So it must be me. I can recognize that there are panels and
pages in this collection that are absolutely beautiful. Pages where Francis
Manapul does his best Will Eisner impression, incorporating ice floes and
crashing planes into the title pages. There is a whole lot of pseudo-science
intruding on these pages, though. Sometimes I think less is more would help
with the layout.
Brian Buccellato tries to explain why Flash has wings on his
head (magnetism). And the new villain Mob Rule has one of my favorite powers in
multiform. And yet. And yet.
Barry Allen is still boring. I still don’t really know anything
about the guy except that he really wants to do the right thing. He doesn’t want
bystanders to get hurt, and he likes Patty Spivot because she smells nice. There
are hints that Geoff Johns’ missing Mom story is motivating Barry, but it doesn’t
seem to motivate him enough to make him interesting.
That’s a pre-52 problem,
though. I never liked Barry Allen. He exemplifies what DC meant to me as a kid,
he’s a hero because he’s a hero. He doesn’t have any of those solid, gritty
origins like Marvel heroes do.
As for new 52 problems, I’ve got those too. The new Captain
Cold is laughable with his sleeveless vest and ingrained powers. I have
absolutely no interest in seeing a new origin for Gorilla Grodd. Mob Rule’s
origin and history is suitably bloody to make him fit right in to the new 52.
But on this one, I’m going to blame character, not
continuity. The art is beautiful, the story professional, but the protagonist
puts me to sleep!
Average
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