Gorilla Warfare is the third volume in the series featuring the Fastest Man Alive; the Flash, Central City has been invaded by Gorilla Grodd and his army as he sets out to conquer Central City and possess the powers of the Flash. It’ll take more than the Scarlet Speedster to stop them as the Rouges join the fight in protecting Central City. Collects issues #13 – 19 by writers and artists Francis Manapul and Brian Beccellato with guest artist Marcus To and Marcio Takara.
Gorrilla Warfare is an big and all out action story with the Flash and the Rouges take on Gorrila Grodd and his army of apes taking over Central City. For the third volume in the series its more straightforward and a simpler story while tying up existing plot elements making it a satisfying story. It brings a lot of elements of Barry Allen’s personal life to a conclusion while setting up a complicated love triangle in the near future.
The talking gorilla invasion element is a bit out there but the characters of the story acknowledge it which makes easier to accept by the readers if you’re not into that part of the Flash universe. Grodd is a long time villain of the speedster and since has been lightly featured in this New 52 series since it began. This story arc is the culmination of Grood’s earliest appearances in the series, and seeing as Volume 2 Rouges Revolution opened and closed with the simian it is a worthy inclusion that made for a great story.
While the stories and always developing one thing that stays consist is the amazing and stunning art from Manapul and Beccellato. Their art always continues to astound. They always employ an inventive layout and different elements of the setting to conjure up an impressive title page. The standout example of their art is during a nine page display of the Flash’s mind envisioning different outcomes of the big conflict. The lighting-shaped panels making their way across the pages building to a wonderful visual crescendo where the lighting becoming the end title page for the issue.
In the aftermath of the Gorilla Warfare arc, the volume concludes in a two part story with a story ex-Rouge member The Trickster who’s been accused of murder. The Flash sets out to prove his innocence and becoming more difficult when he loses his powers. The story with guest artist Marcio Takara is a nice way to wrap up a good book while teasing the next big villain for the next collection.
Gorilla Warfare is the third big action story that capitalises on many of the plot elements introduced since the series began while giving way to establishing new plot threads to cumulate in Manapul and Beccellato’s final volume of the series where they introduce their new version on a quintessential Flash villain The Reverse Flash.
The second collection on The New 52 series by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato co writers and artists of this collection off issues joined by other guest artists Marcus To, Scott Kolins and more. The Flash has escaped the speed force and made it back to a very different Central City, where the citizens have turned on the Flash. Meanwhile The Rouges are getting back together with their new powers and a new leader. Collects issues #9 -12, #0 and The Flash Annual #1.
This volume kicks off where the last book cliff-hanger left us. The Flash escaping the speed force and landing in the midst of Gorilla City and the recently crowned King Grood. Arriving in the secret civilization of talking gorillas with the Flash taking on Grood and learning about the prophecy about the speedster. This is my least favourite aspect of the Flash universe, but the creators acknowledge it by Barry referring to it like something out of a sci-fi movie. After Barry returns home he discovers he’s not the loved hero he once was. It brings a nice change to the story as Barry is hiding out in a rougher part of town. Barry’s life as the Flash is turned upside down and keeps his death a secret from his friends and girlfriend while he figures out what to do next. For a character that has always been so positive it’s interesting to see what he does next with his life in disarray.
The second volume of the Flash is heavy focus on the Rouges, the group haven’t always been the most imposing threat to the Flash or Central City but now has changed, it works brilliantly in tandem with Barry’s personal life in the state that it’s in.
The Rouges, the Flash’s great adversaries, this supervillain team make their debut in the series relaunch. No longer with weapons they now have the abilities of their weapons. So it’s not as easy for the Flash to just stop them by quickly disarming them. The Flash comes up against each member of the Rogues in a before they are recruited by their new leader for a big showdown with the Flash. The story building to an exciting clash between the Rouges and the Flash. The Flash Annual #1, keeps the suspense going after the thrilling issue that preceded it. The double length annual issue does some exposition into the history of the Rouges and how they got their new powers before returning the story to the big showdown.
The Flash #0 is collected at the end of the volume and is a welcome return to wonderful art of Manapul and Beccellato. A loose origin story, this issue details how Barry got his powers and motivation for becoming a hero. It’s less of a superhero story and more of an emotional story, the tender subject of his relationship to his parents and the murder of his mother forms the heart of the story. It introduces an intriguing new mystery and history to the death of Barry’s mother Nora and what his father had in connection with his wife’s murder/death. It’s a new twist on a familiar story but it’s ambiguous and left up to the readers interpretation of what happened? Is the reboot relying on the most recent retcon to Barry Allen’s history by Geoff Johns in the Flash Rebirth series or is this New 52 Flash setting up a new change to this element of The Flash?
Again the team of Manpul and Beccellato create some beautiful art for their story, doing art for the majority of the issue while artist Marcus To fills into for two issues before we return to the original and elegant art the series is known for. The Annual issue features several guest artists for the double length issue.
Rouges Revolution is a solid follow up focusing on one of the best elements of the Flash, his Rouges. The Flash takes on each member of the group individually before as they all band back together to take down the Flash. Along with Gorilla Grood at the start of the book setting up the next story arc Gorilla Warfare which I’m sure is to also include the Rouges in the third volume of the series.
