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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:49:21 GMT -5
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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:51:52 GMT -5
 Flash #1642.25 USD/3.50 CAN @ September 2000 "Lightning in a Bottle" Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Angel Unzueta Inker: Doug Hazlewood Letterer: Gaspar Colorist: Tom McCraw Editor: Joey Cavalieri Synopsis: The story started off in a nightmarish situation for The Flash. He found himself under arrest and handcuffed in the police precinct. Apparently, he is also depowered with no speed force powers. At the same time the police officers don't recognize him. Something is amiss. He is being booked and the police knows his name, Wally West, 26 years old, school teacher and track coach in Blue Valley, Nebraska, and no criminal record until now. He tried to escape and was taken down by the cops. He was surprised one of the cops securing him was Mick Rory, the super-villain named Heat Wave. And then a radio announcement said that it was the 10th anniversary of Aquaman's death. And at that a police baton knocked Wally West out. And they placed Wally West in his jail cell. Meanwhile Wally is having a nightmare where he is running and his leg is burning out. He was chasing Jay Garrick/The Flash and caught him but then Jay suddenly turned to a vampire telling Wally that Keystone City belonged to him. And Wally woke up in the jail cell. He woke up with Fiona, the social worker, handing him a glass of water and asking him questions. Wally thought she looked familiar and told her the last thing he remembered was running. And he drank the glass of water but was still drenched in sweat for some reason, and then the woman changed into a nightmarish creature and then back. Wally was taken aback. But just then recalled lightning. Lightning was involved in how he became imbued with speed powers. Jay Garrick was the first to wear the lightning symbol. Jay had been blessed, to him, the lightning was the symbol of blessing. Then he recalled Barry Allen, who became the Flash with the help of lightning. He was a hero's hero until the end. And he recalled his origin as Kid Flash. And then everything became cloudy for Wally West, he dropped the glass of water and feel to the ground. What did Fiona do to him? And Fiona turned to a demonic looking creature and ridiculed Wally that he is going mad and that he needed help. And Wally went back into unconsciousness. Upon waking up, Wally saw his wedding ring and asked Linda to help him. And then outside the jail bar window he heard a familiar voice. It was Barry Allen running to meet his wife, Iris. Wally couldn't believe he heard and saw his deceased mentor. He yelled after him. Barry couldn't hear him. He tried to vibrate himself through the wall. No good. Just then the police officer in this nightmare situation, Mick Rory came to his jail cell to shut up Wally. And suddenly Mick was frozen along with the steel bars. And crashing it was Captain Cold, sarcastically telling the Flash, that he seems to be in a fix isn't he. Comments: This is Geoff Johns maiden voyage in the Flash titles and helming the Wally West version of the Flash. It's a great introductory story as he set the mood for a nightmare scenario for Wally. Is he going mad ? Why is everything topsy turvy. And the deceased Barry Allen is shown making an appearance in this nightmare. What is Geoff Johns heading towards in this story? It's enough to capture the reader's attention to look forward to other upcoming issues. We got some mini origin stories from various Flashes, and at the same time we get some insight into the meaning of the Flash symbol on their costume. It is a symbol of blessing according to Jay Garrick. Kudos to Geoff Johns for adding more information on the Flash mythology. It is little things such as this that made me enamored with Geoff Johns DC stories over the years. And I can tell this is going to be a very enjoyable long ride Wally's world according to Geoff Johns. The art is definitely over-exaggerated and very cartoony. But it is satisfactory and is a good tie-in to the nightmare looking scenario on this initial issue written by Geoff Johns. But that fantastic cover page by Brian Bolland with the Flash being dragged by cops to his jail cell, just sums up what the story will be inside. |
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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:53:14 GMT -5
