The Flash: Rebirth #3 (of 6)

FR3

Writer-Geoff Johns

Artist-Ethan Van Sciver

If you don’t know yet, Barry is my least favorite Flash. This doesn’t stop me from realizing how epic it is to have him back and the feelings and effects it has on the DCU. It won’t even stop me from liking this title. What’s stopping me from liking this title is that despite it’s a comic about the Fastest Man Alive, I can’t help but feel like the plot is dragging and almost going nowhere.

It’s already halfway through this mini and we still don’t really know what’s going on. Barry is back and so is the Black Flash. The Speed Force has been sapped out of anyone in contact with it and we don’t understand why but Barry is involved. Unfortunately for the reader, this issue doesn’t really clear any of that up. It seems like this ish served as a set up for the next issue, and judging by the cliffhanger ending, some questions may finally be answered.

Johns knows how to write Wally better than maybe anyone but it seems like his Barry is incredibly one dimensional. He’s hurt and he doesn’t want to hurt anyone anymore. So he runs. We get it. Bringing Iris into the picture finally gave Barry a bit more depth but it’s still not enough to make us care about the character who disappeared years ago in the legendary Crisis on Infinite Worlds. It’s great seeing so many speedsters but none of them are being handled properly, save for Jessie Chambers of the Justice Society. The ending definitely clears some of the smoke that has been hiding the plot of this comic and we finally get some plot movement and character development.

The saving grace of this series is Van Sciver. Johns may be the man to handle the script duties of the Scarlet Speedster but no one can tackle the art of the character better than Ethan Van Sciver. Van Scivers art alone makes the book at least worth flipping through. He’s very choosy with his work and it’s really a blessing to see it when he’s on the title.

Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver basically single-handedly turned The Flash comic into one of the most interesting and must-read comics when they took over back in 2000. They revitalized the Rogues and changed the world of the Flash in more ways than one. They say lightning never strikes twice in the same place. The storm is brewing. Can they prove people wrong?

Rating:

-Ryanscribbles

Tags: barry allen, comic book reviews, comic books, comic reviews, DC, DC comics, ethan van sciver, flash rebirth, geoff johns, the flash, wally west