No Stopping the Flash...
Man o' man, it really doesn't get much better than this. As I stated in my last review of a Flash comic, this new series written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Francis Manapul might just be the purest, funnest, and overall most enjoyable comic I'm currently reading. Of course that isn't to say it's flawless (and seeing as I'm supposed to be REVIEWING this thing, I should probably cut the blind praise right there), but this is as good a comic book as can be produced by human hands.
Revelations Abounding
Without giving too much away, this issue could be considered the climax of the Flash's butting heads with future Rogues (the Renegades) attempting to arrest him for a murder he has not yet committed. One of these Renegades, Top, believes this future can be avoided by warning Barry about the events that lead up to it, and together they battle both the Rogues and the Renegades to prevent a cataclysm that will forever change the Flash's life. The issue does a great job of tying in all the loose sub-plots built into the previous issues. This includes Captain Boomerang's connection to the White-Light Event and the significance of the case that Iris is currently investigating for Barry. It never feels like the story's overstuffed, though, rather that it is going by at such a blistering pace that, before you know it, the issue has ended on a couple of major cliff-hangers.Did I mention these guys are good?
The superb pacing is once again due to Geoff Johns taut writing. He doesn't get caught up in long-winded reams of exposition (something I could certainly stand to learn), but instead manages to spell things out quickly and effective. It's almost as if he trusts the audience to be smart enough to understand the concepts at work here *GASP* and/or actually has such a clear picture of this story's endpoint, he doesn't mind leaving some things up in the air for later. He also writes pretty effective banter, which is pretty great in this issue as the Rogues face off against their more serious and professional future counterparts. Captain Boomerang's quips are always a favorite of mine. Lastly, do I even have to mention Francis Manapul's art again? Well yes, because the guy just churns out such consistently beautiful stuff that he deserves every bit of praise I can give him. This issue, as well as the last few, have focused a lot on the action, and Manapul has never once disappointed with his portrayal of any of these characters no matter what kind of over-the-top action they're doing.If I had to complain about anything, it'd only be that this story is so intriguing it feels as if it's being drip-fed to me. Here we are in issue #5, which has all types of revelations and story threads converging, but we're still left waiting for the next issue for anything to be resolved. This is really a testament to how well-written and staged this story is, because I'm truly just complaining about wanting MORE. It's inevitably coming (and I'll definitely still be reading), but one has to wonder whether this they could have combined a couple of those earlier issues.
Just buy it already!
In the end, though, this new Flash series is everything you could want in a superhero comic and more. Intriguing and fantastical storylines, good guys fighting bad guys, great writing and superb art, and the drive to come back next issue. If you're not reading Flash comics RIGHT NOW, there is genuinely something wrong with you.The Flash #5 gets... well 5 stars out of 5.
