"Flashpoint" arrived at a pivotal time in DC's lengthy history, heralding a reboot of the DC Universe. The event begins when Barry Allen awakes in an alternate timeline. His world, the world that exists in the post-Crisis continuity, no longer surrounds him. Folks that should be friends are enemies. Some heroes aren’t so heroic. War engulfs the world. And Barry Allen himself is not even Speedster, let alone The Flash. "Flashpoint" presents a harrowing depiction of the DC Universe. Once the timeline is restored to a more favorable state, things are still not as they once were. Many characters and their origin stories receive extensive alterations. New heroes and villains also debut. In short, the reversal of "Flashpoint" gives birth to the New 52, a rebooted vision of DC lore.

For nearly five years, the New 52 acted as the primary continuity. New number ones were launched, unexpected adventures were embarked upon. A lot of good came out of the New 52 and, by proxy, "Flashpoint". Readers who were new to comics could jump in and feel relatively good about picking up a series. Simplicity had seemingly returned. However, not every aspect of the reboot brought sunshine and rainbows. The clean slate provided courtesy of "Flashpoint" was not wholly agreeable on all fronts. In the following list, we will examine 10 reasons why the event deserves praise as perhaps the best thing to happen to DC. Furthermore, 10 reasons why "Flashpoint" does not count as one of DC’s better choices will receive examination as well.

20 GOOD: REBOOTED UNIVERSE

Image of Superman from DC's New 52 Reboot

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of characters exist in DC’s post-Crisis continuity, which lasted from 1986 to 2011. Over 25 years of comic book history is difficult to keep up with, even for just one publishing house. This especially rings true when characters die, return from the dead, or are completely separated from their normal forms. The DC Universe underwent plenty of other changes during this time period. For instance, two new Robins entered the fold.

The beauty of the effects of "Flashpoint" on the DCU rests in its kickstarting a new continuity, free from many trappings of the previous one. Thus, character and readers received a fresh start. For the first time in a quarter of a century, DC comics were more accessible than ever.

19 BAD: INTERRUPTED STORYLINES

Nightwing with Batsuit

Revamping a universe means tossing aside whatever previously existed. Therefore, some storylines didn’t get their due. Dick Grayson’s run as the Dark Knight offers one example. His time as the Bat is thrilling, yet disappointingly short-lived. Upon his return in the New 52, he once again dons Nightwing garb, albeit with a different color scheme.

Another notable example is Grant Morrison’s acclaimed Batman run, which had Batman Incorporated well underway. The meaning of Batman was changing, evolving to encapsulate more than one man and his vision. These plans came with a suit redesign that would see the classic black and yellow emblem return. Unfortunately, the New 52 couldn’t make room for such plans as a new team ushered in a new era of Batman-centric storytelling.

18 GOOD: THE COURT OF OWLS

Court of Owls

"Flashpoint" bears responsibility for closing the door on one chapter in the DC Universe and opening another. Thus, changes were inevitably brought forth. Interestingly, the world expands. Gotham in particular develops a deeper history than that which governed it previously. This is thanks to the work of Scott Snyder, who created one of the most well-developed additions to Batman lore in years with the Court of Owls.

The Court’s influence on Gotham spans centuries. They work in the shadows, but evidence of their hold over the city proves visible in the light. Batman begins questioning how well he knows the city he protects, how well he knows his family. The Court of Owls engulfs Gotham in a level of intrigue that had seldom been explored before.

17 BAD: WONDER WOMAN'S ALTERED ORIGIN

Wonder Woman’s origin always maintained that she was born from clay. Symbolically, this origin reinforces her being perfect. Of course, it's also central to her role as a feminist icon. She’s a woman born and raised on an island filled with women, with no male figure ever having an influence on her life. In the New 52, Wonder Woman’s origin change drastically. Instead of being molded out of clay, Zeus fathers her.

This change and others, such as Diana’s being trained by Ares as opposed to other Amazons, somewhat negates her role in popular culture. It, arguably, undermines her status as a feminist icon, but also compromises Wonder Woman’s uniqueness. At the core, the New 52 origin presents her as just another demi-God.

16 GOOD: FLASHPOINT BATMAN

Flashpoint Batman

For a character that exists in an alternate timeline and has a limited presence, Flashpoint Batman accumulated quite the following. This following extends to mainstream audiences, who want to see the character depicted on the big screen. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the event’s animated adaptation, rests at the heart of such interests.

What’s most appealing about this version of the Bat is its presentation of the Wayne murders -- Bruce dies instead of his parents. Therefore, his father, Thomas, develops a hunger for vengeance that he fuels by stopping criminals. Flashpoint Batman remains a treasured character because his beliefs are antithetical to those of Batman. Thus, the morally ambiguous behavior that Batman could partake in receives exploration without tarnishing the character himself.

