Customer Reviews

The Flash Vol. 5: Ignition

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First of all this Trade reprints issues #201-206, it's part of a series of trades colelcting Johns Flash run, more on that later.

Johns Flash is so very human, he shows us what problems could plague the fastest man alive, what can his speed not out run? how about your wifelosing the babies to a battle between the Flash (you) and a villain? worse yet she blames flash for it, and she has no idea you are the flash.

Wally West made a deal, to wipe the minds of everyone in creation of the knowledge he was the flash, only the deal backfired, he also forgot, he now works as a mecanhic for the police, him and his wife are settling in and tryign to deal with their loss of the two babies when Wally finds out..he is the man he hates, the flash, now will Wally tell his wife? how can he deal with it? and a copy cat killer is in town and they need the Flash.

that's the set up, and it leads to a great story, how far would you go to protect your loved one's? how much can a marrige take? all is explored in thsi book, and it even makes the villains human, Johns captain cold is a guy you could even like, there ars shades of grey all over, a lot of fun, a lot of cameos from other heroes, a must buy.

other volumes in the series that show the events leading to this
Flash: blood will run #170-176, Flash Secret Files #3
Flash: Rogue #177-182
Flash: Crossfire #183-191, Flash Secret Files
Flash: Blitz #192-200

Buy this volume only if you have to have a complete set of "The Flash"; don't buy it for the art, because the...art...sucks. Not only does the artist seem to lack the ability to draw super-speed action well, he seems to lack the ability to draw anything well. His work is ugly and he shouldn't have been given this assignment.

Geoff Johns has done amazing things for the DC Universe. He's attempted to right the wrongs of the past, although it took another Crisis story to set everything on an even keel. I love what he's done with Green Lantern, and I decided to poke around and see what he's done with the Flash, one of my favorite heroes from childhood.

Wally West has been though more than his share of troubles, many resulting from the unveiling of his identity. Here we see what happens when you get what you ask for, and of how the "disappearance" of the Flash from everyone's life (including Wally's) affects the balance of power. Wally begins to rediscover who he is, and it's fun to see the action that you usually only find in origin stories. The way his super-speed is depicted with time freezing for him is exhilirating.

I've only come back into comics over the last two years or so. One of the things that brought me back was the great artwork being created by masters such as Alex Ross and Michael Turner. So for me, the work of Albert Dose was borderline laughable. I read another review stating that the "atypical" artwork was meant to put more focus on the characters - and I did consider this possibility. It's actually quite plausible as for me the "atypical" artwork forced me to go to the storyline and character development as the only redeemable portions of the collection.

If I had a brother in the sixth grade, and he were forced to draw a comic, this may be what it would look like. I like my good art, and it just didn't happen here. Great story, though - Johns does it again, and does it nicely.

Not as good as the previous or latter tpb's. But very entertaining and part of the greater story Johns is telling here