Cosmic crime scene in the Batcave!
The Flash wasn’t fast enough to save Batman from a beat down but he’s on the case of a super villain killed and the biggest mystery of DC Rebirth in The Flash #21, The Button Part Two which leads to a time twisted family reunion.
The Button led to the quick comeback and death of a major villain.
Before writer Joshua Williamson and artist Howard Porter pick up the action in the Batcave after last week’s cliffhanger, the team gives a first page shocker connected to a classic DC Comics super group missing in action.
Before we dive into this week’s thrilling chapter, how it connects and what it could mean here’s a SPOILER ALERT!
If you have not read Batman #21, The Flash #21 yet stop reading now and get to your local comic book shop now.
Seriously.
OK.
Here it comes.
First, the thunderous first page!
Fans have wondered and hope the Justice Society of America would eventually return with DC Rebirth.
You may remember one of the big moments in DC Universe Rebirth #1 was an elderly Johnny Thunder was living in a nursing home and the JSA team on the cover/promo art trapped in a hourglass.
The first chapter of The Button picked up on the mystery of what appears to be Saturn Girl trapped in Arkham Asylum.
This second chapter begins with Johnny on the roof of his facility screaming at the storm, “where are you, Thunderbolt?” and “the lightning said we need to find my friends!” and “we lost the Justice Society! It’s all my fault!”
Johnny isn’t the only JSA clue. Flash has encountered the ironic helmet worn by Jay Garrick which Barry says was worn by the God: Mercury.
It’s a parallel of two teams from two different times. Saturn Girl is trapped in the present screaming for her fellow Legion of Super-Heroes after a tragedy separated her from her super team from the future. A ninety year old Johnny Thunder is screaming over what happened to his team from the past.
Are both teams victims of the mysterious Mr. Oz and “the God” who just killed a major super villain?
After the Johnny Thunder page, Barry is on the scene in the Batcave. When The Button reacted with the Psycho-Pirate’s mask, Batman saw a vision of his father from Flashpoint. The Batman of a different reality who sent a note to his son via Wally West. Reverse-Flash zoomed in to beat up Bruce but when he touched The Button he was taken somewhere only to return moments later burning in blue energy claiming to have seen “God.”
Wally warned Bruce and Barry of mysterious entities watching the heroes of the DC Universe, responsible for stealing a decade and waiting to attack. From the blue energy signature to the smiley face to a Mr. Oz taunting Superman – all evidence points to the Watchmen.
To follow the clues across time, Barry and Bruce go on a cosmic treadmill to follow the button’s radiation. The race across time shows them and us visions of past Justice Leagues including the formation of the League by Batman and The Flash we know from the Silver Age that’s very different from The New 52 formation. We even caught a seen from Identity Crisis featuring the “Satellite” Justice League of America team.
The heroes and the device crash into a very different Batcave and face to face with Thomas Wayne, Batman.
The big burning questions:
Who murdered Reverse-Flash? The evidence points to Dr. Manhattan, the Watchman with the power of a God and a signature blue energy seen in the murder of Pandora in DC Universe Rebirth #1.
What’s keeping the Watchmen from “attacking” and why would they?
Will the Legion of Super-Heroes and Justice Society of America eventually turn up in the DC Rebirth continuity?
The Button continues in Batman #22 on May 3rd.
By Editor