With issue #4, Absolute Flash has raced from its introduction into the first arc of Wally having fully accepted his new abilities. Wally and his new adorable buddy Grodd are on the run, and not only do they have to contend with the usual problems of living on the streets, but there’s plenty of unwanted eyes that have set their sights on the pair. And for better and for worse, the cast of the Absolute Scarlet Speedster’s book grew exponentially this issue. They introduced new heroes, villains, and classic supporting characters to the Flash mythos that can and will shake everything about this story to its core. Frankly, Wally needs that. He’s running straight into danger, and he could use all the help he can get.
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The Flash Mythos Expands
The issue starts with Wally waking from a nightmare, where the disembodied Barry begs him for help from his mother’s open grave. Deciding it’s too hot to sleep, Wally and Grodd decide to leave the park they were resting in, and we see the first new addition to the lore. Not a person, but a place, because Wally passes a sign that says Iron Heights Park, meaning that the classic Flash prison is now its own city in the Absolute Universe, which says all it needs to about how good things are for its people. Wally eventually finds a soup kitchen line, when he’s approached by Ralph Dibny, who says he and his wife Sue run a mission for homeless kids. Wally is skeptical because Ralph is a stranger, but then a girl around Wally’s age named Linda assures him it’s legit. Either because he’s following the call of a clean bed or a cute girl, Wally decides to check it out.
Obviously, Ralph Dibny is the main universe’s Elongated Man, who actually originally debuted as a side character to Barry Allen’s Flash back in the Silver Age. He doesn’t appear to have any powers or even be a detective in this universe, at least not yet, but that doesn’t mean he can’t become both in the near future. And of course I don’t need to explain that Linda Park is Wally’s main love interest and wife in the original universe. Suffice to say, even if Wally doesn’t stick around Iron Heights for too long, he’ll at least stay in touch with Linda. Unfortunately for the Fastest Teenager Alive, these aren’t the only new characters that the issue introduced. Back at the military lab, Wally’s dad confronts Dr. Elenore Thawne, a blonde woman with a cane who has a very vested interest in both Barry’s research and Wally. I think it’s a safe bet that Elenore is the Absolute version of Eobard Thawne, and she’ll become the Reverse Flash sometime in the future.
But Elenore isn’t the only new rogue in the Flash’s gallery. She reveals that on the night of Wally’s accident, at least four other test subjects escaped. They were codenamed Heatwave, Firestorm, Wizard, and XXXXX. The first two are self explanatory, given their names are the same, and it’s not too big of a leap to assume that Wizard is really Weather Wizard. XXXXX is the most mysterious for now, but I have no doubt we’ll be seeing the villain in the near future. Firestorm is traditionally a hero, but with how everything is shaping up in this world, who’s to say if they’ll remain one? Either way, the first one Wally runs into is Heatwave, a lava-golem who is the cause of the extreme heat in Iron Heights. Given that Elenore’s team is using Grodd to track Wally and the other escapees, I’m willing to bet the others aren’t far behind.
Absolute Flash is off to the races with introducing new core members to its cast, and I am all here for it. Frankly, this has been my favorite issue of the series so far, and now that the comic has found its footing, I expect the future issues will only continue to get better and better. It’s always a treat to see new takes on classic characters, and I am beyond excited to see who they introduce next.
Absolute Flash #4 is on sale now!
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