The Flash #7

            I have always loved Geoff Johns work with the Flash, especially Wally West, so I decided to pick up his series with Barry Allen. I must admit that some of the earlier issues were a let down, but once Johns got into the series  (around issues five and six) it started to get much better.
           This issue has almost nothing to do with the Flash, it is very much an origin issue about Captain Boomerang. This issue starts off with Captain Boomerang breaking Girder out of prison. Then it tells his origin. When his father and brother left him to go work, a delivery man brought Harkness a Wiggins boomerang with no sign of who sent it. Digger tries it out, and ends up sending it into his dad's windshield. After he lost that boomerang, a new one came, he learned to use it, and then he robbed a store with it. His dad through him out of the house, but his mother gave him money to go work for Wiggins. He became the mascot, known as Captain Boomerang. He later turned to crime, got beat by the Flash and joined the Rogues, then joined the Suicide Squad. Then he went home for his mothers funeral and killed his father. Then the flash back ends and Captain Boomerang releases Zoom, which the Rogues don't like.
           I didn't expect to like this issue, but I did, a lot. Captain Boomerang is one of those characters that can be menacing while still having a very classic feel, even if he's not wearing his Wiggins Captain Boomerang suit. This also gives a real reason to put the Brightest Day header on, before Johns did put the header on, but barley talked about Captain Boomerang, and the series had almost nothing to do with Brightest Day, but now that he's focusing on Captain Boomerang more, it is tying Brightest Day into the series very well. I'm not a huge fan of not using Francis Manapul. Scott Kollins does a good job with the art, but he lacks a certain crispness that Manapul had. Although Manapul was a better artist, Kollins is the better story teller. Manapul had many effects, and stunts like when Flash ran on the helicopter rotor, but Manapul takes more of a subtle approach, so even if his art isn't as good, he tells the story better.  I'm very exited for the next couple issues to see how people react to Zoom. I do hope that the Rogues don't work with Flash against Zoom, simply because that would be tedious, and we just got done with the Renegades. So the rest of this arc could either be very good, or very bad, it all depends on the next two or three issues, but this issue was very good, and a very fun read.






Grade: 8/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Justice Society of America #45

          I've really liked this series. I loved the arc with the Fourth Reich, I must admit I skipped this whole star heart business, and so far I've liked this new arc. It could be because I've always loved the Justice Society of America, and the past couple arcs have been really important, but it could also be that the past couple arcs have just been written very well.
        This issue starts with the Flash and Green Lantern on a mission during WWII. The mission was to destroy the  "Drachen Project."When they finally find the "Drachen Project" it turns out to be a baby. The Flash wants to kill it, but Green Lantern wont let him. Meanwhile (back in present day) heroes are helping with clean up of Monument Point. The citizens of the city come and yell at the Flash for not caring. Then a senator reveals that the terrorist that just destroyed the city, is the Drachen child. Elsewhere Green Lantern wakes up in the hospital and finds that he's paralyzed.
          This was a very good issue. It was really full of emotion from all of the characters with Jay Garrick getting yelled at by the people he was trying to save, and Alan Scott being paralyzed. Although as I said before, Jay Garrick being yelled at would have been better if I hadn't seen it so many times before. Although, this time, it was better than in Superman, or Green Lantern. It was the art, and one panel where a man is really yelling that made it better. Also the anger and disgust Flash showed toward the senator was done very well, as was the scene with Alan Scott. This comic does a good job of showing a big part of the JSA, and that is their past experience, especially WWII. It really bridges the gap between old comics, which were about fighting for America, against a foreign enemy, and todays comics, which are about terrorists. A huge part of this comic was the art. The writing was good, but with out Scott Kolins, and Mike Atiyeh, this comic wouldn't be nearly as good. They found a way to express emotion so well that even without the words in the story, I would be able to tell what the character was feeling. I also like that the terrorist did succeed, he was caught, but he still inflicted fear in the DCU, which was really his goal. This is much like the superhero version of 9/11. When the terrorist strikes there is nothing to do, but rebuild. This issue showed that perfectly.
           I'm caught between two things to say about this comic. I don't know weather to call it a extremely good one that you should look at, or a must buy. I'm somewhere in between right now, but definitely look at this issue.



Grade: 9.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com