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Post by String on Aug 23, 2016 11:49:24 GMT -5
Flash #4
'Kill the Kilg%re!' Script: Mike Baron Pencils: Jackson Guice Inks: Larry Mahlstedt Colors: Carl Gafford Letters: Steve Haynie Editor: Mike Gold Speed reading:
Wally, Tina, and Prof. Schmitz (yes, Schmitz) are brought into Salt Lake for a meeting with NSA advisers and the President. President Reagan appears on-screen aware that something has gained entry into the country's electrical and power grid. Wally briefs him on the Kilg%re and offers up the radical plan of shutting all power off nationwide in an attempt to defeat it. Before the President can respond, Kilg%re appears and creates a metallic robot from the cables and metals within their room to attack them! .jpg) The metal behemoth goes on a rampage while Wally tries various means to stop it, only to find out how difficult that may really be.  Things appear hopeless (especially after Wally saves Tina from the robot's rampage) when suddenly everything goes dark! Kilg%re is still assimilating to it's new home on our power grid and overextended itself too soon, causing a city blackout. Wally gets the others out of the building safely while planning their next move. Wally then informs Tina of his private concerns about Prof. Schmitz (yes, Schmitz): that he may in fact be a clone of the true Professor who may now be dead. The Professor's renewed finger tipped Wally off about this possibility, seeing as Wally thinks the clone was grown from the finger that was snipped off the real Professor. Wally asks Tina to keep this secret when the NSA ask Wally about what should be done next. Wally says that he needs to get to New York, to see Cyborg in Titans Tower. Given how Kilg%re has compromised electrical and radio systems, Wally intends to run there. But not before being sent off by Tina.   As he makes his trip cross-country, Wally's thoughts are, of course, flustered. "She's a married woman. But she hasn't lived with her husband in a year. It's over she says. She's thirty-two! I don't know what's right anymore. All I know is that I want her and I'll come back to her."
Wally arrives in New York to find it black-outed as well. Vandalism is rampant but Wally feels he doesn't have time to stop such petty crimes. But when he spots a possible assault/rape on the way to Titans Tower, he quickly intervenes. At the Tower, Wally finds Vic already gauging the situation. The Titans' systems are now running off a signal from their satellite in orbit which is solar-powered. Wally and Vic form possible strategies before deciding a world-wide power shutdown may be needed to stop Kilg%re. It has to be a total complete shutdown worldwide else they fear Kilg%re will just find a bolt-hole to hide in and wait them out. Wally needs to rest from his run before doing anything but awakens to find Vic stating they are needed back in Utah, for the army feels they have a way to penetrate the initial steel dome Kilg%re arrived in. Arriving back, our heroes help the army and break their way into the dome. What they find there isn't encouraging, the remnants of a cloning chamber. Wally's fear concerning the Professor seems accurate. Preparations continue for the worldwide power shutdown. The group heads out into the desert to lessen Kilg%re's ability to interfere while Wally makes sure that Professor tags along despite his seemingly reasonable objections. Vic oversees the power shutdown and every country shuts down, the Professor becomes more and more agitated. Till finally he bolts from the control room truck! Wally was right, the clone of the Professor is Kilg%re's bolt-hole. Should the entity connect up with him, they may never be able to stop it. The Professor steals a car and races off into the desert with Wally quickly on his trail. He snatches the Professor from the car when the Kilg%re arrives as a giant metal snake to re-take him! Thus a race begins as the Flash seeks to keep the metal-infused clone from being taken by the Kilg%re.  Wally soon reaches his physical limits, wondering if he's made an error by not telling the others about the Professor before now. He makes one final effort, throwing the clone robot (who has been wrecked at this point by the friction of this high speed chase since Wally consciously pulled back on his friction aura field to not protect it) into the path of the snake and both units collide and explode to a halt. The planet-wide shutdown had taken it's toll on Kiolg%re and it simply ran out of energy with nowhere to left to hide. Or as Wally proudly thinks, "How about that? I outran the damn thing!"
