#katereadscomics

Looks like maybe every issue will start with 4 pages of guest artist work for an intro? Thatd be a cool way to go. Im trying real hard to pay attention to who this is, but I'm sure I'll need to re-read this part, bc I can already tell I'm not going to remember who tf Karok is.

I LOVE this montage/mashup thing of all the various Fourth World people! It's very cool. I wonder if this was scripted, or if the artist just wanted to draw all these little guys.

And i noticed the Forever People don't have their whole crew.

(omg im writing this so late im falling asleep yall)

So then Highfather's having nightmares but he's got his emotional support Akala for hugs.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but can someone please introduce this person to us? Please? Hes just THERE. I love a new character, but for the love of god dont just act like we should know him! We got karoks life story, but Akala? We're gonna just act like it's fine he's photo bombing this super important scene in #1 and then move on to #2 and just never address it? And now its too late to ask who tf he even is.

Anyway.

Lightray wistfully looking. This time not even moving. He heard Highfather's cries (and perhaps this is a regular occurrence). Lightray is so fast, even from that distance could've beaten Akala there. But he knows he isnt the one who is wanted for help. And so he doesnt even raise his head. 🥺😭

Um what happened after that. Are we on to Scott? He's in his costume, and he's somber. Theres a letter to Barda. He's spent three days not wanting to do this, having it hanging over him, deciding, dreading, hating that he has to leave his family. But thats three precious days wasted that Orion had given him as a head start. Ughhhhh the angst!

So Scott leaves in the night and

OH NO HE FUCKING DOES NOT!

What a god damn delight Barda is!!! Shes there with the baby in a title card tableaux and the baby is SO tiny! 😂 All i can think is what an easy childbirth it must've been lol. Anyway, so shes like tf you think youre doing, of course we're going! And also she scruffs him by the collar (which he pops up afterwards) kitten style, and its very adorable.

Next we're in India, and this poor family has made it to a city and found shelter. They're working hard to cover their tracks and take care of their son (found as a baby at a temple), but seems like its only a matter of time before they're found.

Cut to Max Lord talking to a cowboy guy that's too mature and kind of mean looking to be Serifan from the Forever People. But wait what, Max just called him Serifan snd huhwhat? That IS Serifan??? Wtf happened to him? He AGED.

And okay Max got all better from a coma due to "reasons" (ie patented Metron Meddling™) and Serifan did NOT seem the most pleased about that. But like, I cant really tell what his deal is. And I dont know why he's here on his own, why he's so jaded seeming, why he's older, and yeah. This was the biggest surprise! And now I know why all the Forever People werent present in that earlier image!

Okay and last we visit Apokolips where things are tbh about how you'd expect. This isnt actually the first time Darkseid has "died", so its also not the first time people saw an opportunity to take over. And they more or less did what theyre doing now. Except this time DeSaad is like more nervous and afraid than usual imo. I laughed when Metron called him friend, and DeSaad was immediately like uh no?? Their interaction was very reminiscent of when they were in the Mobius Chair together in Byrne's New Gods run.

Metron is already making the rounds telling people to do things, making sure certain people know of the prophecy or are set into motion. Whatever comes of all this, at least he had his fun, right? 😂

--

So thats about it for this one. Im thinking next issue we might see some of the antagonists reach their destinations after a long travel through space. I'm pretty sure we're going to see Oberon! Um is Shilo still around in continuity?? Its possible the seven days will end at the end of next issue. I hope we get to dig a little more into whats going on with Lightray. And of course, i want to know more about the New New God!

Metron visits some Prometheans that were in love, which seems weird for him, but imo is a cool choice because it's unexpected and sets one of the themes of this little story.

[Image: Metron mostly out of frame looks on at the Promethean from the cover. Another smaller giant floats nearby. Background colors are blotches of pink and beige with black dots. He narrates, "They were lovers, sire... lovers in the place of giants. I visited them often in their bridal suite, and was witness to the spectacle of their frozen passion." /End]

---

Then he shrinks down a giant Mother Box out of curiosity.

