Now here is where it gets interesting
During World War II, they were heroes. Creatures with abilites far beyond those of mortal men. Led by Frankenstein's monster, these scientifically created monsters, they fight on the side of the Americans. However, after the end of the war, they're obsolete.
The Good
- Here is where it gets interesting. So far, we've had Batman - who we know in its basics - and Aquaman - who's also well-known. Now we get Frankenstein, a character that hasn't been touched by many people in recent years. Or ever, for that matter. He's an extraordinary hero, an interesting character and he looks really cool, too. What's not to like.
- The story is not your typical "Let's go punch evil in the face", which is basically what almost every superhero comic book amounts to these days. These characters are on a mission that is entirely their own. They're unique.
- None of that whole mystery-plot thing where you're told what's going on halfway into the story. Jeff Lemire tells us right away what's up and it's good.
The Bad
- The Germans. I was impressed with the first line of German as it did not contain any errors. However, when Frankenstein and his gang attack the bunker, the German is straight out of Babelfish. Is it really so hard to find someone who actually speaks German. Alternatively, the phrase "Help me!" - which is translated to "Mir helfen" which is something nobody would ever say (correct translation wound be "Hilfe!") - should be found in any online phrasebook.
- The realization that whatever Lemire is building here is most likely not going to stick around. I'm guessing that the end of Flashpoint will see a sort of "Whew, finally everything is fixed"-moment, followed by "Wait, what is this? It's all wrong!"
- Nina Mazursky's helmet. Why does she need it again?
The Verdict
Again, it's hard to tell if this comic is in any way essential for the events of Flashpoint. So if you're a collector of Flashpoint-titles that are essential, because buying all of the event would be idiotically expensive (and it really is), then I'd be careful about buying this one. However, if you want a good and interesting story, then this is your comic. If you don't speak any German, even better, you won't even notice the nerve-grating Babelfish translations. But it's a good, compelling and ultimately very interesting read.
