The Fraction has arrived on Earth, and in just a few seconds, the world may die. Even the Flashes may not be fast enough this time… Your Major Spoilers review of The Flash: One Minute War #1 from DC Comics awaits!

THE FLASH: ONE MINUTE WAR #1

Writer: Jeremy Adams
Penciller: Fernando Pasarin/Lisandro Estherren/George Kambadais
Inker: Matt Ryan/Jason Paz
Colorist: Matt Herms/Patrico Delpeche
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editor: Chris Rosa
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: January 31, 2023

Previously in The Flash: One Minute War: A lot can happen in 60 seconds. As the One-Minute War rages on, The Flash and his super-speed colleagues face down with an alien race of super-speedsters, and even the Fastest Family Alive may not be fast enough to stave off invasion.

BEHIND THE SCENES, IN BETWEEN THE LINES

In the last couple of issues of The Flash, a super-speed alien empire collided with Earth-0, quickly establishing a beachhead and leading to incalculable death, including that of Iris West-Allen. Three Flashes, Kid Flash, Impulse, Wally West’s super-fast family, and more have mobilized to do what they can, but they’re outnumbered and overmatched. This issue’s stories begin with the origins of the aliens’ superpowers, including The Admiral, who is leading the invasion. The second story features Flash Avery Ho, whose soul is stolen by a villain who suddenly gets taken by the invaders, forcing her to figure out how to retrieve it while operating at a fraction of her regular capacity. A third story reminds us that not every super-speedster in the world is on the side of the angels (and features many fatal stabbings), while in an undesignated future era, Flash Irey West and her brother Surge, deal with The Fraction, with a little help from the Gold Beetle.

NOT COHESIVE

There’s not a lot of through-line to the stories herein, which makes for a pretty frustrating reading experience. The back story on The Admiral and his Empress is informative (and should have been featured in the main title), but there’s not a whole lot to recommend with this issue. I appreciate seeing Avery Ho again, but her entire story is one where she seems to be feckless and befuddled, barely able to function as a hero, ending with her still confused. Godspeed’s chapter should have been a two-page vignette, as I didn’t need to see him murdering aliens for eight pages, while the Jay West story implies that The Fraction is still a threat in the year 2040, which seems contrary to the premise (and the title) of the whole crossover. Each of this issue’s artists brings something interesting to the table, but they all share a certain experimental nature, and like so many experimental styles, they’re not always successful. Jay and Gold Beetle’s story is especially so, featuring art that’s overwhelmingly angular, which brings out the overly saturated colors. The entire issue is dripping with electric blues and poison greens, all of which serve to emphasize the points where the art misses the mark.

BOTTOM LINE: INESSENTIAL OR OVERPRICED

In the Bronze Age, the Big Two publishers would put out annuals each summer, packed with backups and tryouts for young creators, and The Flash: One Minute War #1 is an unexpected throwback to those days, giving us a shotgun blast of stories, mismatched art styles, and over-the-top coloring, earning a slightly disappointed 2 out of 5 stars overall. There’s entertainment value to be had here, especially for regular Flash readers, but it’s unfortunately not going to be the six-dollar price tag’s worth for most of us.

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