[Image: Close up on Metron as he contemplates the shrunken Mother Box in his hand. He says, "You're not one of the sleek new units that I see so many young gods relying on these days... You're an older model, one of Himon's early designs I remember from my own youth." /End]

---

And then his chair craps out because it's out of X-Element energy.

[Image: Metron lays on the ground, having been thrown from his chair, which is steaming in the background. He looks disheveled and says, "This is absurd! My chair has never failed me... never. What's wrong with my chair?" /End]

---

Then Metron gets all salty at the Mother Box, but she somehow pulls in Swamp Thing basically from the ether. Metron isn't impressed.

[Image: Two comic panels. In the first Swamp Thing crouches to pick up the Mother Box and says, "This... was the comforting voice... that called to me... in the void? It is strange... that you would address... a machine... as her. And yet... I feel it too. That somehow... she is alive."

In the second panel Swamp Thing holds the Mother Box and Metron looks displeased in the foreground. Swamp Thing says, "Alive... and trying... to tell me something... everything." The Mother Box pings many times, and Metron says, "Oh, she'll nag your ear off if you let her." /End]

---

So the Mobius Chair is totally inoperable, and Swamp Thing is like no sweat, I got this. And Metron just... goes with it? Like this is a normal and good solution??

[Image: Swamp Thing takes the form of a chair and holds the Mother Box. Metron regards him saying, "Ha! An elegant solution for such a lower life form. Perhaps I will consent to accompany you, as your pilot of course." Swamp Thing replies, "Of course..." /End]

---

Things almost immediately go sideways. Literally.

[Image: Metron and Swamp Thing are upside down with dizzying blue and white circles in the background. Metron grimaces and yells with slurred speech, "Thad damned Mother Boggs! She's turning uz all indo Promethiann giands. I knew id!" /End]

---

This is a very cropped version of what might be my absolute favorite panel in comics history. I love everything about it. It's perfect.

[Image: Metron sits on Swamp Thing, who is shaped like a chair. They both cry out in anguish. The background is hot pink. /End]

---

This story is so freaking silly and weird, BUT THEN it suddenly comes at you with glimpses of life and nature and horror and beauty and corruption and creation. I'm not going to include it, but there are literally 50 tiny panels of slices of time and space that Metron experiences. This sequence walked to Everything Everywhere All At Once could run lol.

[Image: Metron's head next to narration text that reads, "As I come now to the ineffable climax of my story, my despair as a narrator begins. To describe the Source... How does one convey the act of seeing all of infinity within one gigantic instant? To drink in billions of actions, the totality of everything, observed from every point in the universe, all in less time than it takes to draw a single breath. Even my great intellect was overwhelmed by it, sire. What my eyes saw was simultaneous and occupying the same point, so I can only account for wonders I was able to focus on and remember in that tidal wave of information..." /End]

---

Swamp Thing's consciousness goes back to the ether, and Metron makes his way to Darkseid, which is who he's been narrating this entire story to. Darkseid's like you're an idiot, that wasn't the Source, it was an illusion. But the information is still useful so Darkseid wants to see what Mother Box recorded before Swamp Thing's mind broke and went away. The whole thing about Mother Box being afraid of Darkseid, and Metron bypassing her emotions is just UGH heart wrenching.

[Image: Darkseid sitting on the Swamp Thing chair with Metron resetting the Mother Box. Darkseid says, "Then I would review this record." And Metron replies, "Of course, sire! It-it's just that Mother Box fears you so-- she doesn't want to tell you anything. P-perhaps if I bypass her emotional circuits..." /End]

---

Metron receives more X-Element and leaves happily. But the Mother Box, who tbh kind of had a lot of personality, is left in Darkseid's clutches. And After he perceives the last of Swamp Thing's memories (another 30+ panels about Alec's feelings for Abby), Darkseid CRUSHES the Mother Box. 😭 The first time I saw this I gasped.

