take over rotating art chores with Di Giandomenico on The Flash at some point.
And then there’s the aforementioned elephant in the room – the fact that two characters named Wally West are in the same universe, in the same comic, with the same powers. At this point, New52 Wally doesn’t know The Flash’s secret identity, and that extends to his new red-headed friend as well as of this issue, so we don’t yet get to see him flip out over there being another guy named Wally West. That’s a fun thing that will have to wait for another time to experience, which would be almost unacceptable if not for the last page tease of another old friend’s return. But that, too, will have to wait for another time.
The Flash #9 is an entertaining single-issue story that answers some questions while leaving others open and adding some new ones to the mix. This Wally West fan is pleased at what an important role the character is playing in the Rebirth initiative, and I’m happy to be getting to know the newer version of the character at the same time. This issue, then, is the best of both worlds.
