Friday, May 8, 2009
Flash: Rebirth #2
Cover.
The cover is an homage to to the cover of the classic Showcase #4, the debut of Barry Allen, and according to many comic book historians, the issue that began the Silver Age of comics. That cover also featured Barry Allen jumping out of a filmstrip. However, the previous frames all consisted of Barry in different poses. Here, we have a much more macabre look at skeleton-like versions of other speedsters. From the front, we have Wally West (despite the similarity in costumes, you can always tell the difference between him and Barry by the belt -- Barry's is horizontal, Wally's is V-shaped when you look at it from the front), Jay Garrick, Jesse Chambers/Liberty Belle, and Bart Allen/Kid Flash. Their skeleton-like appearances echos the manner in which Barry died during Crisis on Infinite Earths. While he ran superfast circle's around the Anti-Monitor's antimatter cannon, he body quickly wasted away into nothing, turning from healthy young man to skeleton to just a costume.
Page 1.
Panel 1.
Here we are back in Gorilla City, briefly seen in one panel last issue. A gorilla, presumably Nnamdi, their king (his father, Solovar, like to rock the red capes as well), paints a Flash-themed mural. The center figure is Barry. Clockwise from the lower left hand corner, we have Bart, Wally, Iris/Irey West, Jai West, Jay, and Savitar (seen turned to dust last issue). What is the black lightning that Nnamdi's painting?
Panel 6.
Savitar's getting loads of the black paint. Perhaps to signify his current status as dead? And the black lightning is emanating from Barry. Very curious...
Page 2.
Panel 1.
Savitar's fortress. As far as I can recall, this is the first time that Savitar has been linked to the Balkan region. If I recall, during Dead Heat, the storyline in which Savitar first appeared and was the big bad, Waid called him a pilot for a third world nation during the Cold War, which would indicate an Eastern Bloc nation. Looking at the intersection of these nations with those on the Balkan Peninisula, one might guess we're in the former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, or perhaps some made-up-for-the-DCU nation like Pokolistan. Interestingly, the name Savitar itself was adopted from Savitr, a Hindu god.
I'm pretty sure "riding the lightning" was a phrase that cropped up around the time of Dead Heat, probably spoken by Savitar himself, or perhaps his counterpart amonst the good guys, Max Mercury. It has been adopted by the web's premiere Flash fansite, Those Who Ride the Lightning.
Panel 2.
Ivana Christina Borodin Molotova, aka Christina Alexandrova, was originally a member of Blue Trinity, a group of Soviet speedsters who fought Wally during one of his earliest adventures after Barry's death. She's traded allegiances several times. For a while she was allied with Vandal Savage, then teamed up with Wally as Lady Flash, then fell in with Kobra and eventually Savitar.
The "fifth force" must be the Speed Force. She mentions the other four: strong, weak, electromagnetism, and graviation.
Look at all of Savitar's acolytes watching her from the balconies.
Page 3.
Panel 2.
So long, acolytes.
Page 4.
Panel 1.
Savitar's mask, lying in the dirt. We now rejoin Barry immediately following the events of last issue.
Panel 2.
We'll periodically be going back to Nnamdi's mural. Savitar is now totally black.
Page 5.
Panel 1.
Barry left Hal at the Flash Museum last issue.
Panel 2.
Savitar's mask surviving parallels what happened with Barry's death in Crisis. As I mentioned earlier, Barry's costume survived while the rest of him was turned to dust.
Panel 4.
Johns is really playing up the whole "Barry's a cop" angle with all this lingo.
Page 6.
Panel 1.
One of the many cool tricks that Flashes can pull off is running on water. Their feet move so fast, they don't have time to sink.
Barry gives us a really good summary of the differences between his return and Hal's.
Page 7.
Panels 1 & 2.
Here Barry notices the similarities between what he is currently seeing and his memory of the moment before he learned of his mother's murder (seen in flashback last issue).
Panel 3.
"Iris's home"? It's interesting that Barry isn't referring to it as "his" home yet.
Panel 4.
My life "flashes" before my eyes? Argh. Unforunately, this isn't the only bad pun this issue!
Another extended flashback to Barry's past. This time, we get a glimpse at Barry's life at work, pre-Flash.
Panel 5.
Lieutentant Frye will eventually become Captain Frye. We'll see his present day self in a little bit. The blond woman on the right is Patty Spivot, a recurring character from Barry's series. Interestingly, she looks almost identical to Angela Margolin, who worked in Barry's lab after his death, and was the love interest of Walter West, an alternate-universe version of Wally. The other scientists are Desmond (possibly Albert Desmond, aka Dr. Alchemy?) and Forrest, possibly a relative of Wally's friend Chunk?
I have a secret wish that Julio Mendez, Barry's colleague from the Flash tv series, will show up one of these days in the comics.
Page 8.
Panel 1.
Barry's slowness/lateness explained! He's just methodical. That's why he's always late for the dates with Iris, right?
Panel 2.
The "Slowest Man Alive" was the nickname of Barry's very first foe, Turtle Man.
Panel 6.
And here it is, the Secret Origin of Barry Allen's bowtie. I must say that I've lost some respect for Barry now that I know his bowties are clip-ons.
