The Flash: Rebirth #3

Rearview Mirrors

Geoff Johns⚡Writer
Ethan Van Sciver⚡Artist
Rob Leigh⚡Letterer
Brian Miller of Hi-Fi⚡Colorist
Chris Conroy⚡Assistant Editor
Joey Cavalieri⚡Editor
Cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Colored by Alex Sinclair
Variant Cover colored by Brian Miller of Hi-Fi

Our main cover is an homage to the many Flash-Superman races over the years. And it's only fitting that a series that celebrates the history of Barry Allen would have one of these moments. Unfortunately, I don't think this is a very good cover. The choice to have them running sideways on a building is just odd and distracting. And both our look off here. The proportions aren't right — the chests are too large and stiff, arms and legs are too short, appendages are bending at awkward angles. And what's with Superman's shirt not covering his entire shoulder?

Our variant cover shows a gigantic Black Flash attacking Wally, Bart and Jay. This is supposed to be a more symbolic image, but it comes across as rather nonsensical. Why does the Black Flash have dinosaur legs? Well, at least Bart looks good here.

Our story begins with an unseen figure attacking Abra Kadabra in his Central City hideout. At the headquarters of the Justice Society of America, Jesse is staring fondly at statues of her parents when the stone monuments suddenly explode and Jesse sees a glimpse of her father in the Speed Force, begging Barry not to hurt Jesse.

Meanwhile, most of the other JSA members have joined many JLA members in Fallville, Iowa, to build a containment field around Barry. Well, not just a containment field, but also a device that should separate the Speed Force from Barry, as Wally and Jay believe removing Barry's super speed is the only way to prevent him from killing everything he touches. Suddenly, Bart shows up, asking about Max. Wally tells Bart it's not safe here and he should be back home with the twins, but Bart pushes him aside and tells his grandpa that he felt something was different the moment he came back. Bart thought it was Max, but it turned out to be Barry. So now he's asking Barry if Max is alive, but Barry doesn't know.

To Barry's dismay, Hal Jordan brings Iris to the scene. But Jay and Wally explain to Barry that they wanted her here because of the emotional nature of the Speed Force and how loved ones can act as lightning rods. Iris encourages her husband to calm down and think of spending more time with his family, but this only works Barry up more. Red lightning begins emanating from Barry, which soon destroys the containment tube he was in.

Hal scoops up Barry in a green container and starts flying him away with Superman and Wonder Woman at his side. A bunch of bolts of lightning start trying to hit Barry, but Wonder Woman and Superman block each strike. Once Barry is sure no one is following them, he vibrates out of Hal's container and says he's going to run back into the Speed Force. Barry quickly outraces all of them, but Superman manages to keep up for a while, begging him not to do this. As the two race up the side of the Daily Planet building for absolutely no reason, Barry tells Superman that he can't stop him even if he wanted to. Superman reminds him that he has beaten him in a couple of their races, but Barry smugly says those races were for charity, and he promptly leaves the Man of Steel in the dust.

As Barry runs into the Speed Force, he sees images of his life pass by him in reverse, ending with his own birth. He keeps telling himself that he'll be alright as long as he remembers Iris. But even though he's constantly repeating that phrase, he somehow forgets Iris' name and begins to panic, screaming out, "What's. Her. Name?" A voice reminds him that her name is Iris and his name is Barry.

Barry follows the voice to find Johnny Quick and Max Mercury entangled in some kind of red goop. Johnny cryptically tells Barry that he's the answer to his speed formula. Johnny becomes enveloped in red lightning and begs Barry to not let "it" hurt his daughter. He grabs Barry's arm and begins to die, asking Barry to tell Jesse he loves her and his wife, Libby, that he never stopped missing her.

Max grabs Barry's leg, and Barry tells him to let go, saying he'll kill him. But Max says Barry's not the one killing the speedsters. Right on cue, Eobard Thawne arrives and explains that he has shifted Barry into reverse.




I'm tired of this story. It's so angry. Everyone's yelling at each other and everything is awful. And a big part of that anger seeping through these pages in Van Sciver's art. I think I've figured out that I liked his work better when Prentis Rollins was inking it. Now that Van Sciver's inking himself, it becomes a tad less palatable for me.

The only positive takeaway from this issue was Bart's love and concern for Max. Bart shares my opinions on this latest "crisis" with Barry. Who cares about Barry? Where is Max? Is he alive? And the answer to that is a thankful yes. Max is alive and fighting valiantly to protect Barry from Professor Zoom.

Next time, we'll finally — finally! — see how Bart came home from the future in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5.