Flash: Rebirth #1 & #2
May. 7th, 2009 12:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shankieIf you don't want to be spoiled about this stuff, scroll past this entry with alacrity.
I've been complaining a little bit about Flash: Rebirth, I'll admit. Not getting why Barry would come back at all, a few other things I'll get to in a sec. Yesterday, the second issue came out... and is forcing me to re-think exactly how I feel about what's going on.
But first, #1 and why I was like, the only person not thinking this was awesome.
In contrast to like, every other issue about Wally and his kids, he seems downright impatient and frustrated with them. My knee-jerk reaction was to wonder what the deal was with that; he always seemed so patient and adoring. Then I thought about it a little... and maybe not liking this at all was harsh.
The last time Barry "came back", Wally was a mess of self-doubt until that storyline played out and it turned out it wasn't actually Barry at all. But this time, it is, so in all likelihood all Wally's thinking about it where he fits in the grand scheme of things, if he should be stepping aside for his mentor, etc. Lots of stress. Wondering if he's done the right thing along the line. Where family fits in the equation.
So ultimately, I can more than forgive this; it actually makes a lot of sense. Wally is the Prince of Angst, after all.
Apart from being a little confused at why Bart was there and nobody was surprised about it (I missed that issue, I discovered afterwards) this was the one part I took no issue with whatsoever. When he was very young, Bart idolized his grandfather, but he's become more cynical and I can really see his feelings about Barry changing. Maybe if Barry had sought Bart out right away instead of avoiding him along with everyone else, this wouldn't have been Bart's tune, but he didn't, so it makes sense, as well as being what a lot of people must be thinking as they read this.
I could understand why Barry would be angsty, being yanked out of a peaceful afterlife, but I also get what Hal's driving at; a second chance, the opportunity to be with everyone again, and Barry's just avoiding everyone. Barry isn't even bothering to put on a brave face... but maybe I was just thinking too much about what Wally would do: even when he was certain he was about to die, he'd keep quiet about it and just be with the people he cared about and have those last moments for their benefit as much as his.
But, seeing where this all is ultimately going, I can see how Barry's feelings might have driven him to isolating himself. At the time, however, it just struck me wrong.
The last sequence was definitely cool and creepy. Savitar was an important guy in Flash comics; I mean, he caused Johnny Quick's death and gave all the speedsters a run for their money, at the time being more powerful than Wally by a significant margin. Walter West was as strong as he was because of Savitar. So it was nice to see him again, and because he's a bastard, to see him dissolve into a pile of ash.
In hindsight, this sequence should have given me a big clue about what was going on with Barry, but I totally missed it.
So, now we come to the issue that came out yesterday.
Let me pause here to say I am a huge fan of this art. That bit I never had second thoughts about, at all. The painting on the first page of this issue and how it's pops up, changing, in bits and pieces, throughout is really neat, although I do have to wonder what the gorillas have to do with this. They have become more spiritual recently... maybe they've forgiven the Flashes for being bloodthirsty like all other humans due to some sort of insights on wtf is going on? Anyway. The expressions in the art, the looks in people's eyes, the significance given to small gestures or body language, the details, all that, have made me a fan of this guy for a while.
It comes out a lot near the end of #2, where I'm picking up again...
Wally and Barry are at the site of the Black Flash's body laying a cornfield when Crazy Christina, one-time servant of Vandal Savage, sometimes bane of Wally's life/marriage, comes back wanting revenge. See what I mean about the art, though? Speedster fights are hard to do well, because an illusion of motion just isn't good enough... it has to be that illusion of a lot happening in a very small space of time, without being chaos... so big props.
I've always liked her get-up here... but I'm still not too sad to see her go. Not just because she ruined Wally's honeymoon (after being 12 already ruined it once) but I like her being important here in the same way Savitar was important...
...with the same life expectancy.
Before we get to the last page, let me just say...
Holy Fucking Shit.
I love the art here for the way it was pretty much 75% of why I have this Oh My Fucking God reaction to what is going on here. There is some seriously creepy creepiness going on, all at once, and the look on Wally's face says it all. The panels just draw all my attention right there, to that shock and horror, making his reaction just as much, if not more, the focus of what's happening in the smaller panels above him, that insane sequence of death and holy crap Barry's fingers are claws now are those FANGS??? and if this art had not been like this? The following would have made me be full of "ugh wtf" but instead....
