The covers: Wally is racing down the side of a building, delivering a left to Wonder Woman, who’s in tow because the Scarlet Speedster is wrapped in the Amazon’s golden lasso. Outstanding image that captures the motion of the fastest man alive perfectly. This cover was done by the current interior team on the monthly Flash comic: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, and Andrew Dalhouse. The coloring is really sensational, with the explosion of colors coming off the punch to the princess beautiful. Freddie E. Williams and Richard and Tanya Horie provide the art, while Chip Kidd did the design for the Variant cover, which shows an upset Wally coming out of the blue fog that was Convergence. Overall grades: Both A+
The story: Wally, his son Jai, his daughter Iris, and newfound friend Fastback, are confronting Diana Prince and four Amazons on the street. Telos has decided that she is to battle the Flash and she wants to win so her city survives the purge. Wally tries to talk her out of fighting, but the princess smiles evilly and replies, “I am also not the type to be so transparently manipulated.” Realizing talk is getting him nowhere, the Flash makes a move towards her, and she grabs him by the wrist and throws him down the street. He didn’t even see her move. She charges him and cuts off one of the wings on the side of his head, prompting him to yell at the turtle speedster to get his children to safety. This conclusion to “Zip-Ties” by Tony Bedard is a fun read. Watching the Flash try to find safety in the city while being pursued by Wonder Woman was neat, and what she does to take the Flash out was very clever. In fact, I hope it gets used again down the road by DC after Convergence is over. Naturally, Fastback and the kids have to get involved in the battle, and I was pleased to see that the latter pair don’t actually engage in fisticuffs, as that would result in their immediate deaths. Bedard smartly uses one of Wonder Woman’s own trademark abilities to swing the tide of the battle, and the narration that Wally gives while wrapping things up is very true to this incarnation of him. A fun read for Flash, Wally, or Wonder Woman fans. I don’t know how new fans will take the addition of Fastback, but I, as one who remembers when he and all the Crew were first introduced, liked him. Overall grade: A
The art: Tom Grummett on pencils and Sean Parsons on ink make up the art team on this issue. I’ve always been a big fan of Grummett and I’m still a strong one after this issue, and Parsons is doing a great job on inking his work. The first page is a nice establishment splash of all four heroes, with Wally in the front. I’ve always been a fan of the Flash when the wings on the side of his head stuck far out, and I’m as pleased as punch to see it back again, it only for two issues. The Flash, his kids, Wonder Woman, and her Amazons are nicely illustrated. Wonder Woman has her face masked by her helmet for the start of this issue, but Grummett and Parsons are able to put just the right amount of smugness into her gaze in the bottom panel on Page 3. I also like the use of multiple images of Wally running to show his speed, or his falls. There’s also some really nice work being done on Fastback. This is like the Who Framed Roger Rabbit of Convergence storylines, and the pair give this cartoon character the right comedic look, but have him fit seamlessly into the visuals of this book. If they hadn’t have been able to pull that off, every page featuring that character would have been a disaster. With this pair, that’s not an issue. Overall grade: A
The colors: It is a joy to read a super hero book that’s not stuck in the perpetual depression of night. This book is set in a city, though it’s streets are the color of dirt, being on Telos’ world, but it is a bright, perfect explosion of colors. The opening contrast of the blues and reds are a dynamic way to begin the book. All four of the heroes’ costumes brighten up the traditional browns and tans of a city full of skyscrapers. Heck, even the narration boxes for Wally are colored in red and yellow, brightening up the scenery. When the Flash and Wonder Woman clash the backgrounds goes to red and orange to express their intensity of their conflict. Rain Beredo makes this an outstanding book. Overall grade: A+
The letters: Scene setting, narration, dialogue, opening title and credits, sounds, yells, and the tease to follow Convergence‘s weekly issues are by Dave Sharpe. I’m glad to see that narration and dialogue are done in two different fonts, and the sounds on this book are great. I need to draw attention to an utterance by a character in the second panel on Page 4: it’s the perfect size and form for what’s uttered, and it’s necessary to the panel, because without that response the panel would be too empty. Plus, when something like “that” happens there’s going to be a response. Overall grade: A+
The final line: This book brings fun back to heroics. If only there were more books like this. Overall grade: A
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