The Flash: Rebirth #1 – Review

By Geoff Johns(Writer), Ethan Van Sciver (Artist), Alex Sinclair (Colorist)

The Story: Barry Allen, for the better part of twenty-five years, was lost to the world. He had become part of the Speed Force– the thing that gave him his powers as The Flash, and it wasn’t until Final Crisis, that the world saw him again, in flesh and blood. His friends, family, and the city he once called home celebrated his return, but the only thing on his mind was why; not questioning the festivities, or the new world he finds himself in, but why he’s back to begin with.

He’s about to find out…

The Good: Geoff Johns creates a strong, compelling narrative of life, post-Crisis for Barry Allen. He brings into light old friendships, peers, mentors, and enemies in a story touching on past hallmarks of Flash mythology; including a great scene with the Green Lantern at Central City’s Flash Museum. The issue’s solid, and accessible to new and old Flash fans alike.

As for the art, Van Sciver’s work runs the gamut between hyper-realistic and suitably fantastical, perfectly capturing the kinetics of a man who just can’t slow down. It’s always difficult to illustrate hyper-motion in a still form, but he does a fantastic job, and Sinclair holds down the coloring with ease.

The Bad: I don’t know whether to call it irony, but for all its high points, Rebirth feels like it’s moving TOO fast. There’s a lot going on, and for a new reader, it could be quite disorienting. Johns switches gears and bounces around quite often, leaving the reader to play catch-up. As such, the manic attitude of the Flash is captured, but in a very distracting way that detracts from the story, rather than enhancing it.

Grade : B

-Brian Lynch