 Flash #1652.25 USD/3.50 CAN @ October 2000 "The Lightning Rod" Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Angel Unzueta Inker: Doug Hazlewood Letterer: Gaspar Colorist: Tom McCraw Editor: Joey Cavalieri Synopsis: Captain Cold breaks up Wally West, The Flash from prison. As they made their way out they were met by cops trying to prevent their escape. A battle ensued, and Captain Cold used his freeze gun on the cops even with the loud opposition of the Flash. This made the Flash post Captain Cold against the wall and told him he can't use his freeze gun to kill people while working with him. Captain Cold acquiesced, or did he? Upon reaching outside, the Flash realized they are in another time or in a parallel universe, as he has been in many ones before. He told Captain Cold they need to find Jay Garrick who he thinks started this whole thing. As they made their escape, a duo of villains, Thinker and Plundered just took out several cops. Thinker told Plundered he has to take care of three targets. The Flash and Captain Cold arrived at the Garrick household. Wally was surprised to be met at the door by a shotgun wielding Edward who happened to be Joan Garrick's wife. She went to see who it is and her husband shoved her back inside, and Joan fell to the floor. An enraged Wally attacked Edward violently slamming him and telling him not to do that again. Wally ordered Cold to help her up, and to take her husband, Edward inside while he spoke to Joan. Joan did not know who Wally was, but when he mentioned Jay Garrick, tears rolled down her eyes as she said she did know Jay. Inside, Cold drank the whiskey and when threatened by Eduard that he knew cops, it didn't faze Cold. Then Cold saw a book, "The Death of a Hero." When he went to get the book, Eduard attacked him with a metal stick, and the next thing you know is Cold grinning and pointing the cold gun at an attacking Eduard. And the story goes back outside where Wally and Joan were talking and she told him that she visited Jay weekly, but did not let her husband know, because he would kill her if he found out. Wally told her to leave him, and Cold emerged from the front door and Wally and Cold left. Wally hated to leave here with that drunk husband of hers. But Cold reassured him not to worry, and that he and Eduard shook on it. And then you see Joan in the background looking at the frozen corpse of Eduard holding a metal object in an attacking position. And then Flash and Cold are in the cemetery in front of Jay Garrick's tombstone. Jay joined the army and died in combat. He was never The Flash in this alternate Earth. Cold told him, no one was ever The Flash on this alternate Earth. Wally agreed remembering the cops called him a teacher, and he saw Barry Allen, police scientist still alive when he was incarcerated in jail. Cold showed him the book he swiped, "The Death of the Hero." Everyone was there. Cold always dreamed of a world without a Flash, but he didn't think it would be like this ugly. "It ain't pretty at all," Cold said. Then they went through the book. The USA was at war with Germany, and the JSA was formed but no speedsters. Then a battle had Mr. Terrific killed in action, and the JSA annihilated Germany and retired in shame. Then decades later the next generation of superheroes, the JLA was formed, but no Barry Allen Flash. After ten minutes there was no Flash to watch Aquaman's back, and Aquaman was killed by Starro in that initial JLA battle. After the funeral, half of the alien superheroes were thrown into concentration camps. And then, the children's turn, the so called, Teen Titans. They didn't have a Kid Flash to help them and they were killed by a supervillain who sucked the air out as a twister, and killed them. This prompted the Amazons to hunt down twister and put his head in a pike in front of JLA headquarters. And what happened was the adult superheroes followed suit and became judge, jury, and executioner. The whole country's law enforcement followed suit. And worse, Central City is all but destroyed because of a personal war between the Thinker, Fiddler, and the Shade. And then, Wally just realized asked Cold that wasn't he right-handed? And Cold said yeah, and both realized he has been holding his gun left-handed all this time. They are in a Mirror Universe. And then the cops accompanied by Barry Allen told them to "Freeze." For some reason, Barry recognized Wally at the end of this scene. Comments: Captain Cold's dialogue boxes were cool. They weren't just boxes or ovals, each and every one of them were frozen with frozen tipped icicles in the bottom and the surrounding white background of each box is surrounded by sky blue thus enhancing the "coldness" factor. That was really cool, pardon the pun. The story is still a great nightmare scenario, and I love the way Geoff Johns initial foray into the Flash Universe has the reader scratching his or her head and wondering what the heck is going on. There are tear jerker scenes are we see Joan in a tragic situation where Jay Garrick never was The Flash and died early in combat as a soldier. Unzueta's art enhances the story. Even though his illustrations are very cartoony, they have a zany effect when you look at the sequence of pages. Also, he hits you with different weird viewpoint angles, that you get an off balanced approach while not losing substance. This enhances the creepiness factor of the nightmarish scenario that Geoff Johns has painted. |
