Outsider and Manhunter square off as we find out what happened to Black Adam. Can Outsider overcome this fearsome foe?
The Good
I've heard people say they like this mini-series, and I've heard others say they hate it. Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only person who loved it. This was the most interesting new character in the Flashpoint Universe. He's incredibly powerful, but he uses his intelligence and wit to get the upper-hand. We get a lot of that characteristic in this issue. One thing I really loved about Outsider in this issue is that he keeps his cool the entire time, even when fighting for his life against the Manhunter, but that moreso goes back to the fact that Outsider is always planned and knows he has the upper-hand.
This tie-in isn't necessary to understand what is going on in the main Flashpoint series, but it does end up having an affect on the main book, as minor as it may be. We won't know officially how Outsider will play into the main mini-series, but we'll all find out during the last issue of Flashpoint.
I loved the art on this issue, which was drawn by Javi Fernandez, especially when it came to the character design of Manhunter. During the fight between Outsider and Manhunter, we get to see a more primal version of Manhunter. He's more beast than humanoid, and he's a giant shape-changing beast at that.
The Bad
I want more of this character, and sadly, I have a feeling that Flashpoint 5 will be the last time we'll ever see him.
The Verdict
Well, I had a tough decision. This book isn't a 4 star book, but it's not a 5 star book. However, 4 stars just isn't enough. I really enjoyed this issue. It's one of the better overall mini-series in this storyline. I loved the character of Outsider and his final battle with Manhunter, whose character design really blew me away. I'm excited to see how this character plays out in the last issue of Flashpoint, but I really don't want to see him go. I highly recommend this issue and mini-series. Even if you're not reading Flashpoint, this book stands out on it's own as great.