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THE FLASH #2

The Fastest Man Alive learns he can make his brain function even faster than before – but as much as it helps him, it also comes with a steep price.

Plus: The mystery behind Barry Allen’s friend Manuel Lago deepens as Barry investigates his kidnapping at the hands of Mob Rule!

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
B&W variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

Price: $2.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 17.6%

Reviews

UserAddedSpoilers
unclerocco10/30/11YesRead Review
Metamorphic10/27/11NoRead Review
kingdomofevan10/26/11YesRead Review
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Avg Rating: 4.4
 
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Comments

  1. Avatar photo Flash923 says:
    October 24, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    Can’t wait till Wednesday for The Flash and Aquaman!! I think one of these will make POW for sure this week.

    Just sayin’,

    K

  2. Kmanifesto says:
    October 24, 2011 at 3:00 pm

    Can’t wait for another dose of Manapul & Buccellato’s Flash!

  3. Avatar photo shiveringking8 says:
    October 24, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    Great cover! Really excited about this series.

  4. Avatar photo GunnerAsh says:
    October 24, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    I picked issue 1 up on a whim, totally random choice since my shop didn’t have Aquaman which I originally planned on getting. I enjoyed issue 1 of The Flash so much that I immediately added it to my monthly list and can’t wait for this one.

  5. Avatar photo zak7khan says:
    October 24, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    Cover looks like Phil Noto no? Yeah it says Manupal and his sig is on the cover but at first glance. Hmm

  6. Avatar photo Zeppo says:
    October 24, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    The art was the reason I picked up the last run of the Flash, it is beautiful, but I think I preferred the last Johns #1 of the Flash to this one. I’ll stick with it for a little long if only to stare at the pages. Wow.

  7. froggulper says:
    October 24, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Never been a big fan of the Flash, but I picked up issue #1 of this and was really impressed with the art. It’s also nice to see a young artist who seems to be a competent writer right out of the gate.

    I tried to get into Johns’ Flash stuff like four times over the years, but could never stick with it. It just didn’t impress me. Issue #1 of this series, however, was definitely intriguing enough for me to want to continue with it, at least until the first arc’s done.

    I feel like it’s the mid-90s again, when I feel comfortable just casually picking up a wide selection of DC comics, not feeling pressured to stick with them for years on end, but having the justified expectation that each issue is probably going to be a solid read.

  8. Avatar photo JimBilly4 says:
    October 24, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    Having seen Manapaul’s first offering and finding it to be good, makes this even more interesting to me. One assumes he will grow (or struggle) from here. We know the art will be gorgeous, but if he really gets his writing legs under himself it could be super-fun.

  9. Avatar photo camerlane says:
    October 24, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    The cover reminds me of Harry Potter a little bit, but who said that was a bad thing. I really enjoyed #1 and can’t wait for this one.

  10. Avatar photo JNewcomb says:
    October 24, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    I called that Manapul would write a better Flash than Johns. Am I wrong?

    • Kmanifesto says:
      October 24, 2011 at 8:01 pm

      I’m on board!

    • Avatar photo glwarm76 says:
      October 24, 2011 at 8:44 pm

      Yes, yes you are. The art on the first issue is phenomenal but the dialogue and plot were both pedestrian. Even if you enjoyed the plot and dialogue more than most, it’s only one issue. Johns not only wrote one of the greatest runs on the Flash ever with Wally West, but his first arc on the most recent series is fantastic and he wrote a great Flash in the second issue of JL. Even though Flash Rebirth and some of the later issues in his most recent run were average at best, to say that Manapul writes a better Flash than Johns is insane. Maybe wait a few issues before you make such a claim and/or read some more of Johns on Flash.

    • Avatar photo JNewcomb says:
      October 24, 2011 at 10:06 pm

      I never made a claim. I made a prediction.

    • Avatar photo stasisbal says:
      October 25, 2011 at 8:38 am

      I haven’t read Johns’ Wally West run so I can’t compare this to that. But when it comes to his brief Barry Allen run I think you may end up right. This Flash #1 was at least as enjoyable as Johns’ first Barry arc. After that the series went a bit off the rails. I don’t think Johns has a very good grasp of time travel stories.