Afterwards, Wally returns to the camp he learns that there is no trace seemingly left of Kilg%re. Vic tells him that the world-wide power grids are starting to recover. Later that night, Wally and Tina talk. She still has her grant money to study Flash. Wally asks her to come with him back to New York. She has issues to discuss with her estranged husband Jerry but once that's done, she will join him then... Flash facts:
Overall, this issue held some great moments. The action and energy of the fight and chase with Kilg%re was very good. Wally pushing himself as fast as he can, past his limitations, in hopes to save the day. But also, this story is resonant with details of the 80s. Ronald Reagan makes an appearance which doesn't seem all that out of place given his most recent appearances in the Legends minseries. But concern with the Russians is prevalent throughout this story. In fact, in their meeting with him early on, Reagan's first question about this situation is whether the Russians are involved. When the desperate plan to shut down power world-wide is hatched, the Russians' possible objections and delays about it are a constant concern. Even Wally gets into the act when he is asked by a soldier about what they found within the dome. "Communist propaganda", he replies. Wally's relationship with Tina takes a HUGE step forward here. She's an older, married woman whom Wally feels immediate attraction for. He tries to justify this step by focusing on how she says her marriage is over for all intents and purposes. But he still has doubts as his sleep at Titans Tower is peppered by the question, "She's married. So what?"
There is also no mention whatsoever of Fran. Wally seems to have forgotten her completely in his new infatuation with Tina. Which is what Baron intended from the start. He wanted to present Wally as a 20-something young male, in his prime, whose apt to make these kind of rash decisions and actions. And judging by the incoming early mail, it seemed to be working. Readers were pleased with this new version of Wally, he felt more 'real and plausible' through these actions and moves (most felt okay with his wanting to be compensated by the hospital in #1). Most seemed to think this was a huge improvement over his former depiction by Wolfman in New Teen Titans where he came off as being whiny and indecisive. Well, now Wally knows that he wants Tina... Wally's food log: none apparently. This crisis was so extreme, he only needed time to sleep to recover.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Aug 23, 2016 16:29:15 GMT -5
I don't remember that story much, but I do remember really liking the art and character design of Killgore... he comes back later, doesn't he?
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Post by String on Aug 23, 2016 17:04:17 GMT -5
Kilg%re appears again later during Messner-Loebs' run.
Outside of Flash, it seems that Kilg%re may have had influence over Maxwell Lord as he worked behind the scenes to set up the new Justice League (something about establishing a worldwide peace-keeping organization that would help it control the world). This may have been part of a later retcon of those particular events so I don't know if this factoid still counts now.
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Post by String on Oct 14, 2017 10:49:31 GMT -5
Flash #5
'Speed McGee'
Writer: Mike Baron Art: Jackson Guice Inks: Jack Torrance Colors: Shelly Eiber Editor: Mike Gold Speed Reading:
At their home in Syracuse, Tina McGee is arguing with her estranged husband, Dr Jerry McGee, a noted and respected scientist within the field of hyper-physiology. Their marriage is imploding and Tina is desperate to get help for Jerry whose been suffering disturbing mental and physical side-effects from his research into new types of steroids while Jerry is paranoid about her leaving him for younger (and faster) Wally. When Tina announces that she's leaving, Jerry erupts, striking and beating her. Leaving her at the house, Jerry storms off, determined to show her that if she wants someone like a superhero, he'll give her one. Returning to his lab, he subjects himself to the final stages of his latest steroid project. Meanwhile, Tina calls Wally and lets him know what happened and asks to meet. Wally rushes off.  