I've always liked the Flash. I think of him as a very basic almost a prototype of a superhero. He is the definition of a super human. It seems to me that back when comics started the characters were much more two dimensional than they are now. Their stories were mainly what I call punch line plots. They were very straight forward with only one story arch and get very neatly concluded. Back then comic heroes often were regular people with one enhanced attribute, super strength, super speed, an ability to control size to name a few. All very basic. To me that gives the Flash street cred. He has been on top since 1940. He's old school, not some mediocre two year run that dies off and is thrown into a "comics by the pound box". The Flash character is a vet, he's been through the highs and lows and is still here standing strong. So with that I subconciously attach nostalgia and fandom.

Being an old time character does have its setbacks. For example, the Flash got stuck with some of the stupidest villains I've ever come across. The Pied Piper, Trickster, my god. The guy actually call himself the Pied Piper and runs around entrancing people with his magic flute. Sorry, I gotta raise the flag and call bullshit on that one. Usually I'm one to overlook unbelieveable superstrengths but a piper hypnotist. Thats just plain stupid.

The Mirror Master, did any one else find it a little too hilarious that in the Flash 212 he was a big coke user? Come on the "Mirror Master" being a cokehead. That's pretty funny stuff.

Anyway, these chuckle heads run around after the Flash calling themselves the Rogue Gallery. They are all so worthless that ten of them can't even take out one Flash. They are a band of pathetic losers who must think that if they are in a group it won't be apparent how disgraceful each of them really is. Well to me it is very apparent, a fancy group name can't change that.

The current storyline in the Flash touches on this subject pretty well. The members of the Rogue Gallery are all pretty frustrated with themselves and each other for being so goddamn pathetic. To make it even a more dispicable display, they are all being controlled by a character called the Top. He spins so fast he can alter people's memories. Seems kinda dumb to me. But there is an upside to having so many angry villains, and that is that the book is jam-packed with action.

The art is what I would call classic comic art. It has very believable facial expressions and body movement. I thought the way they visually show the villains and the Flash's powers was cool. Probably some of the best portrayal of this I've ever seen actually.

Between the art and the big surprise ending, this one is worth a read. The villains are still kinda dumb though.