Geoff Johns has some crazy ideas in his head, and this issue is a prime example of just how crazy these ideas can become when they fester away over time. Following on from last issue’s incredible rogue spotlight on Captain Boomerang, we’re treated to an origin of sorts for Professor Zoom as we see his life in the future and how this led him to become a psychotic villain. But there’s something strange going on, because Johns is incorporating his wonderful sense of time manipulation into the mix and rebooting the origins of the villain as the issue progresses. It’s a disturbing look into the mind of Zoom, a villain whose sole purpose is to hate the Flash; by stripping him down and building him up again Johns is slowly developing a more terrifying villain for Barry Allen to face, and these events are clearly sowing the seeds for the Flashpoint event. The art by Scott Kolins remains decent, improving on the last issue and his Justice Society work; the speedsters are his speciality and while his new art style doesn’t quite sit right with the content of the book, all of the characters move fluidly and with purpose and definition. If you’re wondering where to start on the Flash in the build-up to Flashpoint, this is probably a good place to start; you might not understand all of it, but at the end of the day, you’re probably not supposed to.