      I thought the plot in #1 was just fine for a first issue. It set up Barry’s world and a new story/mystery. Maybe some of the dialog was a bit clunky but the pacing was smooth as eggs. Better than Johns pacing in his three current books which are all running a little too slow for my tastes.

    • Avatar photo JNewcomb says:
      October 25, 2011 at 10:40 am

      I don’t share the criticism of the dialog. I personally liked the dialog actually. It seemed to read the way people talk. Even upon re-read the dialog struck me as clever. It rang right to my ear I guess…

    • Avatar photo CaseyJustice says:
      October 26, 2011 at 11:40 am

      I have to agree, JN. I’ve had enough Johnsian Literalism for a bit, so it’s a refreshing change to just have someone write a good Flash story rather than an EPIC TALE THAT WILL REDEFINE THE WORLD FOREVER! Those are fun, but not all the damn time.

      That, and Barry’s not a sad-sack whiner anymore.

    • Avatar photo stasisbal says:
      October 27, 2011 at 11:22 am

      I was halfheartedly conceding that the dialog was clunky because I figured I just didn’t notice it in the first issue. With that in mind for issue 2, I didn’t have any problems at all. I noticed a couple lines that might rub some people the wrong way, like Iris saying, “…with the most dangerous inmate in Iron Heights Prison!” But I think it’s just fine. Gives the book a Silver Age charm.

  11. Avatar photo unclerocco says:
    October 24, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    I sort of only enjoyed the art on the last one, but it’s good enough to maybe make the cut. (God, I’ve got too many books these days, and I’m not even reading some of the most lauded stuff out there!)
    This’ll get purchased or no based on a flip through in the shop.

  12. Avatar photo stasisbal says:
    October 24, 2011 at 6:45 pm

    This turned out to be my favorite among the more traditional superhero books in the New 52. Hopefully it keeps up the momentum.

  13. Avatar photo yyzKyle says:
    October 25, 2011 at 9:17 am

    The artwork/layouts in issue #1 were bloody brilliant. I think this book was a good read and gave me a Barry Allen that I want to read more about. More please!

  14. Avatar photo ghostmann says:
    October 25, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    wow, just read the preview for this loved what I read and saw.

    http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=10239

  15. Avatar photo JDA190 says:
    October 26, 2011 at 7:01 am

    Is it me or did his art really get great! I wasn’t sure about Manapul as an artist with the series before, but with the #1 issue I was truly blown away. I loved what he did with some of the panels and layouts and am super excited about the rest of his run

  16. Avatar photo Flash923 says:
    October 26, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Got a chance to check out the preview as well and i can not wait to get out of work and enjoy this!

    Just sayin’,

    K

  17. Avatar photo tomhayday says:
    October 26, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    holy shit that was beautiful. god damn.

  18. Avatar photo thompsonlive says:
    October 26, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    So damn pretty! Also quite fun story as well, it will be exciting to see what they do with with the whole AugCog thing!

  19. Avatar photo EVILgeniusBEN says:
    October 26, 2011 at 7:37 pm

    I haven’t really read a lot of Flash comics but i’m definitely sticking around for the art. Manapul is amazing. The Wide panel on the top of pages 2 and 3 with flash taking out multiple baddies is definitely my pick for panel of the week. I wish I had a poster of that. The story is getting pretty good too.

    • Avatar photo JNewcomb says:
      October 26, 2011 at 8:05 pm

      What a panel that was! A prime example of what comics can do that movies and TV can’t. SO well stylized and brilliantly designed!

  20. Avatar photo BCDX97 says:
    October 27, 2011 at 1:05 am

    My store was shorted 15 copies of this! I heard several poor folks asking for it. But I got one. It helps to be friends with the guy in the store. He hooks me up first.

  21. Avatar photo CaseyJustice says:
    October 27, 2011 at 8:06 am

    I think that we’re seeing just a bit of Manapul’s inexperience in writing peek through. This issue lacked a bit of the clarity and dynamism of the first issue, story-wise.

    Now, art-wise? I’m tempted to say that there’s no one in comics on Manapul’s level right now. This book belongs hanging
    in a museum.

    • Avatar photo JNewcomb says:
      October 27, 2011 at 10:44 am

      I tossed around that criticism in my head as well and I’m still unsure if that’s a result of the subject matter or actual lack of narrative clarity.

