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When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

Reactor

It’s usually not a good idea to sleep on the job, no matter how hard you’ve been working to crack the case. But when Central City Crime Scenes Investigator Barry Allen (aka the Flash) wakes up, he finds there’s a lot more to worry about than a screaming boss. For starters, he’s lost his superpowers and no one has ever heard of the Flash, Superman, or the Justice League. But folks do know about Batman, whose proprietorship of the famous Wayne Casinos seems to be more important than his role as Caped Crusader.

On May 11th, DC Comics released the first issue of Flashpoint, a series that reconstructs the usual expectations of superheroes and villains, shakes them up and puts them back, all out of kilter. Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert combine their respective talents as writer and artist to create a first installment that does not disappoint, even after all the hype preceding its arrival.

Because this timeline is so different, I was as confused as Barry Allen at first. But soon it became fun to look for the anomalies and quirks—like a twisted, superpowered Twilight Zone. It seems that Aquaman and Wonder Woman are at war with each other, vying for world domination. Battling it out in Western Europe, they are slowly destroying the continent and killing millions in the process. Will the rest of those with superpowers that are left, be they heroes or villains, join forces to stop the destruction and slaughter?

This first issue has a surprise ending (it’s a doozy) that leaves me really looking forward to the next installment. For those who want to be completely immersed in this new world or timeline or whatever it is, DC will release sixteen supporting mini series and four one shots to build on the Flashpoint story. I’m not sure I’m organized enough to keep up with all of that, but after reading this first issue, it’s going to be easy to get hooked.


Susan is a librarian who thinks audiobooks, graphic novels and comic books should be a part of every public library. Visit her site at Audiobook DJ.

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Susan Dunman

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By day, a mild-mannered librarian. By night, the audiobook reviews editor for SF Site and blogger for AudiobookDJ. I'm a judge for the Audie Awards and, in addition to SF Site, have reviewed for AudioFile Magazine, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Science Fiction Weekly. http://www.audiobookdj.com
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