“Yesterday’s” Comic> The Flame #0 (Golden Kid Comics)

“Are you sure your contact lens is in here?”

The Flame #0

Golden Kid Comics (March, 2020)

“A Flicker In Time”

WRITER: Dan Johnson

ARTIST: Joshua 1:9 Holley

CO-COLORIST: Anna

EDITORS: Anne Belott & Jennifer King

1943: A group of Nazi spies in the US find themselves attacked by The Flame, Captain Time, Tomboy, Jupiter the Master Magician, The Liberator, and The Arrow. (Hey, I think we’ve seen some of these in action back in the Golden Age.) Then Captain Time senses something amiss in time, and takes the Flame to 2018, setting him up there to take on…something. Maybe it’s the same something that’s watching our heroes in the past defeat the spies, while Iron Jaw sneaks away?

What they got right: While the threat is supposed to be a mystery in stories that only has one more issue (which isn’t free but I can draw from their old webcomic archive next week despite pages exclusive to the Drive Thru Comics posting) the new situation for the Flame is set-up well enough otherwise. He gets an assistant AI disguised as a smartphone, Captain Time sets him up with money and his old headquarters, and we get an idea what the danger may be when he stops Jupiter from telling the others Flame went into the future.

What they got wrong: While I see a history I have yet to come across for the Flame in the actual Golden Age comics, his powers are not well explained. Considering this is an ages comic meant to introduce a new generation to the guy who can fast-travel through fire as small as a lit match, it would be nice to show that off. I can also see some Golden Age fans put off by the difference in art style, making them look more like kids than adults, rather than attempting to mimic the Golden Age’s art style. It didn’t bother me too much but I can see it not working for some other people.

What I think overall: Based on the art style I was expecting a comedy. Instead it’s a serious but fun story and I kind of prefer that. We’ll see next time if it’s a story that should have continued. This issue is worth checking out, especially as a freebie, since this version has more story than the free webcomic.