DC COMICS
WRITERS: Mark Waid, John Rogers
ARTISTS: Freddie Williams II, Doug Braithwaite
COVER: Freddie Williams II

The Flash, Wally West, must join forces with his super-powered kids to stop a bizarre alien invasion-- that he may have inadvertantly started.

This is the conclusion to the story-arc revealing what happened to Wally and his family after their disappearance in the pages of INFINITE CRISIS. It is a very involved story that frankly, will work only if you have been following the series from the start. Having Wally's kids join in the superhero game makes this title really look like an imitation of THE INCREDIBLES. Except that this series is supposed to be deadly serious and it certainly looks irresponsible for Wally to be putting such young kids in danger.

Perhaps the whole storyline was a bit rushed. Instead of easing Wally back into his yellow running shoes, we have him running at full speed already, in a very convoluted plotline with a host of new supporting characters. Still, it does help re-establish Wally's 'every-man' status and the special connection that all the Flashes have had with the public.

The art is quite refreshing. While it is quite detailed, it is not overbearing or excessively dark and is always easy to follow. Wally's chin is getting a little chubby but other than that, the characters look good. This kind of art is perfect for a book with a lighter tone. Perhaps now that the Flash clan is back on Earth, we can get more straightforward adventure tales.

This gets two and a half stars out of five, largely due to the art.