The Flash (Featuring Impulse): Mercury Falling by Todd Dezago

Impulse

by Todd Dezago

Before he graduated into the big leagues and became the super-fast, crimson hero the Flash, Bart Allen was the brash, teenaged speedster known as Impulse!When Max Mercury, the "zen guru of the Speed Force" discovers that his connection to the very energy source that gives him super-speed has been severed, it's up to Bart to find a way to save his mentor and surrogate father. Can Impulse find a way to save Max in time? Or has death finally caught up to the legendary hero? Featuring breath-taking early DC work from current superstar artist Ethan van Sciver (GREEN REBIRTH, GREEN SINSESTRO CORPS WAR)!Collects IMPULSE #62-67

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics

Paperback

First published May 12, 2009

About the author

Todd Dezago is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his collaborations with penciller Mike Wieringo on The Sensational Spider-Man (1996) and their creator-owned fantasy series Tellos, which premiered in 1999, as well as for co-creating Young Justice with artist Todd Nauck in the 1998 oneshot Young Justice: The Secret. His other Young Justice work includes the 1998 miniseries JLA: World Without Grown-ups. From 1999 to 2002 Dezago also wrote Impulse #50-89. In 2005 he co-created The Perhapanauts with artist Craig Rousseau.

Reviews

[Alejandro Cabrera Martínez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Después de leer las otras críticas de esta colección, he de decir que me da un poco de pena la visión de la gente.
Impulso está lejos de ser una serie de cómics perfecta, en mi opinión quizas peca de ser demasiado noventera (¿qué cómic no lo era en los 90?), pero aún así siempre me ha parecido una serie entretenida y aquí tenemos a Impulso en su mejor estado, enfrentandose a algo más que simples ladrones y villanos. Vemos al chico más rapido del mundo enfrentarse a la posible muerte de su figura paterna por culpa de una enfermedad, obligándole a salir de su zona de comfort y pararse a pensar en lo que eso sognifica.
Leer este cómic sabiendo cómo evolucionará Bart en DC, como pasará a convertirse en Kod Flash y luego Flash, lo hace aún mejor.

[Du4 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't really understand DC's logic in releasing this particular collection of the old IMPULSE series, particularly under a FLASH cover title. I had quit reading IMPULSE well before these issues debuted, so I missed everything involving Max Mercury's death (if that is indeed what happened). I figured this trade would get me up to speed if Max was (as rumored) playing some part in Geoff Johns' FLASH REBIRTH series.

Silly me.

First off, Max doesn't even die in this story, although you're led to believe he will. The Flash doesn't even appear. Put those things aside and ask yourself if it's a good story. It's exceptionally MEDIOCRE, one of the hallmark reasons I quit reading the series. Todd Dezago was a poor replacement for the brilliance of Mark Waid's run on IMPULSE. I will give him props for trying to write it as more of a children's comic, sort of a modern boys' adventure title. But ultimately, that's a title for someone else and not me. I will admit that Van Sciver's art here is exceptionally well done, even though it is a far cry from the style he currently uses. It's more cartoony and crazy (some of the page layouts just baffle my mind with their creativity), which is ideally suited to an Impulse story. Pity he got paired with such a middel-of-the-road writer.

I would much rather have had DC get the rest of Mark Waid's FLASH run in print, capping it with the "Black Flash" storyline that seems much more relevant to what's going on in the current Flash mythos.

[Allen Setzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is when Impulse starts to develop as a character in his own book. It took a while though. If you’re reading the single issues, keep reading after this because it continues to get better. Max Mercury is one of the best things about this title and this was a good, not great story. If you haven’t read all the issues leading up to this, this won’t feel as important or meaningful as someone who’s read up to this. I like it but it’s not for someone unfamiliar with Impulse to pick up.

[Lexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically speaking this is actually a compilation of issues from the spin-off series IMPULSE (about Barry Allen's grandson Bart Allen, who Max Mercury mentored) and isn't the BEST place to begin if you're unfamiliar with Impulse, Max Mercury, the Flash (Wally West era) or...well its really not a great place to start (this particular arc happened after issue 60). You have to be invested in the characters pretty much. Which I am, so for me I loved this (it helped that I love Todd Dezago in general).

Oh plus I love Inertia and oh hey he makes his debut in these issues :whistles:

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a pretty middling story that only pulls together in its final chapter or two, making some of the random events of the earlier pages fit, but the payoff isn't worth it. Admittedly, this is more along the lines of a kids' comic, so maybe I'm the wrong audience.

The art is chaotic and frenetic without consistently capturing kinetic energy.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably for completists only. I like Bart, I like Bart's relationship with Max Mercury, but there's a lot of exposition missing in this story, and so Max's injury and Bart's struggle with an already introduced nemesis didn't grab me. The perils of reading continuity-informed comics, I suppose.

[Justin Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to believe that this is the same Ethan Van Sciver that drew Flash Rebirth. All in all, a fun story featuring Impulse and Max Mercury

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, intimate story that I wish was more prevalent in comics and comic-related media. That being said, I didn't love the art style