The Flash Vol. 2 #186

Jeff Johns / Scott Collins

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Series: The Flash Vol. 2

Summary

This is The Flash Vol. 2 #186, part of the ongoing The Flash Vol. 2 series, originally published in English in July 2002 (cover date); it is the third part of the "Crossfire" storyline, titled "The Thinking Man." In the story, the Thinker seizes the body and mind of the Flash, Wally West, attempting to incorporate Wally's Speed Force into his computer-like brain; the Rogues, longtime enemies of the Flash, are unwilling to let an outsider steal the target they have long wanted to bring down, and so they step in to help. Captain Cold, along with Detective Chyre and Morillo, rescues Cyborg and trapped police colleagues from the mirror dimension created by Mirror Master; Keystone Kenny (i.e., the Goldface) pulls Wally into the sewers, tells him about his past and the ins and outs of the underground black market known as the "Network," and reveals the old romantic entanglement between him and the Rogues' leader, Blacksmith. The truth surfaces: Piper is not a traitor but was hypnotized by Mirror Master. The Thinker eventually breaks into the sewers, and Cyborg proposes a bold plan—let Wally willingly draw the Thinker into his own consciousness and fight him there on his own terms. This is the 186th issue of The Flash Vol. 2, continuing the series' major event arc in which Blacksmith takes over the Twin Cities.

Editor's review

想把超级英雄故事读得有滋有味，单看正邪对打往往不够；《闪电侠》第二卷“交叉火力”这一段恰恰提供了另一种趣味：敌人不一定永远站在对面。本册里，思考者占据闪电侠的身心，而无赖帮因为“这块猎物是我们的”而临时站到了闪电侠一边，寒冷队长甚至跑去解救钢骨与警察。杰夫·琼斯擅长在这种立场错位中写人物，斯科特·科林斯的画面节奏明快，群体动作场面层次清楚。故事同时借凯斯·肯扬之口，把“网络”黑色产业链与铁匠的过往一并交代，为后续“铁匠接管双子城”的大事件铺路。作为连载第186册，它是“交叉火力”五部曲的核心一环，单独阅读也可感受到事件递进的张力，若与前后册连读，效果更佳。

Who it's for

A good fit for

追读《闪电侠》第二卷连载、想补完“交叉火力”事件的读者
喜欢杰夫·琼斯编剧风格与群体角色戏的DC漫画读者
对无赖帮、寒冷队长等反派群像感兴趣的读者
想了解沃利·韦斯特时期闪电侠故事的入门进阶读者

Not a good fit for

只想看单本完结故事、不愿跟进连续剧情的读者
完全没接触过闪电侠设定、希望从零读起的纯新手
偏好新52或电影宇宙巴里·艾伦形象的读者

Reading tips

先补读本册之前的“交叉火力”第一部分与第二部分，把握事件起因与人物位置。
留意凯斯·肯扬讲述“网络”的段落，它是理解后续铁匠势力扩张的关键背景。
读完本册可接续第187、188册，看无赖帮与铁匠一方关系如何反转。
阅读时可对照书末或附录的人物表，区分无赖帮成员的不同代号与能力。

FAQ

这册是完整故事还是连载中的一部分？

是连载中的一部分。本册为《闪电侠》第二卷“交叉火力”故事线的第三部分，前后分别承接第185册与第187册，单独读能看懂情节，但建议连续阅读。

本册的主角是巴里·艾伦还是沃利·韦斯特？

是沃利·韦斯特。这一时期的《闪电侠》第二卷主角为第三代闪电侠沃利·韦斯特，故事围绕他被思考者侵占身心以及无赖帮的行动展开。

为什么无赖帮会帮助闪电侠？

因为思考者抢走了他们长期想要亲手击败的目标，无赖帮不甘心让外来者得手，于是暂时与闪电侠站在同一阵线，寒冷队长还协助救出钢骨与警察。

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About the author

Jeff Johns Author

Jeff Johns is a prolific comic book writer, with 75 works currently held in the collection. Public information about his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background is limited, so this introduction focuses on his body of work. Judging from the titles collected, his writing centers on superhero comics, most notably the Superman and The Flash series. Representative works include Superman Action Comics issues 868, 864, 862, 867, 858, and 839, The Flash vol. 2 issue 193, and a chapter of Action Comics issue 862 tied to the Legion of Super-Heroes. His works are often categorized as children's books, comics and cartoons, premium fiction, and media tie-ins, suggesting that his storytelling appeals to young readers while also offering the accessible, plot-driven pacing suited to screen adaptation.

Scott Collins Author

Scott Collins is a creator active in American comics; details such as his nationality and dates of birth and death remain unclear in publicly available sources. The library currently holds 26 of his works, spanning categories including comics and cartoons, film and television tie-ins, fiction, and children's books, which suggests an ability to move across different types of storytelling. Representative works include The Flash vol. 2 issues 197, 185, 184, and 176, as well as The Flash vol. 11: The Greatest Trick of All; he has also contributed to Superman/Batman issue 67, Superman/Batman issue 66, and Action Comics issue 39. These titles indicate that Collins works with classic superhero material, focusing on character interaction and plot development, and has left a number of installments in DC Comics-related series that offer readers accessible stories about characters such as the Flash.