Johns comes through again, providing a super-hero story that blends the fun and tradition of yesteryear with a more plausible modern sensibility. The Pied Piper has served as an excellent supporting characters in this title for years, and it's a pleasure to see Johns doing something different with him. Unfortunately, the art on this issue is a far cry from the high standard set by Scott Kolins. Justiniano's work is a bit rough in several spots.
The Pied Piper is on the run. Sure, the Flash has managed to prove that he did not kill his parents, but Piper refuses to take the chance that he'll be sent back to the hellhole prison known as Iron Heights. So instead of turning for help from his speester friend, he turns to old allies. First, there's James Jesse, an FBI agent whom the world once knew much better as the Trickster. When that doesn't work out, Piper looks up another one-time Rogue.
Jusiniano starts this issue off on a strong note. He establishes a thoroughly creepy atmosphere in James Jesse's office, providing a visual cue as to how profoundly Piper's experience in Iron Heights affected him. Aided by Sinclair's dark but muted colors, Justiniano creates an air of danger around a character that was previously seen as gentle. But as the issue progresses, the art takes on an appearance that makes it look rushed. By the end of the issue, the panels are cramped and the pencils come off as sketchy.
Just as he's done with Captain Cold, Johns provides an interesting standalone spotlight on one of the Rogues, while at the same time, setting up an interesting new plotline. The spotlight turns our attention back to the character's origins -- to his Silver Age roots -- but at the same time, Johns makes room for new elements that bring a greater degree of credibility to an otherwise incredible character.
Geoff Johns takes us inside the head of a changed man... twice changed, actually. He has found a way to merge the Rogue Piper with the reformed Piper quite well, and in the process, transformed him into a much more complex character. He's still the stand-up guy he's been for a while in this series, but he's also a scarred individual. Better than any story actually set in Iron Heights, Johns tells the reader of the horror of the prison not by showing it directly, but demonstrating its effect on a character who's essentially been a regular person -- like you or me. We empathize with Hartley, and that sparks outrage at what he's been put through.