[Image: Two panels of Darkseid holding the Mother Box. In the first he says, "You have exposed one of the most painful roots of madness... and thus added an essential element to the Anti-Life Equation." He begins to squeeze the Mother Box, which is desperately pinging.

In the second, Metron leaves in his chair, unaware that Darkseid has completely crush Mother Box. Darkseid smiles softly and says, "An element that had escaped me until now... One which Darkseid was not capable of anticipating." The Mother Box gives a last, strangled squawk. /End]

---

So that's it! It's definitely worth reading because there's a lot more to it than what I shared here, and the art is really fun. I love how much of a non sequitur it is. These one-off type of comics seem to be my favorite. And the way it had this quiet undercurrent of tragedy from the beginning to the very end, is just UGH it actually made me feel things okay??

This cover is everything. 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.. Wally’s a shoes on the couch kinda guy. Also, gotta love his absolute trash diet. 

I think about this sometimes. Having super speed is such a powerful ability, but there are some scenarios where it just plain isn’t going to help you. Even the ability to vibrate through things doesn’t do much good if you’re going to fall thousands of feet. 

I think I missed when Chunk got Wally’s mansion. 

Obsessed with this reaction. “Ohh nooooo!” AND let’s not skip over the fact that they still call him names and refer to him as Kid because of course they do.

Wait where did Connie come from? I swear I have zero retention for this kind of stuff.

Shirtless Wally strikes again. Can’t believe he told Chunk to take a hike so he could have a booty call. Wait, actually I can definitely believe it. (Meanwhile the batflash shipper in me is like 👀 Batman’s the first one you mention, eh?)

LOVE THESE GUYS. Barry’s enemies seemed fun, and I’m so glad Wally gets to inherit some of them. And can I just say, good on the author to have the rogues react to Barry’s death. We know that it really impacted Wally and he’ll be dealing with that for years to come, but this group of weirdos over here had a relationship with Barry too. And they miss him, dammit.

Hmmm some rogues drama. Interesting, interesting.

This is peak comedy. He just shows up. I can’t believe Connie is totally cool with this though ha ha.

I’ve gotta slow down on the panels bc otherwise I’m going to end up screen capping every single one. It’s too good not to tho.

It’s funny how comics will do some phonetically to convey accents. It always trips me up when I’m reading. Lmao at Barry calling Digger gross.

Btw I’m skipping the Blue Trinity mini story.

Lisa Snart is so nice to chat with Connie, but it’s hilarious that she’s still >:( at Barry. Lisa: “I’ll kill everything he loves” Connie: “Sooooooo shouldn’t that include Wally?” Lisa: “What? No that’d be crazy, duh.”

Okay seriously, I’m really trying not to load up on too many images here, but every single scene is gold. Trickster jokingly testing if Wally could dodge at point blank range, Connie being like “there’s a guy here who became a criminal because he’s color blind,” Chunk showing up to finally give Wally a piece of his mind only to land on Gentleman Ghost. This issue just doesn’t quit. 😂

Lol the rogues are getting drunk and unruly now. 

Ohhh my god and Chunk is popping these randos back in.

This is such a bittersweet and weirdly heartfelt sentiment. The rogues are powerful, and they always were. But they often got hung up on besting Barry, and you know it’s because that’s what they really wanted. And the fact that Leonard’s saying this to Wally, former Kid Flash and current Flash. Just UGH my heart.

Final thoughts:

This cover is always hilarious to me. It’s like saying “hey asshole, get naked bc you suck at your job.” 😂 Meanwhile Wally’s just surprisedpikachu.jpg

So Wally has been dreaming that he’s fighting a durlan that keeps shape shifting to look like people he knows and cares about. But then he realizes he’s killed a kid

And it’s Barry that comes to accuse him, bringing him to tears.

