Comic Books

> > 2-of-5
FLASH REBIRTH #2 (OF 5)


Price: $2.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 27.8%

Reviews

UserAddedSpoilers
JumpingJupiter05/15/09NoRead Review
mttskates05/08/09NoRead Review
JGG05/07/09NoRead Review
BC105/07/09NoRead Review
thisisegan05/07/09NoRead Review
changingshades05/06/09NoRead Review
883
Pulls
Avg Rating: 4.1
 
Users who pulled this comic:
 

Comments

  1. Avatar photo jmstump says:
    May 4, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    YAY it just seems like yesterday that the last issue came out.

  2. piscespaul says:
    May 4, 2009 at 5:31 pm

    so happy when I saw this on the pull list

  3. Avatar photo jerichobp says:
    May 4, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    Is that 2.99 a misprint? If not, then that’s awesome. Thought this was gonna be 3.99 the whole way through.

  4. Avatar photo drakedangerz says:
    May 4, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    @Jerichobp-Me too.  I’ll be glad to see it only be $2.99, but wouldn’t mind paying the extra dollar if that is indeed a misprint.

    Go Barry Allen!

  5. Avatar photo ecthelion says:
    May 4, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    There really are few books that I buy in the single issue format and I would like to buy fewer and fewer in that format but this and Green Lantern I will always get in issues.  I just get giddy when these books come out.

  6. Avatar photo yetihands says:
    May 4, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    dc has said that almost all of their books are going to remain 2.99 for the recent future.  this series looks like it’s gonna be pretty rad, just based on issue #1

  7. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 4, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    Cool!

  8. Avatar photo miyamotofreak says:
    May 4, 2009 at 6:14 pm

    I’m so happy this is a $3 book. I’ll be finishing out the mini on principle.

  9. Avatar photo jobob247 says:
    May 4, 2009 at 6:34 pm

    @ yetihands . Not that anyone at Marvel cares but I’ll be leaning towards more titles with DC than ever if that commitment to 2.99 remains true.

  10. Avatar photo DarthDuck says:
    May 4, 2009 at 7:22 pm

    Getting WAY into DC all of the sudden.  This book is a huge reason why.

  11. Avatar photo Onic says:
    May 4, 2009 at 7:42 pm

    I love me some $2.99

  12. Avatar photo Reform says:
    May 4, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    Flash rebirth is a must for me, there is no way I would not get every issue in this mini.

  13. southbymidwest says:
    May 4, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    Any guesses as to what they’ve got planned for Wally? Kyle’s post-Rebirth state gives me some hope, but I’m at a complete loss toward what role he could play that wouldn’t be absolutely redundant to Barry… (though I suppose the same could be said for Bart/Jay).

  14. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 4, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    Great cover

    Shame I am trade waiting for the rest of this

  15. Avatar photo miyamotofreak says:
    May 4, 2009 at 9:12 pm

    @TNC 

    Why would you trade wait this?

    It’ll be probably cheaper in issues and by the time the trade comes out, we’ll probably be knee-deep in Ultimate Crisis. 

  16. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 4, 2009 at 9:20 pm

    @miyamoto: Wasnt a fan of the first issue. I mean I dont think it was bad; but it’s not enough interest for me to stick with this mini.

  17. Avatar photo miyamotofreak says:
    May 4, 2009 at 9:25 pm

    Huh, I thought it was brilliant. Sure it wasn’t cheery or particularly fun, but the Flash generation stuff and the contempt held toward Barry, and the idea that he should never have even came back out was brilliant. Not to mention Sciver is a beast.

  18. flapjaxx says:
    May 4, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    It’ll be interesting to see how many iFanboy readers this series sheds between issues 1 and 2. I thought the first issue was decent a/k/a average a/k/a mediocre a/k/a okay. If I’m really bored on Wednesday I’ll pick this up.

  19. Avatar photo miyamotofreak says:
    May 4, 2009 at 9:40 pm

    I say it is still is the highest read book of the month (ahead of any Marvel book and GL).

