Comic Book Review: The Flash #2

Book Information

Written by Geoff Johns

Penciled by Frances Manapul

Colored by Brian Buccellato

Lettered by Sal Cipriano

Cover by Manapul, Buccellato

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Flash #2 begins where #1 left off.  Flash must decide if he accepts the fact that these futuristic versions of his old foes have traveled back in time to arrest him, or to escape.  (Gee, I wonder what he’ll do?)  After a pretty intense battle sequence, and one speedy rebuilding of an apartment, The Flash resumes his daily job routines only to discover that he is actually a suspect in a much bigger mystery. 

I can’t complain, this was a fun read.  It may not be the best issue of the month, but by no means is it the worst, far from it actually.  All Flash #2 is doing is doing is pushing the story forward and creating even more tension within the mystery while keeping it fun and exciting to read.  I love how Johns isn’t letting up on the unrelenting relationship the Flash has with time and space.  He only recently escaped his entrapment in time, now people from the future are coming back to take him through it all over again.  But even after the battle was done and these mystery men were sent back to their time, Johns puts Flash in a sticky spot by causing a near by, run down apartment building to crumble where he must use all his energy to save every tenant before the building crumbles away. 

I know what you’re thinking, “Where will these people live now that their home is gone?”  Don’t worry, Geoff Johns isn’t so evil that he didn’t have a backup plan.  I would recommend reading Flash #2 to discover how Barry Allen learns all of his construction skills.

I’ve never seen Manapul do much work in comics, at least not in the DC arena.  It’s a shame too, he is almost flawless in his artistry.  The one problem the Flash has been met with since his inception are the over abundance in speed lines.  Artists over the years have never quite been able to figure out how to make it work without becoming too much of a distraction.  Manapul loads up on the speed lines but somehow makes it work.  And while I’ve never been a huge fan of the trailing lighting bolts, it doesn’t detract from the visual appeal.

I'm not sure I understand the significance of slapping the "Brightest Day" title on the front cover.  I would think that connection between Brightest Day and Flash would at leasts be somewhat predominant in the story, but no such evidence has occurred.  maybe someone can enlighten me.

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

Flash has never intrigued me until now.  I have always found him to be a creative idea but never thought of him as a timeless character.  That’s one of Geoff Johns’ many positive attributes as a comic book writer, he gives the characters purpose and a reasonable sense of being.

Ratings

Writing: 10

Themes: 9.5

Art: 10

Overall: 9.83 out of 10