the Flash #234 - DC

A few months ago, Mike Wieringo, or Ringo as he put it on his covers, passed away from heart failure. His most recent work was at Marvel, so they've been putting a page in most of their books saying goodbye to him. However, his first work was at DC. Or to be more specific, on the Flash. He was even the co-creator of Bart. So I've been wondering, why wasn't anything said in any of the DC books? Well they've made amends to that this issue. There's a beautiful 2 page spread at the end of this issue talking about Mike and the impact he had on the DC Universe, by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn. It really was touching and well deserved. He's a talent that will be sorely missed. Now . . . back to the book. I like the direction that Mark Waid is taking with this new chapter in the Flash mythos. We're gradually coming up to speed . . . pun intended . . . on the workings and machinations of the family's 2 newest members, Iris and Jai. Jai, last issue, learned of his own mortality. Do you remember when you were a kid and learned that? I think I was about 8 or 9. But the hardest thing was, up until that point, I pretty much thought myself invincible. Then one day, I think because of something I learned in school, I had an epiphany. In an instant I realized just how frail our form really is. But, when you're the son of the Flash, and you have powers that are constantly mutating . . . a deep psychological depression can have disastrous effects on the way your body handles it's energies. Which is what happens to Jai this issue. But even after his transformation, he still doesn't come clean with his parents about what's really bothering him. In the back-up story, about the planet the Flash family has been living on for the last year or so, we see how Barry had an impact on their culture. Last issue we saw Jay's effect. But what this story is really trying to show us is why this planet, Savoth, and it's inhabitants are so enamored by the various heroes of the Flash family. Freddie E Williams II does the artwork for the opening story, and Doug Braithwaite does the art for the back-up. Doug's work is much more stylistic and flashy. But Freddie's is really growing on my. To be honest, I really didn't like his style on this series at first, but it's really starting fit in and define the story. And with all the talents combined, this chapter is really turning out to be a great addition to the Flash legacy