  20. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 4, 2009 at 9:51 pm

    I estimate a 1/4 drop off, so the pulls will hover around the high 500s and low 600s. I would love to be proved wrong of course. (Higher, I mean!)

  21. Avatar photo miyamotofreak says:
    May 4, 2009 at 10:34 pm

    @Prax

    Care to put a wager on that bet? You win, I’ll send you an Marvel Essential Vol. 1 (Capt. America, Spidey, or Silver Surfer). You lose, you send me a trade. 

    I bet that the book crosses 700. If it doesn’t you win. You in? 

  22. Avatar photo Crippler says:
    May 4, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    I think a lot of people were turned off because issue 1 wasn’t the book they were expecting.

  23. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 4, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    @Crippler: I kinda liked that it surprised me. But I kinda expected it to surprise me though…

    How ’bout you?

  24. edward says:
    May 5, 2009 at 1:22 am

    I hear Johns is going to ret-con Barry’s past to reveal inappropriate advances towards a young Wally. for real!

  25. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 5, 2009 at 5:52 am

    I think the real question is: Can Barry outrun the fanboy rage?

    PS – DC doesn’t really need Blackest Night or any other version of Marvel Zombies. Death means nothing in the DCU, half the main characters are zombies already — Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, Jason Todd, Kid Flash, Superboy, Oliver Queen, Superman, Batman (soon) ALL of the JLA (in a story a few years back the whole team was dead for thousands of years before being brought back to life) … the list goes on & on …

  26. edward says:
    May 5, 2009 at 6:49 am

    excuse me! zombies with power rings! thank you!

  27. Avatar photo dirtyharry2030 says:
    May 5, 2009 at 7:32 am

    I hope the 2nd issue picks up into some action, because I really want to like Flash, but the first issue was like a new superheo movie: 1: Explain the characters 2: set up the history 3:promise something exciting for a sequel. Such a tease.

  28. MikeHaseloff says:
    May 5, 2009 at 8:50 am

    @WadeWilson Unlike all those lasting deaths over at Marvel…

  29. Rustyautoparts says:
    May 5, 2009 at 9:27 am

    I loved the first issue. This was one of the first books I bought, and as a new reader, I felt like I knew everything I needed to. The intro and apparent retconning were action enough for me. I love how Johns has a way of letting the reader know what’s going on in a way that steal feels organic to the story. I’ve noticed it in Flash: Rebirth along with Green Lantern, and I can’t get enough of it.

    As for Blackest Night, I thought death didn’t mean anything in comic books at all. I’m really looking forward to it, but not because of a Zombie corps or whatever. I’m loving the emotional spectrum and I want a huge clash of colors, so to speak. Anyways, this is a discussion for a different comic thread.

  30. Avatar photo drakedangerz says:
    May 5, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    We really have no idea, though I highly doubt it, that the characters that reappear as black lanterns will end up being brought back to life permanently.  More than lightly they will return to the grave after the event.  But like I said, no way of knowing.

    Anyways, last issue was fantastic and I hope this continues the trend.  

  31. Avatar photo kwisdumb says:
    May 5, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    Yay!

  32. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 6, 2009 at 3:08 am

    @MikeHaseloff – I’m a DC guy, I was hating on DC, I was just sayin’ half the characters are already zombies, so we don’t need a zombie book. But, I am looking forward to Blackest Night & think it will rock, so I am basically talkin’ outta my brown-eye. Ignore me.

    PS — Can’t wait for next years: Martian Manhunter: Rebirth, but am not looking forward to this series’ spin-off series — Flash: Afterbirth.

  33. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 6, 2009 at 3:09 am

    *WASN’T hating on DC

  34. Avatar photo twooldridge says:
    May 6, 2009 at 10:14 am

    PULLY PULLERSON

  35. Anonymous says:
    May 6, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    This issue was awesome, a lot better then the first imo. I can’t wait to see what happens next. EVS did an amazing job on the art.

