Deja Vu And Death: Reviewing ‘Flashpoint Beyond’ #1

The problem with revisiting past glories, as Geoff Johns is currently doing with Flashpoint Beyond #1, is that you can’t help but get the sense of deja vu from time to time. And this issue is dripping with it as we once more relive the war between Amazons and Atlanteans with Wonder Woman a prisoner of Arthur Curry. Thomas Wayne acts as this issue’s narrator, filling in any readers who did not pick up Flashpoint Beyond #0 with an update on events thus far. Event that have seen Barry Allen killed before Wayne could help him become the Flash. So, at least there will be some differences this time round. But, will it really be to any great effect? Or, is this just an excuse to celebrate the Flashpoint storyline a decade later? Time will tell, but while this issue is enjoyable I’m not too sure that it does bring anything new to the table. 

With a world that can easily be wiped out again, there’s not the sense of peril you would normally associated with such series. Although arguable what peril is there to any hero’s death? So, when a certain character does meet his maker, it did not have the emotional impact Johns was potentially looking for. After all, two issue in and we’ve been given a major death each issue. Will this continue next issue too? And, if so, will it not diminish the attempts at emotive payoff Johns is aiming for?

Artist Xermánico is well suited you this trip down memory lane. How style on this comic does have the sniff of Adam Kubert about it – the original Flashpoint artist – and he does present some pretty impressive layout. One in particular, and inspired by JH Williams III I think (on his time drawing Batwoman) over a double page. A page framed by the shape of the iconic bat-emblem. He makes for a great storyteller with his artistic choices in this issue and gives the world of Flashpoint a rough look to it when compared with Mikel Janin’s three-page contribution catching us up with Batman of Earth-0.

Flashpoint Beyond #1 is out now from DC Comics