I am filled with shock, confusion, understanding, horror, omfg I dunno if that's awesome or not sort of things with my jaw hanging open and a few hours afterwards where I was just wandering around in a haze of trying to grasp what is going on with my beloved Flashes. And look at Wally there! Minor in this, the focus now entirely being on Barry evolving into an undead monstrosity, but he's still done really well. He doesn't know if he has to run for his life or try to help, and it's all there in his body language.
When I first read the Black Flash's appearance in the DCU, I honestly was creeped right the fuck out by that guy, way more than any other character has ever creeped me out. He's not evil, he's definitely not good... he's this force of nature that happens to look very, very scary. No offense to Kirby or anything (RIP) but if the Black Racer had looked half of the serious fright the Black Flash did, the New Gods would have a lot of issues with a lot more impact to them. Or that one JLA story-line where Darkseid wins in an apocalyptic future.
If this does follow up with Wally having to run for his life... which may or may not happen, I mean, Barry was holding on to him just before he touched Christina and she crumbled... If anything but suck happens, it's pretty much gonna be epic... or so it seems. I don't know if I'd want this to be undone or not... if it was, it'd feel like DC pansying out on us, but at the same time... Oh Barry.
I've just been having a conversation about one of the Flashes fulfilling their potential by becoming a cosmic being of some sort, sparked by Stop Motion, just before I read this... so it's some interesting coincidence, even if this is really not the direction I expected.
Regardless, I still don't know quite how I feel about all this.
I need a cigarette.
I've been complaining a little bit about Flash: Rebirth, I'll admit. Not getting why Barry would come back at all, a few other things I'll get to in a sec. Yesterday, the second issue came out... and is forcing me to re-think exactly how I feel about what's going on.
But first, #1 and why I was like, the only person not thinking this was awesome.
In contrast to like, every other issue about Wally and his kids, he seems downright impatient and frustrated with them. My knee-jerk reaction was to wonder what the deal was with that; he always seemed so patient and adoring. Then I thought about it a little... and maybe not liking this at all was harsh.
The last time Barry "came back", Wally was a mess of self-doubt until that storyline played out and it turned out it wasn't actually Barry at all. But this time, it is, so in all likelihood all Wally's thinking about it where he fits in the grand scheme of things, if he should be stepping aside for his mentor, etc. Lots of stress. Wondering if he's done the right thing along the line. Where family fits in the equation.
So ultimately, I can more than forgive this; it actually makes a lot of sense. Wally is the Prince of Angst, after all.
Apart from being a little confused at why Bart was there and nobody was surprised about it (I missed that issue, I discovered afterwards) this was the one part I took no issue with whatsoever. When he was very young, Bart idolized his grandfather, but he's become more cynical and I can really see his feelings about Barry changing. Maybe if Barry had sought Bart out right away instead of avoiding him along with everyone else, this wouldn't have been Bart's tune, but he didn't, so it makes sense, as well as being what a lot of people must be thinking as they read this.
I could understand why Barry would be angsty, being yanked out of a peaceful afterlife, but I also get what Hal's driving at; a second chance, the opportunity to be with everyone again, and Barry's just avoiding everyone. Barry isn't even bothering to put on a brave face... but maybe I was just thinking too much about what Wally would do: even when he was certain he was about to die, he'd keep quiet about it and just be with the people he cared about and have those last moments for their benefit as much as his.
But, seeing where this all is ultimately going, I can see how Barry's feelings might have driven him to isolating himself. At the time, however, it just struck me wrong.
The last sequence was definitely cool and creepy. Savitar was an important guy in Flash comics; I mean, he caused Johnny Quick's death and gave all the speedsters a run for their money, at the time being more powerful than Wally by a significant margin. Walter West was as strong as he was because of Savitar. So it was nice to see him again, and because he's a bastard, to see him dissolve into a pile of ash.
In hindsight, this sequence should have given me a big clue about what was going on with Barry, but I totally missed it.
So, now we come to the issue that came out yesterday.
Let me pause here to say I am a huge fan of this art. That bit I never had second thoughts about, at all. The painting on the first page of this issue and how it's pops up, changing, in bits and pieces, throughout is really neat, although I do have to wonder what the gorillas have to do with this. They have become more spiritual recently... maybe they've forgiven the Flashes for being bloodthirsty like all other humans due to some sort of insights on wtf is going on? Anyway. The expressions in the art, the looks in people's eyes, the significance given to small gestures or body language, the details, all that, have made me a fan of this guy for a while.