  36. Avatar photo GodOfDusk says:
    May 6, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    @dirtyharry2030 I think that is the reason i enjoy the first issue of the series.I was never familiar with the flash before that, so as a new reader it was neccesary to understand the characters and what was going on, and it was all done very well.I understand why some older readers would be dissapointed, but comics are difficult to get into these days if your just starting.I believe the first issue of flash rebirth was everything it needed to be to set up a new ongoing.

  37. Avatar photo crazychris says:
    May 6, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    @Godofdusk, agreed! I am new to the flash and enjoyed the first issue. it gave me a good idea of the characters. That being said I thought this issue was better. Love the colors!

  38. Avatar photo GodOfDusk says:
    May 6, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    @crazychris glad you liked it, just got mine, looking forward to reading it tonight.

  39. Avatar photo drakedangerz says:
    May 6, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    I enjoyed the first issue more, but this was still fun.  I loved the bow tie.  Still not sure how I feel about the way they explained how Barry Allen was gone for so long and presumed dead.  In a way it makes sense, but I’m not entirely satisfied with it just yet.

  40. Avatar photo Spoons says:
    May 6, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    I am finding Barry Allen to be a pretty bland super hero and it is looking less likely that I will jump on a regular series.  I think it is supposed to be that he is trying to prove his father innocent but that just doesn’t do it for me.   Hopefully I will get a hook by the end of the series but if not I at least am enjoying this as a introduction for when he is in team-ups.

  41. Avatar photo NealAppeal says:
    May 6, 2009 at 6:18 pm

    I’m really enjoying Barry Allen and Hal Jordan together. It was one of the best things last issue, it absolutely made blackest night #0, and it was great in this issue as well. The two of them working like an oldtime cop partnership is awesome. I hope we see a lot more of it. It’s a good counter-balance to Barry’s seriousness, and I think it could really keep green lantern fresh after blackest night is over and done with. I wonder if what happened on the last page here will effect blackest night? I hope so.

  42. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 6, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    @NealAppeal I don’t know how directly, the two concepts don’t seem to be that tied into each other in all honesty. But I can’t imagine Johns wouldn’t mention it.

    I enjoyed the issue, it got a 5/5 from me, but I didn’t love it. I knew reading it it wasn’t my pick of the week, but I knew it was good. And I enjoyed it. But it felt a little empty this issue. I’m not sure what it was. True, the Hal/Barry scene was a highlight and this obviously has something to do with Grodd, but… it doesn’t feel like it’s coming together as yet. EVS art remains, as ever, brilliant. Though I wish there was a better physical difference between Barry and Wally besides their belt. I was never confused per se, but I did have to hunt for the V-shape to double check it was Wally talking a few times. 

  43. edward says:
    May 6, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    miyamotofreak wins!

  44. Avatar photo miyamotofreak says:
    May 6, 2009 at 9:22 pm

    Great follow-up.

  45. Avatar photo Chris Rohling says:
    May 6, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    @WadeWilson. Johns has said in interviews that Blackest Night is very much about examining the meaning of death in the DCU. I think it seems like Blackest Night might be exactly what you’re looking for.

  46. Avatar photo kwisdumb says:
    May 6, 2009 at 11:25 pm

    Another great one by Johns. I’m interested to see where this goes with where Wally’s at and such. 5/5 stars for sure.

  47. Avatar photo NealAppeal says:
    May 6, 2009 at 11:38 pm

    @PraxJarvin true, there is only a thematic tie there. but I hope Johns exploits that like he did in Blackest Night #0. Plus it looks like we’re getting black lantern sam scudder, and we saw him in this issue, so it seems like there should be something there. At least I hope so.

  48. Avatar photo ScorpionMasada says:
    May 6, 2009 at 11:40 pm

    I thought this was average. If it wasn’t Johns, I would drop it with this issue. I’m not connecting with anything in this story.

    Don’t believe the hype.

