What happened? Wally West came back from the dead not too long ago. So did Bart Allen. Why not bring Barry Allen back too?

I have been waiting with nervous anticipation for this title ever since it was announced last summer. On the one hand, I have been a Flash fan for a long time, and Barry Allen was always my favorite Flash, possibly even my favorite superhero. On the other hand, Allen’s death in the pages of Crisis on Infinite Earths is one of the most poignant and heroic deaths in fiction, and to resurrect him would be to tarnish his legacy. Still, when I heard this series was going to be written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Ethan Van Sciver, I was obligated to give them the benefit of the doubt. Not only have Johns and Van Sciver proven that they can deliver great Flash comics, but they also oversaw the last great resurrection of a dead superhero.

So can lightning strike twice for Johns, Van Sciver, and DC?

Honestly, the jury is still out.

This issue serves mostly as a jumping on point for new Flash readers, since longtime Flash readers are few and far between, if the sales numbers are any indication (I haven’t missed an issue since 1995, but I almost threw in the towel a few times myself). It reintroduces us to every hero who has ever called themselves the Flash, and shows us how they are reacting to Barry’s return. It also shows Barry pondering the ramifications of his resurrection, and how it is affecting his relationships with his friends and loved ones.

Barry seems to be acting odd in this issue. Mind you, I’m sure coming back from the dead would probably alter your outlook on things, but this just doesn’t feel like the Barry Allen I grew up reading. I hope that he’s just working through some issues and isn’t this dour forever. Plus, I’m not crazy about the childhood tragedy retconned into his backstory here. I mean, it doesn’t contradict anything that’s been established before, but I don’t really feel like it adds anything to his character.

Anyway, I’m intrigued enough to keep reading, and I’m willing to bet that Johns and Van Sciver can tie it all up nicely by the end of the miniseries, but I would honestly recommend waiting for the collected edition for this one…