Review: Final Crisis: Rogue’s Revenge #1

Hey, man, let’s face it. The last few years have been a rough time for Flash fans. Ever since Geoff Johns left the title, it’s been struggling. Even the brief return of Mark Waid writing fan-favorite Wally West failed to return the Flash to its former glory. Mostly, I’m reading the Flash out of habit more than enjoyment these days and that’s just sad.

The Rogues have had it equally rough. Since Johns’ departure, they have been characterized as drug-using, muderous brutes. Or worse, buffoons. The Trickster/Pied Piper storyline in Countdown was just one of the many unforgivable crimes of that series.

However, Johns is back in Keystone City and he’s brought along his former Flash collaborator, Scott Kollins. Final Crisis: Rogues Revenge may be just a 3-issue mini-series, but for this Flash fan, it’s a return to the good times.

For the Rogues, this series represents a return to form. These are the guys Johns brought to life during his long run on The Flash. And they’ve got a lot of unfinished business to attend to in just three issues.

Recently, the Rogues were tricked by Inertia into killing the Bart Allen Flash. This foolish act brought the heat of the super hero community down on them like never before. Like all the villains in the DCU, they were rounded up and sent to a hellish prison planet in Salvation Run. It was supposed to be a one-way ticket. But of course they returned.

At the beginning of Rogue’s Revenge, the Rogues have just returned from Salvation Run. They are all on edge and sick of being hunted for killing Bart Allen. When they return to their safe house, they find it occupied by some very unlucky punks.

Meanwhile, Libra is trying to pull together the super villain community to reform the Secret Society. (Because that’s never been done before?) To prove himself, Libra killed the Martian Manhunter. Understandably, the Rogues are reluctant to sign up with a group that just killed another cape. But as the Secret Six can tell you, rejecting an offer from the Secret Society has consequences as well.

Also, the Rogues have unfinished business with that little punk Inertia. As punishmnet for his part in killing Bart, Wally West put him in suspended animation in the Flash Museum. (It wasn’t the smartest thing Wally ever did.) The Rogues, understandably, don’t see that as a final enough solution and they are taking matters into their own hands.

After years of seeing the Rogues mishandled, this issue was pure joy. The characterizations are spot-on. And the art by Kollins is as good as ever.

If you were a fan of the Johns/Kollins run on The Flash, this is a no-brainer. And even if you’ve never read a Flash comic in your life, this issue is still a great read. The connection to Final Crisis isn’t all that strong, but the mini-series is sure to be one of the better tie-ins regardless.

Tags: DC Comics, Final Crisis, Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge, Geoff Johns, Scott Kolins