The Turtle has him captive and he’s freaking out. We go through a flashback of events that led to this. Mason follows the lady who was hired to say Wally killed her dog, so he and Wally go to investigate the warehouse she went to. There they get jumped by a bunch of what I’m assuming are ninjas.

And then...

We find he’s being observed by the Turtle and his slow-speaking cohort. But Wally keeps trying to find a way to escape. 

But that’s before the nightmares come.

There’s some check ins with the villains and more of Wally fighting these figments of his imagination. But it’s when Barry appears that he hurts the most. 

And he’s sobbing, trying to fight whoever he needs to in order to earn Barry’s love and approval.

He gets pushed and pushed, beaten by his rogues, by the league, berated by his parents. Until he lashes out at the vision of Barry!

Umm but he goes a little overboard. All the emotions bubbling to the surface and going out of control until..

He beats the illusion he’s under, but passes out just as he realizes he’d been under some kind of control. And there it ends.

Final thoughts:

This was SUCH an impactful issue. I love it. I love digging into Wally’s psyche and the baggage he has about his uncle. It’s so complicated, but at the same time not complicated at all. Like, deep down he’s still that kid that was so miserable, and now he’s trying to fill the shoes of his hero who gave him everything. All the hijinks and girlfriends and silliness that Wally gets up to is fun and interesting, but it’s these kinds of things that make me really enjoy the character. Idk maybe I’m just a glut for canon angst.

So truth time... While I was out of town I loaded up a bunch of books on my tablet and read through to about #45. Now I’m going back and making these posts, but you’re not getting my actual first reaction. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Oof this lady had some real trauma caused by someone dressed as a clown. 😬

And now here’s Wally moving into Keystone with Mason. And a woman shows up in tears because he killed her puppy when he ran across the country.

Alright so that was an actor that someone mysterious paid to make Wally feel bad. Trying to run him out of town.

And here’s the lady from the intro, Dana. She’s been seeing a clown stalking her, and then in her baby’s room. Seems weird he’d be there, but like.. not take the baby right then. Just sayin.

Poor Wally getting no respect from the authorities lol.

Oh shit and the police captain is dead. And our mysteeeerious watcher is saying he isn’t aware of any Joker activity. 

Side note.. what the hell is this bathing situation?

And inevitably Linda and Wally do some light bickering loool.

Wally: You made that woman cry jfc Linda: Shut tf up I’m working Wally: Hey wanna go out?

I mean, I can’t not include the next panel too.

I wasn’t too taken with the art for Bruce Wayne, but the batflash fan in me is like 👀 👀 👀. They didn’t even say much to each other but I don’t care. I’ll take my scraps where I can get them.

LMAO BRUCE HUNG UP ON HIM.

So Wally runs off to deal with Juice Mantee, suspect for the captain’s murder. And Linda and Joan visit a woman who suspects Dana has severe post-partum depression and is delusional.

Okay but this made me laugh. Oh Wally.

Omfg Dana’s gone off the rails. She's going to drop her baby from the bridge.

BUT of course Wally saves the day. Mantee was responsible for the captain’s murder, capitalizing on the Joker rumors, and Dana hallucinated the Joker and can now seek treatment. And at the end we finally get a reveal on our mysterious baddie.

Final thoughts:

For some reason I had been avoiding reading this one. I wasn’t interested in this lady and her baby and whatever the fuck was going on with the Joker. In the scheme of things it wasn’t a very important story, but I think Dana pops in later as sort of a cameo. And we get the Turtle reveal, which I guess is pretty cool if you’re a Jay or Barry fan from back in the day. I do think it’s funny that he’s basically watching Wally and co like it’s a tv show. 

Wally’s about to do some pounding. Btw I think it’s a great visual choice to have it look like a centipede. 

[Image: Cropped comic panel of a young man on the floor holding his neck next to a thing that looks like a centipede. In the foreground Flash’s ringed hand picks up a hammer. /End]

I only barely remember what’s going on and who these people are. Regardless, who tf would be eating that.

