The Flash Episode Guide: Season 7, Episode 4 - Central City Strong

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Abra Kadabra returns, seeking revenge on Barry Allen and the rest of Team Flash. Meanwhile,  Caitlin suspects something is wrong with Frost, as Iris confronts the darkness of her time in the Mirrorverse and seeks help in dealing with it.


Influences

The Flash comics of Joshua Williamson (introduction of Strength Force), the writings of Arthur C. Clarke (mentioned by Chester, obelisks a nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey)


Goofs

Ignoring the quality of Iris' writing and Allegra's comments indicating her article has been plagiarized from other sources, it seems likely the reason the Central City Citizen is losing readers is because it has taken Iris a week to write a basic news article about a major event!

It's revealed that Frost still has a warrant out for her arrest in Central City. Given how high and mighty Barry is about that sort of thing, you'd think this would have been addressed by now or that Joe (as the detective in charge of metahuman investigations) would have tried to do get the warrant cleared. Heck, get Cecile to argue for a dismissal based on good behavior!

The CGI on the Strength Force wielder looks terrible.


Flash Facts

Cisco makes mention of Kord Industries helping out with the effort to rebuild Central City This is a nod to the company of Ted Kord, aka The Blue Beetle, who has often been referenced in the Arrowverse but has yet to appear on camera.

Chester evokes the name of Arthur C. Clarke when confronted with the odd obelisks appearing around Central City. One of the founders of modern science fiction, the obelisks are a nod to Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's appropriate that Clarke is mentioned in this episode with Abra Kadabra, as Clarke's Third Law - "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - is a fair justification of Kadabra's techno-wizardry.

At one point, Cisco and Chester discuss how to go about rewatching the Star Wars movies, with The Machete Order being mentioned. This is a way of viewing the Star Wars films where one starts with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, but then watches Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith before moving on to Return of the Jedi. This allegedly offers the most cohesive story experience. (The other two most popular methods are Release Order and Chronological Order.)

Kadabra makes reference to a villain called the Chronarch, who he claims will come for The Flash in his future. There are two characters with the title Chronarch in the classic DC Comics books. One was the tyrannical ruler of 64th Century Earth, who was defeated by an unlikely team-up of The Flash and Abra Kadabra. The other was a 30th Century scientist named Circadia Senius, who was appointed head of the Time Institute during the time of the Legion of Superheroes.

The anti-matter bomb Kadabra fashions is based around a core of pure Valorium. This is the same metal used by the Legion of Superheoes to create their trademark Flight Rings. Valorium is an alloy of Nth Metal (the metal used by Hawkman and Hawkwoman to fly) but is more durable and much denser.

The super-strong earthquake-generating villain who kills Kadabra appears to be empowered by the Strength Force - an energy field in The Flash comics, similar to the Speed Force, but tied to gravity and the Earth rather than lightning and motion.


Technobabble

Cisco says the first Kadabra crime scene is infected with temporal energy. He says he can carbon date the energy as being 43 centuries from now, which seems to be Cisco dumbing down how he's actually tracking the energy given that carbon-dating is used to track the death of organic matter.

Kadabra charges his anti-matter bomb by teleporting around the city, using his kinetic energy as a power source.

A trace amount of anti-matter is enough to nearly take out The Flash's leg. A core the size of a baseball could destroy Central City.

 A routine medical scan in Kadbra's time determined that he had a sudden increase in his somatic memory cells. This is apparently a common side-effect of neuro-temporal displacement that is caused by speedsters disrupting the timeline.


Dialogue Triumphs

Abra Kadabra: The last time we met, you begged me to find a glimmer of light in myself. Well, I found that light, that hope. And then you stole it from me. Now I'm going to take something from you.
The Flash: I don't know what you're talking about.
Abra Kadabra: Let me make it crystal clear for you, Flash. You cannot defeat a man who has lost everything.

Abra Kadabra: I don't get it. We're mortal enemies in the future. Why are you doing this?
The Flash: So the next time we meet, maybe we won't be. 


Dialogue Disasters

Every time someone uses the phrase "Central City Strong." Resist the urge to make a drinking game of it. You will be dead within 20 minutes.

Abra Kadabra: I'm the greatest magician of all time, which is why you should be more than just afraid... You should be terrified. 


Continuity

In the week since the battle with Mirror Mistress in 703, Barry has taken Iris on a trip to Maui. He also brought her fresh crepes from Paris for breakfast that morning.

Central City has been experiencing a series of earthquakes over the past week, with the latest measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale.

Mirror Mistress is officially being called Mirror Monarch in the Central City Press.

Barry makes an appearance as The Flash on The Arielle Atkins Hour to encourage people to chip in on rebuilding Central City. 

STAR Labs does a lot of volunteer work in the community.

Cisco mentions that Kord Industries is supposed to be taking over for them on a construction site in an hour.

Caitlin has been tired and head a headache since the fight with Mirror Mistress.

Frost still has a warrant out for her arrest in Central City, despite her reformation. 

Kamilla has been busy taking photos of the destruction of Central City. This leaves Allegra having to act as Iris' sounding board on the Central City Citizen more than usual. 

Viewership on the Central City Citizen site is down 73%.

Allegra tells Iris her story on the battle with Mirror Mistress stinks because she says nothing about her own personal experiences during the event.

Abra Kadabra kills a volunteer at the constriction site, where a small but heavy obelisk manifests, riddling his body with razor-sharp playing cards.

Kadabra was last seen in 318. However, his picture was briefly seen among the villains resurrected by Crisis in Cisco's Who's Who Binder in 610.

The obelisk ways two tons.

Chester is now working as a CCPD-consultant intern.

Iris goes to a support group for Mirrorverse abductees and interviews a couple named Steve and Alice. Steve was abducted and watched his mirror universe clone sleep with Alice - a nightmarish scenario that triggers Iris' own bad memories of the Mirrorverse.

Kadabra refers to Cisco and his new tech suit as Mecha-Vibe.

Kadabra makes reference to a villain called The Chronarch and says he's doing The Flash a favor killing him now.

Frost is able to bring down Kadabra while he's distracted.

Kadabra is handed over to ARGUS.

ARGUS has a new Director of Technology and Science who is very literal and has no sense of humor.

Frost does not need to hide herself from ARGUS personnel, as they are aware of her reformation. 

Frost took some kind of techno cuff from Kadabra before he was taken away.

Frost is experiencing the same fatigue and headaches as Caitlin. Despite this, Cisco's tests determine that she's perfectly healthy.

Kadabra allowed himself to be arrested to gain access to a third obelisk that ARGUS picked up one week earlier.

Barry tries to steal Iris away for a night at a beach villa in Monaco, but the plans are changed when he learns of Kadabra's escape.

Iris is having a major bout of writer's block.

Kadabra merges the three obelisks into a sphere.

Kadabra claims that Barry stole something from him and now he's returning the favor.

Cisco determines the bomb Kadabra conjured is made of pure Valorium, so Barry can't phase through it.

Barry is still depressed that he didn't see through the fake Iris sooner. This is why he's been going all out to pamper Iris since her return.

Barry determines that the thing Kadabra had stolen from him was his family, based on the idea of what he nearly did because of Iris being taken from him.

Cisco determines that Kadabra's cuff contains the Martial Memory Restorer used by Laurel Lance to return Mia Queen's memories of the pre-Crisis reality from A809.

Cisco guesses that Kadabra stole the MMR at some point in the future and that something in his pre-Crisis memories brought him back to Central City in the 21st Century.

Barry confronts Kadabra at Tagaloa Plaza and confirms that Kadabra regained the memories of all his doppelgangers, including one who had a wife and infant son.

Kadabra claims that, in the future, Barry will become obsessed with the future.

Kadabra confesses to stealing the MMR from The Flash Museum and fixing it.

Barry guesses that Kadabra is trying to destroy Central City instead of him because he already did the math and realized he couldn't kill The Flash so destroying his city was the only revenge available to him.

Barry talks Kadabra out of setting off the bomb.

Kadabra reveals that his real name is Philippe. His son's name was Luca and his wife's name was Amélie.

Barry describes Oliver Queen as his brother.

A large hulking figure tied to the earthquakes appears at Tagaloa Plaza and attacks The Flash and Abra Kadabra. It somehow absorbs the full power of the antimatter bomb before killing Kadabra.

Joe is having to act as an escort to a liaison from the Governor's Police Compliance Commission.

Allegra is given a full staff writer position on the staff of the Central City Citizen.

Iris goes to a meeting of the Mirrorverse Survivors as an attendee rather than as a reporter. She reveals publicly that she was held captive for three months.

Somehow, Caitlin and Frost separate into two separate beings.


Untelevised Adventures

Precisely how Caitlin and Frost were separated occurs off-camera.


The Bottom Line

A busy episode with too much going on and not nearly enough focus on its most interesting aspects. It's a bad sign when I'd much rather watch Cisco and Chester playing Fortnite than watching Barry fight the villains.

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 18 - Abra Kadabra

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.




Plot

Gypsy returns from Earth 19 in pursuit of another dimension-hopping criminal - one from the 64th century, armed with advanced technology that may as well be magic by the standards of 21st Century Earth One. Calling himself Abra Kadabra, the fugitive seems to harbor a grudge against The Flash and knows far more about him than he should. Still, he is willing to tell Barry all about Savitar in exchange for his freedom...


Influences

The Flash comics of John Broome and Mark Waid. Caitlin invokes Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law. Back To The Future is name-dropped by Cisco. Caitlin's transformation into Killer Frost in the final scene resembles the transformation of dead humans into Wights in Game of Thrones.


Goofs

The office building we see in the opening scene is labeled as belonging to Stagg Industries. In Season One, Simon Stagg's company was Stagg Enterprises. (Possibly he had two companies in his name? Or maybe this was changed by Flashpoint?)

Caitlin's discovery that she's been impaled on a pipe looks more goofy than horrific.

Iris can't seem to decide if she's confident in Barry's ability to save her or not. I swear that it changes from episode to episode whether she is refusing to worry about the future or is desperate to do anything to avert her fate.


Performances

David Dastmalchian proves a perfect Abra Kadabra, finding the perfect balance of smug smarm and showmanship essential to the character.

While I regret the writers' apparent need to give Caitlin a romantic subplot every season, the chemistry between Tom Felton and Danielle Panabaker in this episode is fantastic and they're easily the most convincing couple out of all the romances on the show... which makes the final scene all the more painful.


Artistry

While the show generally does a fantastic job with its slow-time CGI, the sequence in which Kadabra releases hundreds of playing cards into the air as a smokescreen looks particularly well-done.

Between the tense direction, all of the ensemble performances and the pitch-perfect music, everything in the surgery scene works together perfectly.

The final scene - with its use of silence apart from the sound of the heart-monitor as Caitlin dies - is similarly powerful.


Flash Facts

The opening scene takes place at Stagg Industries' building in Central City. In the comics, Stagg Industries is the business of Simon Stagg, who was the chief nemesis of the the superhero Metamorpho.

The DCTVU version of Simon Stagg was killed by Eobard Thawne in the second episode of The Flash's first season.

Stagg Enterprises  was mentioned twice before on Arrow. In the sixth episode of Arrow's first season, Laurel Lance said they were the single largest donor to her legal clinic. In the tenth episode of Arrow Season One, a Stagg Enterprises chemical factory in Starling City was the target of one of Firefly's attacks.

First appearing in The Flash #123 (May 1962), Abra Kadabra is one of The Flash's deadliest foes. Born Citizen Abra in the far future of the 64th Century, he became obsessed with stage magic and illusion at a young age. Unfortunately, science had advanced to the point where the amusements of slight-of-hand magic were passe and Abra could not make a living at his chosen craft. Stealing a time machine prototype, Abra went back in time, armed with a variety of "tricks", to where he thought he might find a more appreciative audience. His efforts to force an audience to applaud him using mind-control technology would gain the attentions of The Flash, who went on to defeat him again and again, as Abra became obsessed with proving his power and gaining true magic powers.

After Wally West took over the mantle of The Flash from Barry Allen in the comics, Abra became obsessed with destroying the new Flash or otherwise making him miserable. This was due to Wally West being the hero who would ultimately defeat Abra at some point in The Future. This grudge has continued even into the Rebirth universe, where Abra Kadabra was the main villain of the first storyline in the Titans series.

The DCTVU version of Abra Kadabra seems true to the original comic form, save for the fact that he comes from an alternate Earth. Gypsy confirms that he's from the 64th century and that they think he has some kind of nanotechnology built into his body which allow him to perform a number of "tricks" including teleportation and telekinesis.

In what seems to be a nod to Abra Kadabra's grudge against Wally West in the comics, Kadabra has a grudge against Barry and he confirms that the two are great enemies in the future, despite this being the first time Barry has met Kadabra and the episode ending with Kadabra going to be executed. This indirectly suggests that Kadabra learned of his final fate at some point in his past and turned on The Flash trying to avert it.

Abra Kadabra's second robbery occurs at Kord Industries. In the DC Comics Universe, Kord Industries is the technologies company run by Ted Kord a.k.a. the second Blue Beetle.

The DCTVU version of Kord Industries has been mentioned several times on Arrow. According to Thea Queen, Kord Industries is one of the largest weapons manufacturers in the DCTVU. They also manufacture consumer goods, including "awesome cel phones." They are Palmer Technologies' main business competitor. The Clock King worked for Kord Industries before he turned to crime.

In considering Abra Kadabra's technology, Caitlin invokes Clarke's Third Law - "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Arthur C. Clarke was a British author, inventor and futurist, probably most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. Along with Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, Clarke was considered one of "The Big Three" science-fiction writers of the mid-Twentieth Century.

When naming Barry Allen's greatest enemies, including himself, Thawne, Zoom and Savitar, Abra Kadabra also mentions someone with the last name DeVoe. This is likely a reference to Clifford DeVoe a.k.a. The Thinker.

Created by John Broome for All-Flash #12 (Fall 1943), The Thinker was an enemy of the Jay Garrick Flash. Clifford DeVoe was a failed defense attorney who realized that most of the criminals he represented had the skills to commit various crimes but lacked the intelligence to plan their heists efficiently or to manage an organized criminal empire. He established himself as The Thinker, organizing the small-time crooks of Central City into an organized mob. He also fought against The Flash using advanced technology - some of it stolen and some of it of his own design. Chief among this devices was The Thinking Cap - a helmet which enhanced The Thinker's intelligence and allowed him to project mental force blasts as well as control the minds of others.


Technobabble

Barry notes that, instead of sprinklers, every floor in the Stagg Industries building uses a halon gas system that absorbs all the oxygen in case of fire. Interestingly, the manufacture of new halon-based extinguisher systems have been banned in the USA since 1994 due to halon gas depleting ozone. Several halon systems are still in use in around the country, however, thanks to a grandfather clause that prevented existing systems from needing to be replaced. The halon systems were quite popular in libraries, archives and computer labs where a sprinkler-based extinguisher would risk damaging printed materials and electronics.

Gypsy says they think Abra Kadabra's tricks are powered by nanotechnology implanted into his body. This allows him to accomplished several different tricks, including telekinesis, holograms, explosives and teleportation.

Cisco is able to input search parameters into the STAR Labs' satellite to make it search for anyone in Central City who vibrates at a different frequency than "ordinary Earth One folk". This enables him to locate Abra Kadabra without using his Vibe powers.

Julian finds an odd particulate residue at Stagg Industries. He's not precisely sure what it's made of save that it is organic and has some metallic hydrogen properties. Presumably it's a byproduct of Abra Kadabra's nanotechnology.

Kadabra has some device which enables him to locate Eobard Thawne's hidden Time Vault in STAR Labs and to locate a glowing blue sphere hidden inside of it. This is later revealed to be a futuristic power source.

Cisco says that when Caitlin's metahuman powers activate, her metabolic rate offsets cold tissue destruction. In layman's terms, she can regenerate the damage done to her body.

It is normal for shrapnel to cavitate and displace tissue during surgery. Hemorrhaging can occur if there is too much blood loos.

One piece of shrapnel is wedged between Caitlin's kidney and her inferior vena cava. This part of the body is surrounded by several major blood vessels. Damage to them can cause shock. There is also a tendon, which Julian has to work around.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Two guards walk through a high-tech lab in Stagg Industries.)
Guard #1: Looks like we may need to find a new job. Heard Stagg Industries may be getting bought out.
Guard #2: By who?
Guard #1: Doesn't really matter now, does it? All I know is we've got millions of dollars in tech - (gesturing to an large glass case holding some piece of technology) like whatever that thing is - that no one's using.
(Abra Kadabra emerges from behind the case, seemingly appearing out of thin air.)
Abra Kadabra: Then surely you gentlemen won't mind if I abscond with some of it?
(The two guards draw their guns as Abra Kadabra gestures at the case.)
Abra Kadabra: This piece in particular...
Guard #2: How did you get in here?!
Abra Kadabra: Believe me, that's the least impressive of my tricks.
Guard #1: Hands up, pal! Do it now or I'll shoot! Stop!
(Abra Kadabra ignores him and walks around to the other side of the case. The guards open fire as Abra Kadabra presses his hands against the glass. With a flash of blue light, he is inside the case, which it turns out is quite bulletproof. Abra Kadabra raises his hands like a stage magician who just pulled off an amazing trick before turning his back on the guards and taking the technology. The guards stand there, dumbfounded that their shots failed to penetrate the case.)
Guard #2: How the hell did he do that?
(Abra Kadabra waves his hand and there is another flash of blue light. When it fades, the guards are inside the glass case and Abra Kadabra is on the outside, as the alarms begin to go off and red lights flash.)
Abra Kadabra: Maybe you can figure out how I did it? But I doubt you'll have time...
(Abra Kadabra snaps his fingers and turns away. As he does so, water begins to pour into the case, seemingly from nowhere. The two guards begin to panic as the glass case begins to fill up, the water rising to their waists in seconds...)

(Abra is walking down a staircase, holding a piece of technology, alarms blaring in the background, as The Flash runs up.)
The Flash: I don't think that's yours, pal.
Abra Kadabra: (surprised) Flash?
The Flash: You didn't think I'd want to come meet the newest resident of Iron Heights?
Abra Kadabra: No. I assumed that you'd show. I just didn't expect you to be so young. (grinning as he emphasizes each word) Barry. Allen.
The Flash: Now, how do you know who I am?!
Abra Kadabra: (taking a handkerchief from his sleeve) I'm from the future!

(The Flash looks at him in disbelief. As Abra speaks, he drapes the handkerchief over the technology in his other hand.)
Abra Kadabra: You don't believe me? Let's see... uh... 2017? Hmm...how are things going with your doomed love, Iris West? Or your greatest foe... Savitar?

(Abra suddenly jerks the cloth away revealing his hand to be empty.)The Flash: You know Savitar?
Abra Kadabra: I know everything about him. And you. 

(The Flash suddenly runs forward and grabs at Abra's arm. When he slows down, he realizes he is holding a fake mannequin's arm.)

The Flash:  What the-?
(Abra waves a hand in The Flash's face and there's a bright flash of light.  The Flash is blinded as Abra runs for the door. Suddenly, a breach opens and Gypsy emerges, firing a blast of red energy which knocks Abra down as The Flash recovers. Abra stands as well, slipping some playing cards from his sleeve as he does so.)
Abra Kadabra: Gypsy. Still seeking revenge, I see?
Gypsy: I'm gonna get it this time.
Abra Kadabra: We'll see.

(Abra grins as transfers the cards from one hand to the other, fanning them out.)
Gypsy: No!
(The Flash charges forward as Gypsy ducks and covers and the cards suddenly jump into the air, multiplying into a swarm of cards. Barry bats them away but by the time he gets through the cloud of playing cards, Abra Kadabra has vanished again.)

(Flash, Kid Flash, Gypsy and Vibe have Abra Kadabra surrounded.)
Gypsy: You can't out-rick all of us, Kadabra.
(Gypsy and Vibe both fire their blasts at Kadabra. The blasts go through him.)
Abra Kadabra: I think I just did.
(Abra Kadabra fades away in a flash of light, revealed to be a hologram.) 

Caitlin: (To Julian) I was so focused on not hurting you as Killer Frost that I forgot that I could hurt you as Caitlin Snow. And for that I'm very sorry. So I understand if you don't trust me anymore. But maybe you can find it in your heart to forgive me?

Caitlin: I don't need a hospital! All I need is a mirror and a steady set of hands.

Barry: I have nothing to offer you. No reprieve. No escape from what you're facing. You've done some terrible things. But you are still a man. You have a family. Friends. People you care about. Somewhere inside of you there must be a glimmer of hope. It's that part of you that I'm asking... I'm begging... help me save her.
Abra Kadabra: The Flash. Begging. (grinning wickedly) See, here it is. In the future, you and I have been enemies for years. Oh, there have been others, of course. There was Thawne. Zoom. DeVoe. But none of them hurt you like Savitar. He truly broke you. I have to be honest, I was always a little bit jealous. But now... it's like I get to kill her too.
(Abra Kadabra grins with mock cheerfulness as he glances at his handcuffs.)
Abra Kadabra: If you'll excuse me, I have my execution to attend.


Continuity

Stagg Industries/Enterprises - first mentioned in 102 - is seen. The company is apparently in danger of being bought out.

Julian and Caitlin apparently stopped dating in the wake of 315 and the revelation that Caitlin had stolen a piece of The Philosopher's Stone.

Abra Kadabra's powers allow him to block both Cisco and Gypsy's ability to "vibe" his location.

Earth 19 does not have satellites capable of analyzing the vibrational frequencies of people across an entire city. Cisco offers to set Gypsy up with something similar to the STAR Labs set-up.

Cisco refers to the last time he worked with Gypsy and her kissing him in 314.

Abra Kadabra's third robbery is at Mercury Labs, which was last mentioned in 223 after Zoom stole a magnetar from them.

Mercury Labs does not exist on Earth 19.

Abra Kadabra claims that Savitar was the first speedster and that Barry didn't find a way to stop him until after Savitar killed Iris. He also claims to know Savitar's true name.

Julian served as a field medic during his time in the Royal Army. He never performed surgery, however.

Gypsy confirms that she was dating her former partner and that Abra Kadabra killed him three years earlier.

Gypsy theorizes that the technology Abra Kadabra is stealing is being used to build a time machine.

Cisco confirms that all the components Kadabra had been stealing were similar to what he used to build Eobard Thawne's Time Sphere in 123.

Cisco says the only thing he never understood about the Time Sphere was what it used for a power source. This is revealed to be the blue sphere that Kadabra stole from The Time Vault.

Cisco now has such fine control of his powers that he can create a portal to catch a falling Kid Flash and open a second one to let him land safely closer to the ground in a matter of seconds.

Barry is now able to phase through a moving vehicle, grab a figure inside of said vehicle and phase himself and said figure out the other side of the vehicle while - all while in mid-air!

Cisco tells Gypsy that he's not sure how he feels about her in the wake of her refusal to let Abra Kadabra walk - even for a little while - so that they can learn about Savitar's identity.

Gypsy returns to Earth 19 with Abra Kadabra.

Julia says his stitch-work may leave Caitlin with a scar on her stomach. Caitlin says she was never much for wearing two-piece bathing suits anyway. The two of them apparently make amends, with Julian kissing Caitlin.

Barry decides to go into the future to find out information on who Savitar is.

Strawberry Jell-O is Caitlin's favorite flavor.

HR spent the last two days in a romantic tryst with a woman namdd Rhonda.

Lime Jell-O is HR's favorite flavor.

Caitlin's heart stops shortly after HR returns. She flat-lines in the rush to save her and Julian removes the necklace holding her powers in check. Her heart restarts shortly after that and her scar heals. The episode ends with Caitlin's hair and skin having turned white amd her unleashing a blast of ice, having seemingly finally changed into Killer Frost.


Untelevised Adventures

Gypsy refers to Abra Kadabra having killed before on Earth-19 three years earlier and again more recently. It was three years earlier that Abra killed Gypsy's partner/boyfriend.


The Fridge Factor

Powerfully acted though it is, it cannot be denied that Caitlin's injuries here do little but provide angst for the men in her life (especially Julian) and that her becoming evil because of her powers is a load of bull poop.

Again, Iris has no role in this episode but being saved and inspiring Barry.


The Bottom Line

Easily the strongest episode of the season to date and one of the best episodes of The Flash ever.

Titans #6 - A Review

In order to save his friends and the woman he loves, Wally West had to run faster than he had ever run before. That action trapped him in The Speed Force - just as the mad mage Abra Kadabra had planned! Now, as the Titans battle Kadabra, Wally must face the battle of his afterlife to escape the perfect world The Speed Force has created for him...


Dan Abnett's conclusion to Titans' opening arc proves as thrilling as one could hope. The ending is a tad predictable even without Abnett's foreshadowing in earlier issues. Nevertheless, this critic found the conclusion enjoyable and uplifting in a way few modern comics dare to dream of being.


The art team continues to impress in their efforts to bring Abnett's scripts to life. Every page of this issue is filled with intricate, eye-catching artwork that dazzles the readers with its quality craftsmanship. Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund and Andrew Dalhouse are a team worthy of The Titans themselves!

Titans #4 - A Review

Wally West restored the memories of his closest friends but the woman he loves - journalist Linda Park - remains a stranger to him. Now Abra Kadabra - the mad mage from the future Wally is destined to destroy someday - has taken Linda and given him one hour to find her. It's an impossible task, even for the Fastest Man Alive! Good thing Wally West has all those friends...


Despite Brett Booth's figures being somewhat forcibly posed at times, this issue boasts some impressive artwork. Booth has a great talent for depicting figures in motion, which works well during the issues' action scenes. The inks by Norm Rapmund enhance the pencils without obscuring them and the colors by Andrew Dalhouse are vibrant.


While I still wish more of the Titans had been better developed as characters n this opening arc (Lilith and Garth particularly), Dan Abnett still writes a solid action-based comic better than most. The fight scenes are fantastic and it's heartening in these cynical days to see a team book where all the cast get along and can deliver a battle cry without irony.

Titans #3 - A Review

The Titans have won their first public battle since reforming, but the mad mage Abra Kadabra remains at large. The problem of their altered memories still remains. And The Titans are far from alone in feeling manipulated and ill at ease...


Dan Abnett takes a step back with this issue, allowing the ensemble cast more time for character interaction and development. Arsenal and Donna Troy get the lion's share of these scenes, with a suggestion that Roy Harper is starting to recover his romantic feelings (if not his memories) for his Amazon teammate. Omen is still poorly served in all of this but at least Garth is shown to have some signs of personality, even if it's an incredibly formal one that seems at odds with what I remember of the character. Still, the scene featuring Mal Duncan and Bumblebee suggests another slice of missing history that will be developed and the mystery is well-paced and intriguing.


This mystery is further developed in the artwork, where a subtle visual clue in one scene with Kadabra hints once more to the revelations in DC Universe Rebirth #1 regarding who is ultimately responsible for manipulating the timeline. The art team does a fine job of handling this while simultaneously depicting the action of the story.  Brett Booth does a fantastic job of giving each character their own unique look.  The inks by Norm Rapmund are perfectly balanced and the colors by Andrew Dalhouse are well-chosen throughout.

Titans #2 - A Review

The Titans have had their memories of their past together restored. Unfortunately, in Omen's efforts to restore their minds, she discovered - and accidentally awoke - another person trapped in a false-life. And that person is The Flash's old enemy - the mad mage Abra Kadabra!


Dan Abnett's script for this episode is thrilling enough, pitting the Titans against Kadabra's puppet versions of their Teen Titans equivalents. However, the characterization is still uncharacteristically shallow for Abnett's work. Only Wally, Roy and Donna are given any sort of character moment. And even then, Donna and Roy's moments are limited to their apparently remembering their love for one another.


The artwork is similarly mixed. Brett Booth draws a great action sequence but the characters' poses frequently seemed forced when they aren't meant to be in motion. Despite this, everything still looks good. Norm Rapmund does a fine job on the inks for the issue, finding the perfect balance between merely outlining the pencils and enhancing them. And the color art by Andrew Dalhouse and Carrie Sirachan perfectly finishes the final art.