In 1993, writer Mark Waid and artist Greg LaRocque were helming the legendary Flash comic title. With Superman being killed, Batman having his neck broken, and Green Lantern destroying the Green Lantern Corps and becoming Parallax, it only made sense to bring a huge storyline to The Flash's world.
Since 1986, die hard Flash fans had been asking the same question over and over again: When is Barry Allen coming back? After his most heroic act in comics ever, Barry Allen willingly sacrificed himself by running so fast he became pure energy that nullified the anti-matter that would destroy the Multiverse. This left Wally West, also known as Kid Flash, with nothing but an empty suit and a lost mentor.
Fastforward seven years into the future: Wally West has taken on the mantle of The Flash, the Fastest Man Alive! He modernized the suit, but Barry Allen's ghost behind him, and created a legend all his own. But his world is suddenly turned upside down when Barry Allen inexplicably returns from the time stream! First arriving with no memory of who he is or was, Barry Allen wanders the streets of Keystone and Central City desperately trying to remember who he is. It is not until he walks past The Flash Museum that things start coming back to him and he remembers who he is. Using his speed, he sweeps through the museum and grabs an old suit of his from the case. His next stop? The home of Jay and Joan Garrick, where Wally and Hal Jordan are celebrating Christmas with the Garricks.
While Barry is greated with open arms by everyone, Wally remains skeptical that this is actually Barry Allen: the same man who was more than just Wally's childhood hero. He was his uncle, mentor, the man who set the standard for Wally on what it meant to take on the name of The Flash. But after a few days and when Barry finally visits Iris West Allen's grave, Wally is convinced that this is without a doubt the REAL Barry Allen!
With great artwork and pulse-pounding action, including a derailed speeding train crushing through the streets of Central City, "The Return of Barry Allen" is a GREAT book for any Flash fan, new or old. It is extremely refreshing to read a Flash book that actually shows the physics and practical uses of super-speed. So often we always just see Barry or Wally just running really fast to catch something or escape from some attack. In this graphic novel, we get a great dose of what vibrating at super speed does and just the physics of speed. For example as seen above and below, Barry, Wally, and Jay Garrick as all 3 Flashes, they combine their powers to generate a strong enough whirlwind to halt a 100 ton derailed train from killing hundreds of innocent civilians. And while the action is spectacular and makes good use of the powers and abilities super-speed allows someone, the writing is arguably the strongest part of this story.
Comic fans and just good story fans alike are mezmarized by all the twists and turns that this story takes. While we are all touched by the emotions that are brought on by Barry's return, we are also equally touched by the horrific twists that occur within the story, as well. While Barry's return may be initially seen as a miracle, things quickly take a dark and tragic turn. We soon learn that when Barry came back, he came back VERY different, and in more ways than one. Barry quickly becomes violent and aggressive. He mercilessly beats apprehended suspects and even goes so far as turning on his nephew and former sidekick, Wally. After telling Wally that he is not worthy enough to take on the mantle of The Flash, Barry tries to kill Wally. Knowing that something is terribly wrong, Wally, Jay, Max Mercury, and Johnny Quick team up to stop their former friend and ally. But how can they possibly stop the Fastest Man Alive? While they all have super-speed, none of them match Barry's quickness, endurance, and raw speed.
I know that a lot of this sounds almost like a movie trailer that I am trying to build up, but I don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read this story yet. What I will say is that for current fans of The Flash/DC Comics, this is a must read for any of you. You will see a lot of familiar faces and you will even see the birth of a villain. This book has it all: Action, emotion, great story-telling, and a HUGE twist ending that will leave you speechless from pure epicness. While a lot of people would recommend reading "Flash: Rebirth" or "The Flash" titles written by Geoff Johns just before the relaunch, I am recommending "The Flash: The Return of Barry Allen". It's a great jumping on point for new Flash readers and an even better read for existing/long time Flash readers. If you have read the storyline, post your comments and thoughts on the book below!