It comes out a lot near the end of #2, where I'm picking up again...
Wally and Barry are at the site of the Black Flash's body laying a cornfield when Crazy Christina, one-time servant of Vandal Savage, sometimes bane of Wally's life/marriage, comes back wanting revenge. See what I mean about the art, though? Speedster fights are hard to do well, because an illusion of motion just isn't good enough... it has to be that illusion of a lot happening in a very small space of time, without being chaos... so big props.
I've always liked her get-up here... but I'm still not too sad to see her go. Not just because she ruined Wally's honeymoon (after being 12 already ruined it once) but I like her being important here in the same way Savitar was important...
...with the same life expectancy.
Before we get to the last page, let me just say...
Holy Fucking Shit.
I love the art here for the way it was pretty much 75% of why I have this Oh My Fucking God reaction to what is going on here. There is some seriously creepy creepiness going on, all at once, and the look on Wally's face says it all. The panels just draw all my attention right there, to that shock and horror, making his reaction just as much, if not more, the focus of what's happening in the smaller panels above him, that insane sequence of death and holy crap Barry's fingers are claws now are those FANGS??? and if this art had not been like this? The following would have made me be full of "ugh wtf" but instead....
I am filled with shock, confusion, understanding, horror, omfg I dunno if that's awesome or not sort of things with my jaw hanging open and a few hours afterwards where I was just wandering around in a haze of trying to grasp what is going on with my beloved Flashes. And look at Wally there! Minor in this, the focus now entirely being on Barry evolving into an undead monstrosity, but he's still done really well. He doesn't know if he has to run for his life or try to help, and it's all there in his body language.
When I first read the Black Flash's appearance in the DCU, I honestly was creeped right the fuck out by that guy, way more than any other character has ever creeped me out. He's not evil, he's definitely not good... he's this force of nature that happens to look very, very scary. No offense to Kirby or anything (RIP) but if the Black Racer had looked half of the serious fright the Black Flash did, the New Gods would have a lot of issues with a lot more impact to them. Or that one JLA story-line where Darkseid wins in an apocalyptic future.
If this does follow up with Wally having to run for his life... which may or may not happen, I mean, Barry was holding on to him just before he touched Christina and she crumbled... If anything but suck happens, it's pretty much gonna be epic... or so it seems. I don't know if I'd want this to be undone or not... if it was, it'd feel like DC pansying out on us, but at the same time... Oh Barry.
I've just been having a conversation about one of the Flashes fulfilling their potential by becoming a cosmic being of some sort, sparked by Stop Motion, just before I read this... so it's some interesting coincidence, even if this is really not the direction I expected.
Regardless, I still don't know quite how I feel about all this.
I need a cigarette.
no subject
on 2009-05-10 09:14 am (UTC)I like Guardian-bashing as much as the next person should, but I was also sort of hoping that some of the other Lantern colors would be interesting. Blue almost was and then... no it's helpless without Green, oh how lame and not true. Purple wuv? Oh look it's the Psycho Ex Girlfriend Rings! How is that love exactly? Admittedly Ruffles the Rage Cat was a winner. But overall it makes me wish for the days when overpowered Kyle got to kick Hal's ego into the next star system.
Secret Six may actually be even MORE awesome than you suspect. If I had a scanner I'd be sharing the messed-up not-really-safe-for-work Tiny Titans parody right now. The most recent issue was a little slim on the funny perhaps by Simone standards, but I have to give her mad props for pulling of a self-contained issue on the classic "heroes go on a date" theme and making it work well.
And the storyline before that one is the first interesting exploration of how some stuff works in the DC universe and what that would mean to the people in it that I've seen in a darn long time. And it's funny, twisted, OMG-you-didn't-just-go-there, and Gail Simone at some of her best, even while it made you think about stuff like "So wait, in DCverse anybody who knows superheroes knows that Hell really exists? Whoa".
I've been pruning my pull list quite a bit lately, and as a Bat-fan at heart I've been hit hard by the Bat-cancellations crap too. But Secret Six remains, and is one of the few things which consistently makes me very happy.
no subject
on 2009-05-10 11:09 am (UTC)I always long for the days when Kyle was "the" GL. Still, Hal has his moments. I really did enjoy Blackest Night #0 a lot, I must admit. Green Lantern recently? Not so much. It's a mixed bag.
I'm totally going to get that comic ASAP now, that sounds... amazing. I have need for teh funny and something good. The current state of Bat-ness and speedster-ness makes me sad.