The Flash #75 Discussion/Spoilers

[Rakzo]

The Year One storyarc comes to a conclusion and does it in a pretty satisfying manner once again.

Joshua Williamson brings an "Anniversary" issue that is divided in three segments. The first one is devoted to the Year One storyline where the writer puts a conclusion to this fight while touching a lot of classic Flash themes. Ideas of hope, family and legacy are constantly referenced in a way that makes sense, particularly when Barry realizes the concept of The Flash has existed before and will continue after him, the reintroduction of both Wally and Wallace into his past and how despite that future Turtle might be gone, that doesn't mean the present Turtle can't be saved. Williamson perfectly captures all the elements you might want from a Flash title into a single issue. It was also cool to see the entire Central City fighting alongside Barry which shows how different they are from other entities like Batman and Gotham City.

Howard Porter's artwork here is amazing with lots of vibrant energy and perfect storytelling.

This leads us to the present segment where the writer explores how the recently remembered past affects Barry and how this will alter his future and as always, Williamson gives us a glance of what's coming which should be interesting to see. Scott Kolins handles the art and is decent with clear storytelling and good expressions.

The final part belongs to the typical Year of the Villain stuff and I still find it repetitive, repetitive, REPETITIVE but Williamson gets a pretty good handle at Captain Cold as always and is nice to see him being further developed. Christian Duce's artwork is solid with an imposing style.

Really good ending, probably one of my favorites this week.

[Spider-Ham]

So now Barry can change a timeline without creating a Flashpoint ? It’s the only point that bothers me.

That being said, it’s the first Flash issue I really loved in a very long time. The Flash #100 should be interesting.

[ducklord]

So now Barry can change a timeline without creating a Flashpoint ? It’s the only point that bothers me.

That being said, it’s the first Flash issue I really loved in a very long time. The Flash #100 should be interesting.

Caveat: I haven't read the issue.

My impression is that, in the comics, Barry can change (or, in a more heroic fashion, repair) a timeline without creating a Flashpoint, as long as that point in the timeline isn't in some fashion "fixed" (to borrow Doctor Who terminology). Notably, Eobard Thawne (and other speedsters who dabble in the Reverse Speed Force) can create "fixed" points in time with their dabblings, where other time travelers typically do not. Hence, trying to repair a timeline mucked up by the Reverse Flash can create Flashpoints, while fixing the damage done by, say, Per Degaton does not.

This, I think, differs from the TV show, where it's stated that every time Barry goes back in time and changes something, he "breaks the mug and puts it back together," which is, frankly, a perfectly good plot excuse for him NOT to fix things via time travel every week.

But I'm a little out of the loop, so things may be different now.

[Spider-Ham]

Thank you for the explanation.

Heroes in Crisis and Flash War screamed so often « DON’T TOUCH THE TIMELINE » that I don’t even know how it works anymore.

[Sam]

So now Barry can change a timeline without creating a Flashpoint ? It’s the only point that bothers me.

That being said, it’s the first Flash issue I really loved in a very long time. The Flash #100 should be interesting.

I think there's a difference between going back and changing the past, and stopping the future from messing with you, if that makes any sense.

[Spider-Ham]

Thank you Sam. It definitely makes sense

[Arnoldoaad]

this arc didnt deserve the title of Year One

[BohemiaDrinker]

So now Barry can change a timeline without creating a Flashpoint ? It’s the only point that bothers me.

He always could.

First it was Pandora, then it was Doc. Manhattan, later it will be something else.

But Flashpoint's mechanics was a direct inheritance of Flash Rebirth's mechanics, and Flash: Rebirth's mechanics 1)were crap and 2) contradicted a lot of (better) Flash stories. Better not sweat it.

Oh, and I know that both Flash War and HiC kept hammering that point, but the former was editorially constrained and the second was just crap. At some point in the future these characters are gonna look at those and go "oh, so we were basing our actions on bullshit premise", and it will be both truew to the story and more meta than Grant Morrrison reading his own biography.

[BohemiaDrinker]

My thoughts on the issue:

Willianson concepts (which may be not just his) are sort of all over the place, I don't like the new forces, etc, but he does try to do 2 things I like:

• Put heart back into DC lore, something much of the line is missing, and has been missing for quite a while.
• He tries to make things fit. This wasn't a concern with this particular franchise before: continuity wise, the Flash was one of the more solid brands DC had, even if the time travel and legacies and etc, up until the time of Infinite Crisis. From then on it became a huge mess, and here there is some effort to at least tidy up a little bit. I appreciate it.


Plus note: Last issue, when Barry finally made his uniform, Howard Porter (probably out habit) drew a costume that was distinctively Wally's. That irked me a little bit. He may have realized that and here, mid-issue and with no explanation, he whipped something up that while not Barry's classic costume, is exclusive to him (to those who care, mid-issue the V-shaped belt becomes an M-shaped belt, and the insignia gains a golden outline, turning this into a modernized classic Flash costume that Wally never worn before. I'm glad for that.

[Frontier]

Willianson concepts (which may be not just his) are sort of all over the place, I don't like the new forces, etc, but he does try to do 2 things I like:

You think Snyder had a hand in them?

[Rakzo]

You think Snyder had a hand in them?

He most certainly did.

[BohemiaDrinker]

You think Snyder had a hand in them?

Yes. Snyder is the big architect behind these ideas, with Willianson and Tynion IV being the ones that are expanding on them.

I said back in '09, and will say it again: I have no desire to see Flash becoming Johns Green Lantern. These forces also input a qusi-mystical nature to the speed force instead of a more sci-fi oriented take, which I favor.

[Tzigone]

These forces also input a qusi-mystical nature to the speed force instead of a more sci-fi oriented take, which I favor.

I prefer sci-fi oriented, as well.

[Modamy]

You know how Hickman had to rework the X-Men and establish rules for writers going forward; like making it clear what makes an Omega level mutant? Maybe someone DC should be doing that for the Flash and the speed force. I would rather that writers focus more on the characters and less on their powers, but if they're going to insist on telling more and more stories about it they need to make some hard rules to follow instead of everyone making things up as they go along.

[Eto]

Does Barry remember Max Mercury? ��