Since Tina refuses to call the police over this matter, Wally decides the best course is to take her to his mansion in Long Island. The PI that's been trailing Tina for Jerry calls to let him know that she has met up with a new guy but loses them after Wally races off with her. Jerry suits up to find them, now that's he's larger, stronger, and faster due to the steroids and the electrode implants that help his body regulate the energy that the steroids give him. But he's new to his abilities as he races frantically through the city streets only to collide with a policeman's horse (knocking it out), outracing the cop's bullets when he fires and then crashing headlong into a wall. Jerry also seems to have a very high tolerance for pain. Meanwhile, back at his mansion, Tina begins to settle in while Wally wonders if the spark they felt back in Utah is still there. But then Wally's father, Rudy, unexpectedly shows up on his front door step. Bewildered, Wally learns that his parents' marriage may be on shakier ground than he knew, especially when he learns that the $500,000 dollars that he gave them recently is already spent. Later, as Tina and Wally head out for dinner, Wally is uncertain about Rudy's arrival as his attempts to contact his mother have gone unanswered. At the restaurant, Wally approaches a city councilman about the news that the city may have it's liability insurance cancelled due to Wally's residence there. The Councilman says their insurance premiums are already massive and if something major were to happen due to Wally's presence, the resultant costs could bankrupt the town. Frustrated,the couple return home (to find Rudy passed out drunk) and retire for the night. Wally is still unsure about where his relationship with Tina is going when she enters his bedroom. She needs the safety and comfort of his arms while he admits that, no matter how wrong this may be, it feels right to him. But then, Jerry arrives.  Wally confronts Jerry but he's clearly outmatched physically.  Jerry tosses Wally about the room like a rag doll (and even doses him with a shot of mustard gas from his gauntlet). He's distracted though when Tina yells out to him. He rushes towards her and throws both himself and her out of the bedroom window. Wally recovers in time to see Jerry zoom off with Tina. But Jerry is still not in full control of his abilities as he misses a curve and careens into a fuel depot instead which promptly explodes! Flash facts:
First off, a fantastic cover. The byline of 'It's My Husband!' only makes it better. If done today, this story would more than likely feature Jerry somehow gaining his powers through the Speed Force. Instead though, for an 80s comic, Baron tackles two strong social issues here. First, domestic violence. Jerry is paranoid over Tina's leaving and when she actually admits to it, he assaults her. The scenes depicting this are quite dramatic. It appears that Jerry hits Tina from behind as she starts to leave and then raises his fist to strike her as she's laying on the floor. The next scene is just an exterior shot of the house with violent sound effects to be followed by a shot of Tina sobbing on the floor with Jerry calling her a slut. Later when meeting Wally, she refuses to call the police despite his pleas to do so. She feels like she owes that much to Jerry since she believes that his dangerous steroid experiments greatly affected a once brilliant and loving man. I won't pretend to understand the full nuances and consequences of such a large domestic issue for I have never experienced it to any real degree in my own personal life but this strikes me as being portrayed very realistically by Baron here. Of course, the burgeoning romance between Wally and Tina only seems to compound and inflame the issue. The second issue is steroid abuse. Early on, Jerry is shown as having a very muscular physique but Guice was clever in showing a very clear bald spot on Jerry's head throughout his confrontation with Tina. But he's also mentally unbalanced, alternating between wanting to punish Tina for her supposed betrayal and wanting to win her back by becoming the very thing she appears to be betraying him for. But it also underscores Tina's desire to get him help, she may not love him anymore (or at least how she once did) but to see him in such much distress and pain causes her own grief over how their marriage (and the resulting situation) have deteriorated. And then there's Wally. He wants this relationship with Tina even despite the age gap that she seemingly brings up occasionally. Morally right or wrong, it feels natural and right to him. The arrival of his father Rudy throws a monkey wrench in this scenario as his own parents may seem on the verge of splitting themselves. Plus, it's interesting that Baron shows some of the possible real life consequences of having a super-hero live in your neighborhood. We readers tend to overlook the results of these drag down hero-villain fights but in this instance, such an occurrence may actually bankrupt a town (Hm, so it's not looking good that a fuel depot just exploded then). Wally's reaction is equally interesting. He only sought out this location for peace and quiet. 'I bought the house, not the neighborhood' seems to be his mantra, interesting for someone who may want to be a hero of the people. But Wally's age and distractions are showing here as well. All in all, while the action here is limited, this is a very deep comic featuring some serious issues, very well done by the whole crew. Flash buffet menu: Two orders of Veal Parmesan, two filet mignons, and a lobster chaser
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Post by sabongero on Oct 14, 2017 11:59:47 GMT -5
Alright! The Wally West Flash reviews are back !!! Run String! Run!
