Blackest Night: Flash #1 - Review

As Blackest Night roles on and I find myself enjoying it more and more, I have decided to go back and pick up various tie-ins that I missed, including this title Blackest Night: Flash by one of my favorite writers Geoff Johns and artist Scott Kolins.

The book opens with Barry traveling the world at super speed sending his message to all the heroes of the DCU warning them of the threat of the Black Lanterns. I have seen this in various other tie-ins so I liked the way this is tied-in bringing Barry very much to the centre of Blackest Night, almost as much as Hal Jordan, which seems to have been Geoff Johns idea from the start. Next we get a brief Flash history round up which is very handy for new Flash readers like me but I do feel kind of sorry for people who have been reading Flash Rebirth as It basically sums up the Flash in a couple of pages, without having to pay out for a six issue mini series that is not even finished yet. I bought the first couple of Flash Rebirth issues but as a non regular Flash reader, I found the character’s history and explanation of the speed force extremely confusing, but here it is dealt with simply and effectively. Job done.

Barry’s next mission is to speak with his friend, the leader of Gorilla City who Barry believes is one of the most intelligent beings on the planet, and a person who can help the heroes in the war against the Black lanterns. One slight problems though, Barry’s friend died in his absence which Barry is unaware of and the former leader of the great Gorilla City has now been resurrected as a Black Lantern. There are some great scenes drawn by artist Scott Kolins as the two friends battle and Johns writes Barry well as he tries not to give into his emotions, as he knows this feeds the Lanterns power.

In this issue we also meet the new Black Flash, who is the resurrected Zoom/Reverse Flash, and though he is dealt with pretty swiftly by Barry, we know this won’t be the last we see of him.

A second story within this book is that of the current Flash Rogues (led by Captain Cold) who prepare to face the former, newly resurrected Black Lantern Rogues next issue. Johns writes these characters so well and I’m sure that the inevitable showdown between the Rogues next issue with be great entertainment.

All in all this is a well rounded issue with a lot of action packed in that accompanies the main Blackest Night Series nicely. Check it out.

4 out of 5