Well I enjoyed this way more than I thought that I would. I know that I am not the greatest fan of the Flash, I do not watch the TV show as I found it boring and enjoyed the grittier version of Arrow that was on at the time (what can I say, I know that he is not comic book accurate but like Nolan’s Batman, he seems realistic I guess). Lightning Strikes Twice has completely convinced me to start watching the show.

Lets start with what I enjoyed about Lightning Strikes Twice; it has an well thought out storyline that flowed extremely well from one issue to another. I am struggling to find many gaps in logic. We find Barry having to deal with the speed force hitting not just one other person, but what seemed like a good hundred people in Central City. He has to deal with being a forensic scientist at the police department, the Flash and now being a mentor to these new speedsters.

The only thing that I wish was better was the art style, in the last couple of issues, either I had gotten used to it or it had started to grow on me but compared to other comic books that I have read, it just was not up to par. If I could only give one recommendation as to what to change for it to be so chunky would be to not make the faces so harsh, they seemed to be made of many solid lines and at times I was guessing the facial expression as they were not displayed in an easy to recognised way.

If you enjoy The Flash TV show, then you are bound to enjoy this comic book.

A review by Robert Coffil

Rebirth (the not-a-reboot, reboot) has revitalized DC. The second half of the year, the top 300 list was dominated by DC books all while putting out fewer titles than Marvel. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about, so I picked up The Flash Vol. 1 Lighting Strikes Twice.

Joshua Williamson is a writer I’m a fan of. His Image book Birthright is a delight to read each month. Also, his book Frostbite has been a gem in a resurgent Vertigo line. Can he successfully make the jump from creator owned writer to a big two writer? I would like to think the answer to that is yes, but this Flash isn’t the best display of his talents.

As a collection of comics, the trade is par for the course. Glue binding and variant covers in the back. I will say it does have a whopping nine issues in it and retailing at 17.99, that is a win. My one complaint is that there are no interviews or essays about the book. I love collections that add something to comic, but nine issues of content sort of makeup for that. And of course, there is a misprint. The trade credits Di Giandomenico on an issue when it is clearly his fill-in artist.

My first problem with this book is the first issue. Why is the Rebirth: Flash issue in this book? Without the Rebirth issue itself, this book lacks context for Wally being part of the Speed Force and him floating around. It is very retro-DC that the connection between Barry and Wally is what draws Wally to Barry, but because the Rebirth issue isn’t included, it lacks context. And even though Wally is in the first issue you don’t see that iteration of Wally again in the next eight issues.  Furthermore, the events that happen in the Rebirth: Flash issue bear no impact on what happens in the next eight issues. For this trade to read better, it would need to do one of two things: include the Rebirth issue, or not have Rebirth: Flash in it.

The next chunk of eight issue read like a straight revitalization of Flash. The thematic lynchpin of these issues is the idea that Barry, even as the fastest man on earth, can’t do all the good he would like too. Thematically, it is hit on at least once an issue and serves as a nice grounding for the comic. I loved the team of Iris, (Black) Wally, August, Dena and all the speedsters. Barry can sometimes come across as a little too earnest, but it is his cohort of teammates that add a nice leveling out to his personality.

The framework of the story works, but the actual execution doesn’t wow me. Over the course of eight issues, we get one long arc being told. The first three issues set up a mystery, the end of the third/beginning of the fourth make you think its been solved. The fifth issue is a fake-out. The conclusion of one threat has revealed a bigger threat and the final three issues are a resolution to that threat. Stylistically, this story has a nice design. The dialogue and some of the page turns seem perfunctory without blowing me away narratively. What did blow me away was the Carmine Di Giandomenico art, at least at the beginning.

The art of Giandomenico starts off wonderful. He draws Flash crackling with energy and you can tell what the mood the Flash is in because the running emotes. It’s small and if you buzz through the book you will miss it. However, if you look at the posture while he is running you can tell his mood.  I really enjoyed that. In the beginning of the book (the first three issues), Giandomenico’s panel work, and storytelling are interesting. He has nice framing shots and he is dynamic in his panel design. In the latter half of the volume, Giandomenico’s storytelling is straightforward. This is where the double shipping of the books are hurting the overall art of comics. Sure, the comics are out and they are selling, but some of the artistry is lost due to the necessity of a shorter period to work on the books. I will say, the character work of Williamson is better (because you know the characters more, they have been developed) so even though the art doesn’t pop as much as it did in the first half the story propels you forward.

What killed the momentum of the book was the fill-in artist. I know this is the modern cure of comics and double shipping books twice about, but the fill-in artist on this book doesn’t work. It’s not that the art is bad, it isn’t, it that the stylistically they are dramatically different. Felipe Watanabe and his team of inkers don’t carry that same kinetic energy that’s on the page when Giandomenico draws.

