Wally West Reimagined: Absolute Flash #1

Reinventing a character this established is a genuine gamble, strip away too much and longtime fans revolt, change too little and there’s no point doing it at all. Absolute Flash #1 is here, and, as you may have heard because everyone is talking about it, it’s amazing.

The Team & the Absolute Universe

Jeff Lemire writing The Flash? Nick Robles on art? That was already enough to get me on board, and that’s why it was in our Top 12 Picks of Comics Debuting in March article. We love Lemire’s work, from Minor Arcana to Sweet Tooth to Mazebook, and it’s worth noting Sweet Tooth itself was a New York Times bestseller for DC/Vertigo, while his graphic novel Essex County won an Ignyte Award for Best Comics Team, so this isn’t his first time handling acclaimed, character-driven work. Robles’ art has been amazing in Behold, Behemoth and as the main cover artist for The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos. With a team like this, expectations were high.

This series is part of DC’s new Absolute Universe imprint, which launched in October 2024 with Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder, as part of the wider “DC All In” initiative. The whole idea behind the line is to reinvent these iconic heroes from the ground up, new origins, new circumstances, but keeping the core of what makes each character recognizable. Absolute Flash actually launched the same month as Absolute Martian Manhunter from Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez, with Absolute Superman from Jason Aaron, Absolute Wonder Woman from Kelly Thompson, and Absolute Green Lantern from Al Ewing rounding out the line’s early wave. Lemire has talked about how freeing it was knowing this Wally West doesn’t replace the mainline DC Universe version, fans still have the Wally they already know elsewhere, which let him and Robles take real risks here.

What Is Absolute Flash About?

This story introduces a young Wally West who has to understand and train with his powers, but there is no Speed Force or Flash family in this version. Instead, Wally befriends Barry Allen, a scientist who works alongside his father. He gets his powers in the lab, but something goes terribly wrong… and Wally might be responsible. Without the Speed Force, Wally’s abilities come from what’s described as a mysterious entropic energy source instead, and unlike Barry Allen, who at least had old Jay Garrick comics as a reference point, this Wally has absolutely nothing to go on, he’s learning what’s happening to his body in real time, right alongside the reader.

A Fresh Take Anyone Can Jump Into

I have not read many Flash comics (and DC Comics in general, to be honest), so I loved that no previous knowledge was needed. I did enjoy the 2023 movie, but this take on Wally West feels fresh and completely different. Lemire is a master at storytelling, and I especially love how Robles draws the characters. The story got me extremely curious, and I think it is a strong start. The way Wally’s emotions seem tied to his powers is fascinating, and I am excited to see how this will play into his journey. That lack of any guiding figure or reference point genuinely makes the powers feel dangerous rather than just cool, and I think that’s exactly the tension Lemire was going for. The tension is already high, and I can tell Wally is about to go through a lot. And I’ll be here for it.

We also got some very pretty variant covers for this first issue, here are a few of them! Dan Panosian Clayton Crain Rafael Albuquerque

Final Thoughts

Absolute titles never disappoint, and this one might actually be my favorite so far (I said what I said!).

Iconic Characters Worth Digging Deeper Into

Since we don’t read a ton of DC around here, it felt fitting to point toward a few Marvel names everyone already knows that are worth a much closer look. Scarlet Witch (2015) digs into Wanda Maximoff’s magic and identity well beyond her Avengers appearances. Rogue: The Savage Land sends a powerless Rogue into prehistoric territory alongside Magneto, far from her usual X-Men team dynamic. And Magik finally gave Illyana Rasputin the solo spotlight she’s deserved for decades.

FAQ

Is Absolute Flash #1 worth reading? Yes, especially if you’re not a longtime Flash reader. This take is built specifically to need no prior DC knowledge.

Do you need to read anything before Absolute Flash? No. It’s the launch issue of a brand new imprint, designed as a fresh entry point.

Who is writing and drawing Absolute Flash? Jeff Lemire writes the series, with art by Nick Robles, colors by Adriano Lucas, and letters by Tom Napolitano.

Is Absolute Flash a one-shot, miniseries, or ongoing series? It’s an ongoing series, part of DC’s new Absolute Universe imprint.

What is the Absolute Universe? It’s a new DC imprint launched in October 2024 with Absolute Batman, reimagining iconic heroes with new origins and circumstances while keeping their core identities intact.