"The End" Week: Flash #52!

It's the end with a question mark, but I honestly thought they would've used this as a title like a dozen times by now. From 2016, the Flash #52, "Full Stop" Written by Van Jensen, art by Jesus Merino.

We saw the previous issue back in August, but things aren't looking good for the Flash, unmasked and under the guillotine, at the hands of the Riddler; who also had control of Central City's massive police-drone force and Heat Wave as a nuclear deterrent in reserve. Barry is willing to sacrifice himself to save the city, but when Kid Flash uses his speed to destroy a drone, it sets off an alarm that convinces Riddler--and the cops present--that Barry was lying, and the real Flash was still out there. (I feel like I've seen that card played before, in Flash even!)

Freed to find the 'real' Flash, Barry catches up with the Rogues, who are furious at Trickster for betraying them, but Riddler had put a bomb in his arm. Disarming the bomb, Flash uses the tech to aid the injured Golden Glider, who develops some kind of powers from it. (Like all of the Rogues now, seems like: they used just be guys with guns or wands or whatever, but they all seem to have powers now.) Together, they manage to free Heat Wave, then destroy all the drones and capture Riddler, restoring Flash's reputation with the cops. (For their part, Flash declares the Rogues are welcome up until they commit a crime.)

This was the last issue of the New 52 relaunch series, and of course another relaunch followed. The only thing that really grabbed me about this issue, was idly wondering if Riddler had to do a Suicide Squad stint after this. (Pfft, Eddie would never survive, no matter how smart he is: he'd piss off Waller day one...)