Scan barcode
bigbear73's review against another edition
5.0
Everyone of these Flash new 52 stories are awesome. They are quickly turning Flash into my favorite super hero, which is no small feat considering I've read Spider-Man for over twenty years.
Read them and be happy.
Read them and be happy.
_alwaysrealokay's review against another edition
4.0
The story line keeps getting better and better.
themtj's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely enjoyed this one, but the arrangement was a bit strange. This edition has a few issues following volume 1,then drops in an annual and then a 0 issue. You start to lose the momentum of the story arc, but each issue is strong.
gohawks's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoy the Rogues, but this was complicated by a lot of other things including Dr. Elias becoming an enemy and Patty being stuck inside a speed force zone. Also, half the art was done by someone other than Manapul. That is a mistake since the best thing about this book is the art.
ferrisscottr's review against another edition
5.0
Really good.
The Rogues, Gorilla City, Grodd and quite a bit of history (which is good for me since being a Marvel guy I don't really know that much of the Flash or his history). Yes the art is amazing and the story engaging but it's the pacing that makes this run of Flash really good.
The Rogues, Gorilla City, Grodd and quite a bit of history (which is good for me since being a Marvel guy I don't really know that much of the Flash or his history). Yes the art is amazing and the story engaging but it's the pacing that makes this run of Flash really good.
iffer's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this, but the Rogues storyline want that appealing to me. Villains with stereotypical powers and silly costumes just didn't do it for me, even though the villains were given some attempt at a sympathetic backstory. I liked learning more about Barry's childhood, but I also feel like all the flashbacks in this volume were unnecessary, and made the storytelling more confusing/fractured instead of adding to it. Honestly, I'm not loving the New 52 Flash, but I'll probably keep coming back to it every once in a while just for the art.
P.S. The Planet of the Apes-like gorilla cliffhanger made me actually less likely to pick up the next trade...
P.S. The Planet of the Apes-like gorilla cliffhanger made me actually less likely to pick up the next trade...
rhganci's review
4.0
(4.5 stars) The thing that I liked best about this second volume of THE FLASH was the way in which Manapul and Buccellato pull all of the plot threads together into single core narrative that can go anywhere from here--all details, characters, motivations, and dialogue are significant, and as questions come up, the story answers them in due time. The control that the two book-runners show over the story impresses and entertains, setting up a third volume in which the stakes continue to rise.
If volume 1 puts the pieces on the table, this volume sets them up, and then puts them into motion. There are quite a few plot threads running around, from Grodd to Captain Cold, from Patty Spivot's grief to Iris West's internment inside the Speed Force, and others. What this volume does, without resolving all of them too quickly, is weave them together to a point of convergence at which the reader sees them as all connected to Barry's dual identity. The V1 discussion of CC's sister seemed inconsequential at the time, but becomes crucial in V2, as it not only extends the story of the Rogues but also clarifies dialogue that seems at the moment of utterance to be only context, but is actually part of a larger concern, and is probably the overarching conflict that the Flash is dealing with at the current moment--it's also one that came as a terrific surprise in this volume. It's hard to pull off evil mastermind stuff in storytelling, but Manapul and Buccellato do it effortlessly, weaving a series of stand-alone stories together to a terrific conclusion (that also contains a wildly plotty cliffhanger). Well-structured stories are the best kind in my opinion, and this volume, though not a complete story by any stretch, represents a particularly well-structured sequence of comic books.
As good as the current Flash plot is, however, the #0 issue that is included at the end of the volume might be the single best issue of the New 52 that I've yet read. Without forsaking the current emotional and personal state of Barry Allen, Manapul and Buccellato investigate and clarify his history as a scientist, police officer, and of course as the Flash himself, piecing together an artfully-structured explanation of his first moments as The Fastest Man Alive. As an entre-acte between volumes 2 and 3 in which Barry's identity is at a crossroads, this brief look back is a terrific reminder of the Flash's absolutely moral nature and a validation of the statement that Batman makes in Justice League: Barry is a police officer and doesn't like to work outside the law. His code of ethics stems from the search for justice within the law, and as Central City prepares for a new challenge, this is material that makes this collection more than the sum of its parts. A terrific read, a great story, and standout artwork makes this volume of THE FLASH the exact step forward that the book needs.
If volume 1 puts the pieces on the table, this volume sets them up, and then puts them into motion. There are quite a few plot threads running around, from Grodd to Captain Cold, from Patty Spivot's grief to Iris West's internment inside the Speed Force, and others. What this volume does, without resolving all of them too quickly, is weave them together to a point of convergence at which the reader sees them as all connected to Barry's dual identity. The V1 discussion of CC's sister seemed inconsequential at the time, but becomes crucial in V2, as it not only extends the story of the Rogues but also clarifies dialogue that seems at the moment of utterance to be only context, but is actually part of a larger concern, and is probably the overarching conflict that the Flash is dealing with at the current moment--it's also one that came as a terrific surprise in this volume. It's hard to pull off evil mastermind stuff in storytelling, but Manapul and Buccellato do it effortlessly, weaving a series of stand-alone stories together to a terrific conclusion (that also contains a wildly plotty cliffhanger). Well-structured stories are the best kind in my opinion, and this volume, though not a complete story by any stretch, represents a particularly well-structured sequence of comic books.