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Post by String on Oct 14, 2017 12:01:25 GMT -5
Flash #6
'Super Nature'
Writer: Mike Baron Art: Jackson Guice Inks: Larry Mahlstedt Colors: Shelly Eiber Editor: Mike Gold Speed reading:
Wally races to the fiery scene of the depot explosion, desperately seeking any sign of Tina. He finds her unconscious nearby. Grabbing her, he races back to his mansion.  Tina still wants to get help for Jerry but is unsure of how or even if Wally may be able to. Wally decides to contact the Titans for assistance beginning with being picked up by them at a nearby hotel since he feels the mansion is no longer safe. The next day, Gar and Donna arrive at a fancy hotel in T-jet to pick up the couple and take them to Titans Tower. Wally uses their database to try and find a clue as to where Jerry could have gone when Tina mentions his former employer, Dr. Conrad Bortz. Bortz was Jerry's original sponsor for his steroid work but when he saw the mental effects that Jerry began suffering from, Bortz had to cut him loose. Tina says that Jerry's been wanting revenge ever since. Wally decides to go to Bortz's mountain estate in upstate New York. He pleads with Tina to stay at the Tower while he looks for Jerry there only for her to make him promise not to hurt him. Wally asks her if she loves him. She's hesitant, she has feelings for him and wants him to come back to her. Wally admits that he loves her. Later, Wally approaches Bortz's estate which looks more like a fortress. He attempts to sneak in via the roof but falls prey to a trap hatch thanks to the pouring rain. Wally manages to fool his way past the guards and finds Bortz who initially thinks it's Jerry instead. Wally quickly convinces him of his error but that his life is still in danger.  Bortz goes on to explain that he was proud of Jerry's brilliance and work. But he could see what it was doing to Jerry, his growing dementia and paranoia that Bortz was scheming to steal his discoveries. Jerry became abusive and combative forcing Bortz to take action. With Tina, he sought to try and get Jerry the help he needed but feared it may be too late. Even now, he thinks that Jerry is killing himself through these steroids, a terrible waste of a life. Wally asks him if he thinks there is anyone who can help Jerry now even in his grotesque powered state. Bortz starts to respond when the power goes out from what seems like a explosion. When the back-up generator comes on-line, Wally starts after Jerry by attempting to break through the living room window. He instead slams hard against it, Bortz saying it's a new bullet-proof pane formula that his company developed. Jerry, however, doesn't seem to have that problem.  Jerry is thrilled to see his two favorite hated people together. But he's still unused to his speed as Wally is able to outmaneuver him but Jerry gains the upper hand on Wally (literally) when Wally slams into him to force Jerry to drop Bortz whom he was choking to death. Jerry catches Wally in a severe bear hug which Wally is unable to break due to Jerry's high tolerance of pain.But just as it seems like Wally's back is about to break, Jerry suddenly convulses and collapses, dropping Wally. They immediately call for an ambulance but the prognosis doesn't look good. The steroid abuse has taken a serious toll.  But Bortz isn't ready to give up on Jerry yet. To answer Wally's earlier question, yes, he does know someone who can help Jerry, a Dr. Orloff who is currently working for a top-secret Russian institute on the same type of projects as Jerry was, hyper-physiology. The only hitch, he needs Wally to get him out. Cut to a snow-covered installation as high-ranking Soviet military officers await to see the latest results of this project. Three Soviet test-subjects appear out of nowhere, each of them seemingly as fast (or faster) as the Flash. Here comes Red Trinity! Flash facts:
