The Flash Is Back With A New Series, And It's Already An Instant Classic

Published Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Following writers like Simon Spurrier (Legion), Alex Paknadel (Cyclops), and Mark Waid (Justice League Unlimited) isn’t an easy task for anyone. Luckily, Ryan North’s writing style differs from the previous creators. He takes a more fun approach in his stories while maintaining seriousness when needed.

For example, in the Fantastic Four tie-in for Blood Hunt, the situation was dire, but North focused in on the detail that Reed Richards didn’t believe in vampires. This is despite what he was seeing and knowing about Blade and his story. It was ridiculous, but on brand for Mr. Fantastic and brought levity to a serious storyline.

So far, in The Flash, Ryan North has balanced Wally West’s goofy nature and excitement when he learns new skills while making sure that the dangers feel real. North has also maintained the West family dynamic by keeping them important without overdoing it. In short, six issues into the series and DC Comics may already be looking at a classic.

The Flash's New Run Is A Classic In The Making

The Flash issues 31-36; Writer, Ryan North; Artist, Gavin Guidry; Colors, Adriano Lucas

The first few issues of North's The Flash run focused on the dangers social media can present when money is involved. People in Central City were putting themselves in mortal danger for a contest to be saved by Flash. Luckily, a new power Wally is calling Flashes of Insight saved the first person. After that, Wally was forced to circle the city looking for people foolish enough to stand in front of moving trains and point cannons at themselves.

Meanwhile, the real villain was using these distractions to set up a bomb that would destroy Central City. If not for Captain Cold’s help, the city would have been destroyed. As great as this was, this led to more problems.

After saving Central City, Flash tests his Flashes of Insight. He stopped some things from happening and realized that he could use his new abilities to save everyone. However, as Green Arrow pointed out in The Flash No. 36, this is a slippery slope and sounds like the beginning of Fascism.

Wally West Is Still At The Heart Of A Major DC Debate

Everything that Ryan North has done has been on brand for Wally West. Fans are seeing all of the skills he previously possessed and how he continues to prove that the Speed Force is something that can’t be defined by speed alone. It’s also showing two major things that will intrigue and possibly infuriate readers. They’ll be reminded that Wally can be heroic, but very naive.

Comic book fans can be defensive of the characters they love, and the Flash is on that list. Wally not understanding the possible consequences of his actions will leave some people saying that this is unlike him, while others who remember the controversial Heroes in Crisis will agree. That debate is why people will continue to buy and talk about Ryan North’s series.

The assumption that any of the Flashes should know better is irrelevant. There’s never been a comic book character that hasn’t done something out of character in hopes that the results outweighed the cost. Even Steve Rogers had to admit he was part of the problem during Marvel Comics’ Civil War. As great of a hero as Wally West is, he’s far from perfect. And at the end of this run, Ryan North will prove that. It will also end with him being a more well-rounded character.

North's The Flash Run Is Comic Creativity At Its Finest

Though North's writing is truly commendable, it is far from the only thing noteworthy about DC's new Flash series. Artists Gavin Guidry and Adriano Lucas are doing a fantastic job displaying the Speed Force. Readers are getting pages with creative looks at how Wally West sees the world when he’s in action. For instance, in issue No. 34, there was a “choose your adventure” style spread that allowed readers to decide how Wally reacted to Gorilla Grodd. It was fun, but only the beginning of the greatness.

In The Flash No. 35, Wally took Iris West on a trip to show her exactly how the Flashes of Insight worked. He foiled Captain Boomerang’s bank robbery and made him look foolish in the process. It was a bit silly, but it perfectly showed how even the smallest decisions can affect the future. That’s something that Flash fans know all too well and likely realize that these Flashes of Insight and possible abuse of the Speed Force will come back to bite Wally in the butt.