The Flash #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Francis Manapul
Colorist: Brian Buccellato
Letterer: Nick J Napolitano
DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Released: April 14, 2010

One thing to get out of the way: Buy Flash #1. If only for the art, every comics fan should buy this issue. This is a feast for the eyes, and if you want to see some of the finest art being produced today, you have no excuse. I don’t care if you’ve never read The Flash before (I haven’t), and I don’t care if you’re a Marvel fan and not a DC kind of person. This is a comic for people who love superhero adventure, plain and simple. With that out of the way, we move onto the rest of the review.

Geoff Johns has a long history with The Flash. His run on the book was a big reason why he became a super-star writer and one of DC’s big creative executives these days, so it’s no surprise that he is leading the character back into the limelight. The last few years have been rough on the character, with one Flash being saddled with a couple of kids, one Flash being brutally killed, and yet a third Flash spending a year in creative limbo as we waited for the story of his resurrection to be told.

Adventure Comics #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul
Colors by Brian Buccellato
DC Comics
Price: $3.99

I may be the only one who signed up to get Adventure Comics based solely on the strength of Francis Manapul’s art. I became a fan of his work after reading it in the pages of Jim Shooter’s recent Legion of Superhero run. It’s a shame that the run was cut short, because his art was perfectly suited for that book. His art on that book showed that he could handle any kind of action sequence that was thrown at him. Fortunately, he’s on to bigger and better things, with this new (old) series that features the new adventures of Superboy.

Connor Kent is back from the dead, killed by Geoff Johns in the pages of Infinite Crisis, and returned from the grave by Johns in Final Crisis: Legion of Three worlds. Those in the know will remember that DC had run into some legal troubles over the use of the name Superboy, but they were able to clear that all up, and now he’s back and ready for action. This issue picks up with him trying to get back to a normal life. He has moved back to Smallville, and is living with Ma Kent, meanwhile he’s trying to live up to Superman’s legacy. Unfortunately for his peace of mind, Connor is only a half-clone of Superman, with the other half belonging to Lex Luthor, and this leads to him questioning what is behind his motives. Is he Superman, or is he Luthor? The first issue gives us a good set up for what should be a good run.