Writer: Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, and Tim Sheridan
Art: Xermánico, Mikel Janín, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Jordie Bellaire, Mitch Gerads, and Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Thomas Wayne is rapidly discovering who the Clockwork Killer is. And when he does, it will change the FLASHPOINT Universe forever. Nonetheless, his inquiry might be hindered by an inexperienced Dexter Dent and his own vigilante timetable, which just so happens to be helping his mother escape Arkham! Let’s dive into FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 by Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, and Tim Sheridan as readers finally discover a shocking truth that’s been festering for quite some time now.
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Flashpoint Beyond #4 Review.
THE DISPATCH
FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 highlights the detective/ mystery elements of the comic. The focus isn’t on high-octane action as much as it’s on navigating the mystery as it unfolds. Will you figure out the motive? Who’s responsible? And, why? Not this week people. But, you will see a fan favorite universe and set of characters begin to develop well. This creative team is using FLASHPOINT BEYOND and building it up into something incredibly substantial using FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 as the GPS to steer us there.
Furthermore, FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 brings back the short-tempered, hard-nosed, BATMAN that was Thomas Wayne and showcases that one-track mind that doesn’t care about $&@&! This BATMAN is a bad dude whose heart has been chiseled away leaving this creative team to use this issue as a canvas to push new fans in the direction of what truly makes the character tick. Additionally, I absolutely loved the monologuing from Thomas Wayne. For a man whose life was utterly destroyed, this creative team makes him seem so relatable and human. Readers will feel his passion and drive as the issue unfolds.
However, it’s the reveal that’s the most promising. Now, before diving too deep into this aspect of FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4, I highly recommend fans new to this universe go back and reread FLASHPOINT as well as the tie-ins. If you do, you’ll understand some of the reveals more and thus cause much more of an impact and “wow” factor for said reveals. But readers, it’s pretty big. Yet, not big in terms of the landscape of the entire DC COMIC universe big. It’s big in terms of the FLASHPOINT universe and adds wildly intriguing developments that will create some serious tension moving forward. Granted, depending on how Johns, Adams, and Sheridan want to spin this, the elements revealed this week could explode into something that could ripple through the universe and provide Bruce Wayne with a healing pile of $@@!
FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 SPOILERS
I think some spoilers need to be addressed for true discussion purposes to make for a meatier review and to better explain why the comic was truly so dang good. So, if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read any further in this section.
So the big reveal is that FLASHPOINT Joker, a.k.a. Martha Wayne, is alive. How? We don’t know… but she’s alive and appears to be the Clockwork Killer. Now, how does this tie into the mystery? Well, it also appears as though Bruce is responsible for somehow saving his father and this timeline. However, by doing so, he’s inadvertently resurrected his mother who is bat$&@$ crazy. Moreover, what we establish by the end of FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 is that Bruce never really knew how bat&&@$ crazy Martha really was. Thomas did… but they both died so he never really elaborated in his timeline.
Plus, in their confrontations with each other in (cough cough Tom King’s run), they never addressed Martha either. The point is: Bruce muddled where he shouldn’t have muddled and will now deal with the consequences of his actions which will be discovering the &&@$storm that is Martha Wayne. The true Martha Wayne. And fans, there is SO MUCH meat in that story that I can’t even contain myself.
That story and that comic swerve just scream “Read me!”. So, if you want to talk about a ginormous story beat that was just thrown out for the FLASHPOINT universe AND one that could possibly bleed into the regular universe, this is it which is why I needed to address it simply because it’s what the story was building up to. Otherwise, not much really happens in the story. Yet, this IS ultimately the story and it literally MAKES the story.
ART
Xermánico, Mikel Janín, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Jordie Bellaire give this book its edgy, dark tone along with a parallel story vibe that provides readers with an atmosphere that’s haunting and almost terrifying at the same time. Other key areas of focus from this art team would be the corpse of Reverse Flash, the conversational layout of panels between Thomas Wayne and Oswald, and the shadows that capture just how disturbing this comic truly is. It’s this creative team that makes this mystery detective story feel more like a thrill than ever before. And fans, I could go on, however, I’ve already talked your ear off enough about how good this comic is at this point. Needless to say, the art team only adds to the depth of FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4.
FINAL THOUGHTS
FLASHPOINT BEYOND #4 drops a bomb that lays a foundation for Bruce and Thomas going forward that’s going to add some suspense, thrills, and sinister snags along the way. And, what makes this reveal so special is that it’s not some magically new villain that never existed before. It’s an adaptation of someone that existed and it makes reasonable sense without going back to the drawing board. This reveal hasn’t been overused either and provides a sense of closeness that will rock Bruce and Thomas to their core.
This creative team certainly outdid itself this week and will leave fans excited for the next FLASHPOINT BEYOND issue as well as the future stories to come. If you get the chance prior to this issue, reread FLASHPOINT as well as the closely related event comics. You’ll be happy you did. Pick this up, let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!