Broken Frontier

The art team of Manapul and Buccellato race the Scarlet Speedster into a new era of his career.

The Flash #1 (not to be confused with the re-launch from not even two years ago), created by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, is one heck of a way to splash onto the scene as comic book writers. I say created, because these two gentlemen are responsible for art chores on the previous series. Having previously provided pencils and color to Geoff Johns' scripts, Manapul and Buccellato somehow convinced the powers that be that they can take on this DC titan’s further adventures. Did it work out for the better or was this entire experiment a disaster?

One thing is for sure -- this book is gorgeous. Manapul hasn’t missed a beat and in some ways has even gotten better in his depiction of Barry Allen’s particular talents. His page layouts are a thing of beauty and ingenuity. Many times when a penciler experiments with a new layout, the results can be muddled, ultimately interrupting the flow of story. If you’re looking for an example on how to do it right, check out the “research montage” halfway through the book. Barry Allen puts on his thinking cap and works into the wee hours. The page is separated into segmented and overlapping boxes that make the eye travel in a zig-zag pattern, from top to bottom. It’s aesthetically pleasing and conveys the passage of time in a static medium very effectively. Buccellato’s colors over Manapul’s pencils are vibrant, but somehow incredibly soft and layered. The work that these two produce together is harmonious in the execution of story. But how is the story?

Though sometimes clunky with the dialogue, The Flash #1 doesn’t skip a beat in its fast paced and intriguing script. Many changes have happened in Barry Allen’s life (no longer married, where’s Wally and his family, new costume, de-aged), but none of it really matters right now. All that Manapul and Buccellato are concerned with is telling a quick and fun Flash tale. After reading copious amounts of text boxes and internal monologues all month, explaining what has changed, what hasn’t, etc., it was a wonderful surprise to just jump into a story and let it happen. The writer/artists definitely subscribe to the “show, don’t tell’ form of storytelling and we are all the better for it.

This is the first professional comic script these two have delivered to DC. It’s full of wit, wonder, and passion. The missteps they make in pacing or scripting are washed away by the sheer excitement on the page. Now, if they can keep up the momentum shown here (a new mystery, new status quo, and the promise to delve into Barry’s past a little more) then this book could be one of the more impressive achievements coming out of the DCnU.