By Art Baltazar Writer & Artist
& Franco Writer
Elisabeth V. Gehrlein Editor
Eddie Berganza Spanish Language Editor
Simona Martore Assistant Editor
Our cover by Baltazar pays homage to the many classic races the Flash had against Superman. Except this time it's Kid Flash vs. Supergirl. I always do a double take when I see this version of Kid Flash. His brown hair makes me think he should be Bart Allen (as well as his rivalry with Inertia), but this series has made it clear that this is Wally West. Of course, the recently revived Bart in the main DC Universe basically has red hair now, so ... yeah. Anyway, this is a cute and fun cover for a cute and fun story.
The credits page before the story begins features a one-panel gag of Inertia and Kid Flash lining up for a race. Kid Flash asks Speedy if he wants to join them, but Roy says, "Speedy's just my name, y'know."
Our story begins with Coach Lobo making our young heroes run "for an hour straight." Robin and Beast Boy can't take anymore and eventually collapse, causing Lobo to bemoan the laziness of today's youth and claim that he had to run to school uphill both ways through rain, snow, volcanoes and dolphins. He shows off his muscles to the students, asking how they think he got them. Each hero answers with a different source of super powers (and many guesses that aren't sources of super powers), but Lobo says his secret was pure exercise.
Coach Lobo decides the best way to get the Sidekick City Elementary students into shape is to have them race around the world. Most of the kids feel this is too far a distance to run, but Supergirl, Kid Flash and Inertia are excited. Inertia claims he's faster, but Kid Flash points out he's run around the world tons of times. Lobo tells the kids the first one to cross the finish line gets an "A" in gym class, and blows his whistle. All the kids take off in a cloud of dust, except Raven, who says she'll be in the library.
A group of runners quickly encounter their first obstacle: the ocean. Aqualad, Lagoon Boy and Beast Boy have no problem swimming through the water, and Robin joins them with a snorkel and can of shark spray. Batgirl, however, overcomes this obstacle with her private pink helicopter. Lobo, meanwhile, passes the time by ordering a cup of coffee and reading a Captain Marvel comic book.
Starfire, Bumblebee and the two Wonder Girls (one is Cassie, the other, I assume, is Donna) pass Bombshell on their way, and quickly become distracted by how shiny she is. But our three fastest kids, Supergirl, Inertia and Kid Flash, are still focused, making their way through the desert. They pass Mas and Menos, who ask what's going on (in Spanish). Kid Flash seems to be able to understand them and lets them join the race.
Lobo finishes his comic and heads to the finish line to await the winner. To his surprise, the first student to cross the line is Raven, who's reading a book on birds while walking, completely oblivious to the horde of racers right behind her. Just before Lobo can proclaim Raven the winner, everyone else comes rushing across the finish line, trampling their coach. Seeing Raven won, they all cheer her and lift her into the air. Raven says, "Was there ever any doubt?"
Just like the Flash/Superman races of old, this one had to end ambiguously. I personally like Inertia's chances in a race like this, but this comic is far too silly to take seriously. And that's all the fun of it. Younger readers should enjoy this story for its sheer whimsical and colorful nature, and older readers should enjoy it for all its Easter eggs.
Next time, we'll return to The Flash: Rebirth #2.
