The Flash #1

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:51 pm

For a kick off issue.. it wasn't bad, but there just wasn't as much in the overall issue to really make me want to headfirst into being a huge Flash fan.

The story kick off for "The Dastardly Death of the Rogues" was pretty decent, where we see Barry getting back into his life in Central City, getting back into forensic crime labs at the police department, where he gets a call to go to a murder. It appears that Mirror Master has died. But when he pulls the mask back, he doesn't recognize the face and it doesn't match the mugshot.

Iris, as a reporter, asks him who it is, and he says it's not either of the Mirror Masters, but someone else completely. When he hears there's another light show going off, he races off, this time as Flash, only to be confronted by a group of familiar looking costumes. Basically, a group who claims to be from the 25th century, and go by the name of the Renegades, lead by Commander Cold are there to arrest Flash for the murder of Mirror Monarch, a crime he'll eventually commit. We have anaolgues of Captain Cold, Heatwave, Top, Weather Wizard, and Trickster.

All said and done, the issue was good, but still like I said not something to really launch me headlong into Flash love. Johns has a good story being built up, and while I love love love love LOVE Manapul's art... it just doesn't feel like something that really fits. He's still using his Adventure Comics style coloring, for that Norman Rockwell, peaceful Midwestern feel, which would fit, if the kinetic movement of the Flash, and the constant mention of Central City having trippled in size and being the city forever on the move wasn't being pointed out left and right. It' snot a sleepy town anymore like Smallville, so maybe if he went back to his Legion of SuperHeroes coloring style he used before Adventure it would fit.. but something just feels a bit off here.

I'm still on board, though I'd much rather this be Wally than Barry. Perhaps that's whats affecting my read of the book.

And the best (or possibly worst) aspect is that we learn Johns has a long term plan for Flash, almost like he did for Green Lantern. We get a two page preview of "Flashpoint" from Johns and Andy Kubert, arriving in 2011, where we see a panel of someone in a crime lab, letting a costume out of a ring (looks like Barry) but the costume is that of Reverse Flash. Wally, Jay and Bart all being attacked while running by what looks like Speed Force Lighting, and then Barry and Batman battling it out in an alley way.

The second page is Barry running in the center, with Speed Force Energy flowing behind him (Almost like wings it seems..) and a white glove with a White Lantern Ring on it to one side (Brightest Day tie in?) Paris on one side being flooded, Big Been on fire with a knight by it, Batman, and then some guards standing by a steel door with a huge Superman logo on it.

Soooo Johns has a plan and it seems he's overarching the Flash title to it. We'll see how that goes.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:50 am

Im going to pick up Flash today. I went to my LCS yesterday during my lunch break and while I was there, I completely blanked on what I was supposed to get. So I walked around for 10 minutes before leaving. I shall go back today and sucessfully purchase Flash.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:09 am

Well I hope you enjoy it. The one nice thing I forgot to mention was there was no unnecessary origin retelling in a first issue. He's a guy who runs fast and he's come back from the dead, but we didn't recap ANY of that and I loved it.

Jumped right into his life in Central City, we learn he has a history and connection with Iris (Though it's not explicit they're married) and things like that. All of that was in teh Secret Files and Origins book the week before, so if you want that stuff there it is, but issue #1 left it all there and didn't drag us through it again. That I have to comend them for.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:57 am

I picked up ish 1 on Friday and read it over the weekend. It was a good read but it didn't wow me like I expected it to. I realize that having a really high expectation of an issue is unrealistic given that it is only the first issue and that most titles as of late dont rely on shock value (mostly) to get readers hooked but take several issues a tell a really story.

However, I've never really beena huge Flash fan, and even less Barry Allan fan, so I don't know that this title is for me. I'll definitely give it the first storyline to get interested but the outlook does not look good for Barry.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:07 am

Agreed. If I wasn't a fan of the 'Flash' in general and a Johns fan, I can't say I'd keep up on this title. There was no first issue wow factor outside from Flashpoint in 2011, and I don't care for Barry at all really outside of his interactions with the satelite league.

It's really become a home point for me to see what happens with Wally in the future, though it disappoints me to hear Johns at C2E2 say that after 60 issues of Wally he grew a little tired and bored, and feels a new level of excitement about Barry that had been wanning until now.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:35 pm

Don't forget there was an Elseworlds titled Flashpoint that came out towards the end of the 90s/early 2000s or so. Don't remember much about it, gonna have to download it and reread it.