“You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind…” That is exactly what came to mind as I read the recent issues in DC’s Flashpoint event. Readers will truly enter another dimension, where everything is different, and it does seem like The Twilight Zone.
There were five issues in the event released this past week. “Flashpoint” #2 continues the core story, while the other issues take readers to different corners of this alternate universe. In some ways, this first full week of the event was very strong, but in other ways, interest gave way to confusion.
“Flashpoint” #2 is excellent. Writer Geoff Johns has done a wonderful job of taking familiar things and making them new and different. I think the best concept of this series to this point is that Batman is Thomas Wayne. For decades, people have wondered what his father would think of Bruce’s choices in life. Johns is letting us see get inside Thomas’ head and see the man who inspired Bruce’s life.
Penciller Andy Kubert is doing a wonderful job as well. Having to take these well known characters and icons, such as Aquaman and Wonder Woman and make them familiar yet different is a challenge. Particularly with those two, they have to have an evilness to them as well. His depiction of this version of Aquaman is particularly good, with a hardness to his expression that seems to fit this story very well.
Going back to Thomas Wayne, I also enjoyed “Batman: Knight of Vengeance” #1 (of 3). Gotham City is still Batman’s world, but it is a very different world from what we usually see. The character of Batman has always been right on the edge of the law. It would appear that this is still true, perhaps with Thomas on the other side of the fine line. It is as if we are seeing a mirror version of Batman, Commissioner Gordon, and even Penguin, and that makes things very interesting.
“Abin Sur: The Green Lantern” #1 (of 3) is an interesting issue, as it presents the concept that Abin Sur is still alive, and therefore Hal Jordan has not been chosen to be a Lantern. Similar to what is happening with the Batman character, it is nice to see how his character might have turned out if Abin had lived. I am intrigued by the last page, where Sinestro asks Atrocitus about “the Flashpoint” and I have to wonder if this means that Sinestro will have a hand in setting things right.
The two issues that I did not like as well were “Secret Seven” and “World of Flashpoint” (both #1 of 3). I suspect that if I were more familiar with the characters upon which these alternate versions were based, I might have enjoyed them more. “Secret Seven” is based on “Suicide Squad” which is a group about whom I have very little knowledge, and to be honest, has never interested me. Readers of Flashpoint have already seen the central characters, Shade, when Cyborg was trying to put together a group of heroes to stop the war between Aquaman and Wonder Woman. This was actually somewhat confusing to me, as it would appear that Shade may not be in control of himself or able to lead any team, and that things are not as they seem.
The central figure of “World of Flashpoint” seems to be Traci 13, and again I would suppose I am at a disadvantage, as I know little of this character. I am a bit confused about what is happening in this part of the story, but I do see potential here. It would appear we have in Traci another character that may be instrumental in setting things right. She seems to at least partially remember how the universe should be. While not the strongest issue in the event thus far, I would say that it is promising, if her character is taken in the direction that seems to be indicated.
All in all, a good week for Flashpoint. I would definitely recommend reading the core issues, and beyond that, I would say to read the ones that are about characters of interest to you, and that you can likely skip other issues if you wish. If you are like me, the attraction is seeing the familiar become unfamiliar, and that does not work with unknown characters. If you enjoy alternate universes, this is one event you won’t want to miss, at least thus far. I hope they can keep the momentum going over the three months that Flashpoint is set to last. As they say, everything can change in a “Flash” and that can be good or bad in events such as this. Only time will tell.
