Flash Rebirth #1 (OF 5)

Barry Allen returning doesn't quite sit well with me.

There seems to be this misconception among the internet that anyone who is excited for this book must salivate over the Silver Age and think Barry Allen is the one true Scarlet Speedster. I'm here to let everyone know that, at least in my case, this couldn't be further from the truth.

I love Wally West. He's The Flash that I grew up on, and he's probably always going to be my favorite Flash. I guess it's in the same vein as anything else -- You love what you know. Comic fans who grew up during the Golden Age probably think Jay Garrick is the greatest Flash of all time. Fans whose first comic was Crisis probably love Barry Allen like no other, and I'm sure there's some people who think Bart Allen is the only hero worthy enough to wear the boots. I'm not attempting to instigate an argument, I'm simply feeling like I have to defend myself in this situation.

When I picked up this book, the only hope I had is that I would read a great story that would inspire me to care about Barry Allen and his return. That's exactly what this did. I've read some other reviews, both from inside the iFanbase and outside of it, that are deeming it boring, or too slow. I've also seen a gaggle of reviews that claim, as a counter to that, claiming that it's only slow because it's a first issue, and that Geoff Johns is going to be building this slowly over time like he 'always does'

To be honest, I didn't really look at any of that. I thought this issue did everything it needed to do, and did it well. Seeing the contrast between Bart Allen believing Wally is the true Flash, and not understanding why Barry is such a big deal, to Jay Garrick claiming that Barry Allen is who made him The Flash is reminiscent of what I spoke about two paragraphs ago -- different generations relying on different things, believing different things, and none of those beliefs are better or worse than any other.

I also thought it was interesting to see the interaction between Hal Jordan and Barry Allen, and how each of them, although they are frequently compared and contrasted, and the subject of an abundance of criticism and praise as characters, seemed to have completely different views of the world and how Barry's return should be treated. Another point of interest is what happens to Barry Allen now. Barry Allen. Not necessarily The Flash, but Detective Barry Allen, back from the dead. I'm glad to see that this issue dealt with that a bit.

In the end, this was a great comic book, and, while it not may have pleased everyone, and while I might not agree with the return of characters like these, it's obvious to me that a masterful story is being told here, and I feel very sorry for you if you're missing out on the return of Barry Allen.

The world's finally catching up.