We have started down the road to Flashpoint, try and keep up. If you don’t know, Flashpoint is one of the big events from DC Comics this summer. In The Flash issue #10 we finally learn the identity of the mysterious Hot Pursuit (I’m not telling you’ll have to buy the book).
Hot Pursuit, is here from one of the 52 planets of the Multiverse, and is basically a “time cop”. Like the Flash he is a speedster, unlike the Flash his powers come from his cosmic motorcycle, which can channel the Speed Force or even sap it from our world’s Flash.
Flashpoint is gearing up to be one heck of a ride. Hot Pursuit and his cosmic motorcycle are able to sense time-traveling rogues and stop them. In this case someone is manipulating the Speed Force, and it could have catastrophic consequences.
This book really contains part one and part two of the story (think Full Metal Jacket or From Dusk Till Dawn). The first part is Barry’s interactions with Hot Pursuit and Kid Flash, the second part is a good old fashioned murder mystery.
Here is what I liked about this book, Anything that had to do with Barry and Bart, the murder mystery and the hints about Flashpoint. What I didn’t like about this book was Hot Pursuit. I’m not crazy about his identity, and it feels a little too “on the nose” having him come and tell Barry what’s wrong and to warm him of a temporal storm-a-brewing.
I am really happy when I see a panel in a comic book with Barry and Bart Allen interacting. When Bart Allen was Impulse, it was a book I added to my pull list each month. While the quality of that book could be argued, it doesn’t change the fact that Bart is a very deep and complex character. Coming from 1000 years in the future to live with your descendants and be a superhero along side them, how can that not screw you up just a little. Barry Allen, being back from the dead, seems to have been a good thing. If The Flash and Kid Flash both survive Flashpoint, I would love to see Barry step up and take on the mentoring role Bart so desperately needs.
The murder mystery part to this story seems to be interesting, victims are being found in an advanced stage of aging as if someone is stealing time from them. I’m sure this has something to do with Flashpoint and Hot Pursuit so I can’t wait to see what happens in Flash issue #11 next month.
Don’t forget to check back this summer for all the Flashpoint coverage you can handle!
