Customer Reviews

Impulse: Reckless Youth

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

 

 

Way back in the mid-1990s, Mark Waid was brilliant (as opposed to now, when he's just quite good). And he and Humberto Ramos took an old concept - the teen sidekick of a major hero - and reinvented it with wit and style. While knowing the backstory helps and while the three issues of The Flash includes spell most of it out, I think anyone who likes superheroes or action comics or teen sitcoms or just good stories will like Impulse's adventures.

DC has had great success with its reimagining of the classic teen heroes - Superboy, Robin and this one - and it's hard not to be hooked even if you are an adult. Plus if you try to find the nine comics included here, you'd never get them for this price!

This is a near-must for comics fans past and present.

Mark Waid can be funny. Who knew?

This stuff is laugh-out-loud milk-through-the-nose funny. I'm serious, you'll laugh so hard you'll embarass yourself. You should probably read this when you're alone, so as not to offend anyone.

There are some moments of genuine storytelling too, like the child abuse story. I was surprised to find that, under all that goofy exterior, Impulse really is a hero.

You'll find some great artwork here, too. The issue of Flash with Wieringo is some good stuff, and Ramos and Pacheco out do themselves here. You'll love it, trust me.

I must say that I've been avoiding buying this comic and after reading it am kicking myself. This is an amazing book! I'm a big fan of Young Justice and the Teen Titans team that sprang from it, mostly because I got into Young Justice when I was younger and the group grew when they became the Teen Titans. It's like I was growing up with Robin, Superboy and Impulse (and later Kid Flash II). So why would a such a self-professed fan put off getting this book? Simply because of the 3 of these young champions, I thought Impulse's character led itself to be the least likely to hold it's own solo. Boy was I wrong. I've read solo works from all three, and while Tim Drake is by far and away the best developed character of the three, Bart is not far behind. Superboy's character can't even match the charm of this character, and Impulse at times is more entertaining then Robin because of his light-heartedness. The one advantage I would give him over Robin is that his character doesn't change in his solo title like Tim's does. Tim is less mature and less serious in his solo title and I feel it takes away from him generally. Really a must read for a fan of either of the two young champions mentioned above.

On a bit of a side not, this book made me realize how much I really enjoy the three mentioned above as a team. With the recent events in Infinate Crisis claiming Connor and Bart's whereabouts being unknown I feel that DC is losing a major asset. I certainly hope that Robin's attempts to re-clone Superboy bear fruit and that one of the magic based heroes can restore his memory. As for Bart, my fingers are crossed that when this new Flash emerges from the speed force, that it's him and not Wally West. I've never like West's character, and since he parallels my all time favorite hero, Green Lantern, I feel he was weaker then Kyle as a person and as a character, even though he's had many more years to be developed. In general I felt these new heroes brought much needed refreshment to their mentors. I was hoping that someday not so long from now I could see Superboy becoming Superman, and even though I know Tim did not want to be Batman, I had hopes for him going more solo then he already is, either as Robin or as something else, since Tim, I feel, is a better hero the Dick Grayson ever will be. But of all of the group, Bart was the one I held out for the most because it was his destiny to be the next Flash, a better Flash. With any luck, someday the JLA will be run by young heroes such as Tim Drake, Kyle Rayner, Bart Allen, and Connor Kent, because they are heroes that we have been growing up with, watching them come into their own at the same time we have, and great books like this one show that.

This collection reprints the early adventures of DC's coolest new superhero -- Impulse!! Super speedster Barry Allen (The Flash) may be dead, but his grandson Bart lives on. Tranported from the 30th century to the present day, Bart must learn to cope with both his powers and the perils of the 20th century including (Gasp!) Junior High School! Helping him along the way is the mysterious Max Mercury. Bart always looks before he leaps and lands in all sorts of adventures. But it isn't just adveture that has made this comic so great. This comic is very character driven and it's easy to feel for Bart -- outside an outgoing, try anything sort, but inside misplaced and lonely. Plus, Humberto Ramos' art alone is worth the price of the book. Well, what are you waiting for? Be like Bart! Don't hesitate! Buy this book! Right now! Yes, right now!

Way back in the mid-1990s, Mark Waid was brilliant (as opposed to now, when he's just quite good). its an awesome book

I bought this collection of issues because I wanted to finally have Bart Allen's introduction into the DCU in my hot little hands. And sure, I got that, but there are a few little snags that new readers should be aware of. First of all, while this trade does cover the first issues of The Flash that introduced Bart, the Reckless Youth storyline that give the TPB its name, and the first six issues of Impulse, it doesn't conclude the storyline that introduced Bart, involving a bay guy called Kobra and I don't know what else.

Why don't I know? Because I need to go out and buy Flash: Terminal Velocity to see how that one ends. And between Reckless Youth and Terminal Velocity, Bart manages to get tangled up in Zero Hour: Crisis in Time. So while this trade bears that name IMPULSE across it's front, it doesn't actually include the scenes where Bart gets given the name Impulse, or him acquiring his mask.

All whining aside though, this is still a good trade. Mark Waid has a very strong writing style and he is very delicate with his character development. The art varies (as the first few issues collected here were drawn by Mike Wieringo, while the issues of Impulse were drawn by Humberto Ramos) but not in a jarring way, and the teams for both comics were effective how they presented the story.

Of the two runs presented here, I preferred the Impulse issues over the Flash ones, as the Reckless Youth storyline had far more main characters to deal with (Wally, Linda, Bart, Iris, Piper crops up, as does some guy called Argus, and then there's Kobra and his legions) as well as a lot more action (fights, chases, speedsters eating). The Impulse comics are a far more lighthearted lead, keeping any action down to a few pages and managing to work in a LOT more interaction between the characters and setting up of events.

impulse is one of the most fun new comics ive seen in a while...and i dont just say that because i've grown up knowing his writers. Todd Dezago ( who we all seem to be ignoring, yes Mark created him but he wouldn't be Impulse with out todd.)is a friend of mine and he brings copies of alot of the current issues, and i have to say that a lot of them suck!! Impulse is a great comic, bart's just a regular kid trying to survive high school and have to keep his secret identity. which can be kind of hard when superman or the green lantern stop by...

This is a great story of a kid from the 30th century brought by his grand ma to the 20th century find out why in the book growing up with super powers and why he fits his name IMPULSE it also the runion of wally west the current flash and his favorite aunt iris west allen

Also read The Life story Of The Flash