Review:
The Flash #1

I have no problem telling anyone I’m probably not the target audience for this book. I have no real affinity for this particular superhero; my only experience with The Flash was a totally different incarnation (Wally West) in a different medium (Justice League Animated), and I haven’t been following the continuity surrounding this version’s reintroduction and subsequent reintegration into the DC Comics universe (Flash Rebirth).

In other words, I can’t say I’ve ever much cared for The Flash.

Until now.

Maybe that’s because this isn’t the Wally West incarnation whose primary role in the animated Justice League series was to both annoy and help mellow out The Batman, and as a result he always felt like more of a foil than an actual character. Barry Allen is the star of this show, the original Flash, mentor and almost Uncle-in-Law to Wally. I was under the impression that he’d been dead for quite some time, and it’s likely he was reintroduced somewhere in another series of books (Flash Rebirth I believe, I need to get around to reading that). Regardless, where Wally is immature and sometimes even slapstick, Barry is grounded and credible.

So why did I bother choosing this particular comic to read and review, if admittedly, it isn’t my thing? Two reasons really. Firstly, I’ve been looking for a jumping on point for the DC Universe for a while now (with no success), and secondly, this is a #1 issue. I’ve always felt a #1 issue should strive to be as approachable as possible with the intention of introducing newcomers to a series/line.

The Flash #1 delivers that in spades. While there were some references that went over my head, for the most part I walked into this issue with no previous familiarity and walked away both thoroughly pleased and maybe even a bit enlightened. Not once was I confused by an obfuscating plotline or implausible characters (minus the superheroics of course, but that’s par for the course). I picked up the issue and was immediately made part of the world. The artwork was truly wonderful, finding a suitable balance between comicy and cartoony. The spreads were appropriate and even sometimes thrilling for a superhero comic, and the dialogue was emotive without overpowering the narrative or the artwork.

That is how good comic booking is done people. Bring on The Flash #2, the Speed Force is strong with this one.