Bart Allen (Kid Flash) is disappearing before our eyes, so with the help of Hot Pursuit, will he manage to travel back in time and change whatever altered the time-line, or is he done for?
The Good
The pacing. So important to stress that the pacing in this issue is perfect. Sterling also manages to simplify a story idea that might seem a bit complicated, making it very reader friendly. Bart Allen's story in general walks this fine line of being self contained but still referencing the events of Flashpoint. Even though the events that take place in this issue occur out of the Flashpoint story, they do relate back, and it feels completely connected to the Flashpoint story.
From the very beginning, Bart Allen's dialogue with Patty (Hot Pursuit) is really fun and entertaining. You also get the impression that Patty acts as Barts guide, giving him pep talks and shedding some clarity on his situation. I think what isn't directly stated but is something that is definitely implied is the fact that Bart begins to develop some real feelings for her, this becomes evident toward the end of the issue. Now, I don't necessarily mean romantic feelings, but legitimate friendship feelings. He cares about Hot Pursuit and he appreciates that she has been by his side and sort of acted as his support during a time where he needed her most. It's definitely hard not to care about Patty's character, too. She's great. The dynamic of their relationship is also interesting, particularly when it is put to the test.
Sure, write Sterling Gates might be playing up the relationship between Bart and Patty, but don't let that fool you! This book isn't strictly emotional, it's action packed too. The art is also very good (even though it does feel a bit shaky at times) I still did enjoy it a lot. I particularly liked the two page spread after Bart tries on Hot Pursuit's helmet; I thought the artist did a great job in this scene. I also found the scene acted as a great bridge between Kid Flash's Flashpoint story and all of the other Flashpoint books.
The Bad
I liked the pencils on this book, but I did not necessarily love them. I don't really blame the artist, however, since I've noticed I have had complaints with much of the art on several Flashpoint books. It wasn't "bad," but it did seem a bit rushed. The writer did also spend a lot of time with the dialogue between Bart and Patty, which in itself was not "bad," but felt a little bit slower than the rest of the book.
The Verdict
I would think that fitting this type of a story into three issues can't be easy, and to do it as well as these guys have done it is probably even more difficult. I admit, I did enjoy the first issue of Kid Flash a bit more -- at least initially. The book definitely picks up towards the end of the issue. However, the beginning of issue #2 does feel a little bit on the slow side, and I think a lot of time was spent on the dialogue between Hot Pursuit and Kid Flash. The writer definitely deals with a mature issue in this book and manages to successfully give it a youthful perspective. Will you risk everything to save the person/people that you love and care for? How important is this to you? This issue is dense, and it's at the core of this book. However, the writer keeps the personality of Bart Allen, the teenager, alive through the language he uses. It's a thin line to walk, making the story sound youthful while dealing with heavy issues without making it feel campy or exaggerated. The writer does a good job. This has been one of the better Flashpoint off-shoot books so far. Rating should be somewhere between a 3 and 4, but I rounded up.
3 Comments