Speed Reading: Flash Deaths, Sightings, Pricing and More

Some linkblogging from the past couple of weeks:

Flashy Links

Newsarama interviews Francis Manapul on his work on The Flash.

Comics Bulletin presents the Top 10 Flash Deaths in order of how long they lasted.

A reader at Silver Age Comics discovers that Flash Comics #13 is different on Earth-One.

You’ve probably read about the thief who took Free Comic Book Day a bit too literally and tried to steal a $150 X-Men Omnibus…and was foiled by Spider-Man, two Jedi, and the Flash.

Speaking of FCBD, Chris Samnee has posted a FCBD sketch gallery featuring both Flash and Quicksilver.

Super Heroes

Comics Worth Reading’s Johanna Draper Carlson has some ideas for how to make super-hero comics interesting again

4thLetter’s David Brothers encourages you to focus on the stories, not the canon. Don’t buy something you don’t like just because it’s “important,” and don’t pass up other good stuff because it’s not.

Comics Alliance has a thought-provoking article on the racial implications of running legacies backward.

Grumpy Old Fan ponders the role of secret identities in DC comics from the Silver Age through the present.

Once Upon a Geek also reviews the DC Fandex guide (my review went up on Monday).

Comics in General

Westfield Comics’ KC Carlson explains how to meet artists without being talked about afterward, and offers suggestions for convention behavior.

LIFE has a photo gallery of people reading classic comic books from the Golden Age through the 1980s, including a boy reading Flash Comics in 1949. Nitpick: By 1949, the feature wasn’t about a “college student” with super-speed. Jay Garrick graduated during his origin story. (Link via Xian)

Collected Editions considers an increasingly common problem: the trade you want is out of print.

Multiversity Comics analyzes the impact of the shift from $2.99 comics to $3.99.

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9 thoughts on “Speed Reading: Flash Deaths, Sightings, Pricing and More

  1. West3man

    David is probably right about not buying comics you don’t like, because they’re important…as a rule.

    The thing is, though, these books come out in pieces and parts. One often doesn’t know if one will like the whole until the story is whole – by which time, one has already committed.

    When it comes to trades and tpb’s, it is the same thing, in a lot of cases. You don’t know until you buy.

    To be clear, I am mostly focusing on events, here, since he mentioned the “important” stuff.

    On another tip, I bought Green Lantern: Rebirth in hardcover, despite not liking it, because it was important enough to a franchise that I love that I would want/need to reference it from time to time and I prefer the collected volumes, these days.

    So, David’s ideas seem to mirror mine (I’ll read the post to be sure) but it can be tough or even impractical to apply em to the real world.
    .-= West3man’s latest blog post: IPad 3G in-effect =-.

    Reply
        1. Kelson Post author

          Because they weren’t resurrected by the white light in BN#8, like all the other characters who are profiled.

          Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman aren’t on there either.

          Reply
  2. kyer

    Top Ten Flash Deaths and the Foiled Robbery stories had me rolling with laughter. It’s a wonder The Black Flash doesn’t have Wally’s name permanently listed in his little black address book. And that robber? I wonder if his sentence won’t be shortened on grounds that he’s already suffered extreme public humiliation for sheer stupidity.

    Great stuff!

    Out-of-Print Trades and prices…argh…tell me about it! From the looks of it, I’ll never get to read Final Night or any of a host of interesting comics series others talk about. Just trying for only the stuff with Wally West in the Justice League is impossible as so much is out of print—never mind wanting to see everything with Jay, Max, Bart, and Barry.

    $3.99 with more story is lovely…if you have $3.99+tax on hand to spend after rent is paid.

    Maybe the comic companies should start giving out %-off comic books with every DVD super hero movie they sell? If the kids love the visually engrossing movie, they might take a chance on the visually engrossing comic book of said character while still on an ‘experience’ high. However, asking them to search for some obscure seller and then pay $4 for a slim picture book when the can get a multi-level Video Game for $10? How likely is that?

    Reply
  3. Hyperion

    What happened to people reading comics for the story and not worrying about whatever political agendas might be in there? The way I see it, you have to be PURPOSELY looking for said “hidden agenda” to see it at the expense of simple enjoyment.

    Reply
    1. Kelson Post author

      Hyperion, if you’re talking about the Comics Alliance post, I’d suggest that you actually read the article. Or if you have read the article, read it again, more carefully.

      It’s not talking about hidden political agendas. In fact, it takes pains to point out that it’s not accusing anyone of making deliberate political statements. It’s talking about consequences.

      Reply
      1. Hyperion

        I know I’m going to get shot down by people thinking I’m a sociopath or racist or something along those lines (I’m 50/50 Eurasian, btw, so I don’t like “white power” insults hurled my way), but quite frankly, even after reading again, I simply cannot feel anything, at least not on a high enough level to worry.

        Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up with comics, or that I can’t connect with people nearly as well as most, or often feel indifferent where most people would react strongly, but honestly, while I can maybe see why others would worry, I, personally, can’t. Ultimately, I read for fun, not deep meaning.

        Reply

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