Grodd #1

- Flash 23.1 aka Grodd #1

 Central City and we see Apes and Humans working together in perfect harmony. We also get thoughts wondering if destiny is something invented to justify our actions or is there really a grand design? Destiny is not tangible, not quantifiable but evolution is hard science. A Flash statue is unveiled and announced to be a gift from Gorilla City, the main Ape at this time seems to be one named Solovar, then we see an eclipse and a path of light which is normally Flash running but this time it's .... Grodd! who announce Flashs death, he says the people who freed him from the 'The Speed Force' killed Flash and that his time in the Speed Force gave him time to evolve with the power of light and now he has telepathy which is normally gained by older Apes. Grodd isn't happy that his fellow Apes are forging a truce with humans.
 Four fellow villains show up on the scene now - Chroma, Tar Pit, Girder and Pied Piper, Grodd swats Pied Piper away like a fly, they say that the city is big enough for all of them. Grodd decides nah and takes out Girder, a scene which is referenced in Rogues Rebellion #1 when they find Girder. Chroma and Tar Pit flee as Grodd says he can't believe Apes wish to bend their knees to humans who he claims to be cowards. He says the Apes were poisoned by Solovar's lies and asks if they will stand with him but they refuse to budge as they are here to make peace with the humans. Grodd uses telepathy to rip the Flash symbol off of the statues chest and stabs Solovar with it, though not fatally. Grodd is angered by the Apes decision as they now stand against him in his eyes and he brings down a helicopter causing a big explosion, which explains most of the damage that The Rogues came home to.
 The Apes lead by Solovar attack Grodd but he fights off Apes and Cops. Grodd states that Apes are superior due to their strength and intellect and announces that this is now Grodd City, he shouts Kneel Before Grodd, which is blasphemy to me as a Zod fan. Solovar can't believe how things have deteriorated so quickly, the peaceful future he foresaw gone, humans are now doomed, Flash is dead and the power of the light is in the wrong hands.
 We see Chroma, one of the villains who arrived earlier, has been decapitated. Solovar has been chained up to the Flash statue, a fellow Ape asks Grodd if it is necessary to keep humiliating Solovar as the Apes need clarity as Grodd is treating a fellow Ape like a human slave. We get how Grodd feels about their opinion as in the next panel their head is impaled on a stick. We near the end with Grodd's thoughts 'I Am A Force Of Nature' 'I Am Without Peer', then he says 'This Bores Me' and asks 'Who Am I?', 'I Am A Contradiction' then he jumps away into the air as Apes look confused.

Writer: Brian Buccellato
Penciller: Chris Batista
Colorist: Wes Dzioba

REVIEW 
- Made me not like Grodd, not in an uh I'm not reading this again way but in a man I wish he'd get his comeuppance way, which is an indication of good writing I suppose.
- One image I found particularly striking was on page four when we first see Grodd.
- I like how it focuses on pushing a story forward and isn't used as a chance to just rehash/retell a Villains Origins which at times I haven't minded but it is nice that we get something different here, also happened in The Rogues #1 which was penned by the same guy as was Reverse Flash #1 which I have but haven't read yet but now have high hopes for.
- I hope that at some point in the Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion we get Grodd Vs. The Rogues as Grodd's issue here ends with to be continued in Rogues Rebellion.
- Really impressed by the artwork, the main Apes within the story were distinguishable throughout and all of them were well drawn as they were unreal cartoony Apes.
- I felt the writing throughout was good as the story was clear throughout with no secondary stories derailing it's momentum. I disliked the antagonist which is a feather in the cap of writing and I wanted Solovar to fight back against Grodd, I look forward to wear this story goes from here, so this comic gets a thumbs up from me.
- One final note the 3D cover seems blurry to me.