Flash #11Story & Cover by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Pencils by Marcus To
Inks by Ray McCarthy
The Solicitation
• The New 52 debut of HEAT WAVE! • THE FLASH is on a crash course with THE ROGUES!
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Why I Bought It
It's the only Flash book out there, unfortunately.
What I Liked
To's art. It actually works quite well for when Manapul can't make the dead lines. You can tell it definitely isn't in the same style, but I do like that it tries at times, like when Flash has his "he sees all outcomes" moment.
And that cover is some nice work. Especially with the look of Heatwave, I would say it rocked it pretty good. Too bad nothing like that scene happens in the comic.
We get another introduction to a member of the Rogues. Well, sort of introduction. more on that later.
What I Didn't Like
Hey, it is later.
Just when I don't know anything about Barry Allen, he decides to go "undercover" in a sense and create a new life for himself. In the same town he was in before. Where he was a police officer. And sets up shop as a bartender at a Rogue's bar. And calls himself Allen, or "Al" for short.
I'll take intelligence as something that Barry is lacking here.
This issue tried another villain as the center story and lost it miserably again. Heatwave makes heat, and he is mad at Captain Cold, who makes ice. Wow. That was an original way to tell their story. All it does is try to set us up at the end where the Golden Glider comes hovering out of nowhere. Oh wait, that is what predictably happens.
I'm tired of seeing this comic and thinking "LAME" in my head each time I read it. At least the art was interesting at one point. But everything that has happened to Barry since the relaunch just seems so hollow and weak. None of this story feels thought out much. And we have two people writing it!
Obviously, whatever is happening in Teen Titans with Kid Flash is not something that they care about or appear like they are going to crossover with this book. I bring this point up because one of DC's justification for using Barry was that he was a name to people. But they haven't played with the Bart Allen/Barry Allen connection yet, and that's sad. So why stick with Barry? Why jump start the new universe with him? AND THEN DO NOTHING WITH HIM?
If you are starting the new 52 in a universe that is 5 years into its existence, you could of had Wally West as the Flash. Barry Allen could have started it, but then he could have died. Make it at the end of the first Justice League arc or something. And then Wally took over his place. And then you have a young kid with an attitude as the Flash, and at least that gives the character an angle to work with.
Bart Allen had more personality as the Flash when he was running around in the tights a few years back. Seriously.
Panel to Remember
I'm going with the cover on this one. The look of Heatwave is just awesome there compared to anything in the book.
Quotable
"Yer fired!" - Heatwave to "Al" the bartender. Sigh.
Grades
Words: 2/10
Pictures: 7/10
Buy Next Issue: Grumble grumble grumble.....
2 comments:
I agree; I think the writing (dialogue and plotting) in this book is terrible. The art is beautiful, but why did DC have to hire artists to write?
My hope is that it is because they are trying to re-create the magic of past writers & artists. In some cases, the artist does have a good sense of storytelling that can pull off an OK book. Put the longer you let an artist do that, and the thinner the story gets, the more you know you gotta try a different approach. I would also apply the same rule to writers who try to draw, but I think that is an atypical situation.
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