Customer Reviews

The Flash Vol. 6: The Secret of Barry Allen

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Secret of Barry Allen is a trade paperback collecting issues #207 - 211 & 213 - 217 in this 240 page volume, coinciding with the Identity Crisis storyline which will be arriving in a hardcover collection very soon. Wally West has been granted a boon by the Spectre to have knowledge of his true identity totally erased from the world...and not only from the average man on the street, but EVERYONE, including the JLA. This was as a result of the events of Identity Crisis where someone (can't give that away) was targeting and murdering the family members of several superheroes including Sue Dibney, the wife of The Elongated Man.

As the story opens, Wally's wife Linda has left him to have some time for herself to think about the recent events as the wife of a hero. Meanwhile the Flash has no time to rest as a parade in his honor is interrupted by several members of his rogue's gallery. Now one thing I always loved about the Flash was his colorful and somewhat eccentric lineup of villains. Only Batman can boast a more bizarre group of villains. Plunder, Trickster II, Tarpit, and Abra Kadabra bust up the parade festivities and have Wally helpless until help arrive in the form of Kid Flash and Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash.

Wally eventually goes before the JLA to find out just what happened to their memories of Barry Allen, and who is wearing the mask of the Flash now. Wally walks out on the league, leading to one of those great Superman/Flash races in shades of the Silver Age as Superman demands to know the truth and what the Flash is running from. Secrets are revealed on many levels as Wally soon learns (again apparently) what the JLA began doing to villains such as Dr. Light, essentially using Zatanna's magic to lobotomize them. They took it one step further with The Top, altering his mind to try and turn him good. It works for awhile but soon drives the Top insane. This leads to a climactic battle between The Top, Flash, and Zatanna.

Wally once again must come to grips with what the league did. If you read Identity Crisis you know that Wally was the most outspoken about what some of the JLAers did and how it was kept a secret from other members, specifically Superman and Batman. Geoff Johns delivers a multi-layered plot that works with and expands on the story from Identity Crisis. On top of all this, Flash's Rogues Gallery is dealing with the death of Captain Boomerang and the revelation that he had a son who has now taken up his father's mantle. Add to this that some former members of the Rogues (Pied Piper, Trickster I, and Heatwave) are now working for the FBI and going after their former associates and another subplot involving Zoom and there is a lot packed into this one story. If there is a weakness it's perhaps that Johns is guilty of throwing too much at readers and there are loose ends left unresolved at the books conclusion. That said, it's a strong story and shows how Wally has truly matured (It has been some 20 years since he took over as The Flash). The art of Howard Porter and Livesay is first-rate without trying to be over-powering to the story. A cover gallery featuring the brilliant work of Michael Turner is included.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Tying into DC's Identity Crisis mega event, Flash: The Secret of Barry Allen finds current Flash Wally West uncovering secrets behind long time Flash rogue the Top. As Wally learns just what his late uncle tried to help do to the murderous villain, it becomes apparent that this isn't one of Geoff Johns' better ideas. Other sub-plots taking place in this trade, including the gathering of other Flash rogues to attend the funeral of Captain Boomerang, are actually more interesting than this "deep, dark" secret of Barry Allen, as Captain Cold is shown as a force to reckoned with, and a new Captain Boomerang is born. Howard Porter's pencils are solid for the most part, although they seem more cartoony than anything during fight scenes. On it's own, this TPB is worth a read, but don't expect anything special from it.

In contradiction to the other reviewers of this book, I really enjoyed the book. The last couple of year's writer Geoff Johns is creating an epic Flash saga. This volume continues to pick up steam and I really looking forward to the pay-off of this saga in the next volume. As a stand-alone volume, the book offers a very entertaining and dramatic story. The tie-in with Identity Crisis is handled well and doesn't hinder the reading experience. This volume is not the ideal book to pick up by newbies. I suggest to take the earlier volumes like Blood will run, etc.

This graphic novel is fantastic. It realy opens up the world of Wally West. After the loss of his two children, thanks to Zoom, Linda leaves him and it drives him crazy. This is a must have for all Flash fans. It also ties in with Identity Crisis which is pretty cool. Trust me, if you love Wally West as The Flash, just pick this one up. I also reccomend, "Rouge War" and "Blitz" Here's the best way to read these stories in order.

1. Blitz
2. The Secret of Barry Allen
3. Rouge War

If you pick them up all at once, you'll have a good 500 page read ahead of you. And it will be sooooooooo worth it.

The secret of Barry Allen is nothing but disappointing.
For those of us who witnessed the birth of the Silver Age Flash we thought there would be some earth-shaking revelation to reveal the hero's feet of clay. Sad to say his secret is no more disturbing than the announcement that he didn't floss after every meal.
Batman refers to Superman as a 'boy scout' but the real boy scout, the hero who didn't curse or spit, was Barry Allen's Flash.
The artwork was nice, but the plot was non-existant and unresolved. This added nothing to the mythos and was a waste of paper and ink. Shame on you DC

It's sad that some readers can't accept the idea of heroes not always doing the right thing. I personally find that it makes the more human. I applaud DC for trying to shake up their status-quo, while Marvel plays catch-up.