I’ll have to wait until I get home to write up a full review [Edit: it’s up now], but for now let me say this: Geoff Johns & Ethan Van Sciver’s Flash: Rebirth #1 has almost won me over, at least for the duration of this story. It was very well-written and drawn, introduced all four major Flashes and the concept of the Speed Force, and set up a threat right at the beginning.
Some parts seemed a bit too familiar — the opening reminded me a bit too much of “Blood Will Run,” for instance, and a flashback reminded me a bit too much of Zoom’s backstory. And it was kind of strange watching internet arguments played out on the page with Barry, Bart and Hal taking up different viewpoints.
There were some nice easter eggs for long-term readers — iconic images from throughout Wally’s career, references to Barry’s hometown of Fallville and Wally’s hometown of Blue Valley, a mention of Barry’s old boss, Captain Frye.
The one thing that really bothered me was a major retcon to Barry’s history that completely changes the character of his family life — similar to retcons made to Wally West’s family after Crisis on Infinite Earths. I’m sure Geoff Johns has somewhere he’s going with it, but it seems unnecessary to give Barry Allen a dark tormented past, particularly one that contradicts dozens of Silver-Age and Bronze-Age stories, including one that he used himself in “The Secret of Barry Allen.”
Update: I’ve posted my full review.
Can’t wait for your review. This whole retcon thing might actually outweigh all the good that came from this issue.
.-= Brandan’s latest Twitter post: SpeedsterSite: Saw that rough/raw copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine….eh, not terrible but not in any way memorable. =-.
That bothered me a bit too, not for the retcon sense, as I expected plenty of retcon, but just the weird story sense. A big deal is made about Barry’s black and white sense of right and wrong, and how he’s a cop. Then we just have his dad getting taken away and Barry (literally) spending his life running after answers. I don’t think you need a reason for Barry to be a runner, that was already done very well with Wally’s reasons. And the whole mystery angle doesn’t seem to play in with the right/wrong aspects.
I liked the issue, but mostly I just liked all the non Barry scenes. Geoff has made him interesting in some ways, but not yet entertaining. Hopefully we get that in issue 2.
The retcon was so drastic that I still have the hope it will be explained in some way. It really drew me out of the story.
Wally’s background was changed to make his parents less nice and more bickering, but that is a more subjective change that can almost be a different way of looking at the same situation (Wally realizing his parents’ flaws as he got older.)
But in this case, way too drastic.
i loved it and can’t wait for ish 2!
woot!
.-= Jason West’s latest blog post: 1 Week!!! =-.
“it seems unnecessary to give Barry Allen a dark tormented past, particularly one that contradicts dozens of Silver-Age and Bronze-Age stories, including one that he used himself in ‘The Secret of Barry Allen.'”
Ah, but this is “New Earth” where continuity can be molded to fit the creator’s whims, no matter how much it might suck.
Okay, I’ve posted my full review.