Flashpoint and the New DC Order

Ok hello it's me back again, and better late then never. Just wanted to share my views on Flashpoint and the post New 52 expectations. Despite how when I'm writing this it is well into the first week of releases. We have already had the new Justice League and the first 13 other number 1's.

On the entire Flashpoint storyline...

  It was poorly paced and despite a cracking first and last issue, nothing was made of the entire story as a whole. Sure there are gaping plot wholes like, how Thomas Waynes letter and Barry's memories survived the change or how about: If Barry stopped himself from creating that universe in the first place then why is there change at all, when it's corrected? I mean apart from the whole "strange woman saying that they have been combining the three universes for some time now" thing.

  My purchases of the tie-ins feel pretty stupid now. The only one I really enjoyed was the Batman one. There was no need for any of them truthfully. They could have been prequels for each of the characters featured in Flashpoint, but most of the characters roles in the main book were glorified cameos anyway.
  A better solution would have been to have two fortnightly titles (like with JLI/ Brightest Day), one called the History of Flashpoint- with short prequels to each character and also a lot of build up about the Amazon/ Atlantis war. The other could have been an up to date World of Flashpoint with all of the relevant tie in stuff to the build up of the resistance and leading into the battle at the end.
  Another issue I had with the story as a whole: Booster Gold. As one of the only two characters who remembered the previous world, he was grossly miss-used, all he did was fight someone in a Doomsday body. He's in the JLI for godsake he isn't an unknown character. Geoff Johns spent so long trying to build up Cyborg as an important character he forgot he could bring in Booster into the main stage once more (I loved him in 52).
   I hated how When Barry woke up in the alternate world that the artwork didn't make clear that his powers had gone, and it only occurred to me when he was driving to the mansion that anything was different for him. Equally in the last issue I don't think it was made very clear that he had come back to a changed world thus making the new 52 seem sort of forced into this stories finale.
  Perhaps Johns had too much free reign? Maybe he did try to recreate the magic of the stories he remembers when he was younger. Some people probably enjoyed it. To me though this wasn't an "event" book. Infinite Crisis was an event book, so was Final Crisis and hell even War of the Green Lanterns felt more epic and disaster-movie, end of the world scenario then this did.
  There were moments in this that I liked a lot. A sunless captive Superman was intriguing as was Thomas Wayne Batman, but all of those are the basis of a "huh that's sorta neat" reaction and do not create a compelling story as is. It was mildly enjoyable but not very entertaining. It would have been fine as just a plain old Flash comics story arc but with all the hype and buildup it didn't fair well as an event.

  All said and done I seem to have gotten the same feelings as I had with Spiderman One More Day- I don't like they way they went about it, but I really enjoy the change now that it's arrived. 

The New 52...

  For anyone who somehow hasn't heard, DC comics has ended ALL of it's current titles and in the story continuity they have hit the re-set switch to combine all of the DC, Vertigo and Wildstorm publishing into one shared universe continuity. Some characters who were brought in from alternate worlds like the Justice Society and Power Girl don't exist anymore and others like Batgirl are not the same person in the costume either. It's all change and wether you are a comics fan or not, up until the first wave of releases last week we were all on the same page about the details of the new Universe. So I would suggest hopping in now and joining us. There is something for everyone here War, Western, Vampire, Supernatural and Superhero Male, Females and Mixed Races. They are really trying to cover all their bases here.
  As for what DC hopes to accomplish with re-jiggering (thats the technical term) their shared universe I don't think it will bring more readers in there droves like they think. Sure drumming up media interest is always going to add a bit of a curve on to the sales figures but this move seems to be targeting people who read just a few of their titles and want to read more. Or readers of other companies books who just want a foot in the door. Or perhaps readers who stopped and wanted to start again and have being waiting for a long time for an appropriate chance.

  Equally I don't think that the digital same day release is going to be the end of comic book shops. Sure they might have closed near where you live, but come on people there is also a recession going on. If anything the digital same day release will let people who are perhaps too embarrassed to be seen in a comic shop or to lazy to leave the house or even just plain old gadget junkies, have there own access point into the stories.  It's a shame in my eyes that the digital version costs the same as the printed version. It should be very subsidised or at the very least have a free digital download that comes with each issue, then there would be no worrying about people picking. It would be like the DVDs that have the free digital version to. Maybe I want to take it out to read/ play on the road digitally, but I shouldn't have to pay twice if I actually want to own the physical product. I'm proud of my comics and like them in order on my shelves, but to be honest if I had an iphone or ipad yeah I wouldn't mind some reading material on it too.

  I don't think paper comics will ever die out. In the same sense that the movie version of a character doesn't render the comics version obsolete. It's just irrational to think that way.
  The main problem of the 52 re-jiggering in my eyes is which ones to buy? I sure wont be trying all of them. I've flicked through the free promo catalogue countless times and can't decide wether to follow my favorite writers, artists or characters onto new books. Or wether to use my chance and jump onto the main heroes books. I've narrowed my buying down to about 20 of the 52 and done it so that I can get 5 a week. It's the hunt for the new gems! I will try to give each book a full story arc to prove itself before I deem it droppable and give up. Not just the first issue as I would imagine a lot of angry fanboy types may do.
  If you've ever been mildly interested in comics and want to know where to start reading. Just start now. Sure there is tons of great work in trade but if you want to be up to date with the new world order nows your chance. After all I'd never imagined that mainstream comics would be given TV and billboard adverts in my life time. Comics are cool again! (ahem.. they always have been).

  

Next Up: Justice League #1 Review (it's another rant) and my thoughts on the other New DC issues I'm reading (it's a lot more upbeat). Plus let's not forget the other comic company still churning out it's big summer event (along with what seems like endless magic hammer tie-ins) as well as Spider Island and more!

(Note- Yeah I realised it is quite unrealistic to review every issue I buy. Instead expect random updates about single titles, whole series so far, summer crossovers and other recommendations.)