At the cliffhanger to ‘The Flash’ #6, Barry Allen’s girlfriend Patty Spivot was plunging to her death after the ship she was aboard was attacked by Captain Cold. Cold was on a mission of revenge against the Flash after the power blackout caused Cold’s sister to miss a surgery to remove a tumor from her brain.

As this issue opens, Flash is running to save Patty from certain doom. In doing so, he is ignoring the warnings from his suit’s sensors telling him that he’s overusing his speed powers. You see… in the New 52, Flash’s powers can cause potential wormholes in time and space if they are over used. In saving Patty, Flash’s powers rip open another wormhole beneath the other half of the crashed ship, seemingly killing everyone on board… including Iris West! Angry at his failure to save Iris, and blaming Captain Cold, Flash turns on the villain… only to learn that Cold, in turn, is blaming Flash for the possible death of his sister.

Eager to set things right, the Flash returns to the “cosmic” treadmill to burn off his excess energy. Instead of just using the treadmill to release energy, the Flash makes a decision that leads us directly into the appearance of a new villain and hints at next issues “secret of the speed force”.

Francis Manapul has done it again. I love the Flash’s Rogues but I know they are one of the things that non-Flash fans complained about that kept them from giving the pre-New 52 title a chance. In addition to introducing new villains like Mob Rule and the new character in this issue’s finale, Manapul has begun reimagining the Rogues for a modern audience. Captain Cold’s now a younger, tortured, more hip version of himself… now with ice powers instead of blasters. At least that change should quell the haters who constantly argued that Cold was just a copy of Batman’s villain Mr. Freeze. In addition, long-time Flash fans will get a hint this issue of another classic Flash villain who’s sure to make a return very soon.

I seem to say this every month, but it bears repeating… if you’re not reading ‘The Flash’, you’re missing out on one of the best written and best illustrated titles of all of the New 52.

Verdict: Buy

THE FLASH #7
Written by BRIAN BUCCELLATO and FRANCIS MANAPUL
Art and Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL