This FUTURES END tie-in gives us a battle we’ve been waiting for months to see – Barry versus Future Barry! Oh, but don’t think that’s all here, not in this jam-packed issue of THE FLASH! There’s a reason for what you see on the cover…and if you think that’s the only big deal here, you are very, very wrong.

LIGHT SPOILERS ONLY

The Future Flash has finally returned to that moment, five years in the future, where he has a chance to erase his greatest mistake. He has the chance to save Wally’s life and prevent Iris from being critically injured. We know the cause now – it’s Daniel West, the Reverse Flash, now at least partially clad in yellow (thanks Brett Booth for this nod to times – and Reverse Flashes – gone by). It isn’t whether Future Flash saves the day, but rather how he saves the day that is so shocking, especially to…well, everyone except our very violent Future Flash.

Enter present day Barry (or rather, the Barry Allen of five years from now, before he turns into this grim and dark avenger). Their battle is spectacular, and the end has VERY serious ramifications, for Barry, for future Barry…and for Wally! Can’t say much more without spoiling, but this is a significant issue that is pulled off exceptionally well.

We finally get a Wally that has matured over five years between today and the “Futures End” universe – one that has a tremendous opportunity now that his life has been spared…and more. And, the big battle between the Barrys has been handled well – Robert Venditti and Van Jensen have made the payoff worth the wait in this amazing battle sequence, illustrated amazingly well by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund, with colors by Andrew Dalhouse. This is a fast-paced, action-packed story, one of the best FLASH stories I’ve read in a while, and that’s saying something. And, even with all the payoff in this issue, there are some VERY significant issues left untold (do we really have to wait until next issue? It’s gonna be a looonnnggg wait, because this cliffhanger is a BIG one). This is a great FUTURES END tie-in, and at the same time one that propels the current continuity forward – a great two-fer well worth checking out!

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