15 BAD: BARBARA'S DISABILITY ERASED

Barbara Gordon as Oracle

As an influential character, Barbara’s suffering at the hands of The Killing Joke’s Joker remains a point of contention. However, DC wasted no time in twisting the narrative in a positive fashion. Less than a year after the graphic novel’s publication, Babs debuts in Suicide Squad #23 as Oracle. Her paralysis keeps her from donning a cape and cowl, yet fails to prevent her from fighting crime.

With intelligence, technical prowess, and an understanding of Gotham’s underworld, Oracle maintains her role as a valued Bat-family member. She accomplishes this from a wheelchair, an inspiring feat that’s influenced decades of people in need of a hero. Here lies the trouble with Barbara reclaiming Batgirl’s mantle -- erasing her disability discards a hero that represents more than just another crimefighter.

14 GOOD: MIDNIGHTER

midnighter in the middle of a battle

In the minds of many, Midnighter is a Batman analogue with a penchant for permanently ending criminals. His status as an openly gay man who’s as committed to his work as he is his boyfriend, Apollo, makes him unique in the world of comics. Of course, Midnighter’s no where close to being the first or sole gay superhero. However, there do exist instances where his books are the only ongoing series starring a gay lead character.

Midnighter’s series, along with the many appearances he makes across other books, are considered amongst the New 52’s finest stories. His heartwarming relationship with Apollo and the partnership he shares with Dick Grayson ensures this addition to the revamped continuity won’t soon be forgotten.

13 BAD: CHARACTER ROLES DIMINISHED

The changes brought about by "Flashpoint" are many in number. For some characters, the New 52 doesn’t merely alter them, it abandons their roles entirely. Such heroes/villains only appear for a fleeting period of time, their presence so inconsequential that they are hardly remembered.

One such character is Lady Blaze, a Superman villain from the '90s who once held great promise. During the New 52, she’s little more than a side character who appears when a story conveniently requires her involvement. Unfortunately, the same can be said of Obsidian. The few appearances he makes are exclusive to the Earth 2 series, but even there his time is limited.

12 GOOD: BARRY ALLEN RECLAIMS FLASH TITLE

For about a quarter of a century, Barry Allen’s Flash was absent from the DC Universe. Final Crisis marks Barry’s initial return to continuity. However, The Flash: Rebirth depicts his official comeback story. At the time, this brought about a bevy of concerns. These include Barry’s sacrifice during Crisis on Infinite Earths becoming meaningless and Wally West no longer being the primary Flash.

But Barry Allen’s return ushers in a new age of Flash-centric stories. His origin receives a few alterations. The same can be said of his relationships to certain characters. Additionally, without Barry’s return, as far as the narrative is concerned, there would not be a New 52.

11 BAD: JASON TODD'S ORIGINS CHANGED

red hood new 52

Prior to the New 52, Jason Todd undergoes two origin stories. One, set in the pre-Crisis continuity, resembles Dick Grayson’s origins. Jason’s a young boy whose parents are performers in the circus. After his parents die at the hands of criminals, Jason is adopted by Bruce Wayne. Jason’s post-Crisis origin positions him as an orphan who steals to get by. An attempt to lift tires from the Batmobile garners him the attention of Batman.

New 52 replaces the above backstories with something far more sinister. His family’s misfortunes, the imprisonment and eventual death of his father and his mother’s substance abuse, are all orchestrated by the Joker. It’s an interesting story, sure, but removes agency from an already tragic character.

10 GOOD: AGENT GRAYSON

Grayson spyral's end

Dick Grayson arrives in the New 52 a changed man. After spending time wearing Batman’s cape and cowl for a spell, he begins to see things differently. All crime-ridden cities are brutal, but Gotham is a different brand of brutal. He realizes this and becomes a bit more hardened, while still maintaining his good-naturedness. It isn’t long before he’s placed in a compromising position. Nightwing’s identity as Dick Grayson is outed -- however, he refuses to give up crimefighting.

Agent Grayson of Spyral is born. Batman assigns Dick the task of infiltrating the clandestine UN agency, acting as a double agent. His adventures as a Spyral agent culminate in well-developed stories and an awesome team up with Midnighter.

9 BAD: LOBO

The most notable of Lobo’s origins rests in his post-Crisis existence. This version depicts him as the foulest member of a peaceful race on the planet Czarnia. Apparently, he’s born mad and acts on his depraved predispositions quite often. Eventually, Lobo wipes out his entire race and flees the planet. His adventures throughout space set him on a path to becoming an intergalactic bounty hunter.

In the New 52, very little of his origins receive attention. But Lobo’s new design and status as a mere villainous alien acts as a prime example for why the New 52 isn’t favored. A later storyline reveals this version of Lobo is an impostor. The real Lobo must take him down, but for many fans the damage was done.

8 GOOD: THE OMEGA MEN

"Convergence" essentially marks an end to the New 52. However, many of those stories and characters were translated into DC You. While The Omega Men series is a part of the DC You relaunch, the various hiccups in New 52 sets the acclaimed series in motion. The new initiative itself remains somewhat divisive, yet The Omega Men is one of the few bright lights.

The aftermath of New 52’s "Convergence" allows for the reinvention of The Omega Men. Writer Tom King tells an incredibly impactful story about war that mixes impressively with the science fiction and superhero elements of the characters. If there’s ever a reason to return to this time in DC history, The Omega Men are it.

7 BAD: THE AMAZON'S CONNECTION TO MAN

Prior to the New 52, Amazons escape the world of man. They find refuge on Themyscira, an island where only they are permitted to reside. Not until Steve Trevor crashes onto their shores do the worlds of man and Amazon collide. Despite his goodness, many of the Amazons remain skeptical. Of course, Diana, for a time, is the only inhabitant of Themyscira to make the trek to the world as we know it.

The New 52 heavily revises this history. As a result, the Amazons abuse their power. Whenever men draw approach the island’s shores, they are taken advantage of and wiped out. Thus, the peace that typically shapes the inspiring ideals of Paradise Island are exchanged for violence and vengeance.

6 GOOD: BARBARA GORDON IS BATGIRL AGAIN

The erasure of Barbara Gordon’s disability certainly isn’t one of the New 52’s best qualities. Therefore, it’s weird that her reclaiming the title of Batgirl remains one of the relaunch’s high points. It primarily comes down to Gail Simone’s acclaimed run on the character’s series, and the tonal shift after her departure. Seeing Babs retake the Batgirl mantle is thrilling because she faces intriguing challenges both on the streets of Gotham and in her private life.

Mirror, the first foe Babs faces after her return, debuts in the New 52. A new version of the Ventriloquist receives introduction, as well. Not everything about New 52 Batgirl is a home run. But when the stories are good, they are incredibly immersive.

5 BAD: ERASED ESTABLISHED HISTORY

Batman Incorporated

Discarding established history comes with the territory when continuity receives a reboot. Character origins are bound to change and certain events are to be forgotten. The proverbial slate is wiped completely clean in favor of starting fresh. For comics, this allows companies to give new readers an opportunity to join the fun as the fresh start accounts for accessibility. Reboots also offer creators a chance to try new avenues, take a character to places they’ve never been, explore long-imagined horizons.

Admittedly, all of the above sounds wonderful. However, these changes are made to the detriment of established lore. Character development is tossed aside and the once harrowing circumstances that haunted a favorite hero or villain no longer bears any significance.

4 GOOD: BATWOMAN

Batwoman

This entry should come with an asterisk, denoting that New 52 Batwoman is good… for the most part. The 2011 relaunch is kind to this member of the Bat-family. Fantastic storytelling, beautiful character development, and tons of fan support ensure that Batwoman is at her best after "Flashpoint" reboots the universe.

All seems well when wedding bells begin to ring. Kate Kane proposes to her girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer. However, the couple never gets to tie the knot. Editorial keeps the two from marrying, which prompts the creative team behind New 52 Batwoman to depart. It’s unfortunate that something so wonderful is relegated to heartbreak for both the characters and fans.

3 BAD: DISJOINTED CONTINUITY

Nightwing in his New 52 costume

Ongoing stories don’t always open and close with a nice bow. Things get messy. Dates are confused, timelines fail to sync, etc. It should be no surprise, then, that rebooting an entire universe exacerbates these issues. Barring Batman and Green Lantern, The New 52 begins similarly for every hero. They’ve been active for five years by the time readers catch up with their adventures.

On the surface, this works. However, that most characters become active at the same time is absurd. The problem proliferates when considering Batman’s role. He’s supposed to have experienced 25 years of history in half a decade? This is especially worrisome as there are references to Dick’s time as Batman. It’s not the New 52’s most significant problem, but it warrants acknowledgement.

2 GOOD: DC YOU

DC You Batman

DC You acted as a move away from the New 52. However, those character origins still count as part of the DC You initiative. With this new launch, the publisher mostly abandons the idea of continuity. Self-contained stories are told, instead of focus being geared towards telling small pieces of one whole narrative.

Thus, we get the likes of DC You Superman who’s depowered and has his identity publicly outed. This is also the initiative that gives rise to James Gordon wearing a Batman mech-suit. Other notable positives include the launch of Cyborg’s first solo series, the reinvention of The Omega Men, and the awesomeness that comes from Midnighter’s adventures.

1 BAD: EDITORIAL TROUBLES

Because the slate’s clean for continuity’s sake, several inconsistencies arise during the New 52. This is due to writers and artists not receiving a full rundown from higher-ups (for example, George Pérez on Superman). However, other editorial issues plague the relaunch, too. Certain design choices never quite strike a chord and the reinvention of some characters is regarded as troublesome. Creative differences between writers/artists, and editors led to a few teams departing projects.

The most well known of harrowing editorial tales lies with J. H. Williams III’s and Haden Blackman’s beloved work on Batwoman. DC’s refusal to let Kate Kane marry her girlfriend remains controversial, which worsened when it was later explained that vigilantes live so dangerously that marriage is never an option.