J Michael Straczynski did a great job of bringing this story together. I was wondering how the Flash was going to team-up with the Blackhawks. And it wasn't long before I got my answer. It ends up that the Flash, Barry Allen, has gone to Belgium to help out a scientist with a light experiment. He wants to test the theory that he can alter the speed of light through vibrations. But he needs the Flash to run along side to monitor the light and record the changes. The problem is, when the scientist changes the frequency of the light, it shorts out the recording device and pulls the Flash into it's stream. That, and the effects it has on the Speed Force, causes a rip in time and sends the Flash back to the past. He ends up in Belgium during WWII . . the Battle of the Bulge. It turns out the Blackhawks have recently come here for some r&r . . Belgium is supposed to be 'the safest place in Europe', but it's not long before the Germans show up. Barry's leg is broken so he can work up the speed to go back right away. For a few weeks he ends up helping the Blackhawks during the Battle of the Bulge. During which he has to come to terms with his vow not to kill. He wants to live up to that vow, but . . he is in the middle of a war. He starts asking himself, 'When is it right to kill? And when is it not right to kill? What makes it right?'. Tough questions. And ones I'm sure all the soldiers have asked themselves at one time or another. Anyways, long story short . . he heals, and after the battle is won heads back home. There, he's only been gone for seconds. The scientist is thrilled, but Barry is reeling in the knowledge and experience that he's just gone through. Also he's thinking of the new-found respect that he has for soldiers everywhere. 'What I do, what I've done, isn't extraordinary. They were the extraordinary ones.' JMS did a fantastic job with this book, and I really loved Jesus Saiz' art. The whole issue was incredible.
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