Comics! Flash #3

Flash #3

Story by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato

Art by Francis Manapul

This issue is pretty dark. Not storytelling dark, just heavy use of dark colors. I know that there is supposed to be a black out in the city as a major story telling device, but the art really looks like it skewed towards one side of the color palette.

You can tell that Manapul is great artist, but his story telling abilities with words could use a lot of improvement. I get it that DC is trying to do this push with artists writing the stories, but even when they pair the artist with a co-writer or co-plotter as Batwoman has or when they carry the reigns without one as Tony Daniel has, it leaves a lot to be desired. Are they thinking that artists aren't being able to draw what they like? That they don't have that much input into the story?

The big cliffhanger at the end of the book doesn't feel like on at all. Barry gets shot in the side of the head and the bad guys declare that he is dead? Yeah, that will stick. Don't they remember that he jumped in the water from the first issue and supposedly drowned? Wouldn't that stick out to them since he is alive?

And the Dark Knight reference with the characters on horse back while the city is in a black out? It is a nice shout out, but I rather there be more Flash references in a Flash book instead of a Batman reference. Its the older reader in me that noticed it, I doubt any new readers for the book would realize what is going on. Newer readers may notice that Batman #3 has the same style of cover as this book does, with a background missing and white space filling it all up. I guess I just expect something there besides darkness on a cover.

The book is still at a pretty fast pace with the storytelling. Honestly, it is throwing me off a bit, and I hope when I read all three issues at once I am able to get some more from the story. As it stands now, I am getting some things, but a lot of it is just going over my head. More things need to be developed in the storytelling to make it work. I'm not just saying that because I am not getting it, I'm saying it because a lot of people probably aren't getting it.

How did Iris become stuck in Cold's cell when the last issue she was trapped in what looks like a guard's room during the blackout? Ugh. I need to read all three at once. I have hope that there is clarity.

Words: 4/10

Pictures: 6/10

Recommend: Not really.

Buy Next Issue: I'm a Flash fan. I gotta buy it, but I probably won't like it much.