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lanternatomika's review against another edition
3.0
If you were to disregard the IRL context around this book, there's not a lot to dislike about Flashpoint. It's not anything mind-blowing, but it's a pretty decent storyline.
Though the story takes place in an alternate timeline, I did enjoy the fact that the 'real' Barry Allen got some character development here. There's also a bit of a knock on effect on Batman which I'll cover up because spoilers, even though we all already know what happens in this storyline. At the end of the day, this is a pretty typical Geoff Johns comic, with his blockbuster writing. It's just lacking certain elements that elevate his best work, like the Green Lantern stuff.
A big weakness of Flashpoint is the Flashpoint universe itself. The core story is just five issues long, and Johns lands in an awkward space between completely pushing the details of this world into the background and expounding upon it in loads of detail. Now, I know that there are like 50+ tie-in issues that shed a lot of light on this world, but reading the main miniseries hasn't convinced me that it's worth the time.
The truth is, the Flashpoint world just isn't that interesting. I was never particularly curious about why Atlantis and Themyscira were at war, or why Cyborg is everyone's favorite hero. The characters that actually matter to the story were good, though, and I think that's enough. You don't always have to complicate things.
As a smaller event in Geoff Johns' Flash run (which I haven't read, but I probably will at some point), I think Flashpoint is enjoyable. But there's more to it than that, isn't there?
DC Comics' decision way back in the day to peg their massive reboot of the DC universe on Flashpoint has put a lot of emphasis on it, and I don't think this story deserves it. You'd think that this would be a Crisis level event, but the odd reality is that the 'old' DC universe ended through a storyline that had nothing to do with the actual DC universe at all!
It's weird that this 'just another day in the life of The Flash' storyline has become a bedrock of the modern DC universe, but hey, at least the storyline has some merit to it. If nothing else, it gave us the Batman and Flash friendship which is really cool, and other storylines used elements from it.
Though the story takes place in an alternate timeline, I did enjoy the fact that the 'real' Barry Allen got some character development here. There's also a bit of a knock on effect on Batman which I'll cover up because spoilers, even though we all already know what happens in this storyline. At the end of the day, this is a pretty typical Geoff Johns comic, with his blockbuster writing. It's just lacking certain elements that elevate his best work, like the Green Lantern stuff.
A big weakness of Flashpoint is the Flashpoint universe itself. The core story is just five issues long, and Johns lands in an awkward space between completely pushing the details of this world into the background and expounding upon it in loads of detail. Now, I know that there are like 50+ tie-in issues that shed a lot of light on this world, but reading the main miniseries hasn't convinced me that it's worth the time.
The truth is, the Flashpoint world just isn't that interesting. I was never particularly curious about why Atlantis and Themyscira were at war, or why Cyborg is everyone's favorite hero. The characters that actually matter to the story were good, though, and I think that's enough. You don't always have to complicate things.
As a smaller event in Geoff Johns' Flash run (which I haven't read, but I probably will at some point), I think Flashpoint is enjoyable. But there's more to it than that, isn't there?
DC Comics' decision way back in the day to peg their massive reboot of the DC universe on Flashpoint has put a lot of emphasis on it, and I don't think this story deserves it. You'd think that this would be a Crisis level event, but the odd reality is that the 'old' DC universe ended through a storyline that had nothing to do with the actual DC universe at all!
It's weird that this 'just another day in the life of The Flash' storyline has become a bedrock of the modern DC universe, but hey, at least the storyline has some merit to it. If nothing else, it gave us the Batman and Flash friendship which is really cool, and other storylines used elements from it.
dee9401's review against another edition
5.0
This was the best comic book story I ever read. Absolutely great story arc by Geoff Johns and fantastic art by Andy Kubert. The story is nicely paced and you can enter this arc without a lot of previous knowledge about the universe it's set in. I wanted to read it in one sitting but made myself pause so that I could make it last. I've done that with only a few traditional books, so this was a truly special piece for me.
In the 70s and 80s, when I first was reading comic books, I was a Marvel guy. I didn't like the DC line of characters, stories or artists. The stories were quaint and simplistic, the characters two-dimensional, and the art looked more like it belonged in the Sunday funny pages not in a monthly trade book. Marvel ruled that period with strong characters (e.g. Fantastic Four, the X-Men and Daredevil) and great writers (Byrne, Claremont, etc.).
