The Flash Rebirth #1
DC Comics
Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Carmine DI Giandomenico
Colors by: Ivan Plascencia
*WARNING SPOILES AHEAD for Flash Rebirth #1 and DC Rebirth #1
The Flash family and the Speed Force itself has been believed to be the catalyst of the New 52 due to the Flashpoint event, and Wally West’s attempt to break away from the all knowing entity. Making the Flash’s debut to the new Rebirth imprint one of the most anticipated of the core DC characters. While no one expects major answers from the mythological questions raised by Geoff John’s Rebirth one-shot, if that story is going to start to progress it would have to be here right?
Well, not really! Rather than anything that really shakes up the Flash continuity post rebirth revelations, we get a solid Flash story set up. The book opens with Barry Allen responding to a murder scene as the Central City Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigator that is eerily similar to that of his own Mother’s. This murder case pushes the plot along to some interesting character moments, such as a well done but unoriginal conversation between Barry and his Father. However no plot threads develop that make this truly worthy of a series reboot. Instead you have the same plot thread’s run concurrent here that John’s fleshed out in DC Universe Rebirth #1 just rehashed, with nothing really that new added to the mix.
The major positive I took away from this issue was the solid understanding that Joshua Williamson has of the Flash characters, and concepts. The true goodness of Barry Allen as the Flash is on full display as the character seems to really enjoy his time as the scarlet speedster. At the same time the overall joy and positivity of the Barry Allen character when he is outside of the suit still 
seems to be missing as it was in the New 52 incarnation of the character. I am however willing to give our writer and hero a pass, after all he is dealing with a murder scene and universe altering implications throughout this book so he get’s a pass on the absence of the gee-golly-willikers moments. The book’s most interesting moments come when Barry begins to speak of the speed force itself and the pact that he, A.R.G.U.S and the Justice League all have to leave the all knowing entity alone. Exploring how others in the DC Universe perceive the speed force, could make for some original Flash stories down the road in this series.
The Flash Rebirth #1 is a good Flash story but offers nothing that compelling nor groundbreaking. While some interesting questions are raised, the biggest moments of this story have already been told in Rebirth #1. Leaving a reader to wonder was there any real reason to purchase this book? In all honesty you would probably be fine waiting for Flash #1 in a few weeks. Overall I still leave this book with a lot of positive vibes. Williamson seems to have a great grasp on the Flash characters and their motivations, and Carmine DI Giandomenico’s art is on point and maintains the flow of the book throughout while never becoming distracting.