COMICS!! Review: Flashpoint: Reverse Flash #1

Time After Time...

Flashpoint has been an event comic series worth reading. Not because the alternate reality schtick hasn't been done before (because it has) or because it'll have a significant and lasting effect on the soon to be revamped DC Universe (because I don't think it will). No, Flashpoint's been fun to read because of all the kooky spin-offs we've got that remain wholly familiar, but bring something new to sink your teeth into.

Reverse Flash #1 leans more heavily on one of these qualities than the other and, while still a wholly enjoyable read, it may be a bit too familiar to warrant people cough up their 3 dollars for.

Deja Vu

The story of Reverse Flash #1 is pretty much a retread of the early exploits of Eobard Thawne (aka Professor Zoom, aka Reverse Flash, aka douche bag). This isn't something that, if you're a Flash fan, you haven't read before, but this is definitely a more methodical re-telling of it. That's likely because it's from Thawne's perspective, and you get a better sense of not only why he did what he's done to Barry over the years, but HOW. It's definitely an entertaining exercise.

This is the second of Scott Kolins' Flashpoint mini-series that I've read, and Kolins continues to demonstrate his expertise over with these introspective villains stories. The narrative is strong and written with scientific precision and efficiency that fits the character. I was also surprised how much the pencils by Joel Gomez looked so similar to Kollins' pencils. They're rough as all get out, but they're also fitting for the grit and grime of a villain book.

Here We Go Again

The one problem I had with Reverse Flash is a big one. The fact of the matter is that issue one here is a retelling of a story that's been told several times over. In fact, just a few months ago, Scott Kolins had a full-page Eobard Thawne feature in the Flash series AND THEN had an entire issue devoted to Zoom and his origins a few months later. The point being, I was hoping that this would at least start to show some of Zoom's input into the whole Flashpoint event, but instead it seems like just a basic re-telling. I'm not opposed to stories being retold from different perspectives or updated for audiences who haven't read them, but as I said, this stuff was JUST retold. Couldn't we get some actual development here in the first issue?

And, in the end, that will probably be the biggest factor as to whether or not you'll pick up Reverse Flash #1. If you're a Flash fan, you know this story, but probably want to pick up this entire series. That's merited, and the writing here is good enough that this could be a heck of a series. On the other hand, it's perhaps a hard sell to get people to pick up a story that's been retold several times just recently. If you've got any attachment to this classic Flash villain, pick this series and up and see where it goes. If one telling of Professor Zoom's origins is enough for you, maybe give it a pass.

Flashpoint: Reverse Flash #1 gets 3 stars out of 5