This is The Flash: Strange Attractor. It is the first volume of Si Spurrier’s run on The Flash. Other Writers that show up in this volume are Jarrett Williams, Alex Paknadel, and A. L. Kaplan. The Prime Illustrator is Mike Deodato Jr. The Other Illustrators are Scott Koblish, George Kambadais, Serg Acuña, and A. L. Kaplan. The Prime Colorist is A. L. Kaplan. The Other Colorists are Hi-Fi and Matt Herms. This volume is Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Trigger Warning: This book contains elements that one may find disturbing such as cosmic horror ideas, kidnappings, body horror, depression, frightening imagery, mental manipulation, stabbings, someone going into shock, drug use, and mind control. Reader discretion is advised. This book follows Wally West, the second Flash, when he tries to solve a multidimensional mystery. Something strange has been going on with Wally’s powers. He has been able to hop between dimensional layers while he uses the Speed Force. Not that he travels between dimensions, but more that he can see different layers of his reality. This would have been fine if his powers hadn’t been causing tears between dimensional layers, allowing them to bleed into each other. And on top of that, many of The Flash’s rogues gallery (like Mirror Master and Gorilla Grodd) have been getting multidimensional equipment into their hand. With all of these events happening in quick succession of each other, Wally West starts to wonder if they are connected. So, what will Wally do with these new powers, and how are his rogues getting this equipment into their hands?
This volume was wonderous. When Si Spurrier was initially announced to be taking over The Flash title, I was quite curious, since it seemed too different from what he has done in the past. For the most part, Si Spurrier writes about magic and fantasy. And not only that, Si Spurrier also usually only writes morally grey characters that are reviled in the world around them. So, seeing him write a superhero story and have a morally good protagonist had me fascinated. And I really enjoyed everything about this first volume, particularly because of how different it is. For most of The Flash’s runs, they are usually fun and adventure-like, where it usually stays on Earth. This run goes in an incredibly different direction. This volume has such a serious and unnerving tone. While also dealing with extraordinarily complex and overbearing topics. Hell, it is a borderline cosmic horror book, with all the inhumane creatures and locations Wally travels to. This is such an extreme change of pace from Jeremy Adams’ Flash run (the run before Si Spurrier’s), which had such a laid-back and happy tone. But, honestly, that’s a good thing. Jeremy Adams’ run on Flash is the best of that type of story, and I don’t think it would work well in the long run. And it is really interesting to have such a different tone for The Flash, while only changing the character’s powers in small areas. I really do wonder where this run goes, since it really is uncharted territory.
Spoiler Warning: One thing that I found enormously peculiar was the new family dynamic. In the previous run, Wally’s wife, Linda, gained super speed because she was pregnant with a speedster baby. And, as soon as she gave birth to the baby, she immediately lost her powers. At the end of Jeremy Adams’ run, it seemed that Linda was fine with this. But, at the start of this run, it shows that this change did affect her in a major way. It is apparent that she seems more tired and apathetic towards the world around her. She still loves her family, but she is the only one that doesn’t have superpowers. And when she finally got a taste of what having superpowers feels like, then having them being immediately ripped away, changed her. I cannot even imagine that type of frustration. And it’s made worse since the family doesn’t understand this frustration, or even know it’s happening. It must be overwhelming. Another good example is Wally, himself. So much has changed with his powers and the world around him, that he doesn’t even know what to do. There are now multi-dimensional aliens who claim that his powers are destroying the fabric of reality. He can enter dimensional barriers where ghosts are visible. It is a nightmare of sensations. But all of this going on makes Wally forget an integral part of his life, his family. He is constantly away, dealing with some new dimensional phenomena. And when he finally has time for his family, he becomes numb and distant towards them. While the story sympathizes with Wally, it also shows that this is affecting his family in a negative way. And how this change of dynamics will be a key theme going forward. This idea is great since it shows how a family bond, no matter how strong, can face challenges that need addressing. I do wonder where it will go from here.
The art for this volume is rather fascinating to observe. Mike Deodato Jr is an incredibly polarizing artist, who needs the right story for his style to really work. Thankfully, this book is one of those stories that works with him. His style is incredibly abstract, while, at the same time, oddly realistic. It is a style that doesn’t work everywhere, but the more multidimensional and cosmic ideas discussed are amplified with Deodato’s artwork. Everything looks incredibly unknown and alien, like it’s something no one can even comprehend. I also love the way Deodato represents The Flash’s powers. He represents The Flash as a blur that even the reader can only see in spare moments. The only other things you see, as an audience, are red lines and lightning. It’s fun and is always my favorite representation of super speed. I also love the coloring, primarily done by A. L. Kaplan. It has a thickness to it, that adds to the unnerving feeling. The contrast between colors, especially during the dimensional travel scenes, also adds to that same feeling. So, overall, the art won’t work for everyone, but it definitely does for me.
Overall, this volume was a strange, but brilliant introduction. Si Spurrier is a writer I would never expect to be on The Flash title, but it strangely works. This run takes such an extreme turn from the previous one, that it made me more excited. The more complex and interdimensional concepts discussed are so interesting. And the family troubles in this story show that, no matter how strong a bond can be, it can still go through challenges. The artwork, while polarizing, is still brilliant and adds an unnerving feeling throughout. Overall, this is an utterly fascinating first volume, and I cannot wait for the next one.