Flash #2 review

Review by Eric Ridgeway

“Case One: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues”

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Francis Manapul w/ Joel Gomez
Colorist: Brian Buccellato
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Associate Editor: Adam Schlagman
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover: Manapul w/Buccellato
Variant Cover: Ryan Sook
Published by DC Comics

Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul continue their new look at The Flash with a minority report twist. This issue picks up where the fist one left off with the Flash (Barry Allen) encountering future looking rogues serving as cops known as the Renegades. The big mystery after Flash #1 was who are the Renegades and what is their real purpose? Sadly that is one thing about this issue I did not like.

Geoff Johns does a good job of describing one of Barry’s other uses of super speed. Short term memory acquired at the rate of super speed but it goes away just as fast. The panels with Barry and his wife, Iris West, discussing Flash business out in the open is quickly becoming a pet peeve of mine. Wouldn't that make them easy targets for the Rogues and other criminals? The cliffhanger in this issue did not seem to be as climatic as the first issue but I must say there has to be a logical explanation to this last page.

For as good as John’s writing is Manapul’s art is really carrying this book. When there are no word bubbles on a page the art has to be tremendous. In this case it was when Flash was racing through the falling building. The art is not only clean but simple as well and there are no lightning bolts emerging from the Flash as he is running. In these panels Flash doesn’t use his powers to fight super villains but rather to help humanity. It is also nice to see some sunlight after everything that was Blackest Night.

Overall this was a good comic book but my biggest problem is that I hoped to see more of the Renegades. Even just one panel at their home base would have satisified my curiousity. As it stands right now we really don’t know if they have a hidden agenda and the suspense is killing me!

Overall Rating: 8 out of 10 (On Its Way to Greatness!)