Flashpoint Wednesdays 6/22/11

If the rumors are true, it seems that the mini series called Flashpoint will have some major repercussions on the DC Universe proper.  What exactly those repercussions are going to be though, it's anyones guess at this point.  What Top 5 Comics aims to do with this series of articles is take a gander at all of the Flashpoint issues and their tie-ins, giving the rundown on them, telling you which ones to check out and which ones aren't exactly up to muster.  It's obviously a big event, but will it be a good one?  Only time will tell.

This week we will cover: Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1, Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1, Flashpoint: The Outsider #1 and Flashpoint: The Reverse Flash One Shot.

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1 of 3
Writer: Sterling Gates
Artist: Oliver Nome
Company: DC Comics

First question:  Is this essential to the overall Flashpoint story?  The answer to that one is no, at least not yet.  Second question:  Is it good?  The answer to that one is a bit harder as the issue has a few ups and downs.  If you're not a Bart Allen fan, this one might not be for you though as he does take center stage.  What this book does is present a story that sees Bart Allen awake in another time, far away from his own and far different than the future than he expected.  Sterling Gates, a writer who's admirably handled Supergirl, takes the wheel here and does an admirable job of handling both the setup that Johns did in Flash and the general nuttery that Flashpoint has caused.  The villain selection for this story was a real surprise, a change-up that I wish more superhero comics did.  Oliver Nome's art is okay.  There is a youthful energy to it and he handles the speedster's power fairly well.  However, the consistency isn't there, which is evident by the oddness of anatomy in some panels and a general sketchy-ness that proved to be off-putting.  It keeps with the level of quality that we've seen in the other Flashpoint books, but nothing truly exciting.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1 of 3
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artist: Eddie Nunez
Company: DC Comics

This was one of the Flashpoint tie-ins that I was most looking forward to.  Sadly, it was a tad disappointing.  With DnA writing, a story that focused on an entrenched Lois Lane as the head of the Resistance against the Amazons, and a cover that boasted cool British characters... I figured it was a no brainer.  Turns out I was wrong.  The main problem with the book is that Eddie Nunez's art just doesn't belong.  It's a bit too cartoon-y for the serious story and really, Nunez art has a lot of problems, everything from perspective issues to uneven storytelling.  DnA do put forth some cool ideas and weave Lois Lane's story into both Cyborg and Wonder Woman's backgrounds, which are indeed neat.  That said, the book simply didn't deliver as much cool as the solicitation or the cover promised.  Here's hoping that issue two fairs better.

Flashpoint: The Outsider #1 of 3
Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Javi Fernandez
Company: DC Comics

The strongest of the Flashpoint tie-ins this week, hands down.  It also seems to fit heavily into the Flashpoint story, seeing as how quite a bit of this issue revisits the "group discussion" that occurred at the end of the first issue of Flashpoint.  The story itself centers on Michael Desai, also known as The Outsider, the lone survivor of unexplained event that wiped out an entire city.  He's also a self made dictator, a ruthless businessman, and possibly indestructible.  All of these things are made known through very clever story beats and action scenes, one that even sees a few re-imagined DCU characters.  Desai's story is both tragic and appalling, but it makes for an interesting read, which I give Robinson a lot of credit for.  Fernandez's art is also a winner.  There's a richness to it, one that is compelling and intriguing, and the action is stellar.  This one is a dark and violent and brutal book, but it has me interested to find out who and what The Outsider is and will do when push comes to shove.  At the moment, he seems to be on no ones side but his own.  I like that.

Flashpoint: Reverse Flash One Shot
Writer: Scott Kolins
Artist: Joel Gomez
Company: DC Comics

First and foremost, this one shot really has nothing to do with Flashpoint whatsoever.  What it does have to do with is a complete background and history of Eobard Thawne, The Reverse Flash.  You get to see his past, present and just how he comes to the decision of why Flash needs to die.  Truthfully, Thawne isn't a very interesting character.  Kolins does a decent enough job with the material at hand, though there are times during the issue that you feel like you're reading an impersonal entry in some random encyclopedia instead a fun and cool comic book.  Gomez's art is very nice.  The sneer that he gives Thawne and the way that the characters simply move on the page is perfect.  I will also throw out a huge shout out to Brian Buccellato's colors.  They're simple and smooth and so engaging.  If you're really digging Flashpoint though, I'd think twice before grabbing this one as I said before, there's nothing in it that is pertinent to that story.  If you're a Reverse Flash fan though, you've found your book.