The Verdict
Skip it. Unless you are a hardcore, die hard Flash fan, you can pass on The Flash Vol. 1 Lighting Strikes Twice. In an industry where great comics are coming out on a weekly basis, this one just isn’t up to snuff. I saw the twist coming in the third issue of the series. The inclusion of Flash Rebirth without the actual Rebirth issue doesn’t provide the story continuity that you need. Like I stated earlier in the review, either include the Rebirth issue or take the Flash Rebirth out because the Rebirth issues add nothing to the story and lack context. Giandomenico’s storytelling suffers in the last three issues. It doesn’t have the same dynamic storytelling that it has in the first three issues. The panel design and layout goes from some really interesting panel layouts to splash pages and straightforward panels.

Great story for the Flash. A nice approach of the man Flash and the hero one!
Great storyline! Loved the graphics!

Let me start off by thanking Net Galley and DC Comics for allowing me to read this book for an honest review. I have been very lucky to have been able to read the Rebirth comics of my favorite heroes. 

Barry Allen has a lot to contend with in this book. It starts off a little confusing to be honest with you. We find Barry working CSI on a case that is very similar to his mother's death while having visions of Zoom and Wally West. However, Wally comes out of that vision and is back running along side Barry for a few pages. Now here is where I get confused. I didn't read a lot of Flash during New 52 but I did before that. I remember Wally West and him being Kid Flash, but now we have another Wally West who is Iris West's Nephew who also has a touch of the speed force. What book explains the two Wally's? I have to read that one. 

Anyway, this all happens in the first few pages and that is all we get of the visions and return of Wally West. I'm sure this is setting up future stories but I was hoping for something about this. Instead we get one heck of a story that could mean big trouble for Barry. A Speedforce storm hits Central City and strikes a whole lot of people. Now flooded with speedsters Barry has to split his time between CSI work, being the flash, and training new speedsters. This also brings about a new very fast and very dangerous villain known as Godspeed. 

This was s great way to start of the new story line with the Flash. I couldn't put this down and just flew through it. I highly recommend this to any fan of the Flash because it is very well written. My only complaints about this book is the set up in the first few pages that didn't go anywhere in this volume and the art work. I didn't have any pictures that really stood out for me to include in my review this time. I try to get some art from the digital comics I read as an example but the art is kind of fuzzy and not very detailed. I get that it shows just how fast Barry is at all times but I have read other comics that have still been able to convey this and have more detail. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

The Flash is a man who has the superpower of running fast.  There is a speed force storm causing many people to have the power that Flash has.  Many of them don't know what to do with this power or want it.  Flash wonders if this storm came from a terrorist called Black Hole.  Godspeed has attained this power and has decided to take care of the criminals in this story.  He also kills innocents as he takes their (Flash) power from them to become even stronger and faster than Flash.  Flash must find a way to become stronger than Godspeed to stop him and put him in prison.  Will Flash be able to?  

The artwork in this graphic novel is excellent.  I enjoyed the storyline.  It discusses good vs. evil.  Even though this is a familiar theme, it was done well in this story.  It is also about friendship and trust.  I enjoyed this story.  Enjoy it!

Honestly, I don’t think Flash is for me – I simply cannot see what it is that some people love about this character. He runs fast, yellow lightning surrounds him, I fall asleep – it’s the same with every Flash book whoever the writer is! Flash is one of the blandest superheroes ever created and, six decades later, he’s still chasing after a personality!

Flash Rebirth starts by recounting two of the biggest reveals from DC Universe Rebirth #1 – SPOILSIES if you haven’t read it – with Flash reunited with white Wally West – an emotional reunion apparently but I’ve been more emotional looking at a stapler – and he and Batman stare at the Comedian’s Smiley Face badge with Batman saying they should probably investigate it. Will this book explore either storyline any further? Nope! White Wally West’s return is covered in Teen Titans Rebirth and the Batman/Flash/Watchmen investigation will be a miniseries called The Button out later this year. (I say “white” Wally West because New 52 black Wally West is also in this book. So there’s now two Wally Wests in this world. Shrug.)

What we get in this book instead is a lorra nothing! Woohoo…. It literally takes 50 pages before something happens. Random folk are getting hit with Speed Force lightning, turning them into Speedsters. Except one of them, Godspeed, is a bit of a tosser, killing new Speedsters for their Speed Force because he wants their power zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………. Let’s say speed a few more times because I haven’t said it enough already. Speed, speed, speed. Flash is so speeding dull.

