Review: Flash #5

Flash is in this book! Lastissue the Scarlet Speedster appeared in only the last panel.  Issue five has Barry dealing with theblackout in Gem City.  Captain Coldcontinues to ice things down, and Dr. Elias and Manuel Lago deal with theclones from Mob Rule that have a short life span problem like those replicants from BladeRunner.

Flash delivers some emergency equipment from WayneEnterprises to the people stranded on the bridge.  Then he rescues Iris at Iron Heights.  One awkwardly funny moment comes fromBarry releasing frozen cops from their icy state.  One cop asks how The Flash managed to melt the ice imprisoning him it and gets a one-wordanswer: “Friction.”  That’s goodstuff.

Flash rushes off to fight a whole gang of clones.  When he busts through to the generatorthat could provide hope to Mob Rule’s little premature death problem, The Flashis stopped my Manuel.  As thegenerator goes critical, Barry funnels the explosion out.  And he’s rewarded by having Manuel curbstomp his face.  Manuel goes nutswhen he believes himself to be one with the Mob Rule gestalt.

And Flash finds out that his Speed Force has been opening uptears in the fabric of space and time. That was a great teaser to end the issue.

This is a well-scripted book.  The pacing moved as a Flash comic book ought to.  With the action moving from oneconflict to another, the story never felt dull or tired.  I can’t tell you how much of animprovement this was over the previous issue.  We had the Flash AND the build up of key plot points.  You can do both, so don’t argue with methat some comics need to build story by not featuring the main character.

I like the new threat that the Speed Force poses, but I seemto be caught up on the Flash’s power in this ‘New 52’ version (how long do Ihave to call it that?)

Flash’s ability to tap into the speed force means he can domore than just run fast.  He can“stop time and see practically every variable and calculate every course ofaction before it happened (page 6). Seems like Flash’s powers are getting pretty omnipotent if you ask me.

Anyway, this book won’t disappoint Flash fans.

Score: 3/5

DC Comics

$2.99

Release Date: 1/25/12

Writers: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato

Art: Francis Manapul

Colors: Brian Buccellato

Letters: Wes Abbott

Comments

[Dustin Cabeal]

To answer your question... forever. You have to say the New 52 forever. It's like a radio station. The new hot fm is forever new, until it goes out of business.