[7.1/10] It’s a thrill to see Superman and Flash together. This isn’t the exact characterization of the fastest man alive we would later see on Justice League, but it’s close enough! It’s fun to see straight-laced Superman have to deal with the far more showboating Wally West. The premise of them having a race for charity is a nice excuse to get them together, and the pair’s interactions are a treat. The way that Flash shows off like the hotdog that he is, and getting under Supes’s skin, starts things out on the right note.
There’s also some cool visuals here. I like seeing the blurs of blue and red zooming through different locales. It doesn't make much sense if you stop and think about it, but as a visual way of communicating speed and competition, it works as a good shorthand.
What’s more, the episode does a nice job of finding situations in which their joint powers could be useful. There’s a sense of “Anything you can do, I can do better” to their rescue efforts, that helps accentuate their rivalry. Superman sealing up a tanier while Flash cleans up the oil with their various powers works nicely on that front. And Superman heat-vision-ing his way out of a deep freeze while Flash just vibrates his body is a nice juxtaposition and chance for Flash to be a cocky show-off.
The one catch here is that I’m just not enamored with Weather Wizard as a villain. It’s nice to have Miguel Ferrer on board, and his plot to power the weather machine using Supes and Flash’s race is reasonably clever. It’s just that making inclimate weather isn’t the coolest superpower (or technology power) for this medium. Theoretically, all our heroes have to do is find him, and once they’ve done that, he shouldn’t really pose much of a threat. The fact that he has a lightning shield around his cabin and that his weather wand can shoot bolts or whatever at our heroes feels like a cheap way to integrate some extra action for a villain who doesn't really warrant it.
Still, the fact that it’s his brother who objects to the killing and eventually tells the superheroes where to find Weather Wizard adds a noteworthy wrinkle to the proceedings, and I appreciate the fact that in the end, while Superman’s still annoyed by Flash, he recognizes that Wally’s a good guy, even if he’s a hot dog.
Overall, the less-than-thrilling villain drags this one down, but the fun dynamic between Wally and Clark, and the ensuing feats they perform, make it a solidly enjoyable episode.
Shout by AnthonyBlockedParentSpoilers2022-01-19T07:44:58Z
Superman seals up a tanker leaking oil with his heat vision...
The made Wally West incredibly unlikable, why and how?
Also, laughable that Superman could even come close to keeping up with Wally (those races in the comics were against Barry Allen who sucks)
Miguel Ferrer though, so not all bad.