The Flash #752, written by Joshua Williamson, with Howard Porter on art, and Hi-Fi on colors, continues “The Flash Age” story, and sets up an interesting next leg of the arc, but only manages to tread water for most of the issue. Previously, a casualty of Flash’s time-traveling antics named Paradox came back to haunt him. This man lost his life due to time changing around him, and was not only unaffected but gained power over the multiverse. Now, he wants to make Barry Allen pay for his “crimes”. After a brief confrontation, in which Barry’s old frenemy Godspeed showed up to double-cross Paradox, the new villain seemingly obliterated the Flash before everyone’s eyes. Now, Barry has awoken in a “heaven-like” place, greeted by his long-dead mother. But, is this real, or just a trap set by Paradox?

This issue definitely takes some unexpected turns and leaves you wanting more, but for the most part, too many pages are wasted on a “mystery” in which nobody was interested. At the end of the last issue, Barry’s deceased mother welcomed him to what everyone was supposed to assume was some kind of afterlife. It is assumed that the readers were to believe the Flash had died, which of course, is ridiculous. Number one, he’s already been there and done that. Number two, he’s the star of the book, and there’s really no eligible, grown speedsters to take his place at the moment. So, the fans get stuck with half a book of Barry catching up to what everybody already knows, and are bored by.

Once again, this issue, Paradox, is wasted. It’s a shame, too, because there is so much potential in this character. He has a great motive for being legitimately angry at the Flash, he has an insane power set that should basically make him a god, and his moral high ground makes him less a villain and more of a tragic hero. Williamson has taken all of that amazing complexity and reduced it to just another power-mad villain. Add to that, his over the top 90’s-esque design, and Paradox will be forgotten the minute he’s gone. The only hope is if Williamson treats him as a work in progress, and does something more interesting with him in the future.

Porter returns to art chores this issue, and he is always welcome. Not only is he a legend in the field (who could forget his instant classic run on Morrison’s JLA?), but he’s one of the best Flash artists ever. Teamed with Hi-Fi on colors, which brings a poppy gloss to his art, it’s impossible to not love this team. Here’s hoping DC keeps these two in the rotation for this book for the foreseeable future.

This issue felt like filler for the most part, but it ends on such a strong note that you can’t help but want to pick up the next chapter. Hopefully, Williamson has something big and exciting planned for the end of the arc, or Paradox is going to turn out to be one of the most disappointing villain debuts in a long time on this title.

Grade: B-