Written by: Mark Waid, Christopher Cantwell
Art by: Vasco Georgiev
Colors by: Matt Herms
Letters by: Buddy Beaudoin
Cover art by: Dan Mora
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: October 22, 2025
First Impressions
There’s a fresh sense of control this time out, like the book actually chose a script and stuck to it. The dialogue is lighter on pretension, though the mood stays anxious with the cosmic clock ticking away. Still, the stakes feel more like a road trip with old friends than a sprint for the fate of reality.
Recap
Last issue, Flash and family scrambled at the edge of extinction when Eclipso, a “god of gods,” toyed with Earth’s destruction, spinning the moon and launching tsunamis. Wally agonized over legacy status while dimensional hijinks, pep talks, and ring tricks failed to tighten any threads. In the end, villains vanished, moon duties were offloaded to the kids, and Eclipso’s defeat landed with the weight of a handwave. Everything sewn up with a “nothing ever ends” sigh.
The issue opens at top speed in Arizona, as Wally West pursues Alchemist, whose Philosopher’s Stone lets him teleport and threaten a global tech crash from a hijacked server network. A chase over the Grand Canyon sets the pace, with Wally splitting travel tips and existential dread for his kids, Irey and Jai. His jumps must nail the right velocity. Too much and he’s space junk, too little and he’s a Wile E. Coyote gag.
A sudden break in the action brings a new crisis: Darkseid’s approach and the collapse of time itself, forcing a pivot to the Justice League Watchtower. Wally’s caught in self-doubt while Time Trapper and World Forger pitch a tournament to select a champion who might snatch victory from the jaws of Omega transformation. Family and allies gather for strategy, but no one feels prepared to fight dirty for the cosmic crown or each other’s survival.
As time unravels, Bart impulsively vibrates into open space and straight into the time stream, prompting a wild rescue attempt. The time stream is burning, Omega energy corrupting everything, and the Speed Force itself is crying out in agony. Wally’s race to save Bart sends him spinning through his own memories, from childhood bully terror to VR combat simulators, before landing both Flashes where no one expected, face to face with Darkseid in the slowed past.
With the cosmic tyrant waiting, all threats are dialed to maximum. Darkseid's omnipotence is relentless, declaring himself master over past, present, and Speed Force alike. Reality stutters as family trauma and existential stakes blur into a chaotic melee, ending with Bart separated in time and facing cultists loyal to Darkseid, while Wally and Max race to reunite and survive, setting up the next issue’s desperate struggle.
Plot Analysis
The issue opens at top speed in Arizona, as Wally West pursues Alchemist, whose Philosopher’s Stone lets him teleport and threaten a global tech crash from a hijacked server network. A chase over the Grand Canyon sets the pace, with Wally splitting travel tips and existential dread for his kids, Irey and Jai. His jumps must nail the right velocity. Too much and he’s space junk, too little and he’s a Wile E. Coyote gag.
A sudden break in the action brings a new crisis: Darkseid’s approach and the collapse of time itself, forcing a pivot to the Justice League Watchtower. Wally’s caught in self-doubt while Time Trapper and World Forger pitch a tournament to select a champion who might snatch victory from the jaws of Omega transformation. Family and allies gather for strategy, but no one feels prepared to fight dirty for the cosmic crown or each other’s survival.
As time unravels, Bart impulsively vibrates into open space and straight into the time stream, prompting a wild rescue attempt. The time stream is burning, Omega energy corrupting everything, and the Speed Force itself is crying out in agony. Wally’s race to save Bart sends him spinning through his own memories, from childhood bully terror to VR combat simulators, before landing both Flashes where no one expected, face to face with Darkseid in the slowed past.
With the cosmic tyrant waiting, all threats are dialed to maximum. Darkseid's omnipotence is relentless, declaring himself master over past, present, and Speed Force alike. Reality stutters as family trauma and existential stakes blur into a chaotic melee, ending with Bart separated in time and facing cultists loyal to Darkseid, while Wally and Max race to reunite and survive, setting up the next issue’s desperate struggle.
Writing
Mark Waid and Christopher Cantwell take a subtler, much improved approach, delivering a clean, focused narrative that barely resembles the metaphysical soup of Spurrier’s run. Dialogue bounces with urgency but avoids collapsing into word salad; exposition exists but doesn't swamp every page. Wally’s internal monologue finally feels grounded, keeping the plot moving, even if cosmic stakes are delivered with trope-heavy setups and rare, genuine tension.
Vasco Georgiev’s linework is lively, clear, and kinetic, capturing the speedster action across canyons and melting timelines. The use of color by Matt Herms adds momentum, especially in temporal scenes, but some panels get overly busy in epic battles, blurring character focus. Faces and movement land well, but the big set pieces occasionally lose subtlety in a riot of speed lines and swirling backgrounds. Dynamic, not always dramatic. Furthermore, Georgiev takes shortcuts with backgrounds in several panels, giving the issue a clean but basic appearance.
Art
Vasco Georgiev’s linework is lively, clear, and kinetic, capturing the speedster action across canyons and melting timelines. The use of color by Matt Herms adds momentum, especially in temporal scenes, but some panels get overly busy in epic battles, blurring character focus. Faces and movement land well, but the big set pieces occasionally lose subtlety in a riot of speed lines and swirling backgrounds. Dynamic, not always dramatic. Furthermore, Georgiev takes shortcuts with backgrounds in several panels, giving the issue a clean but basic appearance.
Characters
Wally West is central, far more coherent than the previous issue’s self-reflective fog. His struggle for control and legacy gets room to breathe. Bart’s impulsiveness drives the plot, while Max Mercury and the kids deliver punchy lines and ready support. Darkseid returns as a true cosmic threat, omnipresent and merciless, but the real drama hangs on the West family’s resilience more than villain monologues. Supporting characters get on-page, if not always impactful, presence.
This issue finally feels readable, with tidy stakes and a narrative that marches instead of meandering. Dialogue is crisp, the West family’s energy tugs at genuine emotional threads, and the threat of Darkseid is delivered with intimidating scale. The visuals handle speed and time travel with excitement, and the Flash legacy comes through in moments of teamwork, doubt, and hope.
Positives
This issue finally feels readable, with tidy stakes and a narrative that marches instead of meandering. Dialogue is crisp, the West family’s energy tugs at genuine emotional threads, and the threat of Darkseid is delivered with intimidating scale. The visuals handle speed and time travel with excitement, and the Flash legacy comes through in moments of teamwork, doubt, and hope.
Negatives
Drama is muted: the cosmic threats, though big, rarely land as “wow moments,” and everything remains oddly safe by the end. Action is fast but sometimes forgettable, and risks never fully escalate. Darkseid looms large but doesn’t unleash true terror or heartbreak. The story plays out like a technical rehearsal for apocalypse, without letting readers feel the ground drop beneath them.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Final Thoughts
The Flash #26 trades Spurrier’s existential chaos for something closer to a TV pilot—well-paced, smartly structured, but lacking the showstopper punch that the premise seems to promise. Clear storytelling and kinetic art make for a better read, yet the drama is left idling on the runway. There’s improvement in coherence, but the series still needs a spark to truly wow. Don’t blink, but maybe don’t run for the preorder list just yet.
7/10
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