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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:54:53 GMT -5
 Flash #1662.25 USD/3.50 CAN @ November 2000 "The Broken Looking Glass" (Chapter III) Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Angel Unzueta Inker: Doug Hazlewood Letterer: Gaspar Colorist: Tom McCraw Editor: Joey Cavalieri Synopsis: The story continued with Wally West/The Flash and Captain Cold in a confrontation with this world's Barry Allen and the police force. As Barry Allen shot at Wally, Captain Cold created a frozen shield saving Wally. Another rogue made an appearance, Mirror Master, who turned this world's Barry Allen into a glass-like material. Mirror Master explained that it was he and Captain Cold that are responsible for the creation of this world, and went to explain the situation. It all started when the Rogues were breaking out of prison and encountered a bunch of superheroes. The others were captured except for Captain Cold and Mirror Master, who heard his mirror gun talk to him to "follow the light" and he shot a portal opening and he and Cold entered the portal to escape the superheroes who were trying to capture them. They ended up in Keystone City where there was a being (who didn't disclose his name) waiting for them and offered them a deal in which a world will be created with their help, where there is no Flash. So they went after the Flash's wife, Linda Park to lure Wally/Flash and as he saved her, Mirror Master blasted Flash with the mirror gun to send him to the world with no Flash, but it was a double cross. The portal also sucked in Mirror Master and Captain Cold and brought both of them to this weird world. The scene moves to warehouse where two villains of this world were talking about how this world will degenerate into non-existence, and they need to find Cold and Flash. So the hunt begins. Meanwhile, the trio of MM (who needed to find something from the museum for his mirror gun to get them back to their original Earth), CC, and Flash arrive at this world's Green Lantern museum, instead of this world having a Flash museum like in their Earth. During the time of this comic book publication, Hal Jordan/Green Lantern is dead, and Kyle Rayner is the only remaining Green lantern. Cold reminded Wally that Hal Jordan lost his marbles and killed more people than the Joker, and that Barry Allen saved the world by sacrificing himself. Wally just told him to shut up, not wanting to hear anything negative about Hal or Barry. And Mirror Master found what he was looking for and upon getting it was shot at by one of the two villains that were looking for them. Plunder was the villain's name. He shot and hit Cold at the shoulder. MM tries to make himself disappear through some of the mirrors in the museum. Mirror Master was going to shoot Plunderer, but the villain shot at him and nailed the mirror gun. Bad news. The next thing you know is that three sinister looking mirror images are emerging from the mirror to confront Flash, Captain Cold, and Mirror Master. Three sinister looking counterpart images of them that are ready to put a beat down on them. Comments: We have a serviceable story here, as the weirdness continues on Geoff Johns' initial foray into the series of the Flash. Unfortunately, the art still hinders the story. I wouldn't just call it ugly, but it is a disjointed cartoony style that if it were described in our world, it would come across as something like a "regurgitated yogurt thrown up on the street." This story would have benefited with clean lines and drawn in a more non-cartoony style. The saving grace in this story is the interaction of Captain Cold, Mirror Master, and Flash/Wally West, as it makes for some interesting banter between them, and we get a glimpse of Wally's memories of dearly departed superheroes (at the time the comic book was published) like Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. |
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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:56:41 GMT -5
