Flash

Flashpoint #5

flashpoint-5-coverDC’s summer event comes to a conclusion much as I expected it would when it, and the DC Reboot, were first announced. The events in the final issue of Flashpoint lead to the recreation of the DCU, but not without providing a reason (and possible backdoor to return to the current DCU should the rebooted universe be unsuccessful).

Like all the issues of the main Flashpoint mini-series this one focuses primarily on the Flash and Thomas Wayne who helps Barry stop Thayne and allows him to return to our world with a message for his son. The Flash learns it is he, not the Reverse-Flash, who is responsible for Flashpoint, and to return things to normal he will have to sacrifice one of his closest loved ones.

As wrap-ups go this final issue does what it needs to, and does it better than I expected. Is the final moment between Barry and Batman a little too schmaltzy? Sure. Does the look of the rebooted DCU still make me a little queasy? Oh yeah, but this issue works (and gives us a glimmer of hope we haven’t seen the last of the classic DCU). Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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If I Rebooted the DCU (Part Three)

With DC Comics reboot of their entire universe with 52 new first issues now underway I continue to take a look at what I would do if I rebooted the DCU.

Where I could I kept ideas DC wanted to explore in the relaunch (when not incredibly stupid like Voodoo), and even included titles I’m personally not all that high on but characters I know have a devoted fan base. You’ll find I’ve also kept far more of the current titles than DC’s proposed reboot, and brought back a few personal favorites as well.

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If I Rebooted the DCU (Part One)

In a couple of weeks DC Comics will be rebooting their entire universe with 52 new first issues. Some of the new comics intrigue me, but quite a few do not. This starting me thinking, what if I rebooted the DCU?

To keep each post a reasonable length, and to mirror DC’s own announcement structure, I’ve split the reboot into four posts each covering 13 issues. Where I could I kept ideas DC wanted to explore in the relaunch (when not incredibly stupid like Voodoo), and even included titles I’m personally not all that high on but characters I know have a devoted fan base. You’ll find I’ve also kept far more of the current titles than DC’s proposed reboot, and brought back a few personal favorites as well.

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Flashpoint #3 (of 5)

Flashpoint 3The third issue of Flashpoint finally gives us Barry Allen as the Flash. It also gives us the Flashpoint version of Superman… which isn’t quite as impressive.

First off, I’m glad to see Barry back in costume and I like the subtle difference in the relationship between the Flash and Batman once the speedster has his powers back.

Although this issues sees the beginnings of the Justice League, and the face of the Resistance which includes Grifter (because, apparently Gen13 wasn’t available), the other big event is the appearance of Superman who it appears has been kept in captivity since birth, far away from the powerful rays of the Sun.

It’s not a bad third issue, but by the end of the #3 we should be more than halfway through Flashpoint and there seems like quite a bit yet to be decided. The appearance of Grifter also makes my original theory of Flashpoint being the catalyst the DC reboot (which Grifter and other WildStorm characters are to be a part of) look that much more likely. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $3.99]

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Flashpoint: Reverse-Flash

flashpoint-reverse-flashComic readers who have absolutely no idea who the Reverse-Flash is, or need a little background into his history battling the Flash should find this one-issue primer worth a quick look. The trouble is, for the rest of us, there’s no real reason to pick it up.

Although it’s released as a Flashpoint one-shot, this single issue has absolutely nothing to do with the events inside this alternate version of the DC Universe, nor does it take any steps to explain how Professor Zoom was able to rewrite history to such a large extent.

That’s not to say it’s a bad read, but there’s little here for those of us who already know the backstory between Barry Allen and Professor Zoom including Zoom’s repeated attempts on Iris Allen‘s life, his attempts to rewrite history by stopping Allen from becoming the Flash, and his death at the hands of his hated foe. Worth a look (but only for those who need a brush-up on the character).

[DC, $2.99]

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