Scott's Take: Flashpoint Beyond by Geoff Johns

Flashpoint Beyond by Geoff Johns is a miniseries staring Thomas Wayne (Bruce Wayne’s father) from the Flashpoint timeline where he somehow has survived his death that occurred in a separate timeline.  In this version of the timeline, he is alive and trying to figure how he is living and in a timeline that is no longer supposed to exist. He is a living paradox. This Flashpoint Universe is a darker and more tragic universe because of the various changes to the timeline caused by Barry Allen (The Flash) going back in time to save his mother from her killer. While the original flashpoint title focused on The Flash with Thomas Wayne as a secondary main character, subsequent stories involving this timeline have starred Thomas.

 

There are many important differences in this timeline. Bruce Wayne is dead as he died when he was a child instead of his parents. That caused his Dad to become a Batman who kills while Martha Wayne lost her mind and became the Joker.  Superman’s rocket ship crash landed in Metropolis and killed tens of thousands of people. Baby Clark was imprisoned and tortured by the United States government until he escaped as an adult. This version of Superman is much weaker than his main universe counterpart because he never got the sunlight exposure as a child due to his captivity in an underground prison. Aquaman and Wonder Woman were engaged to be married and it never happened. Various other things did, which ultimately led to Atlantis and Thymesceria at war with most of the world caught in the middle. The most famous hero at this point is Cyborg who is trying to unite various heroes to protect what is left.

 

The art and action is very good and the tale is very complicated. There is violence, murder, suicide, and more so this is aimed towards the late teen reader and older. Since it is alternate timeline even beloved characters can be killed off without a lot of fuss. One character who is a fan favorite for many is burned alive. This is not an easy read.

 

This is a very good miniseries, but it is designed to setup various storylines and new titles. Part of Flashpoint Beyond by Geoff Johns is told in flashback form and could be very confusing if people have not read the previous works. It is a good book, but the ending is unsatisfactory as many plot points or storylines are not resolved as they will be continued in other titles such as the upcoming Justice Society volume.

 

 

My reading copy came for the Pleasant Grove Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2023