I’ve always found that as a comic book fanboy (geek, nerd, fan, crazed lunatic, pick your noun), that I’ve been obsessed with starting from the beginning. As a kid, I remember watching shows that required no ‘origin’ whatsoever, and I would say to myself, “Wow, I wish I could see the first episode of The Dukes of Hazard just to see how it all started.”
I think that’s how the #1 phenomenon started, no different than when a business puts the sign on the front door saying, “Under New Management”. But we, as fanboys, want the whole story. The other day, I was at a Halloween party, and someone put on The Walking Dead, and I had to turn my head away and not watch it. Because I haven’t had time to watch the series, and I’m only up to episode #5 on NetFlix. (You know, because a story about a Zombie Apocalypse is going to be ruined if I tune in to later episodes)
These days comics cater to this desire even more than before. Always announcing when a good ‘jumping on point’ has arrived, and creating new #1 issues simply when there’s a decent creator change. But it didn’t used to be this way.
Before, comics were written so simplistically with no continuity that anyone could just pick up an issue of Superman or Batman knowing little to nothing about the characters. Marvel comics were more about continuity, but every episode had 1-3 pages devoted to someone telling you what happened in the previous issue (if you needed to know it). Or if that wasn’t enough, Marvel used handy footnotes to let you know in the exact issue that the referenced action took place, “The Thing smashed an ice cream cake in Dr. Doom’s face all the way back in FF #157, True Believer!”
Up to now, I had reviewed only new titles or titles that I had recently started. So, I’m changing that up. This week, I’m going to read The Flash #3. I haven’t read a single issue of The Flash since the DCnU relaunch, and really haven’t read the title since Barry Allen was brought back. (Technically I did read Flashpoint…)
So let’s see how accessible today’s comic books are for the savvy fanboy.
The Flash #3: Lights Out
Published by: DC Comics
Story by: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: 11/23/2011
Review: Digital Copy (from Comixology)
Not much to introduce here. Barry Allen has returned as The Flash, a police detective who has the ability to run extremely fast. Since the events of Flashpoint, several changes have taken place, specifically he is no longer married to Iris, and the other members of The Flash family have not been seen.
Synopsis
- Apparently in the previous issue the area of Central City and Keystone City have been hit with an electro-magnetic pulse, caused by the new bad guy team of Mob Rule.
- This new team has captured Barry Allen’s friend, Manuel and cut off his hands. Additionally they killed the doctor who helped create them, Dr. Guerrero.
- The Flash runs after a plane affected by the EMP and extends his vibration powers across the plane, so it can easily pass through the bridge and land somewhat softly in the water.
- Iris West interview Captain Cold in prison, while a riot is going on. He informs her that The Rogues are coming after The Flash.
- Darwin Elias is a scientist trying to track down the source of the EMP in a steam car, when he is captured by Mob Rule.
- The Central City Police Department climbs aboard horses to patrol the city, with Barry Allen and Patty leading a group. They track down Dr. Guerrero (the dead guy) and find Manuel. While escaping, Mob Rule shoots at Barry who attempts to vibrate his body allowing the bullet to pass through. Something goes wrong and Barry is shot in the head.
Mid-Stream Perspective
So, how did this read as a new reader of The Flash? Admittedly, it is a bit unfair to pick up issue #3 of a new series. It’s still trying to establish itself, and flesh out its new boundaries. Plus, we’re in the middle of a story arc that is geared towards trade paperback release. But, unfair or not, it’s still a valid question.
I’ll put it this way. I was able to understand the gist of what’s going on in the story, but it gave me no pleasure to do so. The book had five plot threads for a single 22 page comic book. Five threads! That’s a lot. I had no clue as to the motivation of the villains, Mob Rule, and no sense of how they are a threat to The Flash. I got a decent sense of the Central City Police Department, and the potential love triangle between Barry, Patty, and potentially Iris.
Essentially, I think that any new reader picking up issue #3 is either going to want to go back and read issue #2, or drop the book. There is no middle road with this book.
Analysis
The art is really really average here. Astonishingly average. Barry and the other GCPD are fine, but the Mob Rule costume is very bland, and their faces are very interchangeable. Now, maybe that’s purposeful… maybe they are clones or some such nonsense. But the story gave no indication of any genetic relationship.
I had no idea who Captain Cold was until I turned the page, and his cell door read Captain Cold. I thought that energy was coming from his mouth and hands, not frost. He doesn’t need to wear the old outfit, but still, you should be able to indicate cold a little better.
An Electro-Magnetic Pulse. My goodness it’s the cliché weapon of the 21st century. Why not be even more original and tie it into global warming.
And I know I’m coming in the middle of the story, and no one DOES that anymore. But still, how about some tiny hint as to how Darwin Elias connects to the main story. A hint. A suggestion that he’s met The Flash. Anything… anything at all..
And a scientist named Darwin Elias. It’s a bit heavy handed isn’t it? A scientist named “Darwin?”
“We named the dog, Darwin.”
Since when does Central City have a desert or badlands that are 20 miles from the town center? I thought that Central City and Keystone City were supposed to be like Pittsburgh and Cleveland. So now it’s in the middle of Oklahoma? Flashpoint now moved an entire city?
And the scene where Mob Rule suddenly confronts Darwin is really interesting. Darwin is on a steam powered car, and confronts a guy on a tank. He heads towards it, and is suddenly confronted by four members of Mob Rule. Um, where did they come from? Did they pop from behind the tank, and Darwin just stood there? Did they teleport there? Or is Darwin really unobservant?
And suddenly all police detectives know how to ride a horse? I guess the writers think this is part of standard police training in the 21st Century. Or they figure that riding a horse is extremely easy.
For the life of me, I don’t know why Barry would shut the door, leaving himself inside while Patty and Manuel escaped. Why couldn’t they keep running? Why didn’t Barry draw a gun or defend himself in some way. And why would Barry expose his powers to any group? Did he want them to know that he is The Flash?
Verdict
Not a bad comic, but a very sloppy one. I might not have minded when I was younger, but in my current age I found this to be rather bland and boring. My biggest issue with Barry Allen is that I’ve never found him a particularly interesting character. This book did not do enough to pique my interest for another month.
3.5 (Sloppy and Dull)