 Flash 1672.25 USD/3.50 CAN @ December 2000 "Joining the Tea Party" Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Angel Unzueta Inker: Doug Hazlewood Letterer: Gaspar Saladino Colorist: Tom McCraw Editor: Joey Cavalieri Synopsis: The Flash, Captain Cold, and Mirror Master are battling evil doppelgangers of themselves, and a new villain named the Plunderer. The evil doppelgangers were defeated, but Plunderer threw a device at them and, Captain Cold and Mirror Master were captured, while Wally West, The Flash, escaped to another part of the museum. He was in a villains section of the Green Lantern museum, and he armed himself with weapons taken from Green Lantern foes. Now Wally is ready to battle with weapons, at least even without speed, he can now defend himself. He returned to where Plunderer was and they battled. Cops and Barry Allen arrived and attacked both. The Thinker of this world gloated while unknown to him, Captain Cold and Mirror Master of the real world snuck up from behind him and entrapped him as an image in a mirror. Wally got the better of Plundered and made his way back to the two Rogues. Mirror Master zaps them all with his gun to return all three to their rightful world. Upon arriving, Flash has his speed back. But unfortunately, the whole city of Keystone City is missing. Comments: We continue the weird adventures of Flash, Captain Cold, and Mirror Master in an alternate dimension. They eventually return to their own world, but their city is gone. Perhaps they think it's their world, but maybe they are in another alternate dimension that is just similar to theirs. The Rogues does have some positive aspects to them in Geoff Johns' presentation. After all, they could have just left a depowered Wally West stranded in that alternate dimension. Instead they brought him back with them. |
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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:57:51 GMT -5
 Flash 1682.25 USD/3.50 CAN @ January 2001 "Brother Grimm" Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Angel Unzueta Inker: Doug Hazlewood Letterer: Gaspar Saladino Colorist: Tom McCraw Editor: Joey Cavalieri Executive Editor: Mike Carlin Synopsis: The Flash, Captain Cold, and Mirror Master are standing at the desert outskirts of a citywide crater where Keystone City and its inhabitants were located. They escaped the insanity of the mirror universe to arrive at this shocking landscape. They deduced it was abducted or "lifted" from its location. Mirror Master thinks the reflection on the back signboard of "Welcome to Keystone City" pointed to where Keystone City is located. The Flash sandblasted the surface creating a giant "mirror" and Mirror Master using his mirror gun, and they were able to see Keystone City swallowed up. It's in another mirror universe. Mirror Master reset his mirror gun for the three of them to follow into that other alternate mirror universe. This time they ended up in one of those fairy tale cities that resembled an era that is similar to the Middle Ages. It is a place called Eastwind. And its a weird place, as the first thing that welcomed them was a monster truck with a giant razor sharp teeth of a mouth that suddenly exploded and spread dangerous shrapnel to its surroundings, which Flash's self-vibration allowed it to pass harmlessly through him. Apparently this realm controlled the inhabitants of Keystone City. Then they were met by a group that included a weird version of Pied Piper, who told Flash they are dealing with his leader, Brother Grimm. And he told him the king's origin. He demanded to speak with their leader. Something fast swooped down on their legs sending them to the ground. Brother Grimm announced his arrival, and with him is Jay Garrick, The Flash, and hundreds of soldiers armed like a medieval infantry. The Flash rushed to Brother Grimm to restrain him immediately, but Brother Grimm warned him, because in this dimension, he can't sneak up on him no matter how fast he ran, and there was shock the moment they touched, and The Flash fell down to the ground. Jay Garrick rushed to attack Captain Cold and Mirror Master, who used the mirror gun to transport the two of them out of there citing they didn't know they'll be fighting a whole army. Wally demanded from Grimm, the location of his wife. Grimm just told to him to sleep and take it easy and let the venom take hold, as Wally helplessly lost consciousness. When The Flash woke up he was hearing the crowd screaming for his death and to be off with his head. He found himself trapped into a guillotine and ready to be executed. He saw Jay Garrick in the crowd and asked for his help, which Jay was oblivious for this plea for help. Wally tried to escape, then someone on the crowd volunteered to chop the Flash's head off. Wally couldn't believe she is a part of this too. His wife, Linda Park volunteered and said, "Off with his head!" Comments: And the insanity continued, but this time, the setting is Keystone City in an apparent Middle Ages era of "Brother Grimm" in a fairy tale land. All the inhabitants are hypnotized or under control of Brother Grimm. His two Rogues Gallery Allies bailed out on him at the first sign of danger... okay the second sign of danger. Flash's powers can't seem to help him here in this alternate reality. And to top it all off, his wife is about to chop off his head.
