Kid Filler
The cover gets across the point of the issue, but it's just so basic and boring, especially compared to the previous cover and the next one.
So, as pointless as it is, the confrontation between Flash and Kid Flash looks stunning. Francis Manapul's artwork is gorgeous, and while his layouts aren't as wild and artistic as usual, they're a lot smarter on a basic level. There's a lot less wasted space in this issue than most, in terms of artwork.
The end of this issue has some plot advancement with the supporting cast, it's fairly obvious, but probably essential to the larger tale. Reverse-Flash claims another victim, Barry and Patty have some nice adorable interactions strengthening their relationship, and there's some stuff with Daniel, who I have a hard time caring about as a character.
But that's just the last bit, the entire rest of this issue is just Kid Flash gaining the upper hand as he flees Flash, only for Flash to catch back up. Kid Flash is a bit of a jerk, Flash barely explains anything, but KF comes across as the one more in the wrong. Flash just wants to talk, Kid Flash is all about escape and lashing out, and generally he's just very disrespectful to Flash who just wants to ask a few questions, not even any super personal ones.
And ultimately the payoff is double nil. There's hardly any major revelations about Kid Flash, and absolutely no resolution on the relationship between speedsters. And Kid Flash has absolutely no connection to Reverse-Flash. So this was pretty much a waste of an issue, nothing of any merit happened. It was obviously filler from the start, but if the filler could've actually achieved something on a much needed subplot then it would've been justified, but nothing really came of it.
In Conclusion: 2.5/5
Kid Flash comes across as completely obnoxious and unlikeable, definitely not how I remember him in Teen Titans. The confrontation itself has some cool moments, but it's all pomp and fluff, no substance to it. After the plot is dragged along by an obnoxious character, it shakes itself loose from him and realizes it did absolutely nothing of value except maybe set up a future confrontation between Flash and Kid Flash, which is what this was supposed to be in the first place, so all it did was stall for time and drag out the length of the arc needlessly.
