Speed Force

A whole bunch of linkblogging for the week!

Reviews and Commentary

The Comic Treadmill is doing summer reruns with a look back at Flash v.2 #206-219 from 2005.

Blog@Newsarama looks at a panel from Blackest Night #1 and concludes that Barry died sometime between 1991 and 1996 if “the internet” is new to him today…and then there’s his using the term “geek” to refer to himself and Clark Kent, and Grant Morrison’s comment that “When geeks get power, you get Hitler.” Um…yeah.

Comix 411 reviews Green Lantern #44, guest starring the Flash.

Video Store Blues shows a couple of pages from the 2000 Superman and Bugs Bunny miniseries, featuring the Flash vs. the Road Runner.

The Weekly Crisis wishes DC and Marvel would engage in more world-building dealing with the impact of superheroes on Earth, like the Flash Museum and Superhero Memorial Day.

News and Interviews

CBR interviews Karl Kerschl and editor Marc Chiarello on Wednesday Comics

CBR has their own write-up of the DC Universe panel.

The Source has pictures from Geoff Johns and Dan Didio on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

The Source announces JSA All-Stars, a spinoff of Justice Society of America, and Newsarama interviews Matt Sturges.

Art

Comics Should Be Good has a John Byrne commission showing Doctor Doom defeating various DC heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Flash.

CBR has The Nerdy Bird’s Flight to San Diego, including pictures of her as a Red Lantern with her custom-made plush Dex-Starr, Red Lantern Kitty of Rage!

The webcomic Kidd and Geezer presents Kiddo Cosplays at SDCC with a trio of super-heroes who all have something in common…

DC has delayed Flash: Rebirth #4 again to August 26, making it a full 2 1/2 months after issue #3. Additionally, they’ve rescheduled issues #5 and 6.

That pushes them up to a deadline, because Blackest Night: Flash is supposed to spin out of Flash: Rebirth and start in November December [Edit: see comment thread]. Presumably it will need to line up with the rest of the Blackest Night tie-in miniseries (though we saw how well that worked with Final Crisis). Fortunately, Blackest Night: Flash is being drawn by a different artist, so Scott Kolins can start work on it while Ethan Van Sciver is still working on Flash: Rebirth.

Update August 13: On DC’s website, issue #6 has been pushed back another week to November 25.

Covers

On a related note, Ethan Van Sciver has posted the final cover to Flash: Rebirth #4 on his Facebook page. It’s very similar to the solicited one, with some color alterations. He mentioned on the Half-Hour Wasted podcast a few weeks ago that the solicited covers for #4-6 were all altered to prevent spoilers. I’m going to go on record here and predict that the final cover for #5 will be exactly like what we’ve seen, only the Black Flash carrying Professor Zoom’s lightning wand will be recolored as Professor Zoom.

Barry and Iris in Wednesday Comics. A future Flash in The Last Days of Animal Man. Jay in Justice Society of America. And finally, a classic Barry in DC: The New Frontier.

Wednesday Comics #4

This week features the fourth issue of the 12-part weekly Wednesday Comics, including a new Flash/Iris West segment by Karl Kerschl and Brenden Fletcher

7” x 10”, 16 pg, FC, $3.99 US

The Last Days of Animal Man #3

Written by Gerry Conway
Art by Chris Batista & Dave Meikis
Cover by Brian Bolland

Enter the League of Titans! Buddy Baker is cracking up, but can he rely on a little help from his friends? Or should a wounded animal just slink away to die? Starfire has an opinion on the subject, and she’s never been one to keep her feelings to herself…

3 of 6 · 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Note: The Source has a preview of the issue. It takes place 10-15 years in the future, with a possible future Flash.

Justice Society of America #29

Written by Bill Willingham & Matthew Sturges
Art and cover by Jesus Merino

A new era begins for the Justice Society of America as writers Bill Willingham (Fables) and Matthew Sturges (Blue Beetle) take over the series with new artist Jesus Merino (Superman Annual) just as two new recruits make their debut with the team! Strange happenings at the JSA Mansion are weird precursors to an all-out attack on all members of the team — all but one! And what is the strange connection that new members King Chimera and All-American Kid might have with the turmoil?

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Absolute New Frontier HC (New Printing)

Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art and cover by Darwyn Cooke

Writer/illustrator Darwyn Cooke’s award-winning, critically acclaimed masterpiece DC: The New Frontier is back in a new printing of the Absolute edition, featuring new story pages, detailed annotations, alternate sequences and an extensive gallery of sketches, pinups, action figure art and more!

In the 1950s, Cold War paranoia outlawed the Mystery Men of the Golden Age. Stalwarts such as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman continued to fight for truth and justice, but as the world hurtled toward an uncertain future, it would take a new breed of hero to define the American Way. DC: The New Frontier takes readers on an epic journey from the end of the Golden Age of heroes to the beginnings of the legendary Justice League of America.

Darwyn Cooke’s most ambitious project yet features the stunning color art of Dave Stewart, an introduction by DC’s President and Publisher Paul Levitz, and an afterword by Cooke.

8.25” x 12.5”, 464 pg, FC, $75.00 US

After reading more about the breakdown of the Velocity ongoing series that would have launched this year, I realized it would have been something very rare: An ongoing solo book about a speedster who wasn’t the Flash.

Off the top of my head, the only series I could think of was Impulse, which ran for 89 issues from 1995 through 2002…but even that was about the Flash’s cousin, who has since become Kid Flash (and was briefly the Flash). There was Top Cow’s Velocity miniseries that I’d just read, and Marvel’s Son of M miniseries starring Quicksilver, and the occasional special…but all of the long-running characters I could think of were either team members like Quicksilver (Avengers), Velocity (Cyberforce) and the Blur (Squadron Supreme), or Golden Age characters who appeared in anthologies, like DC’s Johnny Quick (More Fun Comics), Timely’s Whizzer (USA Comics), or Quality’s Quicksilver (National Comics — and he’s better known now as Max Mercury).

I remarked on this on Twitter, and @cm22 pointed out one more: Marvel launched a Quicksilver series in 1997, though it only lasted 13 issues.

So that’s two. Impulse, which is a Flash spin-off, and Quicksilver, which lasted only a year. Three if you count the upcoming Kid Flash series announced over the weekend, but then again it’s Kid Flash.

For comparison, DC has published an ongoing Flash series from 1940–1949, 1959–1985, and 1987–2008, with only a few months off in early 2006 during Infinite Crisis.

In the last 70 years, there have been only 11 in which no issue of Flash appeared. In the last 50 years, there has been only one year without a Flash book, and that was 23 years ago.

If there was any question that the Flash was the most successful example of the speedster super-hero archetype, this should settle it!

Note: It’s arguable that Flash Comics shouldn’t count, being an anthology series…but on the other hand, his name is in the title, his story was always the first feature, he alternated the cover spot with Hawkman, and the numbering was picked up for the 1959 Flash solo series. Besides, during most of the time Flash Comics was on the stands, DC also published All-Flash (1941–1948), which was definitely a solo Flash book!

Thanks to the Grand Comic Book Database for the cover thumbnails.

DC made only a few Flash announcements at Comic-Con, but they were big ones!

• Blackest Night: Flash miniseries by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins — 3 issues starting in November December. (announced at the Geoff Johns Spotlight on Thursday) The book will star Barry, Wally, and a whole lot of dead Rogues. [Note: I was originally under the impression that the second round of Blackest Night tie-ins would launch in November, and at the panel I was focused on the official announcement and the people involved, so I missed the fact that the month was one syllable off from what I was expecting. DC has audio of the panel, and he did say December.]
• Flash ongoing series written by Geoff Johns, to start after Blackest Night: Flash. They’re not ready to announce the artist, but Geoff assures us that he’s “awesome.” (announced at DC Universe on Saturday)
• Kid Flash ongoing written by Sterling Gates. No artist or start date announced. (also announced at DCU panel)
• A new speedster will join the Flash family by the end of Flash: Rebirth (DCU again.)