But when I turned to Marvel in 2012, ironically just after I sold my original comic collection, I felt like I was in an alternate universe. Marvel has become the DC of the 70s/80s and DC has become even better than Marvel was at its storytelling heights. Flashpoint (2011), Justice League (2011+), Batgirl, Aquaman and The Movement are truly great graphic stories. Flashpoint even exceeds my previous favorite story, Marvel's Dark Phoenix arc of the original X-Men (issues #129-138).
I got back into comics partly for fun, partly for nostalgia and partly to help drive my own writing. I've got a great story I'm working on now that would work wonderfully as a graphic novel. The pacing of comic stories also helps keep me focused on each scene I write of my own. I have an artist in mind but will get the story more developed first.
The only negative I can think of for Flashpoint is that it was originally published in five segments over a period of five months. I would have killed DC if I had to wait that long for this story to unfold!
In the 70s and 80s, when I first was reading comic books, I was a Marvel guy. I didn't like the DC line of characters, stories or artists. The stories were quaint and simplistic, the characters two-dimensional, and the art looked more like it belonged in the Sunday funny pages not in a monthly trade book. Marvel ruled that period with strong characters (e.g. Fantastic Four, the X-Men and Daredevil) and great writers (Byrne, Claremont, etc.).
But when I turned to Marvel in 2012, ironically just after I sold my original comic collection, I felt like I was in an alternate universe. Marvel has become the DC of the 70s/80s and DC has become even better than Marvel was at its storytelling heights. Flashpoint (2011), Justice League (2011+), Batgirl, Aquaman and The Movement are truly great graphic stories. Flashpoint even exceeds my previous favorite story, Marvel's Dark Phoenix arc of the original X-Men (issues #129-138).
I got back into comics partly for fun, partly for nostalgia and partly to help drive my own writing. I've got a great story I'm working on now that would work wonderfully as a graphic novel. The pacing of comic stories also helps keep me focused on each scene I write of my own. I have an artist in mind but will get the story more developed first.
The only negative I can think of for Flashpoint is that it was originally published in five segments over a period of five months. I would have killed DC if I had to wait that long for this story to unfold!
acdocx86's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
mauro_german's review against another edition
4.0
Cumplidora serie , hace unos meses vi su versión animada que creo en algunos puntos es superior.
laefe's review against another edition
5.0
There's only one thing I know about life.
I know some things happen by chance,
and somethings happen because we make them happen.
Barry Allen was once haunted by his past.
But when he became the Flash, he left the ghosts behind.
He found love. A Family. Friends.
Barry thought yesterday was behind him...
... but somebody wouldn't let him escape it.
When Barry came to me for help, I turned him away.
I'm not the hero of this story.
I'm a man who's been corrupted by his own unbearable pain, I'm a man who has too much blood on his hands to be called good.
I'm a man who had nothing to live for...
... until the day I met the Flash.
I know some things happen by chance,
and somethings happen because we make them happen.
Barry Allen was once haunted by his past.
But when he became the Flash, he left the ghosts behind.
He found love. A Family. Friends.
Barry thought yesterday was behind him...
... but somebody wouldn't let him escape it.
When Barry came to me for help, I turned him away.
I'm not the hero of this story.
I'm a man who's been corrupted by his own unbearable pain, I'm a man who has too much blood on his hands to be called good.
I'm a man who had nothing to live for...
... until the day I met the Flash.
tmwebb3's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorite comic book stories, whether it reset DC or not. Best part was the re-imagining of old characters, but how you still knew them, and how Flash was constant. Thomas Wayne is my favorite part.
katarinarogers's review against another edition
5.0
This is the first Flash comic that I have ever read, I know some about the flash because of TV and movies though. This comic felt a lot like a Batman comic which I read all the time. The art in this was very good, the story was amazing, and I loved the variety of characters in this as well as the different takes that there were for them. I would definitely read more Flash comics in the future, which is what the Year of Comics is supposed to be for!
daphne_dlcrz's review against another edition
4.0
Geoff Johns storytelling and Andy Kubert art style made this comic very enjoyable. I highly recommend to anyone that is a fan of The Flash.
karliclover's review against another edition
5.0
I love pretty much any story involving time travel and the consequences that come with it. This story really shows Barry's character and I think Geoff Johns really pulled it off. This was a wonderfully fun read and a fantastic way to enter into the New 52. Also, the bit at the end with Bruce was great.