  49. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 7, 2009 at 2:18 am

    I’d be rather disappointed if this was tied into the GL mythos or Blackest Night or whatever. The suspicion that it might be is reducing my enjoyment of this. I feel as this should be it’s own thing like GL: Rebirth was.

  50. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 7, 2009 at 2:58 am

    @jumpingjupiter I really doubt it. They’re related themes, but not related concepts. 

  51. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 7, 2009 at 5:46 am

    You’re probably right, being the same writer and all.

    Just re-read the issue. Good book!

    What I loved:
    ~ Making the Speed Force the fifth universal force was an inspired idea! Physics geeks rejoice!
    ~ Grodd (I think) giving us a synopsis of the story so far via cave paintings was very cool looking and clever.
    ~ Everything with Alexandrova in it was killer, especially when she fights Wally and Barry. That character instantly clicked with me for some reason (and don’t say side boob). She’s great! Is she new? I hope we see more of her.
    ~ I like the forensics angle. Seemed well researched. Any forensics geeks to confirm that?
    ~ Wonder Woman pulling strings for a cover story to explain Barry’s disappearance was very smooth.
    ~ The flashback (pun!) was neat as it opened up the character a bit more for me.
    ~ The fact that Barry’s return is not necessarily welcomed by all is well handled in a subtle meta kind of way but still part of the story.
    ~ Rob Leigh always does a great job.

    What I didn’t love but also didn’t hate:
    ~ Iris seems rather unexpressive.
    ~ The scene in the Balkans was unclear until I noticed some very small art details. Even so, how does Christina see what happened to Savitar?
    ~ Some dialogue is a tad expository. "That’s Black Flash." "Right. The dark entity form the speed force". "(…) doorway to escape from his prison." "His prison being the one you were trapped in. The speed force right?". It reminded me a little of Star Trek TNG tech talk. But at the same time I did benefit from it, being a Flash noob and all.
    ~ The cover. A film strip? What the hell? Not so good.
    ~ I’m not sure if I like Barry yet. He seems a little introspective and I don’t have a grasp on his motivations so far. But I like how he interacts with his wife.
    ~ The art is very busy. It’s taking me time to learn to enjoy it.

  52. Avatar photo Alexferrer says:
    May 7, 2009 at 7:17 am

    @JumpingJupiter- About the cover with the film strip… It’s a homage to the cover of Showcase #4, Barry’s first appearance. It’s also regarded as the comic that started the Silver Age. You can check it out here: http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/showcase/4-1.jpg 

    Since you said you are a Flash newbie, you are forgiven. 😉 

  53. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 7, 2009 at 8:24 am

    Ah, I see. So it’s an hommage to an old cheesy cover. So now it’s a new cheesy cover. 😛 Sorry, not turning ,y crank.

  54. Avatar photo AlexG says:
    May 7, 2009 at 9:40 am

    I think this is cool. Listening to Tom vs. The Flash prepared me more for this series than I realized…thank you Mr. Katers, wherever you are…

  55. Avatar photo 2frog says:
    May 7, 2009 at 10:31 am

    All hype aside, I felt issue 1 was riddled with cliches and didn’t flow well at all. It certainly didn’t make me very excited for the rest of the mini series. In my opinion, they really dropped the ball and wasted a great opportunity to build interest in the story arc. 

    Although still relatively weak, issue 2 was much better, and I’m now at least somewhat interested in reading the next installments of the story.  I’m hoping they’ve moved past most of their set-up and can just focus on telling a good story now.

     

  56. Avatar photo OddsBodkins says:
    May 7, 2009 at 3:22 pm

    I didn’t care for this as much as most of you on here… I think I need to go back and re-read it but for now it gets a 3/5 from me.

