Flash #15

The cover of this August 1988 DC issue delivers a striking image by George Pérez: the scarlet-clad Flash streaks forward on a trail of lightning, landing a devastating punch on a casually dressed young man with reddish-brown hair — and the headline makes the tension explicit: "Wally West Trashed by Flash." The swirling vortex of speed energy and the explosive impact burst give the scene a visceral, kinetic energy that perfectly captures the unsettling premise of a hero seemingly turned against himself. Written by William Messner-Loebs with interior art by Greg LaRocque and Larry Mahlstedt, "Hitting Bottom" promises the kind of personal, character-driven drama that made this era of the Flash title genuinely compelling.