Speed Force

Well, DC’s website shows that Flash: Rebirth #5 has been pushed back another week to November 4 — 10 weeks after #4. Once again, we’re faced with a month without a Flash issue.

Good thing we’ve got that spotlight in The Brave and the Bold #28 coming up, isn’t it?

So far DC hasn’t rescheduled issue #6 again, still listing it with a release date of November 25. I doubt anyone reading this page actually expects it to ship by then.

To be honest, I don’t particularly mind the delays at this point, at least as far as Rebirth itself is concerned. The story will be ready when it’s ready. What does bother me is that it will probably impact other Flash-related comics, particularly:

• Blackest Night: The Flash (currently scheduled to start December 2)
• Anything in which Wally West might appear in costume (in order to keep the debut of his new costume in Flash: Rebirth #6

DC hasn’t worried about showing a post-Rebirth Barry Allen while the story’s still unfinished, but then the only thing spoilery is that he survives. Not exactly a surprise for a story called Flash: Rebirth. But a high profile costume redesign? I can see DC holding back on that like they held back on Superboy’s return for Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds.

(Thanks to @kukheart for alerting me.)

Update: Now it’s November 18.

Upcoming Flash artist Francis Manapul has posted some new Flash art on his blog. The piece was done for a comic festival next month, and he’s working on shifting from a Wally West look to a Barry Allen look.

Manapul has also put an earlier Flash piece up for auction to benefit flood victims in the Philippines. It’s one of the pieces posted on The Source last week, now inked by Livesay.

Not much this week…but Jay Garrick shows up in Justice League: Cry For Justice.

Justice League: Cry For Justice #4

Written by James Robinson; Art and cover by Mauro Cascioli

How far would you go for justice? The heroes have found themselves turning to darker tactics in their search for retribution. Starman and Congorilla have captured the killers who took down some of their friends, but now what do they do with them? Meanwhile, Green Lantern and company wrestle with the idea of torturing villains for information in order to save lives.

40pg., Color, $3.99 US

DC has posted a preview at The Source.

Producer Charles Roven tells IGN that he’s off the long-delayed Flash movie…but we knew that already. Sites such as G4, Screen Rant, Mania, First Showing and MTV seem to think this means Warner Bros. has halted development…but I’ve been following news on this movie since it was announced 5 years ago, and I don’t think that’s the case.

Let’s look at Roven told IGN:

“I was involved at one point with The Flash,” said Roven. “And Warner Bros. came to me and said, ‘The work that you’ve been doing hasn’t yet resulted in something that any of us, including the filmmaking team, feel could be greenlit as a movie. We’re trying to accomplish something that takes into account the entire, rich DC character world, and we’d like to pull it back. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to be a part of it. We just want to take a different kind of approach. Do you mind if we try that?’ If we had something that was really working…”

He doesn’t say when the project was pulled back from him, or at least IGN doesn’t tell us.

And we knew a month ago that Roven had been taken off the project, when Warner Bros. announced the formation of DC Entertainment. Jeff Robinov, the architect behind last year’s Waner Bros/DC movie summit, was the one who “called [it] back” — and it was as a result of that summit that Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman were brought in to help Warner Bros. develop DC characters for film.

I think we’re just finally hearing Charles Roven’s side of a change that happened months ago and paved the way for the Geoff Johns version of the film that DC announced in July.

Update: Screenwriter Dan Mazeau contacted IGN with a status update:

The Flash has not been hobbled. Everything is moving forward as planned….I’m still writing the script. Geoff Johns is still consulting. Flash fans have no cause for concern, and — IMO — lots to be excited about.

So, yeah, nothing new here.

Black Flash, originally uploaded by JD Hancock.

I found this incredible custom action figure of the Black Flash on Flickr. Photographer JD Hancock describes it like this:

This custom action figure stands about five inches high and was created by my wife many years ago based on the artwork of Pop Mhan. She modified an existing figure (the Tarantula), wrapped it like a mummy, and then painted and decorated it. My contribution was its teeth, made out of tiny bits of white paper clips.