    • Avatar photo CaseyJustice says:
      October 27, 2011 at 3:59 pm

      I feel like it might just be a pacing thing. The part of the issue where Barry tries to get faster, for example… was that referenced in the previous issue? If not, it kinda came out of nowhere. The books just lacked the very clear focus of issue 1. Still yonks better than most books, but it suffered a bit of sophomore slump, in my humble.

    • Avatar photo dkbrain says:
      October 29, 2011 at 12:34 am

      Agree

  22. Avatar photo Sockman says:
    October 27, 2011 at 10:10 am

    This is punctuated equilibrium I hold in my hands. The next evolution of comics has come in all its glory. Never have I seen such thought into overall book design. The small missing link may be seen in We3 but, The Flash is one great master minded package not just good page layout. This is absolutely fantastic stuff.

  23. Avatar photo stasisbal says:
    October 27, 2011 at 11:15 am

    This. This was awesome. Everything about this new Flash series is clicking with me. I still have several comics to read this week but they’ll have a tough time beating this one out as my pick of the week.

  24. Avatar photo wallythegreenmonster says:
    October 27, 2011 at 11:59 am

    Its a nice book…these first 2 issues weren’t as magical for me as the previous Flash relaunch..those were great. I dunno..i’m still waiting for a bit more, but i still like them.

  25. Avatar photo Skyfire124 says:
    October 28, 2011 at 2:11 am

    Love the Flash, this has been the top of my reading stack, both this week and when Issue 1 came out. Lov….e the art, though seeing Barry’s face lighting up at the top of the page when Iris is talking about whether Barry is being all morally responsible…. well that expression reminded me so much of some of the Kansas farmboy images of Clark Kent. Would love to see Clark and Barry hanging out together and sharing that expression in a panel.

  26. Avatar photo drdeeeznutz says:
    October 28, 2011 at 4:04 am

    WOW connecting your brain to the speed force-5/5 potw

  27. Avatar photo Flash923 says:
    October 28, 2011 at 8:02 am

    I gave this issue a 4.5, The Flash Barry Allen is my favorite character since he was the first character I ever read in a comic almost 30 years ago. So this series has started out very well; art, color, story, and ink have been great. The brain connecting to the speed force was a pretty good idea to enrichen the characters powers. The clones well thats why this is not a 5; I kinda lost track of what was really going on here from book #1. Seems I will need to read both together tonight since the transition from issue 1 to 2 seemed odd?

    Just sayin’,

    K

  28. Avatar photo FishyBoy says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:45 am

    That was so cool – the art & layouts for when he got his brain hooked to the speed force were brilliant.

    This one is now, surprisingly, alongside Snyder’s Batman as my top favorite of the new 52.

  29. Avatar photo j206 says:
    October 28, 2011 at 10:34 am

    Some of the best art from Manapul yet. And that’s saying something. Wow.

  30. Avatar photo yyzKyle says:
    October 28, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    The artwork/layouts are phenomenal in this book. Wow. Aquaman edged this out after 3 re-readings for pick of the week. Seriously amazing stuff this week.

  31. Kmanifesto says:
    October 28, 2011 at 9:34 pm

    Great read and the art was fantastic! 5/5.

    That said, the cosmic treadmill intro was a tad jarring. We saw Dr. Elias for a few panels in issue #1 and now we see him conducting a huge experiment on our hero in issue #2 without any explanation really. Did I miss something?

  32. Avatar photo sitara119 says:
    October 29, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    love the cover. the art is fantastic and the story of the first 2 books is a lot better than i thought it was going to be. bravo

  33. Avatar photo BionicDave says:
    October 30, 2011 at 5:17 am

    I love the look of this book – I really really love it – but the story seems like it’d be better read in trade than monthly floppies. They kept talking about “Manuel Lago” and what we saw in issue #1… and I didn’t even remember that name, let alone what happened to the guy.

  34. Avatar photo sitara119 says:
    October 31, 2011 at 1:33 am

    man, he is fast…..

  35. Avatar photo djchangchild says:
    October 31, 2011 at 1:49 am

    Every page of this book was honestly so GOOD!!!! The pencils and colors were just unbelievable.

  36. Avatar photo KillTheG1mp says:
    October 31, 2011 at 5:54 pm

    This was just awesome and perfect!

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