The dynamic between Wally and Tina grows complex. Even though she doesn't love Jerry anymore, she still has feelings for him which is why she continues to want and try and treat him for his condition. Wally admits at one point that he wishes Jerry would've killed himself at some point through his power rants but because Tina still wants to help him, he's willing to do the same. Their conversation at Titans Tower was interesting, with Wally asking if she loves him. She doesn't seem ready to fully commit while he is. Guice does a good job in showing Tina's reaction when Wally finally admits his love for her; she glances off to the side as if excited yet fearful. Meanwhile Jerry is sinking further and further down. His physical stature has become immense yet grotesque and the font of his dialogue would suggest that his intelligence has been affected more as well, in line with his brutish behaviour and speech. I don't expect a full-on examination or study of this abuse issue but for this arc and in relation to the character's dynamics, I think Baron has done a fair job in showing some of the risks and possible dangers of such activities. Again, you may not expect such examination or even motivation from this era's comics but I think such a look helped cast a different and unique light upon this new title and new Flash. No sign of Rudy, Wally's father, here but the appearance of Gar and Donna is strange. While they do come to assist Wally by picking him and Tina up to bring them back to the Tower, they keep offering to help Wally with this situation but only if he's willing to wait a few days. When they arrive to pick them up, both Gar and Donna are dressed casually but when they leave the Tower later, they are in costume. No clear reason is given in the story itself as to why they couldn't simply help more right then & there and I have yet to find anything substantial in the concurrent issues of New Teen Titans to explain why they couldn't. Odd indeed. While some serious issues are dealt with here, Baron does manage to throw in some good bits of humor. For example, the window pane that Wally is unable to shatter but Jerry later bursts down. Afterwards, Jerry attempts to use his heightened strength to snap the pane in two but fails. Giving up, Jerry flings the pane aside while congratulating Bortz on the success of his formula. Who ever said villains can't be polite? The letters page also continues to show that Wally's new life direction and attitude seems to be a hit with readers. His previous dalliances with Fran would seem to reflect actual behaviour of this age based on some readers' responses so Baron seems to be on par with some of his stated goals for characterizing Wally. I'm just waiting to see their responses with this new affair with an older (and married) Tina McGee. Flash food buffet: Apparently nothing! Though in escaping Bortz's roof trap which featured gas, Wally claims he can hold his breath for five minutes. I'm not sure that I could do that. Could you?
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Post by String on Oct 20, 2017 14:01:35 GMT -5
Flash #7
'Red Trinity'
Writer: Mike Baron Art: Jackson Guice Inks: Larry Mahlstedt Letters: Steve Haynie Colors: Carl Gafford Editor: Mike Gold Speed reading:
Wally, Tina McGee, and Dr. Bortz have come to the Finland/Soviet border in the hopes of rescuing Dr. Pytor Orloff, the only man that Bortz believes is capable of saving the life of Tina's estranged husband, Jerry. Orloff is currently being held at a top secret military installation located somewhere amidst the barren cold wastes of Siberia. Wally sets off to find this installation, using a directional beacon broadcast from the JL's dome satellite as help for a guide. It takes him longer than he thinks, but upon finding the installation, he has little trouble sneaking inside and quickly finds Orloff. Orloff is surprised but happy to see Flash, the inspiration for his experiments into hyper-physiology. When Wally tells him that he is needed to save Jerry's life, Orloff understands the urgency but says that he can't leave because of his children.  Anatole, Bebeck, and Cassiopeia are Red Trinity, the latest successful experiment in hyper-physiology. The trio are surprised over Wally's presence and want to restrain him lest he escape to inform his 'American superiors' about their existence. Wally then sees firsthand the results of Orloff's genius.  