My full write-up of Long Beach Comic Con is done! I looked at lots of art, caught some panels, got stuff signed by both Mark Waid and Geoff Johns, bought some books and prints, saw people in costumes, and did some sightseeing.

Here’s the coverage breakdown:

• Convention Write-Up
• Photos
• Flash News From DC Nation

I had a great time at the con on Saturday, and will definitely go next year if they hold it again.

• I should drop the countdown to the next Flash: Rebirth issue. I feel like Tim & Poppy in Act 2 of Noises Off. #
• Diamond says: Planetary concludes next week! #
• RT @weeklycrisis: If you ever rewatch Kong for whatever reason, try to imagine the T-Rex vs Kong scene as Megatron vs Optimus Primal. #
• RT @SpeedsterSite: RT @glspotlight: Blue Lantern FLASH sketch by Ethan Van Sciver (via @StadiumComics) #
• RT @SpeedsterSite: Jay Garrick pops up in Cry for Justice #4. #
• RT @johannadc: Amazing creativity on display! RT @steve_lieber: What does invisibility look like? #
• Ouch…site got a hit from someone searching for “Harley Queen” #
• Question: Wizard World Los Angeles started in 2004 in Long Beach, right? And moved to LA in 2006? So 5 years total, 2 in LB and 3 in LA? #
• I could really use the camera improvements in #Android 1.6 “Donut,” but right before #LBCC would be a really risky time to update my phone. #
• Eh, I’ll probably be using my point-and-shoot camera most of the time anyway. So the pics go up Saturday night instead of immediately. #
• Comic conventions this weekend: @midohiocon, @LongBeach_CC #FollowFriday #
• Not sure, but I think #FlashForward used LA’s Department of Water & Power (DWP) for the exterior of the FBI office #
• Got a search hit for “flash archive vol. 26″ Considering they’re only up to volume 5 and started 13 years ago, it’s going to be a while. #

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• First view of the Long Beach convention center. I haven’t been here in ages. #
  
• Last time I was here, I don’t think there was a mall across the street! #
  
• Realized I’ve walked by the gold Boba Fett 4 or 5 times w/o stopping to take a photo. I am so jaded. #
• Flash news from DC Nation panel (in other post)
• Mark Waid: if DC did an animated Flash feature, he would want Will Wheaton to voice Wally West. #
• Waid on appeal of superheroes: Nobody knows what it’s like to have super-speed, but everyone knows what it’s like to wish you were faster. #
• Waid on writing: find the method that works for you and embrace it. Don’t beat yourself up over what doesn’t. #
• Taking a break from the con to wander outside. Will head back for the Mark Waid signing at 2:30. #
  
• Primary goals achieved! Panels & signings by Mark Waid & Geoff Johns. Now an iced mocha, then back to the floor. #

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Update: Full write-up and photos are now online!

My photos from Long Beach Comic-Con are up! I’m still labeling them, but that shouldn’t take too long.

I’ll post my write-up sometime on Sunday.

I just got out of the DC nation panel at Long Beach Comic-Con. At the start, Geoff Johns announced that the new Barry Allen Flash series will be a 30-page book with a Wally West Flash co-feature (backup story) by Geoff Johns & Scott Kolins!

YES!!!

Other Flash news from the Question & Answer segment:

No current plans to reissue trades from Geoff Johns’ Wally run.

Both Captain Boomerangs will appear in Blackest Night. As will Rainbow Raider – or rather the “Black and White Raider.” And he’s “really upset about it.”

Wally will have his new costume in Blackest Night & the new backup stories.

The new speedster Geoff mentioned in San Diego will be female. I’m thinking maybe Iris’ link to the speed force kicks in?

Update: Newsarama’s and CBR’s articles are up, both of which include a bit I’d missed posting: One fan asked whether, with Flash and Kid Flash, Wally was going to be “medium Flash.” Geoff Johns pointed out that Jay Garrick is still called Flash…

Update 2: My full write-up and photos from the con are now online!