- Title: The Flash: Season Zero #3
- Comic Vine: link
- Writers: Andrew Kreisberg, Brooke Eikmeier, Katherine Walczak
- Artist: Phil Hester
Captured by the circus, the Flash learns the tragic origin of Mr. Bliss and discovers the ringmaster’s powers firsthand as Bliss feeds Barry his greatest fear and worst nightmare simultaneously stopping the Scarlet Speedster dead in his tracks. With the help of a couple of Bliss’ unwilling minions, Caitlin and Cisco are able to rescue their friend from the circus but not before the damage had already been done.
Along with Bliss’ full introduction, the main takeaway from The Flash: Season Zero #3 is how the ringmaster uses his power to control those around him. The Flash doesn’t need to take down the entire gang, just one man (albeit a man who can look straight into his soul and feed him his darkest fears).
The issue also illustrates that Barry’s deepest fears and nightmares don’t involve the legion of evil meta-humans waiting for him, or even the mysterious man in the yellow suit who stole his life, but the two most important people in his life he feels he has failed: his parents. For fans.
[DC, $2.99]