At 180 pages, this book is the longest Rebirth volume I’ve read so far while also annoyingly having the least going on. Barry teaches the new Speedsters how to use the Speed Force, he fights Godspeed, and that’s basically it. Not that that stops writer Joshua Williamson from loading up the pages with dreary narration and unexciting dialogue that reads like wading through mud. Ironically for a book about the fastest man alive it has an agonisingly slow-moving story. Godspeed’s a weak and unoriginal Flash villain too – he’s just another evil Speedster like Reverse-Flash, Zoom, Fast Bastard, Savitar, and Speed Demon (I made one of them up).

Carmine Di Giandomenico’s art was quite good. Appropriately for the character, he draws motion well and the fight scenes between Flash and Godspeed were pretty damn spectacular, very… flashy (yukyukyuk)! Sometimes the panels were laid out quite imaginatively too to emphasise the character’s speed. 

I suppose this is an ok introductory book for new readers. You find out who the Flash/Barry is, you get a strong understanding of his powers and a bit of his complex history too - whether you’ll want to read more of him after all that though is another matter! The scenes where Flash is teaching the new Speedsters to use their newfound abilities were surprisingly decent too, particularly when he showed the teen Speedster how to be grounded; mostly though this was a really tedious, frustratingly long-winded and very uninteresting read.

I’m probably not going to bother with Flash comics anymore regardless of people insisting that this latest one is really good, not like the others; I just end up wanting to blow my brains out from boredom well before I get to the end. This one’s only gonna appeal to that unfathomable sub-set of comics readers, Flash fans.

SPEED!

As someone who watches the Flash on TV I wasn't sure I would be able to pick up the storyline. But it actually helped. This story does not go with the tv show, but rather the TV show after the timeline has been changed. It's was easy to follow and the story is interesting. I quite enjoyed it. I also really like that it didn't not have the divisions all the other rebirth titles have that causes the story to skip around. I enjoyed that as wall. 

Added Goodreads
Added Litsy

From the publisher: A new storm brews over Central City and disproves the old adage about lightning never, well...you know. Just as Barry begins to feel overwhelmed fighting crime, a new speedster debuts--but just where did this amazing new friend come from? Spinning directly out of the epic events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, the Fastest Man Alive finds himself at the center of a DC Universe at a crossroads--and reeling from the reemergence of his protegee, Wally West!

From up and coming writer Joshua Williamson (Illuminati, Red Skull) and illustrator Carmine Di Giandomenico comes THE FLASH VOL. 1! Collects THE FLASH: REBIRTH #1 and The Flash #1-8. 

Rebirth honors the richest history in comics, while continuing to look towards the future. These are the most innovative and modern stories featuring the world's greatest super-heroes, told by some of the finest storytellers in the business. 

Honoring the past, protecting our present, and looking towards the future. This is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the DC Universe. The legacy continues.

The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice is Joshua Williamson's new Rebirth book. The Flash family took on a lot of changes in the New 52 universe as a result of Barry Allen's Flashpoint adventure. The most significant of these changes, at least in my opinion, was eliminating the original Kid Flash, Wally West. The opening chapter of this book is the Rebirth issue, and it reintroduces Wally West to the DC Comics universe, and is the first step in righting many of the perceived "wrongs" of the New 52 years. The Flash and Batman get together and decide to investigate what happened to cause everyone to forget years of their lives, and everything that entails.

The bulk of The Flash Vol. 1 deals with Barry Allen looking in to a robbery at S.T.A.R. Labs. Shortly after the robbery, a freak lightning storm occurs, similar to the one that gave Barry his powers through the speed force. And wouldn't you know; the storm hits multiple people, creating a very large group of inexperienced speedsters. Throw into the mix Barry's friendships with Detective August Heart and Iris West, her nephew Wally West (not the original), and a potential love interest, and Williamson has the makings of an interesting book. Things only ramp up when the mysterious new speedster Godspeed arrives.

I enjoyed this book. Williamson has done a nice job with the characters, and has written an intriguing arc as The Flash begins its Rebirth series. He has carried over the New 52 events and has laid some groundwork for what is to come in future installments.

For my money, though, the best part of The Flash Vol. 1 is the Flash: Rebirth story. The emotion of Barry saving Wally from oblivion and the mystery of who or what is behind all that happened in the last five years of DC Comics is fantastic. I wish that Williamson had been able to explore this story more. It also spun Wally off on his own again too fast. I look forward to seeing how the relationship between he and Barry is repaired.

Overall, The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice by Joshua Williamson is terrific. I highly recommend it to Flash fans and to anyone looking for a good jumping on point.

I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow!!! First of all, the artwork is simply brilliant; each detail has been carefully constructed. The story is captivating and leaves you wanting for more. 

My rating: 5 out of 5.

By Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico & Ivan Plascencia

Lightning Strikes Twice is the first volume in the new Rebirth Flash series and writer Joshua Williamson kickstarts the new series on a solid, if not entirely original note as he works Carmine Di Giandomenico and Ivan Plascencia to pit Barry against Godspeed, who is a new antagonist with speedster powers for Barry to face. Whilst the initial threat of Godspeed is interesting the book quickly decides to take a similar stance to that of The CW’s Flash series which had problems of its own when it came to the number of Speedsters that it constantly throws against Barry season after season. It almost looks like Godspeed is tailor-made to show up on Season 4 as the main villain with a storyline that follows a familiar narrative, but that was probably the biggest problem with the book as for the most part it is largely an exciting and fun read.

The Flash also benefits from a few twists to the usual formula that we’ve seen in the comics in the past. Barry has suddenly found himself in the mentor role as a teacher to his new ally, who also has the Speedforce and is just as eager to solve crime as he is. This brings up the potential for discussion as to why Barry is the person best suited to be The Flash when there are others with a similar skill set, particularly as Wally West is another new speedster also dealing with his powers and learning how to control them. This further adds to the various problems that Barry has to deal with over this series and it’s something that Joshua Williamson handles for the most part effectively, making sure that each issue is action packed and contains plenty of content for fans to devour.

For the most part the artwork is effective with Carmine Di Giandomenico taking over duties as the main series artist whilst Neil Googe and Felipe Watanabe lend a hand for a couple of issues which is to be expected because of the fact that this book is one of the double-shipping Rebirth titles. Giandomenico himself has both strengths and weaknesses here because although the series looks great in the more action-oriented sequences as well as those where Barry is constantly on the move as The Flash and using his speedster powers, it unfortunately suffers with portrayals of various human emotion that never quite pay off, sometimes meaning that the emotional impact in a scene isn’t quite as powerful as it could have been. However the artwork is for the most part effective throughout the series and Ivan Plascencia really makes the most out his colouring style to help give the book a bright and vibrant feel that you’d expect from The Flash. The layouts are also inventive and varied as well, and it’s something that the book really benefits from as a result.

Putting its strength in its characters with a solid focus on its characters and its supporting cast, Lightning Strikes Twice sees the series get off to a positive start under the new creative team. If you’re a fan of the show looking to read more of Barry Allen’s adventures while the show is off air then Lightning Strikes Twice acts as a great introduction for newcomers to the character as well as at the same time it manages to appeal to returning fans with plenty of teasers to past events, especially in the opening standalone Rebirth chapter. At the end of the day even if it may not be perfect, there’s plenty to like about this series that shows the promise to only get better from here.

Honestly, I'm a little disappointed, but I think only because I wanted so badly for this to be good. I love the Flash TV show, and I especially love Barry on it, and I really, really want the Flash comic to be great. And this wasn't great. To be fair, it wasn't by any means bad, either, and my high hopes might be getting in my way. I have no complaints with how Barry is written, I just couldn't get interested in the story. It was a bit too predictable, and I admit that I didn't like that it didn't concentrate on Wally's return at all. Apparently, that's the job of another book, but it just seems strange that it isn't happening here at all. But did I mention that I really, really like Barry? Because I do, at least enough to give this book another volume.

Okay, I'm a huge comic fan who is absolutely trying to get into DC. I thought the Rebirth series was the perfect opportunity. However, this one lost me in the beginning. It seemed like a Flash storyline for people who already knew him, and then there was a quick summary origin story before back into the storyline. This to me is how most new comics start. In the past, other rebirth's I've read, haven't been like that. Take me back to the beginning! I want to see it all from start to finish.

I would recommend this to friends (I have a few) who really love DC comics, but if you aren't familiar with The Flash, probably not the comic for you.

Joshua Williamson's Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice makes some valid jabs at the good and bad that fictional superheroes do, and art by main series artist Carmine Di Giandomenico gives the story the maturity that DC's Rebirth warrants.

Don't worry – I will only give a way superior Flash story more than 3, for I've never really liked the franchise's attitude with swapping in and out of old Flashes, bringing new ones in and old ones back.  And as that's pretty much the crux behind the whole Rebirth thang, it happens here – and then some.  No, DC didn't learn from that awful multi-Robin disaster of a couple of years ago, so here we have a Flash School, and the usual investigative case, and tiny threads of the complete Rebirth arc (more so than in any other trade so far).  If you like Flash, it's probably great – but while I can see that, I still didn't find much that was to my taste.

This first volume of The Flash was action packed and the plot was easy to follow. I liked Meena and Avery's characters and I was surprised to see Batman. Overall, it was entertaining (if only a bit repetitive) and I recommend it to all Flash fans.

One of my favorite Rebirths so far. Great engaging story. Fabulous artwork.