Great issue that hooked me instantly and never let go. After one issue, I want, no, need to know more about this world and these characters and am already picking out various tieins I want to try out simply because of how engaging and interesting this world and story is so far. Read Full Review

Great issue that hooked me instantly and never let go. After one issue, I want, no, need to know more about this world and these characters and am already picking out various tieins I want to try out simply because of how engaging and interesting this world and story is so far. Read Full Review

Flashpoint is just great. Its interesting, fun, and not connected to any ulterior motives. This book isnt a metaphor for modern society or an allegory to some sort of political nonsense; its just a good old-fashioned crossover that looks great and reads smoothly. Now, if youll excuse me, theres a Thor souvenir cup with an icy beverage and a beach chair with my name on them. Read Full Review

A very strong, promising start to DC's most talked-about storyline, though much depends on the follow-up. Read Full Review

You have to give DC points for guts. Here's hoping the gamble (and the story) pays off. Read Full Review

As a first issue, its almost entirely set-up, but thats really to be expected of these event stories. It has me curious about what brought the DCU to this point and even more curious about what changes (if any) will bleed over to the restored DCU. At this point, thats what the story needed to do. Read Full Review

Flashpoint is set to change the DC Universe but it's impossible to say what parts of this world will make it into the next world that we see. With this opening issue, we see how Barry is (so far?) the sole person who has a clue that things have changed and he's trying to piece together some of the basics while hunting up the one man that he knows can help him make sense of it all. In the midst of this, we see how his personal life would be different in this world while also seeing the sizable differences in the world at large with the attacks by Atlantis and the Amazons. The plunging of the world into a war in this way is really an interesting idea, one that could carry its own series easily enough, but the intensity and impact of such events simply don't feel like they're felt by the people of this world. I like the potential of Flashpoint and am definitely curious to see where it will go. Read Full Review

** By the way, that 1956 story, The Man Who Broke the Time Barrier, was inked by Joe Kubert, the father of the illustrator of Flashpoint. Coincidence or synchronicity? You decide! Read Full Review

The other drama is much more interesting, and it's the one that served as the larger backdrop for this series. I'm interested in a world at war. I'm interested a team of teen heroes who've divvied up the powers of several gods. I'm interested in what transformed Gotham from a dark, gothic den of danger into a Day-Glo city of sin. Why is this new Element Woman so keen to please, to be a part of something? There's such a diverse array of characters to discover, and they all have their own stories to tell. The strength of Flashpoint isn't how the DC Universe changed but instead the whole universe of new stories and characters that change made possible. Read Full Review

Frankly, though, Johns has enough ideas in his head to make Flashpoint #1 a rewarding read. While not as connective to its audience as Fear Itself, this series seems well on its way to delivering a unique vision of what the DC world's come to. And really, any comic where the Bat-Man drops someone from a roof can't truly be bad, can it? Read Full Review

Flashpoint #1 is probably the rockiest start to a DC event in years. If DC had held back on the marketing push prior to launch, maybe a lot of the moments found within would have had more punch. But when you break it down, it's essentially a glorified version of the various press releases that lead up to this first issue's release and offers nothing new. But hey, at least Andy Kubert's art is rock solid. That justifies the $3.99 price tag, right? Read Full Review

I think there's going to be plenty of bad stories in this crossover as both the Atlantis and Amazon series gear up over the weeks and months to come, but as setups go this first issue is actually better than I expected. It doesn't hurt that this one also has an interesting version of Captain Marvel who I hope to see more of (since I don't get any of him in the current DCU). Worth a look. Read Full Review

This is, however, the first issue of what will be, once complete, well over fifty (that is a low-end estimate) comics that tell the story of this new world. To judge the entire story on this initial step would be folly. To commit to the entire story based on what is given to us here would be insanity. I'm anticipating the second issue trends more towards what the beginning and end of this issue gave us. After all, as the father of three very active kids who is currently paying through the nose to gas up his car, there's just no way I can stand a chance to buy all fifty issues to complete this story. Hopefully the five main issues with select (based largely on creator involvement) other issues will be enough to give me a complete story. Read Full Review

There are a LOT of cool ideas rattling around in this issue, but for all that I enjoy (Citizen Cold, Cyborg as a major player, June Moon and Rac Shade) there are things that just bother the heck out of me (the fate of the United Kingdom's males, Batman as a major player, whatever is going on with Captain Thunder.) Nothing really worth hating, unless your a devotee of continuity porn, and as long as you're ready for the Geoff Johns style (when he likes a character, he will push that character like Vince McMahon pushes anyone above 6′ 10″) it's an innocuous start to a series that potentially could outshine Blackest Night. The art is excellent throughout, with Andy Kubert reminding me of Rags Morales in certain places, and all the characters recognizable as who they are/were/are supposed to be. All in all, even with the slow bits, the talky bits and some weird character choices, it's a strong kickoff to a series that promises to show us a whole new DCU, leading Flashpoint #1 t Read Full Review

By its position as a company-wide crossover, Flashpoint places the burden of great expectations on itself. If this were simply the next story arc in the Flash ongoing, it may suffice to simply serve as a piece of Barry Allen character development, but that just wont do in the high stakes environment Johns is fostering. Read Full Review

Also, that line DC drew at 2.99 was apparently not written in stone. Read Full Review

Pretty much a run of the mill alt universe story but the ending was so shocking