Review: The Flash Vol. 8- Zoom

Quick Summary

Pros: The opening chapters are tense and help build some satisfying drama. Reverse-Flash ends up being a solid villain.

Cons: The narrative is chaotic in many places. The volume’s conclusion is poor. Cliffhangers from the previous volume are left undeveloped.

Overall: Though not as bad as its predecessors, this collection still has its problems. It still has issues with the narrative and some more serious problems delivering a satisfying conclusion. On the other hand, the opening chapters are good and Reverse-Flash works out as the collection’s villain. If fans are interested in the concept behind the story they may enjoy this book. If not, then it will likely be a pretty unremarkable read.

Story

The Flash Vol. 8: Zoom, by Robert Venditti and Van Jensen, is an average volume. In some places, it gets a few things right. The opening chapters are solid, the narrative generates some serious excitement, and it deals with some cool concepts. However, in other places, it gets a few things wrong. The narrative is chaotic, substantial plot threads are left unaddressed, and the conclusion is rife with problems. This mix of quality makes a book that isn’t that bad but also isn’t that good either.

(spoilers start here)

The opening chapters of Zoom are mostly positive. The majority of it focuses on Reverse-Flash’s rise to power in the past and his journey to the present day. This portion of the narrative is creative and exiting to see play out. It also shows the reader the depths of Reverse-Flash’s evil and insanity. In general, this is the strongest portion of the volume.

The opening chapters also focus on Flash’s attempt to uncover mysteries that are related to Reverse-Flash, the death of Barry’s mother, and his father’s recent prison break. This portion of the narrative helps build the tension surrounding Reverse-Flash’s power and the drama surrounding Flash’s family.

Unfortunately, like its two predecessors, the weakest portion of the story in Zoom is the conclusion. Pieces of this conclusion are positive, specifically in regards to the way it showcases Reverse-Flash’s insanity.

However, the majority of it is poorly written and happens far too quickly. It feels like Reverse-Flash’s associates switch sides at the drop of a hat, despite spending hundreds of years in pursuit of a single mission. Their turncoat nature is even more unexpected since none of them actually learn that he killed the people from their pasts (though, in what may be a plot hole or writing error, dialogue inexplicably suggests otherwise). In addition, it feels like Reverse-Flash’s powers are all over the place; sometimes he seems invincible but other times he is hit by attacks that seem easy to dodge. This conclusion is not quite as flawed as the conclusions from the past two volumes, but it is still a significant drag on the volume as a whole.

Zoom is also weighed down by a chaotic narrative. In most places, flashbacks are handled awkwardly and occur in strange places. It seems as if these flashbacks are intentionally chaotic in order to create intrigue, yet they only succeed in creating frustration. Even the progression of time in the present is poorly depicted, as the transition from one day to the next is often done in a jarring manner.

Zoom also leaves a lot of narrative threads, from the previous volume, on the table. The impact of Patty and Barry’s breakup is so minimal that it is barely felt at all, despite this being a major development for the series. In addition, despite being teased at the last volume’s conclusion and within this volume, Selkirk has almost no impact on the story at all. The exclusion of these narratives adds a bit more disappointment to the collection.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in Zoom is slightly worse than the artwork in the previous volume. Brett Booth’s pencils are still able to capture some intense action and some creative usage of powers. This helps make the fight scenes feel more dynamic and intense. However, characters’ facial expressions often portray emotions that feel too over the top, making them seem cartoonish rather than human. Plus, the chaotic paneling exacerbates the chaos in the narrative, which is one of the volume’s bigger flaws. Though from a purely visual aspect, the artwork here still looks alright, the way it intermingles with the story makes the entire thing less appealing. In the end, the visuals here are slightly negative.

Continuity

The Flash Vol. 8: Zoom continues the story from The Flash Vol. 7: Savage World (Review).

The story here continues in The Flash Vol. 9: Full Stop (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• The mystery behind the death of Nora Allen appears to be a slightly altered version of what was revealed in The Flash: Rebirth.
• At one point, a poster for Black Canary’s band is seen. This band was formed in Black Canary Vol. 1: Kicking and Screaming (Review).