The Flash is published by DC Comics, with writing credits attributed to Mark Waid and Christopher Cantwell, art by Vasco Georgiev, colors by Matt Herms, and lettering by Buddy Beaudoin.
The Flash issue 29 continues the ongoing "Impulse Control" storyline that ties into the wider DC K.O. comic event. The issue picks up following the last issue, in which Bart Allen had lost his powers whilst Wally West scrambled to prevent the Legion of Darkseid from stopping Barry Allen from getting his powers, as is his destiny. Will Wally West get to Barry Allen in time? And will Bart Allen regain his powers? Well, read on and find out!
Overall, I feel that I've been largely lukewarm on DC K.O. as well as the tie-in issue of The Flash. I started off pretty positive on it, but the longer it has gone on, the less enthusiastic I have been about it and its implications for the characters, with it largely playing out quite predictably. I'll give The Flash tie-in issues so far their flowers though; they have largely felt quite fun and largely like their own thing for the most part. I think the worst issue so far has been last month’s "Fight Month" issue, which I found quite mediocre at best.
Talking About The Plot
I largely feel that issue 29 continues the trend for me of being entertaining for the most part, with some surprising moments that I didn't see coming and a pretty great showing for Impulse fans. I don't think we get many notable or interesting moments from The Legion of Darkseid, which is a criticism I had of previous issues in this storyline. This is a shame, as I think they've been quite underutilized for the most part, and I believe that once this event is over and done, they'll probably be on their way out. However, I don't think they are really a fundamental piece of this issue's story—or at least not as much as they were in past issues. I believe this issue acts more as an exploration into Wally and Bart's relationship, as well as Bart's connection to the larger Speed Force and Flash Family.
The first big thing I really liked about this issue, as I previously hinted at, was the big moments and payoffs fans of Impulse got, with a really cool moment happening near the end of the book in which Bart becomes connected to the Speed Force. It is suggested that Impulse is the true heart of the Flash Family that connects everything. Yes, Mark! You are really giving hope to the Impulse fandom in 2026.
It was a very small moment, but I also thought it was interesting to see what happened to Jay Garrick after he lost during the King Omega Tournament. For me, that felt like a nice wrap-up and was something that I wasn't expecting to get, but I'm glad the writers gave it to me.
I think it will be interesting to see how this plotline finishes, as I've had fun with it, although at this point I'm starting to feel a little bit of fatigue with the arc overall. This could come down to its pacing and how the story is starting to feel drawn out. As I stated earlier in my review, I feel in some way that the storyline hasn't fully utilized some of its elements. For one, the Legion of Darkseid being overlooked and turned into basic villains for Wally and Bart to overcome is a real missed opportunity.
I also don't really like how Max Mercury has barely done anything interesting outside of being a puppet for Darkseid in one and a half issues. I mean, Mark Waid created the character, so I'd hope he would be able to do more with Max—like give him more of a redemption after his memory returned to normal. My biggest fear with this storyline is that nothing will matter after it, and all the stakes set up will just be inconsequential.
In many ways, it feels like there is an interesting story here somewhere, but it is buried under corporate tie-in filler that has to be there for “synergy.” I'm happy Mark Waid is writing characters he created and obviously still loves again, but it would be much more interesting if it weren't hindered by being a tie-in. Overall, I would say I'm looking for this storyline to wrap up way more than I am looking forward to seeing how it wraps up. There have been some fun moments, but largely it's felt a bit too by-the-numbers, and like none of it will matter in a couple of months—just like many comic book events.
Talking About The Art
The art of this issue of The Flash is largely okay in my opinion, not feeling as rushed as some earlier chapters. This proves my point that some of the poor anatomy on display was due to deadline issues rather than the artist's skill.
I still don't really like Wally West's Flash outfit and feel that it looks like too much of a departure from his other suits for me. I'd much rather him go back to the suit he wore for the majority of his career—one that closely resembled Barry Allen's Flash suit, with the only notable difference being the white eyes. I found that design very nostalgic as someone who grew up with Wally being the Flash; it felt like more of an homage to Barry Allen before him.
I think Vasco Georgiev does a good job of depicting emotions and faces in the issue. When characters are reacting, those reactions are drawn in a way that is believable and reflects the moment. Although, I'm also a little sad that the cute chibi thought bubbles I gushed about a couple of issues ago are no longer around.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, I think that this issue of The Flash is another fine issue of the comic, especially for fans of Impulse. However, I think that if you're new to the series and the characters within, you may find yourself a little bored with the entire storyline, which seems to cater exclusively to big Flash fans.