I have to admit I wasn’t planning to read Flashpoint. Everything I read, in advance, about it lead me to believe it was nothing more then a big Elseworlds story. Don’t get me wrong I’ve read a lot of Elseworlds stories, over the years, that I’ve enjoyed but I didn’t want to read one that was going to be so huge. I mean in addition to the main five part miniseries Flashpoint has about a million tie-ins. OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a little but you get my point. I also wasn’t interested in reading a mega event that would have little or no impact on the regular DC universe. Well, after hearing about DC’s plan to use Flashpoint to relaunch their whole universe I decided I better read the series.
I have to say I enjoyed the first issue. The artwork was fine and the mystery of what has happen to Barry and the world around him is intriguing. I also liked the alternate reality versions of the different characters we meet even if some of them we meet only briefly. These where the two important objectives writer Geoff Johns had to achieve in this first issue; create an intriguing mystery that we want to find the answer to and create an alternate reality that we will enjoy visiting for a time. One other thing Geoff Johns does very artfully in this issue is mention major events that have taken place in some of the tie-ins without diverging from the central story that needs to be told in this issue. The issue also ends on a high note when Geoff Johns reveals a major surprise about the Batman of this alternate reality and no I’m not going to tell you what the surprise is. All and all I give this first issue of Flashpoint two thumbs up and recommend giving it a try. I enjoyed this issue and am looking forward to the next issue; what more could I ask for from a comic.
One last point I’d like to make; no one should take my endorsement of this issue as an endorsement of DC’s planned relaunch of their universe. At some point I may outline my views on what DC has planned but now just is not the right time.
Keith Forney