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Post by sabongero on May 11, 2018 6:59:46 GMT -5
 Flash 1692.25 USD/3.50 CAN @ February 2001 "Enemies and Allies" Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Angel Unzueta Inker: Doug Hazlewood Letterer: Gaspar Saladino Colorist: Tom McCraw Editor: Joey Cavalieri Executive Editor: Mike Carlin Synopsis: At the guillotine scaffold where The Flash is about to die, Brother Grimm standing before his strapped and helpless body threw a fruit on his head and before Flash can respond, punched the helpless hero right in the face, bloodying him. Deranged, Linda who was holding the rope, let it go, and the guillotine dropped fast and was about to chop off the Flash's head, but Wally used the guillotine speed to access some speed and used it to release himself for the wooden straps, exploding the scaffolding. Flash moved so fast to prevent the shrapnel from hitting the crowd, with the exception of Brother Grimm who took the brunt. He tried to attack Brother Grimm, who can see Flash's dimensional power flow around them and can easily predict his every action, without success. Then he got thorny vines grow from the ground and entrap The Flash, and then summoned a still hypnotized Jay Garrick to attack Wally. Wally was still faster than Jay and overpowered him knocking him out. He tried to vibrate Jay back to their own dimension and got thrown back with a force, his vibrational frequency appearing to be locked in this dimension. Mirror Master and Captain Cold arrived to The Flash's surprise. They told him they couldn't escape this dimension, citing Brother Grimm has a hold on everyone's oscillation phase. Annoyed at The Rogues reappearance, thinking of them similar to gnats, he summoned his minions to destroy them. Mirror Master and Captain Cold told Flash to hold his grounds as the minions are theirs to take care off, and The Rogues engaged against Brother Grimm's minions. Jay was regaining consciousness and even though Wally didn't want to do it, he sent Jay back to unconsciousness so that he wouldn't have to battle them again. He wished the other speedsters were there to help him, even Impulse... okay he thought better of Impulse being there. The minions were too many and was starting to overpower Captain Cold and Mirror Master. Flash went up to The Rogues and touched them. The minions appeared to suddenly be in midair, slowed down to almost a standstill. Flash explained to them that he sped up Mirror Master and Captain Cold, who had an evil grin across their faces now that they are as fast as Flash. Flash told them not to get cocky, it's just temporary and it will hurt a bit. And their eyes started to blur as their vision is not accustomed to processing light at half speed. Flash told them to get all the citizens of Keystone City and have them placed within the city limits, and not one of them left behind. Flash is going to readjust the vibrational place to send everyone home to their own dimension. Flash climbed what appeared to be a giant beanstalk while Captain Cold and Mirror Master did as they were told by the Flash. Above the clouds, Flash found a castle and had to take care of evil tree-like creatures, then entered the castle and confronted Brother Grimm. This time Flash is not accessing the speed force and just using normal time to battle Brother Grimm who cannot predict Flash's moves this time around. Flash got the best of him eventually punching his lights out. He then grabbed his wife Linda, who was dressed like a princess and took them down, as Brother Grimm faded in maniacal laughter telling Flash he'll be back to claim Flash's wife and world when he least expects it. Flash kept that in mind. Then retook the speed from Captain Cold and Mirror Master, and then vibrated Keystone City back to their own dimension. Everyone is back. And The Flash stood still talking in his mind Brother Grimm can't have a victorious future and other stuff and then got a snowball thrown in his face. And the Rogues bid The Flash farewell, but the Flash didn't chase after them. He rushed home to his wife, who has no idea why she's wearing a princess outfit, but Wally liked the outfit and showed her how much he missed his wife. Comments: Finally, we finished the alternate travelling adventures of the Flash. The status quo is back. And in the next issue, we have the beginning of the creative team of Geoff Johns and Scott Kollins, who will work together in The Flash comic books for the several years together as a creative team. And this book and his work on JSA is where Geoff Johns starts to develop his legacy leading him to eventually become the President and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics in 2010, and also retaining those titles, he was also promoted to President of DC Entertainment in 2016. Not bad for a guy whose call was accidentally picked up by Richard Donner and given an internship in his director's office. |
