The Flash (2011), Volume 2

November 15, 2013

The "New 52" reboots of Superman and Justice League successfully followed a pattern: open with action, bring new ideas to established characters, and gradually fill in background--an approach designed to interest new readers and intrigue old ones. The same pattern plays out here but with much less success. In this volume, the Flash (aka police scientist Barry Allen) learns something new about his powers, confronts a scientist who helped and then betrayed him, and reunites with the woman he loves, who thought him dead. But none of these scenes is satisfying, with Barry's reaction to his girlfriend's grief being particularly nonsensical. At least the power discovery involves a visit to a city of talking gorillas, which is some compensation. An encounter with the Rogues (Flash's traditional supervillains) and a story exploring Barry's motivations are both decent. VERDICT The artwork is fine, but major characters fail to act in emotionally convincing ways. This cannot be counted among the "New 52" successes.--S.R.

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