Page 9.
Panel 4.
Sam Scudder will eventually become the Mirror Master. It's interesting that his M.O. of using mirrors already had been adopted prior to his donning of the green and yellow costume.
Page 10.
Panel 1.
Barry Allen, meet Iris West. As I mentioned in my annotations last issue, she was originally a reporter for the Picture News. Changing this to the Central Citizen seems like a rather pointless retcon.
Page 11.
Panel 1.
Here we get a little bit more on the Allen parents retcon. So Henry is dead as well, before his son becomes the Flash, contrary to his several Silver Age appearances, after his son becomes the Flash. Argh.
Panel 7.
Many of the streets in Central and Keystone Cities seem to be named after famous Flash creators of yesteryear. Here we learn that there's some street with normal-sounding names as well.
Page 12.
Panels 3 & 4.
Despite all the other retcons, at least the Allen parents get to keep their names. And Henry his occupation!
Panel 7.
Is this the split-second before the lightning strikes Barry, granting him superspeed? Or is it just foreshadowing?
Page 13.
Panel 1.
Back to the present. Barry finally enters "Iris's home".
Panel 2.
Here's now-Captain Frye with Iris. Interestingly, Frye looks a good deal older than he did in the flashback, whereas Iris looks about the same. As I mentioned last time, Iris has a good 20-30 years more aging on the rest of the cast, due to her time spent in the future. I suppose that's the wonders of the 30th century medicine?
Another common Flash trick -- moving so fast that folks can't see you. But wouldn't they feel the wind that Barry creates in his wake?
Panel 3.
There's been a couple reflections so far this issue. Barry's face in Savitar's mask a few pages back was another. Mirror Master, anyone?
Panel 5.
Costume ring!
Panel 6.
"Somewhere warm." I would imagine that the Speed Force is probably pretty warm, what with all the lightning and speed energy everywhere.
Page 14.
Panel 1.
That's because he hasn't, Captain Frye.
Panel 2.
Frye is presumably referring to the events in the opening pages of last issue.
Panel 3.
"Up to speed"? Groan.
Panel 4.
I wonder what crime Barry supposedly witnessed in his doctored Witness Protection files?
Panel 6.
Many fans and creators have referred to Barry as a saint since his death in Crisis, often claiming this was the very reason he should never be brought back.
Page 15.
Panel 1.
Henry Allen, sans moustache. I'm not sure which annoys me more, all these retcons concerning him and his wife or his lack of facial hair!
Panel 2.
Barry killing Professor Zoom to save his bride-to-be, Fiona Webb. This is actually the event that sparked the disappearance of police scientist Barry Allen, even before his death as the Flash.
Panel 4.
"Flash facts" often showed up in Barry's Silver Age adventures, giving mini science facts to explain what was happening in the Scarlet Speedster's adventures.
Page 16.
Panel 1.
Back to Nnamdi's mural.
Panel 2.
From left: Hourman, Jesse, Mr. Terrific, Dr. Mid-Nite (the team doctor, hence why he's examining Jay), Jay, Joan, Green Lantern, and Stargirl.
Panel 3.
One might assume that the length and severity of the seizures have something to do with connection to the Speed Force. As mentioned, Jesse is only slightly connected, whereas Bart actually was the living embodiment of the Speed Force not too long ago, right before his death in Flash: The Fastest Man Alive.
Panel 4.
From left: Robin, Bart. Interesting, neither are currently on the Teen Titans roster.
Panel 6.
From left: Starfire, Red Arrow, Beast Boy, Linda, Jai, Irey/Iris, a miscolored Donna Troy?, Cyborg, and Raven.
Page 17.
Panel 1.
Gotta love Wally and Barry running alongside each other.
I wouldn't say the science of speed is completely unknown. There certainly have been numerous minds studying it. Tina and Jerry McGee, Conrad Bortz, and Valerie Perez all come to mind.
Page 18.
Panel 2.
Black Flash and the Black Racer are just two different personifications of Death seen in the DCU. Here Wally confirms that they are in fact one and the same, as the Black Racer version was what we saw during the events he is mentioning from Final Crisis.
Panel 5.
Lightning strikes right as Wally says Max's name. Foreshadowing? (I hope!)
Page 19.
Panel 2.
Wally's suit is made up of solidified Speed Force energy. It always bugs me when it gets ripped like this.
Panel 5.
Notice Barry's hand on Wally's shoulder? More on that in a bit.
Page 20.
Panel 3.
I suppose this confirms that every one of Savitar's acolytes died at the beginning of this issue, not just the couple we saw kick the bucket.
Panel 4.
Barry touches Christina. A few panels later, she is dead. He touched Savitar last issue and he died. But when he touched Wally, nothing. What gives? Does the Speed Force distinguish between good and evil?
Page 21.
Panel 6.
Is the pain Wally is fighting through only from Christina pwning him? Or is some of it coming from Barry as well?
Page 22.
Panel 2.
Why waste all that perfectly good red and yellow paint just to paint over it, Nnamdi? And how do you know so much?
See you next issue!
1 comments:
thank you
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