The Flash: Rebirth #1

Publisher: DC Comics
Story: Joshua Williamson
Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Colour: Ivan Plascencia
Letters: Steve Wands
Overall: 9/10

(Warning: This issue and review contain spoilers DC: Rebirth #1)

Flashback to flash forward

As Barry is called in to investigate a murder that's all a little bit too familiar to
him, he starts to have strange visions but he isn't quite sure what they mean. Of course, if
you've already read Rebirth you'll know that it's Wally coming back from limbo to save the
unverses! So we're given the Flash of two worlds in yet another adventure as we head
deeper into the Rebirth and what it all might mean for the DCU.

Indeed, if you were left curious as to how these changes will all work in DC:
Rebirth, The Flash: Rebirth seems to be the first of the Rebirth specials to really tackle that
question. Barry and Wally have been given a central role in events making The Flash,
potentially, the most imporant hero in the DCU for the moment and Williamson is clearly
ready to prove why. This issue is practially a text book in how to write a 'jumping on' point
for new, returning and curious readers. It's very hard to read the first few pages of this
issue without having an inner monologue read by Grant Gustin in your head. Williamson
has conjured up the spirit of the TV Flash, giving fans of that show a comfortable space to
work from in the comic, while also adding in enough details of the comic version's history
to immerse even the most casual reader in the story. Enter Wally and Williamson again
gives us enough history without being confusing or weighing us down in exposition. The
story deftly handles continuity with taking things forward and teasing us with Wally's further
adventures elsewhere, while Barry takes on the mystery that is Rebirth. (Although I'm not
sure I can forgive Barry for telling Wally to get a new uniform, the Spartan look is a little too
90s for my taste.) It does makes sense though that DC have chosen The Flash to be the
flagpole for this new era of the company's history. Not just because of his role in
Flashpoint which created the New 52, but also in that it was Barry Allen's arrival as The
Flash that came to herald the arrival of the Silver Age. An era defined by being more
colourful, more fun and well... less grim n' gritty, the very obsession that DC have made it
clear they're now acting against. That then, is a lot of weight to put on Williamson's
shoulders as he debuts on the book, but it's one he handles admirably, forging a path for
the future while also acknowledging the past and making the book as accessible as
possible to all comers.
 It's also not really a surprise that Di Giandomenico also more than rises to the
challenge. He's always been an artist that quietly impresses through his storytelling and
this issue is no exception. There's a lot to love in Di Giandomenico's work here, from the
familiarity of a fictional crime scene to the more fantastical elements of the Speed Force
and superhero life it's all ready to immerse you in the story and open up your eyes to the
fantastic when the story calls upon it. Scenes of emotional intimacy are just as effective as
the high melodrama of the superhero adventure and in every way as effervescent. In that
regard he's ably supported by Plascencia's colours which enhance and enliven many a
'special effect' as The Flash uses his powers. It's also a nice touch to see Barry 'crackling'
with power even while stationary, a small but effective addition to the visuals. Indeed the
colour work perfectly reflects the mood and tone of every page, adding subtle
enhancements that make Di Giandomenico's energetic art sing and allows the art to do a
lot of the heavy work in raising your excitement level for the future of the Flash franchise.

In my opinion The Flash: Rebirth is the highlight of these specials so far. Not
only does it tease the future of the character but it also piques your excitement for the
project as a whole as it delves deeper into the meaning and possible implications of the
Rebirth event itself througout the DCU.