Even great writers can have an off day. The Flash: The Human Race is a prime example. I assumed that the book compiled recent issues of The Flash, but to my disappointment, it didn’t. The Human Race covers issues 136-41 of Wally West’s series during a period when comics were trying desperately to keep up with the times and losing.

A token cameo by the “electric blue” Superman (post-Death of Superman) was a clear indicator that I was in for a pile of populist crap.

The story revolves around a race of gambling aliens who choose a champion from each world and force them to race against an opponent across time and space through an intergalactic obstacle course. Failure to engage in the competition results in the destruction of that champion’s planet.

Failure to win also results in the destruction of that champion’s planet. Yawn.

Rather than a story, this arc would have made a better 20-minute cartoon--or a video game--but dreck like this passed as readable once upon a time. This was a sad, regurgitated era for DC Comics, and I'm glad they've evolved since then.

The Flash is pitted against his childhood imaginary friend (who, it turns out, is not so imaginary after all) and he finds a way to win the race and save the loser's home planet at the same time.

The book continues with the supposed death of Wally West's fiancée (now wife). Does anyone in comics ever STAY dead anymore? It also has Flash's attempt to cheat death at the hands of the Black Flash, and a bonus story about Jay Garrick and Barry Allen commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Flash franchise.

I've been reading The Flash since childhood and, honestly, the series was better during the Silver Age.

The artwork in this compilation is actually better than the story being illustrated. The pencils by Paul Ryan, Ron Wagner, Pop Mhan, Joshua Hood, and Mike Parobeck are stark, stylish, and more than adequate in conveying the action sequences. These illustrators excel in their panels with the Black Flash. John Nyberg, Chris Ivy, and Romeo Tanghall's inks breathe life into the improbable scenario's where Wally races through time, sound barriers, space, the deconstruction of molecules, et cetera.

It appears as if this collection was published to cash in on the current popularity of Grant Morrison and Mark Millar. However, this tale isn't their best work.

I'd almost count it among their worst.

In Morrison's defense, he was tasked during the same era with resurrecting the JLA franchise in addition to working on other projects--and his JLA work isn't much to write home about, either.

As for Millar, everybody has to start somewhere, right? There's an observable trend in comics of young upstarts ramping up within the ranks until they've earned enough rope with the established powers that be to either hang themselves or break new ground with an innovative creator-based project. Millar's star didn't start shining until some time around 2000 (with his turn on The Authority and later with Wanted and Chosen), so I suppose you can chalk up his contribution to this volume as him paying his dues or working his way up in the field.

Morrison was mentoring Millar during this period. The two co-wrote a number of 2000 AD stories, a few Big Dave issues, some Swamp Thing issues, the short-lived Aztek series, and so forth.

While their collaborations were nothing to write home about (Human Race belonging on the top of the rubbish heap), the work they created afterwards proved fruitful. Steer clear of this collection and skip ahead to their later work.

Tom Waters lives and writes in Lancaster, NY. He is the author of seven books (mostly rants, some poetry), a weekly columnist for Night Life magazine, a pod cast radio host and a celebrity interviewer and bar reviewer for the Buffalo News. For more information, click over to: www.tomfoolery4.wordpress.com.

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