The Flash #14 Discussion/Spoilers

**Zoch** · 12-01-2012, 07:26 AM

I thought this was a really good issue and the art was just phenomenal, I've been enjoying this book can't wait for next issue.

**Karl O'Neill** · 12-01-2012, 07:49 AM

Reviews keep saying the writers are failing to bring any closure to plots and sub-plots. Is this true?

**Kizmet** · 12-01-2012, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Karl O'Neill

Reviews keep saying the writers are failing to bring any closure to plots and sub-plots. Is this true?

I really like the way the writers are handling the subplots. To me it's not that there isn't closure, it's that the consequences of the last bit of plotting lead directly into the next story. Comic books are an on-going medium, I don't care for the six-issue arc format where each story has a set beginning and ending and little over-lap between one and the next. "Flash" uses subplots to set the stage for the next story, then continues to use them to deal with the fall-out afterwards rather than having everything be cleanly separated.

The first arc had Flash blamed for the EM Pulse knocking out Central's power, while the villain from that arc has been dealt with the fallout from the pulse allowed Elias to become Central's hero and to turn the city against Flash. It's not that there wasn't closure for the first arc, just that it didn't close cleanly. Which I actually like better. There are consequences to actions taken in "Flash" and the consequences of the previous story tend to drive the action in the next.

The Rogues and their new meta powers were introduced and it was quickly made clear that this wasn't just a NuDC reboot, but that something happened to change the Rogues from gimmick/tech users to meta-humans. We now know how they got their powers, the draw-backs, why they were blaming Cold and turning against him. The subplot about the Rogues and their new powers has been closed. It's just that the Rogues didn't disappear as soon as that question was answered, because to do a story like "Gorilla Warfare" where the writers have a whole army invading Central they pretty much needed additional bodies on Barry's side. So there was conclusion for the plot about how did the Rogues come to have powers and Cold is back with the Rogues. But since they didn't just disappear, the writers have moved on to a new Rogue centered subplot with Lisa not ready to quietly hand leadership of the Rogues back to Cold at this point.

Iris disappeared during Barry's fight with Cold. Barry went after her which led to his meeting Turbine and Grodd. We're in the middle of a big Grodd story, Turbine's involved (and it looks like his involvement has concluded the subplot where Barry was allowing everyone to believe he was dead) plus this Danny West is wandering around the story looking for Iris. It looks like those plots are all moving forward nicely.

The only plot I feel has been dropped at the moment is Piper's, since we haven't seen anything from him or his boyfriend since he was knocked out fighting the Rogues. At the very least I was hoping he'd join in resisting the Gorilla army.

Generally "Flash" has a main plot which gets resolved, but it's rarely clean so the resolution of one problem contributes to Barry's next challenge.

**FlashEarthOne** · 12-01-2012, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Karl O'Neill

Reviews keep saying the writers are failing to bring any closure to plots and sub-plots. Is this true?

ONE reviewer said that. It doesn't make it a fact.

**DrSimonHurt** · 12-01-2012, 02:57 PM

I guess we can assume Daniel West is a few minutes away from colliding with Barry and Grodd, somehow turning him into the new Zoom/Reverse Flash?

**Rakzo** · 12-01-2012, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by Karl O'Neill

Reviews keep saying the writers are failing to bring any closure to plots and sub-plots. Is this true?

No, we're not talking about Birds of Prey here, each storyline have a conclusion is just that the story moves from arc to arc inmediately which is okay considering the nature of the book.

Originally Posted by DrSimonHurt

I guess we can assume Daniel West is a few minutes away from colliding with Barry and Grodd, somehow turning him into the new Zoom/Reverse Flash?

I would say that Dr. Elias is a safer bet.

**Karl O'Neill** · 12-02-2012, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by FlashEarthOne

ONE reviewer said that. It doesn't make it a fact.

I take it that review wasn't factual? Doh!

**El Sombrero** · 12-02-2012, 03:09 PM

They haven't brought "closure" to various plot points, because those plot points are still going on. It's not like Birds of Prey where they have characters entangled in one scenario, and then the next issue they're magically back to normal. The storylines in Flash that aren't resolved yet...have yet to be resolved. Iris is still trapped in the Speed Force limbo, Barry is still believed dead, and they're still working with those storylines. In fact they were both just touched on in #14. It doesn't really seem like a valid complaint to me.

**Karl O'Neill** · 12-02-2012, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by El Sombrero

They haven't brought "closure" to various plot points, because those plot points are still going on. It's not like Birds of Prey where they have characters entangled in one scenario, and then the next issue they're magically back to normal. The storylines in Flash that aren't resolved yet...have yet to be resolved. Iris is still trapped in the Speed Force limbo, Barry is still believed dead, and they're still working with those storylines. In fact they were both just touched on in #14. It doesn't really seem like a valid complaint to me.

That's more like it. Ha, I am so far behind on Flash but was curious about this point from the CBR review.

**El Sombrero** · 12-02-2012, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Karl O'Neill

That's more like it. Ha, I am so far behind on Flash but was curious about this point from the CBR review.

I stopped reading CBR reviews. I think their review team sucks considering this is such a major comics site. You're much, much better off finding posters whose taste you like in the forums and listening to what they say.

**LoneNecromancer** · 12-02-2012, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by El Sombrero

I stopped reading CBR reviews. I think their review team sucks considering this is such a major comics site. You're much, much better off finding posters whose taste you like in the forums and listening to what they say.

Yeah, I think that's basically what I do nowadays too. Half the time most site reviews just look to me as though their ratings are chosen at pure random.

**flottanna** · 12-02-2012, 08:18 PM

I love what this creative team is doing. Francis Manapul is one of my favorite artist and he is perfect for the flash.

**FlashEarthOne** · 12-02-2012, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by El Sombrero

I stopped reading CBR reviews. I think their review team sucks considering this is such a major comics site. You're much, much better off finding posters whose taste you like in the forums and listening to what they say.

It all depends on the specific reviewer. CBR, IGN, and Newsarama all have some good reviewers AND some horrible ones. The writer of the Flash #14 review for CBR and IGN are both in the latter category.