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: Booster Gold #45, Flashpoint Citizen Cold #1, Flashpoint Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #1, Flashpoint Emperor Aquaman #1 and Flashpoint Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1.
Booster Gold #45
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
Company: DC Comics
Picking up right where we left off last issue, Booster Gold goes head to head with Doomsday. Yeah, not exactly the most evenly matched battle that there's ever been, but it actually is quite cool and Jurgens goes out of his way to make Booster both smart of formidable. The idea of Doomsday in the Flashpoint Universe is also handled in a decent way. Not too terribly crazy or anything outlandish, but different enough that it stood out. After that, there's more explanation of the Flashpoint world as we continue with the "fish out of water" story, which directly leads to a hunt for a specific chronal energy signature that Booster can track. Jurgens' art is solid all around, especially with Rapmund providing finishes. While I don't think these issues of Booster Gold have been particularly super awesome fantastic, there's a level of creativity in the writing that has really made me want to go back to the start of this series and really give it a shot.
Writer: Scott Kolins
Artist: Scott Kolins
Company: DC Comics
First off, Scott Kolins has always been a talented artist that broke boundaries. His run on Flash with Geoff Johns is still a thing of beauty. It was kinetic, amazing and jumped right off the page and into the hearts of a lot of readers. I know for a fact that he drew my favorite rendition of Gorilla Grodd. Lately however, his style has changed a bit and really, not for the bettter. With Citizen Cold, a book that sees our favorite leader of the Rogues become the "hero" of Central City, his style has transformed again. It's a much more detailed and clean-lined showing and I felt that Mike Atiyeh's colors really balanced things out. The book itself is very solid. Kolins comes up with some clever ideas that really forward Snart's character while at the same time making him the Snart we know and love. Seeing him being elevated to a quasi-hero and beloved by people was something that I wasn't exactly sure would work but it does. That he has his own catch-phrase was kind of awesome as well. But as the saying goes, there's something rotten in Denmark, as Snart's world is not without its problems. Fans of the Flash villains, The Rogues, will need to check this book out, but there are some ties here that I really do think will have some decent effects with Flashpoint as well. A fun book that hits a lot of high notes.
Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Joe Bennett
Comics: DC Comics
Slade Wilson as a pirate. Somehow that just inherently works on so many different levels. Palmiotti, who usually works on books with writing partner Justin Gray, tackles this one on his own and does more than a solid job with it. He takes the Slade Wilson as a Pirate Captain, akin to Pirates like Blackbeard, and goes hog wild with the idea. Seeing him sail the high seas on a quest to find his daughter just adds a bit of sympathy that has been missing from the character since we've seen him in the Perez story Judas Contract. Still, Palmiotti doesn't ignore the fact that there should be action here either, nor does he ignore how Slade ultimately fits into the second issue of Flashpoint. Bennet, who's worked on things like Nightwing and Outsiders, provides the art for this revenge fueled story. He's always been a solid artist, but I can't remember a more impressive outing from him than what he's put for with Deathstroke. He conveys the viciousness of the story with classic pencils and knows a thing or two about drawing an immersive background. All in all, maybe not the most important Flashpoint tie-in, but I loved it none-the-less.
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Adrian Syaf
Company: DC Comics
It's been touched on in the main Flashpoint series, but Emperor Aquaman delves straight into what caused the war between the Atlanteans and the Amazons. Bedard, who's been working on Emerald Warriors these days, tackles the story and while I think there are some neat ideas to be unearthed in this one (a great usage of Geo-Force for one example), the way that the story is told is a bit clunky with its constant flip flops in time. I do think that Bedard was able to show both the human and emperor side of Aquaman, making him a character that the reader can relate to. Adrian Syaf again has really impressed me. I remember when he first started with books like the Dresden Files adaptations, where his style was still finding its footing. With Emperor Aquaman he's found his groove. There's a very Brad Walker meets Andrea Di Vito feel to it. The action is easy to read and exciting, the level of detail in both the characters and in the backgrounds (the devastated ruins of Rome especially) are huge highlights and there's just a sense of fun in his work. Another Flashpoint issue that I would recommend checking out.
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Ibraim Roberson
Company: DC Comics
Out of the four Flashpoint tie-ins that came out this week, Frankenstein is perhaps the weakest of the bunch. The concept, which sees Grant Morrison's Frankenstein character as the leader of a band of creatures who fought Nazis during World War II, is in theory quite cool. In practice, there seems to be something missing. Jeff Lemire, who's work has ranged from Sweet Tooth to Superboy is always solid but sometimes there are elements to them that leave the reader slightly cold. Those elements are in Frankenstein as well, and I wonder if maybe the book would have found a more unified voice with a co-writer. That point aside, Lemire does turn in some great lines and story beats that make you think. Roberson's art is nice to look at. There's some sparseness in his backgrounds, but overall the look that he's given these creatures and monsters is rather unique and intriguing. He also knows how to draw engaging action. I guess the last question there is to answer is how this book ties into Flashpoint? That's not seen just yet, but there is a small glimpse of a connection with a Superman symbol which I found interesting. I'm curious to see where this one goes from here.
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