Flashpoint

• Title: Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 (of 3)
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Scott Kolins
• Artist: Scott Kolins

In a world without the Flash who steps up to be the hero of Central City? Captain Cold, who else?

Under the the name Citizen Cold the villain we’ve known for years as one of the the Flash’s Rogues Gallery is a meaner, far deadlier, less sunny and more opportunistic, version of Booster Gold when he first appeared. This Cold is out to save the world, but only if it helps line his pockets and glorify his name.

In reality Cold is two-bit hood from a broken and abusive family, something a noisy reporter’s assistant has stumbled onto. Anybody else find it funny that Wally West is Flashpoint‘s Jimmy Olsen?

Interesting first issue which starts out with a battle between Cold and Mr. Freeze (pretty cool), a revelation that the Rogues are part of this reality as well (more of a miss), and ends with Wally West turned into a frozen Popsicle (okay that’s kinda funny). I could have done with far less of the tortured back story, but it’s still worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

• Title: Flashpoint #2 (of 5)
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Geoff Johns
• Artist: Andy Kubert

Flashpoint continues with three stories. One showcases Deathstroke and Emperor Aquaman‘s take-no-prisoners attitude towards trespassers on the high seas. The second involves Wonder Woman‘s encounter with an American special forces officer who just happens to be named Steve Trevor. Both help further paint the bleak landscape of this transformed Flashpoint reality.

It’s the third story however that’s the most important. Barry Allen attempts to convince this reality’s Batman (Thomas Wayne) that he isn’t crazy, is from an alternate reality, and can fix the world… if Batman helps him get struck by lightning. As you might guess, it takes a little convincing.

It’s not a bad second issue, although the glimpses we get of both Aquaman and Wonder Woman make me cringe at the thought of either of them being the center of future issues. And the consequence of Barry Allen’s experiment does have an unintentionally funny ring to it. (And it’s certainly better than the other off-shoot mini-series which also hit shelves this week.) Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

• Title: Flashpoint #1 (of 5)
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Geoff Johns
• Artist: Andy Kubert

Barry Allen wakes in his office in Central City only to realize it isn’t his Central City. He’s not the Flash, and the world around him isn’t his own.

Alternate reality comics are a staple of the business (just ask the X-Men who have been doing this on a regular basis for decades now). They’re also severally limited. Nothing that happens in this reality matters outside of it. And usually few, if any, characters remember the events which took place in the other reality.

As alternate stories go Flashpoint isn’t awful. The first issue does a good job setting up the differences in the world. There is no Superman, no Justice League, Abin Sur never died bequething his ring to Hal Jordan, and Batman isn’t the Wayne we know.

This world is trapped in wars with both Wonder Woman and the Amazons and Aquaman and the Atlateans. And the closest thing the resistance has to a leader is… Cyborg. Oh, that can’t be good.

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