Major Justice League Member Lost His Powers

Spoilers ahead for The Flash #40, on sale today.

Following a harrowing battle with Grodd, in which each combatant recruited a group of speedsters to his cause, Barry Allen found himself out of gas in today's The Flash #40, passing off the mantle of Central City's Flash to Wally West, who arrived in time to save Barry.

This is not just a depression- or defeat-fueled decision to retire. Rather, Barry's connection to the Speed Force was severed and his powers removed, as Grodd moved to soak up as much Speed Force energy as he could in the hopes of saving his own life.

As revealed last in the previous issue, Grodd is dying and the only thing that he believes can save him is Speed Force Energy. He has recruited a pair of lackeys to his side, promising them the bounty of the Speed Force in exchange for helping him steal the speed of The Flash and Central City.

While the story sees both Kid Flash and Titans' Wally West sprinting into action in support of Barry, the Grodd storyline in The Flash is clearly happening in the shadow of the "Flash War" storyline, which will pit the elder Wally against Barry.

"Let's see who's the best Flash: is it Barry, or is it Wally?" writer Joshua Williamson said at Comic Con, teasing that the "Flash War" storyline will find out.

"It's me and Howard Porter starting in Flash #46," Williamson told the audience. "In January, we have an annual coming out that's a prelude to 'Flash War,' but starting in Flash 46, we go into 'Flash War.'"

The annual already hit, teasing elements of Wally's backstory and the reintroduction of Impulse, among other things.

You can check out the official solicitation text for The Flash #40 below, along with a link to order the comic on ComiXology.

"PERFECT STORM" part two! Gorilla Grodd is after Central City's Speed Force, and The Flash is on the run! But the one thing Barry Allen can't outrun is the truth…and his nemesis knows a terrible secret about the Fastest Man Alive.

You can get The Flash #40 at your local comic shop, or order a digital copy here.