Book of the Week 7/16/08 Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge #1

Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Scott Kolins













Well, we're back from our hiatus and ready to go again. As our return BoW I picked Rogues' Revenge #1. Final Crisis has drawn some criticism due to its apparent lack of direction. This may be valid or may not depending on if you judge its overall merits or by it's monthly offering. Rogues' Revenge I'm happy to say contains a more focused story...oh man...sorry, Batman and Robin is currently on TV and I forgot Coolio is in it. Poor, poor Coolio. Anyways, Rogues' Revenge=focused narrative albeit containing very little actual relation to the Final Crisis story. That's okay really.


Johns writing these characters again is a treat. This book acts as a follow-up to the much botched Bart Allen Flash series. We find the rogues on the run and ready to give up the lifestyle when Bart's killer, Inertia, is freed. The rogues, feeling that they were tricked into being a part of Barts death go after Inertia to get their "revenge". Zoom also shows up with an agenda of his own. Now I was there when Bart died. The rogues saying that the Flash should have been able to survive their attacks doesn't make me sympathize with them. They were a part of it whether they believe that or not. However, I am looking forward to seeing them try and follow their own twisted moral code.


Kolins' art is serviceable in this issue but its truly Johns' writing that makes this book stand out. The characters stating that "the death of kid flash was a mistake" feels like Johns not too subtly slamming DC in their decision to do away with Bart and if anyone can give us the final chapter in his death, I'm glad Johns is on it.