With the “rebirth” of a legacy once again in the balance, the Fastest Man Alive faces a new crisis that may deal Barry Allen an unexpected hand as lightning strikes again in The Flash #1!
After a stellar run during The New 52 relaunch, the latest “reboot” or rather Rebirth has brought a new energy into Barry Allen’s life, pitting him in the race of his life to remain the DC Universe’s fastest man alive!
If there’s any hero that understands the significance of how much difference a day can make leave it to Barry Allen to relate! As the entirety of the DC Comics universe braces itself for the “Rebirth” no other single character can perhaps be more connected to the upcoming series of events as is chronicled in the relaunch of The Flash #1. The special one-shot The Flash: Rebirth issue hinted as it elaborated on the consequences of the return of one of the DC Universe’s most favorite characters Wally West and how it relates to Central City’s fastest man alive.
As is theorized in the DC Universe: Rebirth #1 special issue, ever since the FlashPoint event and the emergence of The New 52 timeline, Wally has been lost in-between universes. Only recently has the former Flash (and one-time Kid Flash) been able to pierce the veil into this world. Finally making a breakthrough once contacting his friend and mentor, Barry Allen was West able to escape his prison and inform The Flash that “10 years of their lives have gone missing.” Almost immediately Barry recognizes Wally and his memories begin to resurface, but that hasn’t answered the question of who has reshaped the universe.
Is there something far more sinister at work here? A lightning storm reminiscent of the one that first struck him and gave him his super speed powers, has begun to rain down on Central City. Since then, The Flash has dedicated himself to being “the people’s hero” and continuously made sacrifices at his own expense to serve those innocent in peril, but even Barry has to admit that he can’t be everywhere at once, and something (or someone) is on the hunt!
In the previous series runs, Barry has already encountered a “new” version of the Reverse-Flash and battled Professor Zoom one of the more nefarious characters in his rogues gallery of villains, but there is something else out there, and still more dastardly — it looks like the Speed Force itself may be working against. Amidst the flames of a burning building and a hostage crisis in another part of Central City, one of Barry Allen’s colleagues tempts fate and is suddenly struck by lightning! Almost immediately something else intervenes — something is watching! A new speedster is in town!
The Flash #1 written by Joshua Williamson with art by Carmine Di Giandomenico continues in the tradition of what has made The Flash such a standout run to follow since The New 52 relaunch. It’s worth keeping pace with a story that has as many twists and turns, but still feels very much like “classic” superhero storytelling. The creatives that have worked on The Flash most recently have also benefitted from the hero’s primetime presence and have given the comic Barry as big a heart as the one that actor Grant Gustin has embued his version with.
The start of a brand new arc “Lightning Strikes Twice” this is sure to spiral headlong into the mystery surrounding the DC Universe: Rebirth and with two Flashes running around, what more could fans want?