Review: Batman/The Flash- The Button

March 30, 2020August 18, 2020 ComicBookWire

Quick Summary

Pros: There are several exciting and emotional moments throughout the comic. The book builds a ton of anticipation for the mystery surrounding the Rebirth era and also builds a few interesting future-plotlines involving Batman and the Flash. The artwork is positive throughout the collection and often works as an asset to the storytelling.

Cons: The event feels a bit too future-focused and does not offer much resolution on its own.

Overall: This is a solid comic that ramps up every storyline it touches. The comic contains flashes of action and emotion, allowing it to stands out as something exciting. It also helps build plotlines surrounding Batman’s trajectory in life, the Flash’s past, and the mystery surrounding DC’s entire Rebirth era. Readers interested in experiencing the full DC Rebirth mystery should not miss this crossover event.

Story

Batman/The Flash: The Button, by Joshua Williamson and Tom King, is an exciting crossover that works as a great setup for multiple different comics. The opening chapter sets the bar high by delivering up a tremendous and tense introduction while later chapters hit high notes in regards to emotion. Pieces of the resulting narrative then go on to have a big impact on Batman and the Flash as individuals. All the while, the ever-present narrative surrounding the button becomes even more intriguing. The only downside is that the volume does not offer much resolution to the mysteries it encompasses, which is a little disappointing. However, the positives still easily outweigh the negatives and make this a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the storylines this volume helps kick off.

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On its own, The Button does several things right. The opening chapter is excellent; it is a beautifully structured story that starts with a unique mystery, proceeds with an exciting burst of action, builds up to a single moment, defies expectation at that moment, and concludes with a stellar transition into the next chapter. Later chapters also have great moments, like Batman meeting his father, the return of Jay Garrick, or the Reverse-Flash’s encounter with his mysterious foe. In addition, the entire comic centers around an interesting premise that keeps the reader intrigued all the way through.

The Button also does a lot to build excitement for the larger narrative that started in DC Universe: Rebirth and continued on to Doomsday Clock. Readers are given a glimpse at the lives of a few “lost” characters, who’s absence has been a mystery for a while now. Meanwhile, the return of the Flashpoint Universe and the apparent suspended animation of other universes give hints about an even larger conspiracy taking place. Readers also see that this narrative’s main antagonist is immensely powerful, enough to be addressed as “God” by one of the DC Universe’s most threatening villains.

The Button also does a lot to build excitement for plotlines directly involving Batman and the Flash’s personal lives. Batman is told by his father that he should stop being Batman, something that will surely have consequences on what he does. The Flash sees a lost figure from his past and is forced to deal with his worst enemy once again. These plot points begin building here and help generate interest in both comics.

The downside to this future-focused storytelling is that it makes the collection feel somewhat like a giant prelude for the future, rather than an entertaining book on its own. Not many questions are actually answered in this collection and many more questions are asked. Though I am fine with building excitement like this, I would have liked to see at least one or two of the mysteries from DC Universe: Rebirth receive some resolution.

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Art

The artwork in The Button looks good and works as a great complement to the story. The opening chapter features Jason Fabok’s characteristically stunning visuals paired with some awesome page structures. The realistic visuals enhance the impact felt by the action and the page structures expand upon the comic’s countdown-related themes and its connections to Watchmen. Later on, chapters from Howard Porter continue with these themes in ways that are just as appealing. Though these chapters are not quite as stunningly realistic as Fabok’s, they have a wonderful level of polish to them and a unique style that allows them to stand out on their own. In general, the artwork in this collection is top notch and makes the entire book better.

Continuity

Batman/The Flash: The Button is a crossover between issues of Batman and The Flash, taking place after the first story arc in Batman Vol. 3: I am Bane (Review) and after all of The Flash Vol. 3: Rogues Reloaded (Review). However, it more directly continues plot threads and mysteries that were introduced as part of the DC Universe: Rebirth (Review) event.

Batman and the Flash’s respective stories continue in their respective comics, with Batman’s continuing in the last two issues from Batman Vol. 3: I am Bane (Review) and the Flash’s continuing in The Flash Vol. 4: Running Scared (Review). However, the larger mystery from DC Universe: Rebirth is further touched on in Detective Comics Vol. 5: A Lonely Place of Living (Review) and Action Comics: Superman- The Oz Effect (Review) and is directly continued in Doomsday Clock.

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

“The Button” is from Watchmen.
The events of Flashpoint (Review) (Reading Order) are brought up a number of times. This event introduced an alternate version of the DC Universe, centered around a plotline involving manipulation of the Speed Force, and ended with an alternate version of Thomas Wayne delivering a letter to Batman.
The role Psycho Pirate’s mask plays in this collection may be a reference to the universe-altering role Psycho Pirate played in the Crisis on Infinite Earths event.
Reverse-Flash “died” in Flashpoint (Review) (Reading Order) and returned to life in The Flash Vol. 5 #19, collected in The Flash Vol. 3: Rogues Reloaded (Review).
Reverse-Flash killed the Flash’s mother in The Flash: Rebirth.
Barry tells Bruce that he has been seeing visions from the Speed Force. This happens at the beginning of The Flash Vol. 2: Speed of Darkness (Review).
Bruce claims to have traveled through time before. This is most likely a reference to the end of Final Crisis and the events of Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne.
The Flash #21 references three separate events in DC Comics history.
- The first is the formation of the Justice League from Justice League of America #9, currently collected in either Justice League of America: The Silver Age Vol. 1 or Justice League of America Omnibus Vol. 1.
- The second is Batman facing off against the rest of the league in Identity Crisis #6, collected in Identity Crisis.
- The last is Flash delivering a message to Batman in Crisis on Infinite Earths #2, collected in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
The story of Batman falling into the Batcave and being saved by his father originally comes from the “The Man Who Falls” story in Secret Origins of the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes. This entire issue is currently only collected in the Secret Origins of the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes paperback but the “The Man Who Falls” story can also be found collected in Batman: Secrets of the Batcave.
Barry Allen snapped Reverse-Flash’s neck in The Flash Vol. 1 #324.