Back Issues: "The Flash: Terminal Velocity"

- by Ninja Ross, 12 April 2013

The New 52 sees Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato take on "The Flash" in what is, in my opinion (my correct opinion!!!), one of the best comics produced by either of the Big Two comicbook publishers in recent years. So with my obvious new found love of The Flash, I went searching for older stories. What I found was Mark Waid and Salvador Larroca’s "Terminal Velocity".

Published in issues #95 to 100 of Flash, in 1995, Terminal Velocity follows Wally West as he comes back from the future, tries to train a new Flash (at the time, known as Impulse), takes on Kobra and tries to deal with some new information gained while travelling through time.

He’s also joined by several other speedsters: Max Mercury, Johnny Quick, Jessie Quick and Jay Garrick.

This new information has to be kept secret from the rest of his group and his loving girlfriend, Linda. For some reason, knowing things that could help save them is dangerous or something...

Realism is not something I expected or wanted and it’s not something I got. What I did get was over the top science-y stuff and melodrama.

Mark Waid seems to have a knack for that melodrama, too. Several times while reading it, I wondered if Waid was putting some of it in on purpose.

For example, there was a scene where Impulse acted without thinking, causing the Kobra facility they were investigating to explode. While saving Impulse, Flash berates him and shouts “And who pays the price for that failure, punk? You? No! Me!” and runs off into the distance shouting “meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!” That’s so dramatic it stops being dramatic and becomes funny.

Drama!

But Waid’s writing on the whole is pretty good. The guy knows what he’s doing, and he’s obviously a fan of these larger than life superheroes and their ridiculous stories.

He still suffers from the same problems every writer seemed to have in the 90s, though. Over use of dialogue was the big one. I get that the “science” behind the plot and character backgrounds takes a lot of time and words to deal with but... There are a lot of word balloons in this, for a guy who’s supposed to go REALLY freaking fast.

The story is pretty well paced despite this, though. It spans from issues #95 to #100 and manages to avoid skipping anything. There’s a lot of talking, there’s some action and there’s character development for pretty much everybody. And it all climaxes nicely in the 100 th issue, where we’re treated to some crazy action, still more talking and Superman with long hair.

Also, this is the first time I’ve enjoyed Salvador Larroca’s art. As it is now, I’ve always thought it looks kind of like everyone’s covered in grease. The characters he draws have a wet, greasy shine to them.

Maybe it’s the colour. Maybe he intentionally oils everyone up. Maybe there’s a giant oil conspiracy going on in the comic book industry and I’ve just discovered Marvel’s next big event... The Fantastic Oiling!!! Uncanny Grease!!! Attack of the shiny!!!

Rugged Flash for the ladies...

...and dreamy Linda, for the fellas.

Here, though, there’s no oil. It’s just good old fashioned 90s art. Everyone has been working out too much and there’s a lot of colour. It’s nice! Granted, it all looked the same in the '90s but still.

It’s kind of disappointing seeing the generic 90s look on Flash, after seeing Manapul’s very cool, slick version, but it doesn’t take anything away from what is a well told story with decent art.

So, I’m pretty happy knowing that there’s a whole butt load of back issues of The Flash to explore that might be on par with the current series. And I hear this isn’t even Waid’s best work on Flash. So, you crazy readers you, I’ll be spending a week in lovely Keystone City. Don’t cry! Don’t commit mass suicide in grief! I’ll be back here Wednesday!

So, have you read Terminal Velocity? Are you keeping up to date with the fastest man alive? Let us know below!

Tagged: Back Issues, comics.

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