Orloff restates that he cannot abandon his children to go to the US but then Bebeck makes the surprise announcement that they do want to go to the US. Rather, her and Anatole want to go (Bebeck mentions getting the rights and recognition of Western heroes) but Cass doesn't agree, he sees their plan as betraying the Homeland who has raised and cared for them and given them these new abilities. But the other two are firm in their decision with Cass relenting because he has sworn to uphold the trio. Since his children are willing to leave, Orloff begins planning their escape when the base commander comes into his lab. Wally quickly vanishes but the commander sees a red blur which seems to confirm his suspicions that one of his pet subjects has been seen out running in the barren wastes in a red costume without permission. Orloff tries to stall but Wally takes the lead when he knocks out the guards while Cass punches the commander out. Then they realize that the lab is surrounded by the base's military force. Acting quickly, the four of them quickly race through their lines and out into the wastes (with Orloff being carried on the back on one of his children). As they seek out the Finnish border, they have to evade Russian jets as they trace their infrared trails. They evade the jets as Wally learns of a deadlier threat, Blue Trinity, the first version of this project. Orloff explains that he had little to do with them, that their upgrades came through the same type of steroids and bio-implants that sound like what Jerry McGee had succeeded in accomplishing. They had the same abilities but were more brutish and violent. Anatole fears that Blue Trinity will be sent after them. Tina and Bortz continue to wait at the Finnish border, Wally now being long overdue for when he was supposed to be back. They see Russian jets fly overhead, surprised to see them brazenly cross the border but take that as a sign that Wally must be near. Soon, they do see a red blur approaching them fast and see the foursome quickly appear. Over Tina's happy pleas to see him back, she is stunned to see Wally frantic and out of breath. Fear grips him as he quickly tells her to call for help, any form of help. For Blue Trinity has indeed caught up to them...  Flash facts:
Let's review a few things, shall we? Wally was in a semi-serious relationship with Francine who needed some time to herself to determine if she wanted to take this new step with him, an understandable issue. In the meantime, Wally meets a brilliant nutritionist/scientist Tina McGee with whom he develops this new quick infatuation with despite her being married and older. Then her husband Jerry, another brilliant scientist, goes on a jealous paranoid power trip fueled by his abuse of the new steroids he's developed. Now, in order to save his life, Wally finds himself on the Soviet border, seeking to rescue the one man who maybe able to save Jerry's life while hopefully not creating an international incident. It's a tangled mess and Wally knows it. Does he really love her? Maybe, he's not sure other than he does care for her. Guilt plays a role in why he's here, doing this. Tina is equally unsure about her true feelings for Wally, only knowing that she can't bare to lose both him and Jerry. Is Wally doing the Right Thing as Barry would have? Maybe but let's not overlook that he and Jerry are in this position because of their desire for the same woman, a real valid motivation for these characters that brooks upon possible young lust, adultery, and obsession. (And this is a DC comic?) With Wally's venture to find and infiltrate this secret installation, Baron constructs a nice sequence, focusing on Wally's inner confusion over Tina and the limits of his abilities to achieve this feat. (Wally even makes a reasonable conclusion in that, operating in a white environment, he should have worn a white costume). Plus, Wally apparently moves too fast to leave a scent for dogs to track. Red Trinity are some nice characters even if they are somewhat typical. Bebeck's desire to enjoy Western recognition versus Cass' loyalty to the Motherland. What is different is that being a trio, they wanted to this to be an all-or-nothing deal, that the three of them had to support or deny this plan as a trio. (Wally even manages to work in a flirt or two with Bebeck no less). But it appears that loyalty to the group is stronger than loyalty to the Motherland as this is what ultimately sways Cass' vote. But Blue Trinity seems like a major roadblock in their hopes and dreams. That and the upcoming Millennium cross-over event which starts in the next issue as well. Flash drive-thru buffet: a pound of protein bars, loaf of bread, block of cheese.
