Comic Book Review: The Flash #7

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Geoff Johns

Penciller:  Scott Kolins

Inker: Scott Kolins

Colorist: Brian Buccellato

Letterer: Sal Cipriano

Cover Art: Francis Manapul

Editor: Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Look guys and gals, I enjoy the occasional deviation from a comic book title’s focus to dive deeper into a characters personality just as much as the next geek, but Captain Boomerang?  Of all the villains out there…

Ok, so maybe it wasn’t THAT bad.  I guess I’m just a tad bit upset by the fact that, after only six issues DC decides to take Flash out for one comic book installment to focus in on one of DC’s lamest villains.  The actual writing of this issue isn’t bad by any means; Geoff Johns is a fantastic writer and can typically turn even the most uncreative and boring characters/stories into a readable storyline.  But the outcome lends nothing to the title itself and is, more than anything, just a recap of stuff we already know.

Digger Harkness grew up in a crumby part of the world where his dad beats him, his brother enjoys the show, and his mother allows Digger to endure such ridicule from his father out of fear I’m sure.  But mysteriously, Digger constantly receives a boomerang in the mail, despite his dad’s consistent breaking of them.  One thing leads to another, and Digger becomes a master of the boomerang, leaves home and…well…you know the rest.

So let me ask this…what purpose did this issue serve other than to fill in the gap of the Flash’s deviation from a monthly schedule?  Is there a reason why Brightest Day is slapped across the top of the cover when the only connection this title has to the after math of the Zombie attack are the self generating boomerangs?  Was this merely an attempt to release the Reverse-Flash and allow him to return with a vengeance, but you needed a fill-in storyline.  I don’t understand how this specific focus on Captain Boomerang actually helps us understand the lead-in with the Reverse-Flash, nor how this aids to the title in general.

Boomerang is still a decent character, but I don’t think it merits making him a focal point in any single issue.  I’m all about the splurge of villain focused book, but keep Boomerang out of the mix.

Scott Kolins was a great replacement for Francis Manapul this month as he emulated this titles regular artist quite well.  Sure, you can tell the difference between the two styles, but by no means should anyone have anything to complain about.  The colors work even better as a representation of what Manapul and company have put in motion with this title, especially when Reverse-Flash finally pops out of his hanging, metal-cocoon prison; flashing about his yellow and red suit with piercing, blood-shot eyeballs. And let’s not forget about that cover!  Manapul, you’ve done it again.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Here’s the deal, everyone will probably be entertain by this issue.  I know I was thanks to the fabulous work by writer Geoff Johns.  But to be honest, skipping this issue is also a viable option.  We aren’t given much as far as new content and it really doesn’t serve the title that well.

Rating: 6.7 out of 10

Writing: 7

Art: 8

Themes: 5