Flashpoint #1 Review

This week marks the beginning of DC's Flashpoint event. Written by Geoff Johns and featuring art from Andy Kubert, this is a book that looks to do for the Flash what the Sinestro Corps War did for Green Lantern. And considering how crazy good and event the Sinestro Corps War was, this book has a lot to live up to.

Right off the bat, we're hurled into the situation with Barry Allen waking up to find that his world has been rocked. He's no longer got his powers, he's no longer married to Iris West, and oh yeah, Superman and the Justice League no longer exists. This is a world where Europe has been ravaged by a war between Atlantis and Themyscira. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are tyrants. Batman is a murderer. Captain Cold is Citizen Cold, hero of Central. This is not the world Barry knows. And it is this world and it's introduction in this issue that will have me coming back for Flashpoint #2.

This is a great issue because it does a great job of introducing us to this broken world. And this is a world I want to know about, because it's pretty exciting. Take the Batman of this world, for example, who for the most part is the focus character in this issue. In many ways he's the same dark, brooding protector of Gotham that we know and love. But then he tosses a criminal he's trying to interrogate off of a building after she refuses to tell him what he wants to know. He's a very darker, angrier Batman. I think the most intriguing thing about him is his identity; that is something you'll have to find out for yourself, but it's the thing that's got me the most excited about this version of the character.

It doesn't hurt that this issue Andy Kubert's art, either. It makes this issue look mighty fine. One moment in particular, the scene where Barry realizes that he's no longer the Flash, was particularly nice. The sequence of Barry falling down the steps was a great play on the usual Flash panels where you see him doing cool stuff while running. There's also the two page splash where Cyborg introduces the team he wants to assemble to battle Aquaman and Wonder Woman. It's a great ensemble of the characters in this book and while it isn't especially exciting, it is really good looking.

Still, I'm not completely sold on this series yet. We've been introduced to this awesome little world, but now we need to have something happen in that world. Barry Allen has a challenge to overcome and hopefully that ends up. But what worries me is that the lead up to this point, the Flashpoint Prelude from the main Flash book, was boring and drawn out much too long. It could have easily been told in one or two issues less than it was. That's the kind of drawn out, decompressed story telling that can kill an event outright. And Johns suffered that kind of problem with Blackest Night. Still, with only five issues to fill up I'm a little optimistic that this can work. Give Flashpoint #1 a shot; you won't regret it.

The Verdict: READ IT.