Bart & The Mantle

[shankie]

Scans from The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #3 and geeky commentary. Because this issue, surprisingly more than the others with their flashbacks, just begged for it.

Spoilers. Of course.




Okay, nitpick time! XD

That isn't Barry's costume; it's Wally's. He changed the belt style. Dead giveaway. But he looks good in it, so I'm not gonna complain...





Alright, that cute little look on Bart's face when he's looking at the matter around him? Fabulous.

Having this happen when a speedster runs through something is new to me; or it didn't happen enough in anything I've read recently enough to remember. Which is very cool for me; sometimes, the pitfalls of powers can get overused, and that's just boring. This? Neat as hell.



Alright, Bart? Honey? You know what happens the second the Flash appears in Central City/Keystone?

The Rogues Gallery happens. They live to fight the Flash, and they're determined, resourceful, and led by one smart dude. They're going to be looking for you, and if you don't show yourself, they'll force you out. That's what they do. The Rogues will go to the ends of the Earth to accomplish something; and have, literally, in the past.

You can't just put the suit on, then later on say you didn't mean it. Doesn't work like that.



I really like his hips. A lot.



It all makes sense now! You're trying to turn him into Ultimate Spider-Man! XP



The total dork in me is loving this re-examination of the Speed Force. I find it terribly interesting, and I think it's an interesting idea that they even did it; changing it up for Bart's series. Might work out to be great. Still have to wait and see on that front, though.



Flashback! When Val met Bart.

There's something terribly appealing about the Kid Flash uniform; even though I hate yellow. It's been called the best-designed costume in the DCU, which is why, I think, it gets re-used so often. Perhaps even part of why Bart became Kid Flash in the first place.



Hee! XD

Speedsters are always covered in electricity like that. A few times, people who hang out with them mention that's how they even smell, like live wires. So this was very great and cute.



And a little of Griff, Bart's roommate, playing Griffin the vigilante. Fucker thinks he's Batman. Jay has something to say about that. GIve it up, kid. Bruce was dodging automatic weapons fire before he was old enough to shave, not to mention Wally or Bart.



::kicks Bart into not being in emo denial::


This was, by far, my favourite issue in this run to date. I'm sure the appearance of the costume had something to do with that. And everything I just babbled about. XD

Comments

[fullmetal-cute.livejournal.com]

Excuse me while I squee.


Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaart!!!!!!!!!

*pounces on Bart* Personally, I think the Impulse costume with the goggles was better designed. But that's just me.

[wachey.livejournal.com]

Lol, Spidey reference!

Anyway, this issue looks so cool! Anyway, how are the stories holding up?

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

The Impulse costume did great, depending on the artist. Sometimes it looked just bad, and the weird thing with the stripe down the front made it less... neat. Design-wise. To me, anyway.

Isn't Bart just the best? XD

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

Don't you worry, they're coming.

Slave driver. XP

[fullmetal-cute.livejournal.com]

He's the bestest DC speedster about.

[kirke-novak.livejournal.com]

Bart has such pretty eyes... :D The longest eyelashes.

Yet I miss Wally. I'll always miss Wally. Becaue Wally was Wally and IS Wally and Bart is Bart and it's good but not Wally...
Yeah...

[hlglne.livejournal.com]

Love whoever's coloring this. Vivid.

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

I like this new take on the speed force - it's more like the way I've always pictured it than the way it had been.

But damnit! That isn't my Bart. I last saw my Bart on the pages of Young Justice. If DiDio wants to send the characters back to their roots, he could at least give me Impulse back rather than declaring war on the DCU.

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

rather than declaring war on the DCU

That should have read "rather than declaring war on fun in the DCU."

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

Listed colourist is a guest, just like all the artists for this issue (sadly, much as I love Lashley, Kerschl is the bomb), is listed as Stephane Peru & The Hories. Huh.

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

I'll miss Impulse too, but really? I've kinda liked watching him grow up. Might not have liked everything about it so far, but it's interesting, and a fairly unique thing in the DCU.

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

I've kinda liked watching him grow up ... a fairly unique thing in the DCU.

Because of course e.g. Batgirl didn't grow up from a desocialised start into an interesting and responsible adult. And Dick hasn't grown into an independent role under Marv Wolfman (and then melted down under the two most recent writers). And Oracle doesn't exist. And Booster Gold didn't grow from a self-interested bastard to a compassionate and competant user of enlightened self-interest.

[victoria-wayne.livejournal.com]

Dick grew up over a period of almost 70 years; then never actually took on his mentor's mantle. Which is fine, and what should have happened and all. But that's a big part of it; actually watching him inherit the promise that all sidekicks have, but that remains unsaid.

And yes, of course, there was some jumping the shark with characters that made them develop, don't be silly. I know that. The entire Teen Titans did that.

Bart is different because his growth has actually matched, more or less, through machinations, the actual amount of time that has passed in the real world. And that's interesting.

I think everything written about his charactarization through those changes was also very realistic and logical. Becoming Kid Flash to compete with the Flash, the person that's had little faith in him since day one? I see that. Wally dangled being the Flash in front of him like a carrot, and he wanted it. Not wanting to be Impulse anymore because of the way he was treated? Makes total sense!

And not wanting to be the Flash now, because of what's happened since that choice? I understand it. He needs to be less emo and get his head on straight, but people are a little out of sorts after things like their friends dying around them.

Sure, it'd be great to have him be a little kid his entire life, but he had his own series for a few years, plus guest-stars and participation in other books, he had his time as Impulse, and I'm okay with him being something else now.

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

Bart is different because his growth has actually matched, more or less, through machinations, the actual amount of time that has passed in the real world. And that's interesting.

Again, Batgirl.

I think everything written about his charactarization through those changes was also very realistic and logical.

Ah. I see Dan DiDio's hand there. Logic went something like "I don't like fun characters and I want my current Teen Titans to be a reasonable match for the TV Titans (who are a cross between Marv Wolfman's Teen Titans and Young Justice), therefore Bart will become Kid Flash and a bit more emo and it's up to the writers to make it so".

And part of my problem is that Impulse was something unique in the DCU as Impulse. As it is, from all I can tell Bart is just another emo kid with superpowers.

And I've just realised what I dislike about Bart's face (particularly in costume). Best summed up by a Weird Al couplet:

Did you know this junkyard slave
Isn't even old enough to shave
But he can use the force they say
Ahh, do you see him hitting in the queen
Though he's just nine and she's fourteen
Yeah he's probably gonna marry her someday

[the-bumper-car.livejournal.com]

Bart's been using too much eyeliner. But otherwise, the art is awesome, and the story seems cool. If not too emo for my taste.

[frog-fish.livejournal.com]

In the first scan? Where Bart's eyes are doing the little lightning streak thing? That owns me. Hee! *hugs Bart*

[vespa331.livejournal.com]

Does anyone else think that Val looks like Carol? Like, a Lot like Carol? And is a little similar to her in personality too? Maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.

I'm in the camp that misses Impulse, but it's hard to really make the call until Bart embraces being the Flash and the book has time to hit its stride. I think the main thing is that most of the things I loved about Bart seem to have been removed from the character. A good writer who actually liked Impulse (they don't have to revert Bart back to Impulse, just understand him) could fix that for me.