Get used to “face covers” for the next few weeks. This was a lame gimmick DC was doing that month.
Adventures In The DC Universe #9
DC Comics (December, 1997)
The Flash: “Heading For Trouble!”
Black Canary: “Random Access Memories!”
WRITER: Steve Vance
PENCILER: John Delaney
INKER: Ron Boyd
COLORIST: Bob LeRose
LETTERER: Tim Harkins
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Frank Berrios
EDITOR: KC Carlson
Being a “behind the scenes” kind of guy Cypher tries to get Grodd to use the Trickster’s old device to make the current Flash’s head grow large and explode. Grodd instead goes off on his own, using his devolving ray so an angry Cypher tries to get to him first with the brain-enlarging ray. Instead the two rays merge, having Wally dealing with effects of both. With his new superbrain and Linda’s help he creates a device that counteracts Grodd’s ray if he’s shot with both at the same time. Luckily Cypher tries to keep the victory from Grodd and the three rays (including the reverser) turn him back to normal. Cypher escapes and Grodd is captures.
What they got right: I like the idea of Cypher using and old weapon used on Barry to attack Wally, with some alterations. And having to deal with two different rays (one of them modified) means Wally still needs to come up with a new solution. Wally and Linda make for a great pair.
What they got wrong: Wally got lucky that Cypher’s ray, the one he didn’t know about or at least didn’t realize it wasn’t Grodd’s gun, hit him at the same time as well.
In the back-up story, which this cover gimmick couldn’t promote (really guys, a boring face was your cover gimmick–how lazy can you get?) has Black Canary chasing a man with a photogenic memory and his hired muscle, who killed a man who created a new type of microchip. She’s able to subdue the muscle and the photogenic man is distracted by all the memories, including bad ones, he has and Canary has to save his hostage while he falls into a train’s path. Frankly this could have benefited from being slightly larger if Vance was really trying to get us to feel sorry for this guy.
Overall not a bad issue and it continues the Cypher storyline exclusive to this series. It’s worth checking out.
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