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Post by String on Nov 4, 2017 13:30:03 GMT -5
Flash #8
'Purple Haze'
Writer: Mike Baron Art: Jackson Guice Inks: Larry Mahlstedt Letters: Steve Haynie Colors: Michele Wolfman Editor: Mike Gold Speed reading:
Blue Trinity has caught up to Flash, Red Trinity and their comrades just as they arrived at the Soviet/Finnish border. They seek to recapture everyone but a Finnish border patrol causes them to retreat.  The patrol gives Wally a message summoning him to the Green Lanterns Citadel but then he and two members of Red Trinity pass out from exhaustion. The others are able to leave for an airport where a Titans jet comes to pick up Wally, leaving Dr. Bortz, Orloff and Tina to return back to the States in hopes of saving her husband Jerry. Meanwhile, Wally wakes up at GLC, seeing Black Canary who offers him food. The respite is short as Wally attends (along with other heroes) a briefing by a Guardian who explains the emergence of ten new immortal beings from among humanity and the threat of the Manhunters who are seeking out these individuals. Returning home, Wally wonders what he should really be getting out of this like financial assistance or tax breaks. He arrives home to find the damage caused by Jerry's attack repaired but only his father Rudy is present. Rudy then explains to his son why he shouldn't help the Guardian in finding/protecting these new immortals. Surprised that his father would know something of this matter, Wally is further shocked when Rudy declares that he is one of the Manhunters' agents on Earth. The situation gets worse when Rudy implies that he had to kill his mother in preparation for the Manhunters' efforts to find these immortals. It's all too much for Wally, this revelation along his mother possibly being dead at the behest of his father, the conflicting emotions of his relationship with Tina, everything is swirling into a mass of purple haze. Rudy swears that he linked up with the Manhunters for the betterment of his son, so he could achieve his true greatness which Wally denies since he feels that his father has always resented his powers and was never there to support him. Wally threatens to call the authorities, forcing Rudy to call in his reinforcements to chastise his arrogant son. Blue Trinity breaks into his home and quickly thrashes Wally. Wally is defiant, screaming that Rudy is not his father. Rudy slaps him, angry that his son is a failure and cannot honor his parents in ways that other heroes do. But he has other problems when he attempts to leave. Blue Trinity only has loyalty to the Motherland and are only there to capture Wally and then Red Trinity. They have no concern for some alien plot. Rudy is about to intervene when Red Trinity suddenly arrives! A brawl ensues as Rudy discreetly leaves the premises. Another type of purple haze surrounds Wally as he sees Red Trinity fight off their counterparts. Afterwards, they tell Wally that they were coming to inform him that Orloff was able to stabilize Jerry's condition though he is still in a coma. But Wally needs time to process all these recent developments and over a meal, the police arrive who inform him that his mother had been trying to reach him. Surprised that she is still alive (seems like the boat accident that Rudy engineered wasn't as fatal as first thought), Wally calls her only to have her tell him that his father is dead. Flash facts:
Okay, I never read the main Millennium cross-over event other than a tie-in issue here and there. If anyone wants to chime in with further thoughts on that, please feel free. (The only thing I remember from it is this is why there was a 9 month long blizzard in Smallville and being snow-bound gave the Kents a good cover for how they 'had' Clark or something like that). Still, a big reveal here in Rudy's allegiance. He comes off as being sincere and wanting the best for his family and son but Wally doesn't buy it. He's felt that his father has never been proud of either him or any of his accomplishments. (A good scene is where Rudy says that he never thought his son would become Kid Flash. Wally quickly corrects him that he is now the Flash causing Rudy to cover up his mistake by claiming to always overlook that Barry is dead). Baron delivers some strong family drama here despite it being based on the sub-plot of an alien incursion. The high standards that a father may set for his son and the son feeling that nothing he will ever do will amount to those standards. Toss in the reveal that Rudy apparently had his wife killed and it's too much for Wally. (Extra kudos to Guice here for showing Wally's raw emotions throughout this conversation. As Rudy kept talking after that reveal, Wally was trying to hold back his tears and failing to do so). It's another example of how out of control Wally feels his life has gotten of late. All the emotional angst of his relationship with Tina, having to save her estranged (and deranged) husband, being called upon to Help Save the World (and a very human response of What's in it for me?) and now this matter with his father. Wally finding out his mother is in fact alive is a blessing but does little to restore any semblance of balance based on what she tells him. An excellent drama so far. Flash take-out menu: Unknown. Though Black Canary does give him some food when he wakes up at GLC and after the brawl with Blue Trinity at his home, Wally and Red Trinity are devouring a near table load full of food when the police arrive.
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Golddragon71
Full Member
Immortal avatar of the Dragon Race The Golden Dragon
Posts: 343
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Post by Golddragon71 on Sept 10, 2018 14:22:16 GMT -5
I think this is actually the first time we see Wally's family in the current book and it pretty much redefines them and their relationship with Wally from this point on. I think Wally always got on pretty well with his folks in the Silver/Bronze age but after this the story gets retconned considerably into the current form. In one of his early solo adventures, Wally and his dad take part in a two day auto race. I really don't think Rudy West as he's written hereon out would have had interest for such an activity. (or at least not involving his son in it.!) btw Wally's dad was originally named Robert or Bob West back then.
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