Letters to The Flash #32

From the very opening of this issue, I knew we were in for a treat. Kevin, you’ve got a brilliant handle on all the villains of The Flash mythos, be them Rogues or otherwise, and this very interesting creation of yours, this version of Professor Zoom, the Reverse Flash, is simply amazing. I mean, his single-mindedness of vision was astonishing, but after we’ve seen glimpses of his humanity, it’s simply stunning to see this former hero fall even deeper into the downward spiral of villainy. After this issue, there is simply no way back for Eobard Thawne… or is there?

And on the villain tangent, the Rogues versus Rogues scenes were simply beautiful, with each “villain” getting his moment in the spotlight, and I have to say, I still love Captain Cold! He’s treated with such reverence nowadays, and you can see why, and the moral code the Rogues stand for is one you can’t help but respect. This is what makes them different from other villains, and that’s why, I think, they’re so popular in the DCU!proper. Bravo, Kevin, well written.

Grodd Vs Barry was a heart pounding battle, and I loved how Barry stopped him, with sheer super speed dtermination, that mantra drumming into his head again and again as he faced this behemoth of destruction, until he stood victorious, but the price? Too high. The reflection on the destruction wrought was very sad, but these things happen, and I’m glad to see a hero actually acknowledge what happens when this stuff goes down.

Jay Garrick… I’m glad he got out of his predicament, but at what cost? Wally will be ok, we hope, and we have to follow him into this months issue of Teen Titans, but the fact Garrick now owes a Rogue… it’s a bit disconcerting, isn’t it? It is nice, I admit, to see someone living by their own code, instead of being beholden to someone elses, and Alchemy was always an interesting villain in the DCU!proper. Poor Jay though, putting himself out there, lying like that, only to be treated like crap. Nevermind!

Max Mercury & Johnny Quick versus the Savitars was a scene that took my breath away. Seriously, there was one line that made me just laugh, and I shared it with you as I was editing: “One last run?” Johnny spat, barely intelligible through his cracked jaw. “One final race before the end?” That’s the kind of line I would have loved to write, and it was a wonder to behold.

Zoom’s lessons were harsh, and we were expecting something, and whilst it was a bit of a cop-out from your previous statement at the end of the last issue, the death was a brutal, inescapable thing, and seeing Barry reaching… reaching… reaching… to save him, was awful. I mean, we could feel his pain, his struggling, and the fact he failed… God, like a kick in the crotch, I have to say!

The return of you-know-who and his subsequent defeat was great, glad to see that story-thread tied up, and the beat down of you-know-who-else was brilliant. I think I love Captain Cold. Every single scene he is in just reads as perfection, and like I say every month, I’m always concerned this book will just become The Flash Rogues. Bring it on, I say!

And I now hate the Trickster. Luckily he’s a fictional character else I’d really be pissed. We were expecting it since part one, but to finally see it, and to have the footage interplayed with the death scenes… again, crikey, brilliantly done. I wish I’d stuck around on The Flash for longer myself so I could have written such a thing! Great work.

Barry Allen is one hell of a hero. We know this. He’s affiliated with a brighter kind of story telling (until the issues before CoIE, I guess!) and to see him put through so much is a pain to read, but we have to keep reading, because we have to see him succeed! Because we know he’ll never give in! You’ve captured the spirit of the character perfectly, Kevin, I say it every month, and I’m going to say this again too: You’re fast becoming one of the best writers on the site, up there with Brian, Susan, Don and Dave, and I hold you in very high regard (and I can’t wait to read your stuff, though I’m still waiting on New Gods, *cough*). It’s always a pleasure to work with you, and LEGACY OF THE LIGHTNING is going to come to an awesome finale, I can feel it, next time round.

Five Stars, natch!

Great story, brilliant interactions, I hope Bart and Cassie are going to be okay, I am glad that the Captain Cold wouldn't let anyone hurt a little baby. Are the other Speedsters safe now that The Lady died? I am very glad that Barry, Wally, Jay, Max and Johnny are still alive.

An excellent question you pose at the end, and one which will recieve a definitive answer. But suffice to say that while these last installments have been crowded and he's been a behind-the-scenes player so far, Thawne has a HUGE role in the finale, which is pretty much one giant- epic- confrontation.



What can I say, I love my Rogues. I knew from the start of my run that Captain Cold was going to kill the Top, but when it finally played out and I needed Kadabra taken off the board, I decided he deserved that role as well. The spotlight could have shone on another Rogue, but theyv'e been off the table for all intents and purposes for quite a while now and I figured Cold was the most deserving of all! But yes, as you say, the Rogues have that moral code which sets them apart from other villains in the DCU- something the Newer Rogues most certainly don't have.



Legacy of the Lightning is all about loss and change, and the heavy casualties inflicted by Grodd's barbaric assault are important both in showing the power and terror that Grodd can create, and also in influencing events which will be glimpsed in The Flash #33. But really, I think there was no force on Earth that could have come between Barry Allen and seeing his new child for the first time- as poor old Grodd found out.



I was worried that this scene might read a little cheap since Jay didn't get out of the situation due to his own skill, but I hoped that the fact that he was the only one might lessen that to some degree. The Flash Family owing a Rogue- and particularly one as enigmatic as Alchemy- a favour is not something which bodes well for them, and Jay knows that as much as we do...



Well, I can only say thanks for such kind words, Charlie. That was probably the last scene written actually (I don't write in chronological order) and I'm happy it came out as well as it did. Johnny and Max are huge players in this book and have been since I came on, so I wanted to give them their own moment to shine.



