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The Flash (2011) (Single Issues)
The Flash #20
An all-new Flash epic begins here, and the stakes have never been higher as Barry races toward a confrontation with the Reverse Flash!
21 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2013
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44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 6, 2017
A quick and enjoyable read.
December 31, 2013
You can read the full review over at my blog:
http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/2013...
Much as with John Layman and Jason Fabok’s run on Detective Comics, I started reading Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul’s run on The Flash due to fellow TFF reviewer Bane of Kings’ recommendation. This is something that I’ve mentioned before, and the reason I repeat is because I consider The Flash to be one of DC’s best titles right now. Again, this is also something that I’ve mentioned before, and the reason I repeat is because I truly am in love in with this series. Its not as intense a series as some of the other DC titles like Batman, Batgirl or Justice League. Its very down to earth and it always knows how to have fun with itself.
Writers and artists Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato have had an incredible run on the series in recent months and I’m really glad that I gave the series a chance after not liking the first three issues last year. This fourth volume collects together the six issues of the Reverse arc, which features Flash’s antithesis, the Reverse-Flash, and his killing spree which targets Barry’s closest friends. These issues, and the Annual (review) issue this August made me fall in love with both the character and the series, giving me another Flash to care about besides Barry Allen.
The story of the Speed Force killer, as Flash calls him, begins in #20 and with it begins one of the best story-arcs that I’ve read in the New 52 this year. This is very much a mystery thriller since Barry has to discover who is killing his friends and why. Not to mention, his friends are killed in a rather gruesome manner as well, very, very bloody and just plain nasty.
Since I wasn’t reading the series before this issue, I didn’t know any of these characters other than Iris West, and so I wasn’t quite able to connect with their deaths (one dies in this issue, another’s death is hinted at, and a third dies later in one of the other issues). But, re-reading the issues just now, I definitely felt that connection this time. And I definitely felt Barry’s internal drive to find whoever killed them and bring that person to justice.
One of the best moments of this arc was all of #21, which featured Kid Flash from Teen Titans. As part of his investigation Barry finds out that the killer wears his symbol, but in reverse. And there is only one person Barry knows of who wears his symbol like that, and its someone that Barry has been meaning to clear things for quite a while now.
So this issue is all about these two characters interacting. Just as I expected, Manapul and Buccellato touch on the mystery of Kid Flash’s identity and his nature. He is not who he says he is, exactly, and part of the fun of reading this issue is how the two writers deal with that subplot. The ending of the issue is also pretty great, and it definitely maintained my interest in the characters and the story going on.
Barry’s characterisation is definitely one of the other things that drew me to these two issues and kept me going. I’m a huge Wally West fan (animated version) and these two issues gave me a reason to become a Barry fan as well.
With these first two issues, what I appreciated most of all was the fantastic art. Manapul and Buccellato handle almost all the art on the series, Manapul usually as the penciller and Buccellato as the colourist. And they do a very incredible job with all of that too. Manapul’s layouts are incredibly creative throughout these two issues, something that is consistent for the rest of the arc as well, and they are one of the reasons why these two issues are so so appealing. And his characters, well they are pretty incredible too. I love how Barry and Iris West are drawn, most particularly.
Of course, there’s also the action in these two issues. I’d never imagined that Flash’s powers, and his use of them, whether he is racing around the world or creating a wind-tunnel to prevent a train from crashing, could be made to look so damn cool. And that’s exactly what Manapul does. The pencils for all of Barry’s action are pretty much off the chart, and Buccellato’s colours make each and every single panel stand out significantly. And finally, their Reverse Flash is just amazing, with his red-black look that oozes menace and creep in every appearance.
http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/2013...
Much as with John Layman and Jason Fabok’s run on Detective Comics, I started reading Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul’s run on The Flash due to fellow TFF reviewer Bane of Kings’ recommendation. This is something that I’ve mentioned before, and the reason I repeat is because I consider The Flash to be one of DC’s best titles right now. Again, this is also something that I’ve mentioned before, and the reason I repeat is because I truly am in love in with this series. Its not as intense a series as some of the other DC titles like Batman, Batgirl or Justice League. Its very down to earth and it always knows how to have fun with itself.
Writers and artists Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato have had an incredible run on the series in recent months and I’m really glad that I gave the series a chance after not liking the first three issues last year. This fourth volume collects together the six issues of the Reverse arc, which features Flash’s antithesis, the Reverse-Flash, and his killing spree which targets Barry’s closest friends. These issues, and the Annual (review) issue this August made me fall in love with both the character and the series, giving me another Flash to care about besides Barry Allen.
The story of the Speed Force killer, as Flash calls him, begins in #20 and with it begins one of the best story-arcs that I’ve read in the New 52 this year. This is very much a mystery thriller since Barry has to discover who is killing his friends and why. Not to mention, his friends are killed in a rather gruesome manner as well, very, very bloody and just plain nasty.
Since I wasn’t reading the series before this issue, I didn’t know any of these characters other than Iris West, and so I wasn’t quite able to connect with their deaths (one dies in this issue, another’s death is hinted at, and a third dies later in one of the other issues). But, re-reading the issues just now, I definitely felt that connection this time. And I definitely felt Barry’s internal drive to find whoever killed them and bring that person to justice.
One of the best moments of this arc was all of #21, which featured Kid Flash from Teen Titans. As part of his investigation Barry finds out that the killer wears his symbol, but in reverse. And there is only one person Barry knows of who wears his symbol like that, and its someone that Barry has been meaning to clear things for quite a while now.
So this issue is all about these two characters interacting. Just as I expected, Manapul and Buccellato touch on the mystery of Kid Flash’s identity and his nature. He is not who he says he is, exactly, and part of the fun of reading this issue is how the two writers deal with that subplot. The ending of the issue is also pretty great, and it definitely maintained my interest in the characters and the story going on.
Barry’s characterisation is definitely one of the other things that drew me to these two issues and kept me going. I’m a huge Wally West fan (animated version) and these two issues gave me a reason to become a Barry fan as well.
With these first two issues, what I appreciated most of all was the fantastic art. Manapul and Buccellato handle almost all the art on the series, Manapul usually as the penciller and Buccellato as the colourist. And they do a very incredible job with all of that too. Manapul’s layouts are incredibly creative throughout these two issues, something that is consistent for the rest of the arc as well, and they are one of the reasons why these two issues are so so appealing. And his characters, well they are pretty incredible too. I love how Barry and Iris West are drawn, most particularly.
Of course, there’s also the action in these two issues. I’d never imagined that Flash’s powers, and his use of them, whether he is racing around the world or creating a wind-tunnel to prevent a train from crashing, could be made to look so damn cool. And that’s exactly what Manapul does. The pencils for all of Barry’s action are pretty much off the chart, and Buccellato’s colours make each and every single panel stand out significantly. And finally, their Reverse Flash is just amazing, with his red-black look that oozes menace and creep in every appearance.
June 9, 2015
I feel them-- Everyone who's been touched by the Speed Force: Albert, Marissa, Gomez... and Iris. Like it or not, we're all connected.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews