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How Has Gender Identity Naturally Altered Over Time?  6 to 8 min read Views on Gender and Sex...  In the eighties, some psychologists described  men as experiencing 'autogynephilia' if they were sexually aroused at the idea of being a woman. If sexual cross-gender fantasy can entice male to female transition it may reveal one psycho-sexual example for what we call gender identity. This theory differs to what the World Health Organisation advise (WHO), along with people like Judith Butler, who insist gender is a social construct based on shared beliefs. For me, such ideas are poppycock, given for starters, how beliefs can be altered! Human biology causes gender. I might be wrong, blinded by my own biases, so let's explore...  How is Gender Constructed?  We are unique sheep , and truthfully, I think men transition for various reasons. Masculine and feminine traits arise like bio-determinants. Therein exists part of a dichotomy; a bottom-up emergence of gender, roo...

The New 52 Flash

The Flash/Barry Allen has so much potential. 

5 to 7 min read

The New 52 eight graphic novel Flash set, was written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato. Of course, it had it's fair share of praise and criticism, but I enjoyed most of them like satisfying relieving dump of an evening—it makes you feel lighter. The art style stands out because of Manapul and Bucellato; it wasn't amazing. 

The beginning of the Flash new 52

It reminded me of that bloody television show: It started out promising and I was pulled in, and it began flirting with some comic themes! Honestly, everything really was hunky-dory, until Mark Hamil rocked up, the yellow bloke returned and it gradually degraded into one of the cringiest comic-to-television disappointments I've ever seen! They destroyed Flashpoint; then the Flash movie did exactly the same. Ezra Miller doesn't even slightly resemble comic-book Barry! 

Flash comic book cover

Anyway, the later Manapul & Buccellato storylines fumbled with the ball a bit, but it is no where near as bad as that televised monstrosity! That being said, for some unknown reason, I enjoyed those cheesey bad guys, The Rogues. I shouldn't have, but I did. They are god awful character designs that are so far removed from a criminal you would think they were designed by the most elite pampered person in the world who has never watched the news. Either way, these characters did fit in quite well with the spin off, the Forever Evil story which ran later. 

The Flash with his enemy Gorilla Grodd

Yes, some of these storylines are well written and quite detailed. It would've been enjoyable to see more of Barry Allen's crime scene work and street level investigation, this stuff compliments his justice league collegue the Batman. His down-to-earth-level of superhero work is more raw and more believable than the far fetched tomfoolery of psychic gorilla's, weather rod wielding villainy and that type of tongue in cheek narrative you might find yourself forgiving as you read. However, it slightly connects to the dark world of Watchmen

The Flash comic book cover

You might like Francis Manapuls Flash. As reading goes, I recommend pretending Flashpoint is the first book, read it, and then, I would pretend the New 52 Justice League is the second book. That's before I'd start the first four or five graphic novels of the Manapul New 52 set. Once accustomed with those, I recommend exploring the first few of The Flash Rebirth volumes and conclude with Batman/Flash The Button

Batman from the button story holding a watchman badge

Barry Allen has his issues and a strange life, but he certainly isn't a very complex character—he's just the readers guide. Yeah, not just a protagonist. Not many Flash publications have immersed me into the main characters rich history nor put me into his life. The books have, on the other hand, taken me into his situations and conflict, I reinforce what I said: The Flash feels like a guide and pretty level headed, shallow, ready salted person I cannot resonate with much. 

Scene from the comic book chasing the jester

If we ignore the shortcomings, he is great in the comic book Justice League. However, The New 52, Flash graphic novel set is a series that has its ups and downs. The concept of a speedster is a tricky one to wrestle with, given how unrealistically powerful this meta human must be. 

Flash romantic art

With him on the team they should never lose a fight—he's faster than light. I have to ignore the physics if I want to enjoy Flash stories. This is when we see writers act like apologetics by dulling down superhero powers to more acceptable. 

The cover of dc flash point

While the over all idea of The Flash is definitely not perfect, there's no denying that he's also a character worth developing properly in his own right. Batman had a scowling Michael Keaton, the brutish Ben Atflick and the husky voiced Christian Bale; all brilliant in their own way!

Artwork from the flash series

Barry Allen in print, is blonde haired and blue eyed, an athletic looking man. He's quite level headed given his forensic science interests and he works as a CSI to vindicate his father. Ezra Miller and John Wesley Shipp didn't come close to The Barry Allen found in our graphic novels, except, maybe for Grant Gustin. What do you think? 

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