The Flash: Rebirth Paperback – May 3, 2011

What happens when you've been dead for several years, and then come back to life? That is an odd question, but in comic books, that is a question that is worth asking. It is said that in comic books “death is cheap”. Most comic deaths, with the exception of Bruce Wayne's parents and Spider-Man's Uncle Ben, will eventually be reversed by a later storyline, if they haven't been reversed already.One of the characters who has stayed “dead” the longest is the second Flash, Barry Allen, at 23 years before his return. Eventually, even he came back. During the events of the “crisis crossover” *Final Crisis*, Barry suddenly appeared alive and well, and helped the heroes finish killing the evil god Darkseid. As *The Flash: Rebirth* begins, all of Barry's friends, family, and other heroes in the Justice League of America and Justice Society of America, are celebrating the second Flash's return. No one quite understands what happened, but they all accept it with joy. All of them except for Barry, of course. He can't shake this uneasy feeling that he should be dead still. That there is something wrong with the way that death has been so “cheap” for heroes in the DC Universe.Though much of Barry's struggle is spiritual and emotional, as he needs to accept his life with his wife Iris, and with his friends, he is not entirely unjustified in his paranoia. There is a sinister mind at work, using Barry to cement it's own power. A mind that needs Barry alive, but is obsessed with torturing him at the same time. If Barry does not defeat this villain, then his life will be destroyed, and every other speedster but himself and the villain will be dead.The art here is more difficult to judge than in other comic series. It is not vivid, but more understated. However, that more “understated” design is part of the charm of the series. This fight in the story is a battle that involves other characters, but it is mainly Barry's battle to accept coming back. This is revealed in the fact that his wife Iris is drawn very simply, but as a stunning character. Indeed, she is the only one besides Barry and other speedsters that gets any great detail. It's almost like we are seeing the story through Barry's eyes, and see the importance that his friends, family, and especially his beloved wife, have for him.The story was actually a plausible retcon of the previous mythos of the *Flash* comics. That is about all I can say without giving too much away. Then again, given how goofy some of these major comic book industry “events” can be *cough*CountdowntoFinalCrisis*cough*, that is meant as good praise.A great story for any Flash and comic book fan, but accessible enough for some new fans.Highly Recommended.

I love the book , the art and the character

Geoff Johns, the same creator behind Green Lantern Rebirth and who rehabilitated Hal Jordan does it again with The Flash Rebirth. Here's what I think makes it so great:(1) Unlike most comic book resurrections, which are quick and cheap, Johns was very careful with how he treated Barry Allen. Barry stayed dead for much, much longer than other characters typically do (about two decades), and you can tell Johns was not going to bring him back on a whim without a story to tell. In the same way that Johns gave Hal a bit more gravitas in returning to his former self, Barry's return from death is not just simple triumph and fanfare. There's an unease and discomfort with being pulled back to life that is both more interesting and understandable then just a skip and a jump back into the hero life.(2) Johns' gift for rebooting characters, which continues on to this day, is that he's very deft and providing context, exposition, and background in light and organic ways so that new readers can understand what's going on. Each new story he takes on, including this one, performs a fine dance between retreading old information and introducing new elements which is really hard to pull off well. Johns does it.(3) Because of 1 and 2 above, I think this a great book for newcomers to learn more about Barry Allen, but also about the Speed Force and the legacy of the Flash on a more general level. It was one of the first full Flash stories I read, and it was a pretty smooth introduction.All in all this is a great Barry Allen/Flash story and I strongly recommend it to people interested in learning about the character.

I'll start off by saying I'm not a big Flash fan. The main purpose of this book was to justify bringing back Barry Allen, the Flash who died saving the universe 25 years ago in Crisis on Infinite Earths. That death was considered sacred to comic book fans in that it was one of the few deaths that stuck in comic books.After Barry died, his sidekick Wally carried on the legacy as the Flash in the 90s and 2000s, becoming the Flash for that generation. That doesn't apply to me because I wasn't a comic book reader until 2006 so I have no definitive Flash. So Johns can persuade me to accept any Flash he wants, whether it be Wally, Barry or Bart. If you are a relatively new comic book reader with no definitive Flash, you will probably dig this. If you are a rabid Wally West fan, then probably not. But you should try to give this a chance, regardless.This book is very similar to Green Lantern: Rebirth, due it being by the same creative duo of Johns and Van Sciver. Throughout both books, Barry and Hal struggle with a changing world and have to play catchup with all their relationships. Johns basically makes his argument for bringing them both back right in the book. Hal regrets his actions as Parallax while Barry regrets a murder trial. The difference though is that Barry died a hero in the eyes of the DCU. Iris tells Barry to calm down and just spend time with the people he loves, and not to worry about why he came back. Jay Garrick recollects how if it weren't for Barry, he would not have returned to superheroing and there would not be a JSA anymore. Bart is upset Barry is back and considers Wally the real Flash (kind of like the fanboys who hate the idea of Barry coming back). Johns used retcons extensively in both Rebirth books, which I will get to now.SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The story establishes that the Speed Force wasn't tapped into by Barry when he became the Flash, rather he created it and he actually is the Speed Force. With this revelation, there is no doubt he is the central figure in the Flash franchise. There's also a retcon that Barry's mother was murdered, supposedly by his father, and he becomes a forensic scientist to prove his father's innocence.There was a really cool moment where Johns establishes that a race between the Flash and Superman would be an easy Flash win, he leaves Superman in the dust. I really dug that, because if Superman is as fast or faster than Flash, than there is no point to the Flash.END SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It's addressed whether Barry Allen is boring and he's not, he's just introverted and a slower, methodical person who has a great love interest in Iris. There is all kinds of neat nods to Flash stories of the past, and while I didn't quite understand the whole plot with the Reverse Flash, I got the gist of it and didn't let all the little things that I didn't let it bother me. I think a re-read and some research will more than iron out the confusion.I liked this book, I can see myself sticking with the franchise with Barry Allen as my Flash. I loved the art as well, Van Sciver is definitely one of the top three artists DC has right now.