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Post by brutalis on May 11, 2018 8:48:49 GMT -5
These early issues from Johns really gave us monthly readers at a feel for what was to come. Waid's run was still fresh in everyone's mind so we all wondered what John's would bring to the table. Once Kolins is on board we see the real fun begin. Rogues brought back in to focus with individual tones and voices. We see Wally have to step up his game as newer villains appear to test his skills. These were exciting days to be a Flash fan! And they read great today!
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2018 10:54:13 GMT -5
I'm considering getting this issue sabongero -- because of what you've written in the Comments Section about Captain Cold's comments in icicle's format. |
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Post by sabongero on Jun 15, 2018 16:06:24 GMT -5
These early issues from Johns really gave us monthly readers at a feel for what was to come. Waid's run was still fresh in everyone's mind so we all wondered what John's would bring to the table. Once Kolins is on board we see the real fun begin. Rogues brought back in to focus with individual tones and voices. We see Wally have to step up his game as newer villains appear to test his skills. These were exciting days to be a Flash fan! And they read great today! I agree with you. Geoff Johns was just hitting his stride, and his JSA work with Goyer revitalized that franchise. And it is still years before Geoff Johns takes the Green Lantern franchise from the gutter and expanded its mythology thus making Green Lantern a money-making franchise that spawned many multiple spinoffs from varying color spectrum, and was the center of the DC Big Events for two years. |
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Post by sabongero on Jun 15, 2018 16:07:25 GMT -5
I'm considering getting this issue sabongero -- because of what you've written in the Comments Section about Captain Cold's comments in icicle's format. It can actually be obtained in your local library. It is part of omnibus collected volumes. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2018 16:50:49 GMT -5
I'm considering getting this issue sabongero -- because of what you've written in the Comments Section about Captain Cold's comments in icicle's format. It can actually be obtained in your local library. It is part of omnibus collected volumes. Thanks. |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Jun 15, 2018 20:30:26 GMT -5
Yeah, I quite liked John's approach to Captain Cold.
(I did not enjoy anything else about these comics, however - I'd consider it the worst Flash run ever, by a wide margin - especially the tiresome over-reliance on shock value slasher movie violence. But I'm glad you guys liked it!)
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Post by badwolf on Jun 16, 2018 10:16:02 GMT -5
Yeah, I quite liked John's approach to Captain Cold. (I did not enjoy anything else about these comics, however - I'd consider it the worst Flash run ever, by a wide margin - especially the tiresome over-reliance on shock value slasher movie violence. But I'm glad you guys liked it!) Murmur was a bit much, but I really loved this run. Though I didn't start reading it till Scott Kolins was on the art (I think the Peek-a-Boo issue was my first.) |
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Post by sabongero on Jun 17, 2018 20:06:09 GMT -5
Yeah, I quite liked John's approach to Captain Cold. (I did not enjoy anything else about these comics, however - I'd consider it the worst Flash run ever, by a wide margin - especially the tiresome over-reliance on shock value slasher movie violence. But I'm glad you guys liked it!) Speaking of reliance on shock value... Flash #170's last scene... |
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