DC Flashpoint June 1st

DC is rebooting it universe which means come September a whole new set #1 will be released. With this in mind I will be moving on to the single issue comics over the trades because it seems like the perfect time to do so  for a number of reasons. One collecting trades, your are always behind and with what is currently happening so news is frequently coming out about anything major that occurs so it is hard to avoid hearing about it. I also like the fact of having a continuing story arc to constantly read rather than waiting for the next trade to be collected and released.

I’ve plunged into Flashpoint as sort of a test run to see how I like collecting the single issues over the trades and so far I’m enjoying it, one positive I find is the gap between issues really lets things sink in to what has happened and what will happen in future issues. Below I've given short reviews on the issues I've picked up and two of the Flashpoint tie ins.

Flashpoint #1                                                                                                        

With Flashpoint issue one you are simply dropped into it in the same way Barry Allen is, throughout the comic you’re left wondering what will happen next in this alternative reality. You are never sure exactly where the story is heading, the story reveals some huge things happening in this world to characters that were once heroes and taking that fact leaves the possibility of anything could happen here.
What is really nice is the very distinct change to all the characters which leaves you wondering what they will do as they feel familiar yet strange at the same time, also the fact the story so far is bringing in some characters that don’t usually get pushed to the forefront as much as others. Overall the comic is an enjoyable read which leaves the reader wanting to learn more about this reality and how this will effect the overall DC Universe.

Flashpoint #2

While issue #1 was good issue #2 is great, the world of Flashpoint is not only opened up but is expanded upon. In this issue the main focus is around Barry Allen and Batman. They have a confrontation in the bat cave, the dialog between the two is very nice which leads to some ideas of who might be behind this and what they could possibly do to change things. Some new characters are introduced such as Deathstroke who is a pirate with a crew whom one is Clayface, and they have a not so pleasant run in with someone in Paris. Issue twos conclusion left me thinking just what is going to happen now, Flashpoint is like falling down the rabbit whole you keep going deeper and deeper not knowing what to expect on the other side. 

Batman: Knight of Vengeance #1

If you are a Batman fan I recommended picking this up even if you aren’t a fan of tie ins. This is a fantastic take on Batman written by Brian Azzarello who establishes not only Batman but this darker shade of Gotham. This version of Gotham features characters you know but are in drastically different, for example The Penguin working for Wayne? And a Batman that has gone over the edge who would be almost happy to see the world burn if it means no more pain.
The story is great, it works really well after reading issue #1 of Flashpoint as you get to see more of what tics in this Batman’s head. Of the two tie ins I picked up this was not only the better of the two but as a series I would say it has the most potential.

Abin Sur: The Green Lantern #1

Taking place during Blackest Night, where Hal Jordan is not a Green Lantern, Abin Sur remains alive and Sinestro is still a aligned with the Green Lantern Corps. The comic is very short, not a lot happens other than a little back story on Abin preserving life and a war ravening earth which endangers the white light held within it. The story continues in the Hal Jordan issue which leads off the setup established here, that may prove to be better as it has a chance to flex a little from the ground work built here. Although it picks up towards the end, only pick this up if you going to get the rest of the issues in this mini series. So far it is not essential to what is happening in Flashpoint but that might change in later issues, but if you invest in this expect to pick up the Hal Jordan issues.