I liveblogged both panels (though a technical glitch prevented the DCU post from actually going up as I wrote it, which really annoyed me), and there are some other remarks in those panels (and in DC Nation) that Flash fans might find interesting.

Comic Book Resources has an interview with Geoff Johns in which he talks about the Blackest Night miniseries and the ongoing series. The first story is called “The Dastardly Deaths of the Rogues,” and he says that “all the Flashes in the Flash Universe will be major players in both Flash books.” There’s a lot more at the interview, such as this:

In “Blackest Night: Flash,” it’s the Rogues versus the Black Lantern Rogues and Flash is caught in the middle. And Captain Cold will be facing off against Black Lantern Golden Glider.

Ouch…that’s going to be one nasty fight!

• Retweeting @GreatWhiteSnark: RT @slashfilm: A real life light cycle in Flynn’s Arcade. #
• RT @SpeedsterSite: OH NO! The Flash: Rebirth #4 pushed back again! Set to release August 26th. #
• Retweeting @SpeedsterSite: RT: @CBR CCI: Geoff Johns on “All Flash” #
• Slept in today. Just got to the floor and I’d swear it’s more crowded than Saturday. Weird. #
• Oh, good, Mark Waid has a line today. #
• OMG Nichelle Nichols! #
• Scored a copy of the Flash:Rebirth #3 Variant! Wish I’d remembered to look BEFORE yesterday’s Geoff Johns signing, though #
• Overheard on return to convention center: “Air conditioning! Woo hoo!” #
• Creepy couple costume: Comedian & battered Silk Spectre from Watchmen. Just saw them pose for a photo w/him hitting her. Messed up. #
• Home from SDCC! Will post today’s pics (w/ decent bandwidth finally!) & unpack a bit, then sleep. #

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• All right! Friday’s photos actually uploaded overnight! #
• Just walked up to Mark Waid for autograph at Boom booth, no line. How times change. #
• Had no idea Leonard Nimoy & Brent Spiner were going to be here. #
• Took a trip thru Artists alley, then rushed 3/4 of the exhbit hall to DC booth. Forgot how far it was. #
• Saw Harley Quinn skipping merrily along. With a gun, of course. #
• Got a great Madame Xanadu sketch by Amy Hadley & Richard Friend! #Vertigo #
• Batgirl, Harley Quinn & Power Girl @ DC booth #
• Dark Reign Panel: “How do you want Norman Osborn taken down?” Kid dressed as Vision: “Honestly? Howard the Duck.” *applause* “Or Deadpool.” #
• Today is trade-off day. Couldn’t choose btw Quick Draw & Sheldon Moldoff, skipped both to do Madame Xanadu #



• Black Lantern Captain America! #
• Liveblogging DC Universe Panel
• Thought my legs were shaking. Understandable for 3rd day of con. Turned out to be the floor. #
• Could really use Google Maps for con floor. Search by booth name, get directions. At least the pull-out map shows major booths. #
• Whoa. Saw a Princess Leia who was fully clothed. #
  
• Fought thru G4 crowd to get Coraline exclusive figure at next booth over. #
• All right!!! RT @Robot6 Gail Simone’s Welcome to Tranquility will return at Wildstorm #
• Ran into a 3rd Jay Garrick a few minutes back. Most years I don’t see any Flashes at all! #
• Newsarama covers DCU panel #
• Whew! Made it through Geoff Johns signing. Going to try for PAD and Bryan Lee O’Malley, then call it a day. #
• 4 signings, 1 panel, caught 4 artists/writers at booths/artists’ alley. Feet ready to fall off. Done for the day #
• Those searchlights should have the Bat Signal #

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AARGH! Liveblogging failed. Lots on Twitter. BIG news: Geoff Johns on Flash ongoing after Blackest Night: Flash, Sterling Gates on Kid Flash ongoing.

Update: Now that the day’s tweets have been imported, here’s my full running commentary on the panel.

• Inkpot award to Bob Wayne #
• SDCC is like “longest Thanksgiving dinner ever” – con staffer #
• Flash:Rebirth – bunch of Flashes behind him on final cover #
• GEOFF JOHNS ON FLASH ONGOING! #
• Some costume changes & a new speedster by end of Flash:Rebirth #
• Sounded like Flash ongoing starts after Blackest Night:Flash. They’re all Geoff Johns-written. #
• Troia, Batman, Hal &…Monel w/ S symbol In JLA. #
• Good Dr. Light vs Black Lantern evil Dr. Light #
• Guessing Batgirl’s ID: Stephanie Brown? DD: “No spoilers here.” #
• DCU panel info is coming fast & furious – hard to keep up #
• Titans’ new leader…let’s just say it’s not Wally as rumored on ComicBloc. #
• GS: WW to renounce Amazons & become more of a super-hero than ever #
• Sterling Gates on Kid Flash series! #
• Rainbow Raider will be a Black Lantern. GJ: “I guess he’ll be the Black & White Raider.” #
• C’mon, random fanboy…wait till you see the new writer’s work before begging Geoff to come back to Teen Titans. #
• Question cosplayer at mike: “I have a question…” #
• DD on renumbering books that have been relaunched: content more important than number on cover, low numbers may bring in more new readers. #
• Geoff Johns: artist lined up for Flash ongoing, can’t talk about it yet. [Edit: GJ adds that he can only say the artist is "awesome."]#
• Fan requests a Snapper Carr & Jimmy Olsen team-up in Brave & the Bold. #

Around the Con

• Apparently the secret to uploading photos in this hotel is to wait until 6am when there’s no competition. #
• The fastest man alive…stuck in traffic. #
• Saw Michael Jackson. #
• Lots of *ahem* Flash photography today #
• Morning shaping up well. Got lassoed into DC costume photoshoot, got 3D photo w/wife (also in costume) & made it into Coraline room #
• Haven’t been to a con in costume since 2003, and then it was Riff from Sluggy Freelance. Not terribly recognizable. #
• But showing up as the Jay Garrick Flash? That stands out! #
• *sigh* someone just said “excuse me, Flash Gordon.” #
• In last hour or so have posed with Captain Hammer, Catwoman, Liberty Belle and Stargirl. Now in line for DC Nation. #
• Hah! Just ran into a JSA group w/ another Jay Garrick! #
• Insta-mob just formed around Olivia Munn (?) As she headed to the panelist entrance. #
• Another insta-mob as Robert Rodriguez left panel. #
• Just saw a Geonosis Padme with a little girl dressed as Princess Leia from A New Hope #

Panels: Coraline, Flash Forward, DC Nation

• Coraline making-of w/Selik, Gaiman, animators & cast.Selik wants to do stop-motion Sandman, Neil wishes him luck w/WB #
• Forgot there was actually a Flash connection w/ Flash Forward: Marc Guggenheim & David S Goyer. #
• They just showed the 1st 2 acts of the Flashforward pilot and it’s AWESOME! #
• Dominic Monaghan confirmed for Flashforward. And he’s here. #
• Liveblogging DC Nation

Evening

• Cleaned up after day in costume, back at hotel restaurant. Planning to return for “Worst Cartoons Ever” #
• Awesome! RT @Robot6 SDCC ’09 | Scott Pilgrim video game is on the way. #
• Missed shuttle by 10 sec, chased, locked out. Ran, walked, jogged 1+ miles & took a pedicab. Chain broke. Made it w/5min to spare #
• Worst Cartoons Ever: mix of poorly-done, or trippy crack, or seriously offensive WTF-were-they-thinking cartoons from the 50s&60s #

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Yomiko and the Flash, originally uploaded by Kelson.

Here’s me with my wife at Comic-Con International today, dressed as Yomiko Readman (a.k.a. The Paper) from the anime Read or Die and Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash!

The hat is a paper mache base with model magic over it, then spray paint and varnish. Katie volunteered to make it for me and it came out great! Sometime next week she’ll make a guest post about how the various costume pieces are constructed, so keep an eye out!

Update: The making-of posts are up!

• Making the helmet.
• Making the boots and shirt.

More photos in my Comic-Con 2009 set.