  57. Avatar photo NealAppeal says:
    May 7, 2009 at 4:34 pm

    @Jumping Jupiter *puts on nerd hat* I believe the Gorilla you mistook for Grodd is in fact King Nnamdi *takes nerd hat off* *nerd hat does not actually come off, as it is permanently affixed to nerd head*

     

  58. Avatar photo DarkKnightDetective says:
    May 7, 2009 at 10:50 pm

    I thought the first issue was good but not really sure if it was worth all the hype and didn’t know whether I should continue to buy the series, but then again I’ve never been huge on the Flash. But this issue was just awesome, I loved it, especially the last pages which got me really excited for the next issue

  59. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 8, 2009 at 12:23 am

    I thought this issue was alot better than #1. Better. Faster. Stronger. *sings in robot voice*

    Loved that painting gorilla in the cape (props to Neal & his nerd hat for giving him a name for me).

    PS – I thought Dwayne Wade was the Black Flash?

  60. Avatar photo Jim says:
    May 8, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    Not very good.

  61. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 8, 2009 at 7:54 pm

    @jim: Compelling argument.

  62. edward says:
    May 9, 2009 at 12:37 am

    ya see that, Jim, a differing opinion and the nerd swarm attacks.

     IFanbase, different opinions lead to interesting discussion, not a massive circle jerk

  63. edward says:
    May 9, 2009 at 12:46 am

    i should properly point out that Jim didn’t make a great arguement but it was still a valid opinion

  64. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 9, 2009 at 2:40 am

    "i should properly point out that Jim didn’t make a great arguement but it was still a valid opinion"

    Oh I see what you did there. You translated my post by extracting the humor. 

    Please, I’m hardly a nerd swarm. That horse is way too high buddy.

  65. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 9, 2009 at 7:02 am

    How did Barry know about Hal being Paralax etc? He’s been "dead" & it’s not like he has stopped to talk to anyone!

  66. edward says:
    May 9, 2009 at 10:09 am

    he can read newspaper’s really fast

  67. Avatar photo Chris Rohling says:
    May 10, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    @WadeWilson. Things do happen off panel/off screen. No reason to waste page space catching Barry up on someone else’s changes since this is his story, not Hal’s. He’s also been "experiencing" the events in the DCU while he was in the speed force.

  68. Avatar photo leigh says:
    May 11, 2009 at 1:46 am

    comic book cliche no 23. when a character is about to change costume design they get into a fight where thier costume gets ripped.

  69. edward says:
    May 11, 2009 at 2:34 am

    @leigh, wally’s costume is ripped. barry becomes the black flash

  70. Avatar photo dirtyharry2030 says:
    May 11, 2009 at 9:39 am

    For me, this is average at the moment. I don’t like Barry’s character because he seems to be in a constant sulk. You would think that he would be happy he got his life and famly back.

     Also, I hope Van Sciver picks up the detail in his artwork – for example; There are no shadows on the white steps, where barry meets future wife. Also, the text on her pen is squashed and distorted, just to fit the text in the space above her finger. She announced who she was and worked for, so why ruin the artwork that way? Some more bluring, softer outlines and more expressive electric/speedforce effect,  when Barry is moving fast would make it a lot more dynamic and exciting. The Flash moves super fast, which is his only ability, so why represent it in such a boring and undynamic way?

    Homage or not, the cover was dull, which is a shame, because issue 1’s cover was great.

    I can see how the third issue is going to go; Barry sulks about being the black flash for 32 pages. Does nothing heroic. Sulks some more. Big event/cliffhanger on last page. Barry sulks again in issue 4. I hope not.

  71. Avatar photo GayForMoleman says:
    May 11, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    Johns needs a longer skirt, his foreshadowing is showing.

  72. Avatar photo leigh says:
    May 11, 2009 at 10:35 pm

    @edward.   Wait for it, its coming

  73. edward says:
    May 12, 2009 at 4:47 am

    @Leigh: ok. sure.

  74. Avatar photo JumpingJupiter says:
    May 13, 2009 at 8:57 am

    I don’t get the "Barry sulking" criticism. It’s pretty clear that we’re supposed to scratch our head over this. Hal even says it. The story seems to be (on some level) about Barry sorting that out.

Leave a Comment