[Image: Comic panel of two men in a dark room with the tv on. One is wearing a robe, saying “Listen, you want some oatmeal ‘n’ gravy? Maybe with some fried jalapeños mixed in? We got lots.” The other man holds a messy stack of books and papers to his chest and replies, “Uh, no. Thanks anyway.” /End]

Let’s be real. I’m truly just here to see Wally and Linda interact.

[Image: Comic panel of the Flash saying “It’ll be dangerous. You stay here and...” while Linda clings to his arm and says, “Are you kidding? I’m with you like glue!” /End]

So then Tina’s colleagues attach Wally and Seamus inhabits Linda again in order to eye blast them.

[Image: Comic panel of Linda using powers from her eyes to attack a man and woman who have expressions of agony. One let’s their grip off of the Flash. Linda, possessed, says “’Tis me pleasure t’be after servin’ ye, Wally boy!” /End]

Oh wait was that supposed to be Mason who was watching TV and eating weird food??

Oh no and somehow Kilg%re has turned Jerry back into the monster he was way back before they got him cured. Poor Tina, talk about traumatic.

[Image: Comic panel of Jerry, shirtless and seemingly standing in cloudy steam, attacking Tina who has a tear in her eye and looks towards the viewer. Text boxes representing Wally’s dialog say, “It’s a blast from the past. Jerry’s become the monster I saved Tina from before... Except this time he’s my friend...” /End]

Linda’s able to use the eye blast powers without letting Seamus take the reigns, but she’s really not being very careful with it. 😬

Not in real space anymore? At least that might mean they won’t be totally hurt when they come out of this? 

Then Dr Camper shows up all sinister and centipede-like, fused with Kilg%re. Saemus takes over Linda again, and Wally starts getting absorbed until she does another eye blast.

[Image: Comic panel of the Flash with long pieces of metal pulling his arms up, and his torso and legs down. It looks as if the metal is absorbing him, and he cries out “Aaaaaahh!!” /End]

Things calm down a little bit, but they’re still in virtual space, and Kilg%re pops out and grabs Wally. Lol meanwhile Linda is basically evaluating if it’s gonna be worth dating this guy. 😂

[Image: Comic panel of Linda, Tina and Jerry looking apprehensive. Linda asks, “Tina, when you were going out with Wally, did this sort of thing happen...?” Tine replies, “All the time. It was like dating Rod Serling!” /End]

Linda and Wally get sucked into the mechanical floor, and then... the fuck??

[Image: Comic panel of a large grayish being sitting in a tunnel that looks a mix of metal panels and cosmic clouds. The being is bald, had a triangle on its forehead, and sits with feet together and arms crossed over its chest. Wally floats in front of it, about the length of its forearm. The being says, “Hello, Wally... I am the source you have sought... The child within the machine... I am the K*lg*re.” /End]

What?? What a twist. So Seamus was just Kilg%re all along. Well damn how about that. An anagram.

[Image: Three comic panels. The first Linda in the foreground says, “I guess so. I don’t really remember what happens when...” In the background Wally says, “And this is where you pretend to be Linda?”

The second panel Wally grabs Linda’s upper arm and she makes an upset face. He says, “Give it a rest, Kilg%re. Nobody here is buying any!”

The third shows Wally and Linda, who is now naked and a metallic glowing green. Wally in surprise says, “Then I realized... ‘Seamus O’Relkig’ was an anagram for Kilg%re!” /End]

So wait a second. Kilg%re wanted to stage a battle where it died fighting the Flash so that it could just kind of chill and observe humans and be an internet troll? And then it lets naked green Linda and Wally go. Along with a gift. Eat up, Wally. 

[Image: Two comic panels. The first is a close up of green Linda’s face. Her fingers are together and floating above them in front of her face is a pink ball the size of a marble. She has a coy expression and the Kilg%re speaks through her saying, “It’s a present I have f’r you...”

In the second panel, she points a finger upwards and energy move the ball from her hand into Wally’s mouth. He is surprised. Still speaking as Kilg%re, she says,  “It’ll be of use to ye, in y’r moment of greatest need.” /End]

Final thoughts:

Weird. I feel like that’s a good word for a lot of these early Wally stories lol. It def didn’t go the direction I expected, but hey at least it was interesting! The horror movie element of it was pretty fun, and I’m glad we got to see Tina again. I know a lot of fans don’t like her, but I do. 

I think it’s also interesting to bring Kilg%re back. I don’t really know much about it as a villain type entity across miscellaneous DC stuff, but I did by chance happen upon the JLI story with Maxwell Lord that it was in, which was a surprise. So I guess it does go on to cause future mischief.

Yay Wally’s finally in Keystone City! It’s been cool to see these milestones. Every step of the way feels so formative to the Flash that I know today. But looks like someone doesn’t want him here. Let’s find out.

Wait Hartley is ALSO going with them?? Lol that’s unexpected. LOVE how some random ass kid was like “you clearly like each other, just be best friends bc we all know you’re gonna” and then both Wally and Hartley were like *shrug* okay!

Oooooh I’m seeing the shape of that chair, and I’m seeing the stature of that little guy. An inkling about his identity is forming.

Lol she reealllly doesn’t want them to stay looool. 

Their... their names are Sloe and ...Sloe and Steddy 

Oh at first I thought this was like some weird flashback. Okay so these are Hart’s parents getting attacked in their mansion.

Joan: “Your mom told me you suck with directions” Wally: *experiences a microaggression*

Welp, Wally is at the mansion now and he’s experiencing a physical aggression this time.

What an embarrassing way to meet someone’s parents for the first time.

Ahhh Wally keep vibrating you can do it!

Looks like the cavalry has arrived though. And yeah, Hart is NOT pleased about people attacking his family.

Lmao I just can’t with them and their stupid open shirts. 

Ha ha ha and then our villain is like “Wow I underestimated Flash. He had ordinary ass people come save him. Didn’t see that coming.” 😂

Final thoughts:

Okay, to be honest I’ve already read #34 so I do know who this villain and his buddy are. I didn’t right at the beginning of this one, but I realized pretty quick. 

I’m really pleased that Hartley is so featured in this comic and we’re getting to know more about him. I was kind of worried they’d have him pop up every once in a while and take forever to properly get him involved. But no, he’s just fully on board riding halfway across the country with Wally and Mason like nbd!

Okay so I know who Chunk is, and I’ve read a handful of issues that he’s in, but I’m excited to finally read his introduction. That’s what I get for reading stuff out of order, but what can I say, I’m impatient.

OH BLESS WALLY’S FINALLY GETTING THERAPY YES.

“I have feelings too you know” 🥺

Lol Wally calling the police clowns and then dipping before they can question him further.

Great so now his mom is staying at his huge mansion house, and so is Tina. And he’s calling Tina his old lady. Eyeroll lol. Tina looks great though. Gosh I like her so much, I really didn’t expect to.

Oh here’s the roast beef convo. A while back I had asked what foods Wally doesn’t like and was sent this scene. His mom’s so passive aggressive.

Ah there’s still trouble with him living in the community. They just really don’t want him there, do they. :/

OKAY SO I was just thinking earlier today about how Wally’s hair would look wet, and lo and behold here he is in the pool! Sadly the art isn’t that great. Maybe I’ll try to draw it later. (Also the next set of panels made me laugh)

Lol okay so first off, what are the chances that some random kid the psychiatrist heard about once is the same person stealing diamonds and gold? Guess I’ll have to suspend my disbelief on that one. But second off, wHY IS THE DOC ON ABOUT HIS SHOES? Ha ha ha.

Well sounds like they found some background info on Chunk. Meanwhile Tina wants everyone to go to therapy (she’s right and she should say it).

Uh oh, have fun in the void Wally.

Final thoughts: