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Barry Allen continues his quest to save Wally West from the dark forces that have ensnared his former protégé in Future State: The Flash #2.
Written by Brandon Vietti
Art by Brandon Peterson, Will Conrad, and Mike Atiyeh
Letters by Steve Wands
Published by DC
'Rama Rating: 6 out of 10
Brandon Vietti's script is pretty wordy, with lengthy captions and word balloons from Allen, showing how meticulous the former Flash is as he prepares to take down his friend. Removed from the Speed Force, Allen now relies on the weapons of his former enemies to take Wally down. Artists Brandon Peterson, Will Conrad, and Mike Atiyeh deliver on the showdown.
The Flash has one of the most varied rogues galleries in comic books, and so seeing Barry use those weapons against Wally is quite fun, even if Barry is tormented by the fact that he's had to go this route to try to save Wally. Letterer Steve Wands does a fantastic job making sure that the comic stays cohesive, as Allen's dialogue and the action are both plentiful throughout the book.
Where the book stumbles a bit is in the back half, when the darker forces behind Wally are revealed. While Vietti does a good job tying the story into the idea and strength of hope, the villain here feels flat and one-dimensional, which takes away from the strengths of the Barry vs. Wally concept the rest of the issue develops so well.
Visually pleasing, Future State: The Flash #2 starts off promising but ends up somewhat disappointing. The action sequences show off Barry's scientific mind and ingenuity in using the weapons of his enemies to stop his fellow speedster. However, it's hard to be excited to see more of this story with an ending that doesn't stick the landing.
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