I can see how you'd think Barry's dad's death is a cop-out, but it will have massive ramifications to come. I'm not someone who generally believes in deaths unless they advance the storyline and the death provides more potential for stories than that character could have alive. Barry's dad is rarely used and limited in the ways he can eb used, but his death will be important indeed- for reasons which any readers who have read my entire run thus far may be able to guess at, and which will play a part next issue! Whether or not Iris or Carrie advance the story more in life than death is debateable.... and I guess we'll find out after the Annual!



Lord knows it's hard enough NOT doing that without being encouraged, dammit! Plenty of the Rogues to be seen in the months to come- with the immediate fallout of this dealt with and some pretty big consequences for the Rogues coming in Legacy's aftermath in The Flash #33. The Top was a big loose end from, I believe, Seb's run, and it was one of many plot threads I wanted to give a definitive ending to with 'Legacy of the Lightning'. Whether or not the Top is dead is of course more ambiguous than Kadabra's rather more definitive fate, so we'll see what lies ahead!



Yes, the Trickster got his revenge in the end. I loved the idea that it was this crazy, buffoonish character- now totally alone- who ultimately did what no-one else had been able to- or willing to. And whatever happens in the next issue, Barry's unmasking is a huge alteration which will change his status quo for a long, long time. Of course, how exactly Warden Wolfe feels about losing his trump card is another matter.... and one that will be found out in- you guessed it!- The Flash #33.



I'm not sure I can possibly match up to that VERY high praise, Charlie... all I can say is thank you, and I hope I live up to that confidence you place in me! I'll be honest- if I had my way, I'm not sure I'd ever leave these characters I love so much, but, well, there's a Green Lantern writer out there who would snap my spine like a twig if I didn't.



As to the super-sizing, it was originally going to be normal-sized but... well, I didn't want to split it upand I couldn't trim it down more, so that's what we got. The Annual is DOUBLE sized, so the entire story will be the equivalent of five and a half issues by the end. And yes, while the Thawne scene was needed first for a bit of set-up and contextualisation, I knew that it was only fair to plunge back into the hospital straight away after that to pay off on last issue's cliffhanger!



Also a death that very nearly didn't happen as I weighed out the consequences of killing Doctor Spectro, but in the end, Alchemy has NO scruples, and the idea of him simply disabling Spectro simply seemed false. As well as wrapping up all the old plot threads, I wanted to be caeful to set up new ones- and the Alchemy debt is one of many new plot threads being added to the book over the course of the first few months of 2009.



Yup, that was the exact intention- Lady Savitar didn't add a whole lot, and by killing her, Savitar gains a helluva lot more motivation! PLUS it has the added bonus of giving him further grudge not just with the Flashes in general but Max and Johnny in particular.



I admit I really enjoyed writing every scene with Cold in it, especially that line. As for renaming Heatwave- yes, I always felt that 'Mike' would be a far better name than 'Mick' and so seized the chance to retcon this vitally important detail.

Alternatively, I goofed.

One of these is true, but as to which? Who knows, really?



While I knew that those scenes were happening right from... issue 24 in the case of the unmasking, and before the story began for the others, the idea to intersperse them only came whn it came time to write them, and it's one of the few creative decisions I can say I am totally happy with and very glad I did.



Your feedback is always welcome, Dan.

Particularly when it's as GLOWING and generous as this! Thank you, as always!



Thanks for your comments! While Bart seems out of danger for now, Cassie is very much not.... I hope she's going to be okay too, but I'm not sure Eobard Thawne thinks the same way.



Cold doesn't have THAT many morals, but even he finds killing babies abhorrent. Well, that's my take on Cold anyway!



All I will say is this- the tagline said "Speedsters will die." Lady Savitar is only one speedster. Of course, it wouldn't be the first tagline to be misleading, and the difference isn't much... guess there's only one way to find out!



I really appreciate such effusive praise, Pat! It makes enduring Charlie's brutal editorship all worth it! And yes, the ending of this issue will effect Barry Allen for...well, barring another writer deciding to do some retconning, for pretty much the entirety of the Flash to come. I said right from the start there would be a Flash pre-LotL and a Flash post-LotL and the unmasking is a major reason for that!



Again, thank you for your high praise! Barry's world has cracked apart indeed.... and the shattered pieces are about to be blown to Hell! See you for the Annual- and trust me, you do not want to miss this one!

I'm... I'm... I'm stunned. AMAZING!!! I don't know where to begin with this. But the revelation... this is going to impact nearly everything in the DC2 Universe! Poor Barry...

Really, there wasn't a missed step in this. It's sad to see so many cool villains get completely wiped out, but I love the Rogue's defending the child. The absolute best moment of this truly epic story!

Five real large stars!!!

I am SO disappointed.... that I didn't read this issue sooner! I won't make that mistake with the next issue, as I can hardly wait to get my hands on the conclusion of this story.

My mind is reeling from all that happened in this pivotal installment. I cheered for the Rogues, thrilled to Max and Johnny, worried with Barry, and mourned for his loss(es?)...

There is a lot of exciting stuff happening on the DC2, but this has got to be the hottest title on the site right now. This story is taking me back to the last 50+ issues of Cary Bates' run on the Flash just prior to COIE, and his death, so there is this overweening sense of doom and destiny!

Five stars--- though I have to say the "Crack " (you know the one I mean) was needlessly (and distractingly) centerized, and what happened to the cover ?

Jeeez, I had no idea how this was going to end. The possibility of damn-near everybody dying seemed high, but that actually didn't happen. Yes, we lost Lady Savitar, Barry's dad, the Top, and Kadabra, but I was figuring on triple that by the way things were going.

Great job all around. I was honestly glosssing over the Rogues vs Rogues stuff (wasn't appealing to me) but Cold vs Kadabra made up for it. And now Iris and the baby are missing?!? Aaagh, it never ends!