As good as the current Flash plot is, however, the #0 issue that is included at the end of the volume might be the single best issue of the New 52 that I've yet read. Without forsaking the current emotional and personal state of Barry Allen, Manapul and Buccellato investigate and clarify his history as a scientist, police officer, and of course as the Flash himself, piecing together an artfully-structured explanation of his first moments as The Fastest Man Alive. As an entre-acte between volumes 2 and 3 in which Barry's identity is at a crossroads, this brief look back is a terrific reminder of the Flash's absolutely moral nature and a validation of the statement that Batman makes in Justice League: Barry is a police officer and doesn't like to work outside the law. His code of ethics stems from the search for justice within the law, and as Central City prepares for a new challenge, this is material that makes this collection more than the sum of its parts. A terrific read, a great story, and standout artwork makes this volume of THE FLASH the exact step forward that the book needs.
lucy_t_firefly's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this, but I think my experience was affected by my limited knowledge of The Flash canon and general history of surrounding characters. Also, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little confused at points... However, it all sort of cam together and I will most likely pick up Vol. 3 at some point!
lilmatt050's review
5.0
To check out all my reviews: http://dancinginth3dark.blogspot.com
True Rating: 4.5
After reading this 2nd volume I have to admit that the storyline has excel considerably compare to the first book in the series but I have to admit that the writers are negligent when it comes to providing background information when it comes to certain characters and their conflicted issues with the Flash. I am an amateur when it comes to superheroes comics and I am not going to invest countless hours trying to study every single character and their origin story and that issue can be fixed efficiently with only a few pages of backstory in the comics.
I am delighted that we finally get to learn about Barry Allen's past specifically when it comes to his parents and how his mother got killed (Even though I know this already thanks to the television show) but we still are left out of the loop when it comes to villains like Captain Cold, Heatwave, Captain Glider and others.
Periodically when it comes to comics, these issues get answered later or not at all but between the artwork and the action scenes, these questions often get put aside and in this book this issue is transparent. I do not know why we have this elephant in the room but I hope the issue gets fixed because when the creators/writers do not provide the essential details it comes across that they don't care about the readers and it ruins the experience of reading our favorite heroes.
Now back to the story... The Flash discovered the speed force and trapped inside this vortex is a man named Turbine who appears to be causing the raucous of ripping the fabric of time whenever Flash reaches high levels of the speed force. Turbine wants to escape and thanks to the Flash he has found his escape and both him and Flash get sucked back into Earth except Flash meets a civilization of sophisticated gorillas who has a new leader called Grodd. Apparently this source of lightening has been trying to find an individual who can use these powers effectively and throughout civilizations every time this flash of electricity has shined on a certain tribe it either flourished for a certain period of time or wreaks havoc because they cannot handle this power.
Before Barry Allen received his powers, this group of Gorillas got shot by lightening and the aftermath of this incident has lead these Gorillas to become intelligent beings who the likes have never been seen by humans and they realized that Barry is the messenger that their time on Earth has ended since they have become a savage society under their ruler and Grodd cannot accept and wants to kill the Flash.
The other storyline that develops is these groups of villains known as Rogues are now taking advantage and causing chaos in the city which the Flash needs to take care of asap. I admire tremendously the amount of handwork these illustrators put into the graphics and making the story believable with a superhero who runs at the speed of light and they make the effort look smooth. I have absolute no clue what is the direction this comic is heading but I have faith that the storyline will improve the further we venture along in the series. I would recommend this graphic novel to those who love the television series and need their daily dose of Barry Allen.
True Rating: 4.5
After reading this 2nd volume I have to admit that the storyline has excel considerably compare to the first book in the series but I have to admit that the writers are negligent when it comes to providing background information when it comes to certain characters and their conflicted issues with the Flash. I am an amateur when it comes to superheroes comics and I am not going to invest countless hours trying to study every single character and their origin story and that issue can be fixed efficiently with only a few pages of backstory in the comics.
I am delighted that we finally get to learn about Barry Allen's past specifically when it comes to his parents and how his mother got killed (Even though I know this already thanks to the television show) but we still are left out of the loop when it comes to villains like Captain Cold, Heatwave, Captain Glider and others.
Periodically when it comes to comics, these issues get answered later or not at all but between the artwork and the action scenes, these questions often get put aside and in this book this issue is transparent. I do not know why we have this elephant in the room but I hope the issue gets fixed because when the creators/writers do not provide the essential details it comes across that they don't care about the readers and it ruins the experience of reading our favorite heroes.
Now back to the story... The Flash discovered the speed force and trapped inside this vortex is a man named Turbine who appears to be causing the raucous of ripping the fabric of time whenever Flash reaches high levels of the speed force. Turbine wants to escape and thanks to the Flash he has found his escape and both him and Flash get sucked back into Earth except Flash meets a civilization of sophisticated gorillas who has a new leader called Grodd. Apparently this source of lightening has been trying to find an individual who can use these powers effectively and throughout civilizations every time this flash of electricity has shined on a certain tribe it either flourished for a certain period of time or wreaks havoc because they cannot handle this power.
Before Barry Allen received his powers, this group of Gorillas got shot by lightening and the aftermath of this incident has lead these Gorillas to become intelligent beings who the likes have never been seen by humans and they realized that Barry is the messenger that their time on Earth has ended since they have become a savage society under their ruler and Grodd cannot accept and wants to kill the Flash.
The other storyline that develops is these groups of villains known as Rogues are now taking advantage and causing chaos in the city which the Flash needs to take care of asap. I admire tremendously the amount of handwork these illustrators put into the graphics and making the story believable with a superhero who runs at the speed of light and they make the effort look smooth. I have absolute no clue what is the direction this comic is heading but I have faith that the storyline will improve the further we venture along in the series. I would recommend this graphic novel to those who love the television series and need their daily dose of Barry Allen.
delaneybull's review against another edition
4.0
Good, but I wish there was a little more breathing room to explore Barry Allen as a character, rather than just jumping from fight scene to fight scene. There's no room for humor or lightness, and while the art style is beautiful and the fight scenes are cool, the mundane is good too.