The Flash #1 Review

The Flash #1

Welcome to our review of the debut issue of The Flash. I am excited for this series and was excited about picking it up, and the Flash ring that accompanied was amazing, I think the Lantern rings should be closer in shape to these. This issue carries the Brightest Day banner and is all about new beginnings like much of the DCU at this moment. The cover is amazing, the detail, energy and amazing colors make for an amazing book. Francis Manapul, who also teamed with Geoff Johns on Adventure Comics, is an excellent Flash artist, just check out that cover. Geoff Johns has said it before, The Flash is his favorite character so he’s bound to put a lot of effort into this series and it shows from the beginning. It’s obvious from the get-go that the world Barry Allen has returned to is completely different then the one he left so many years ago. Even his life at the precinct is different, many of the people have changed and cases are wrapped as easily as possible to get more done. Anyway, how about I get to reviewing.

Geoff Johns has a genuine love for Flash, and it’s obvious he wants to nurture this series and watch it grow. He teams up with an amazing artist and gives us a sweet first issue to start the arc “The Death of The Dastardly Rogues” off with a bang. Barry is obviously a changed person but still holds onto his beliefs and ideals as much as possible, while the world around him is obviously different. The world and especially Central City, has gotten incredibly faster, and Barry might wish everything could just slow down for a second. I see great potential in this series, and I can’t wait to see how Johns utilizes the characters. The only gripe I have is the lack of the supposed Wally West co-feature, but I imagine they might have scrapped that due to the Zatanna ongoing preview they had in the back.

So Fernando Pasarin penciled and inked the isue, while Brian Buccellato did the colors. I wish his colors would be a little brighter, but what can you do? We’ll have to wait a few issues to see if I like Buccellato’s style, it’s way too early to tell. Pasarin has amazing skill, his lines are unique and full of energy that is quite unseen before now. I wonder how long Pasarin will be on the series and who will take over after him. I would like to see Ethan Van Sciver and Scott Kolins take an arc or two. The inking is great, and I think Pasarin does an excellent job inking his own stuff, but I’d like to see what someone else could do with it simply to decide what fits best.

Overall highlights were the intriguing and pull-you-by-your-ear story and amazing pencils, downsides are the darker colors than I would like and lack of the Wally West co-feature. Here’s how I rank the issue overall:

–moyermason@yahoo.com

Tags: Brightest Day Flash Francis Manapul Geoff Johns