Speed Force

Over the weekend, Profiles in History auctioned off props from LOST, including two copies of a comic book that appeared in the TV show’s first season. That comic book was the Spanish-language edition of the first half of Green Lantern/Flash: Faster Friends (Part 1) from 1997.

In the show, Hugo “Hurley” Reyes brings the comic book onto the plane in Sydney. After the crash, Walt Lloyd finds it on the beach and carries it around, clinging to it as a symbol of the normal life he’s left behind.

Also: polar bear. Or rather, OMGWTFPOLARBEAR.

Newsarama reports that the “crisp” copy used for the flashback scenes sold for $3,900, while the battered copy sold for $1,680. Profiles in History estimated the value of each book at $200–$300. Copies that haven’t appeared on television seem to sell for around $5–$10, judging by a quick eBay search for the English version.

Coincidentally, last week DC announced that they would be reprinting the story in November as part of their DC Comics Presents series.

Tip of the hat to @LegionOmnicom for the news!

DC has posted Ryan Sook [edit], Fernando Pasarin and Joel Gomez’ full Brightest Day image, featuring the twelve resurrected characters as White Lanterns. It’s made up of variant covers appearing on the Brightest Day-related comics this month and next, all aligned to create one complete picture.

There are two Flash-related characters in this set. Professor Zoom appears on the alternate cover for Green Lantern Corps #51 (posted here last night). Chances are that this Captain Boomerang will be the varaint cover for The Flash #5, currently due September 15.

Click through either image for the Source article, which includes a much larger version of the combined image. You really do have to see this thing full-sized.

Update: The Beat points out that the piece is inspired by Michelangelo’s famous painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Also, I forgot to include Fernando Pasarin, Joel Gomez, and Jim Lee in the credits. If I’m reading the Source post correctly, Lee did the overall design, Sook did the figures, and Pasarin and Gomez did the cosmic scene in the center (and possibly the thrones).

Update 2: Comics Alliance has an analysis of the image.

I guess they must have been out of this when I hit the comic store last week, because I have been keeping an eye out for the White Lantern variant covers featuring the Brightest Day resurrections. Giant Size Geek spotlights the Green Lantern Corps #51 cover, which features a White Lantern Professor Zoom:

Click through to the original post for a larger view of this impressive Ryan Sook [edit: and Fernando Pasarin and Joel Gomez] piece.

With two Flash-related characters resurrected at the end of Blackest Night, I’ve been wondering which would appear on the next Flash variant cover…and where the other would appear. Presumably, this means a White Lantern version of Captain Boomerang will appear on the alternate cover for Flash #5 next month. It’s an appropriate choice, considering that Boomerang is involved in the current storyline in The Flash, but the Reverse-Flash is not.

Some weekend linkblogging…

Art

I finally placed what that Funko Flash plush toy reminds me of: paintings by Degrazia.

Michael Cho is bringing some great paintings of the Flash and Mister Miracle to Fan Expo. (via @FrancisManapul)

In Brightest Day, In Blackest…Coffee? The Nerdy Bird has found an awesome T-shirt on Etsy.

Giant Size Geek (formerly Photon Torpedoes) found a “trippy” Martin Ansin painting of the Flash. Actually, there’s another Giant Size Geek find that’s going to get its own post…

Commentary and News

Quick Time is a new blog focusing on Jesse Quick and Hourman. Recent posts include costumes, low points (Jesse in Titans, anyone?), and thoughts on the Justice Society roster.

That F’ing Monkey looks at Flash postage stamps in the Fastest Mail Alive.

The Source has a new video ad for DC Universe Online, “I am the Next Legend.”

The Flash makes IGN’s top DC series list at #8.

CSBG has completed their series on the Top 75 Most Memorable Moments in DC Comics History.

Some items I’ve written about elsewhere that might be of interest to this site’s readers.

First up: I’ve finally found the time to finish my San Diego Comic Con write-ups! Here’s Saturday and Sunday at Comic-Con International!

Review: I liked Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It was a fun movie/comic/video game mash-up, and it’s a shame that so few people have gone to see it.

Speaking of reviews and things that are insanely late: I found some interesting reviews on Amazon this week while looking for long-delayed fantasy books, including Tokoypop’s Labyrinth and Dark Crystal series. I found it most amusing that George R.R. Martin’s fans are already reviewing A Dance With Dragons…even though the book isn’t finished yet. More precisely: they’re reviewing the wait for the book!

DC’s website now shows Flash #5 coming out on September 15, and Flash #6 coming out on September 29.

Flash #5 was originally scheduled for August 18 and has been pushed back several times. #6 was originally September 22; this is its first (and if we’re lucky, only) slip.

Interestingly enough, Velocity #2 has also been rescheduled for September 15. Velocity #1 hit the same week as Flash #3. Flash #5 and Velocity #2 were both scheduled for August 25 at one point, were both later scheduled for September 8, and are now both scheduled for September 15. It’s as if the two speedster series have somehow become synchronized, with two issues of Flash for each issue of Velocity — despite being published by different companies!

ICv2′s July sales estimates are up. The Flash #4 takes the #15 spot by units sold, with an estimated 64,832 copies sold to retailers.

OK, back to the charts for the last few relaunches. Let’s see how volume three is doing. (In case you’re wondering, I only plan on doing the detailed relaunch-by-relaunch-by-relaunch comparisons through the end of the first story arc.)

So: still dropping (as most series do), but it seems to be leveling off. I’m not sure how this compares to standard attrition for a new series at DC or Marvel. The drop-off rate seems about the same as Flash: The Fastest Man Alive, though perhaps it will level off at a higher point.

That said, the numbers are still solid (if still below F:TFMA), and the rankings are very good.

I don’t know how I missed this one the first time around, but Comics Alliance has posted a round-up of Chris Sims and Rusty Shackles’ Great Comics That Never Happened series – covers featuring bizarre team-ups like the Justice League and the Wu-Tang Clan, or the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen featuring 1980s icons like Mr. T, Doc Brown and MacGuyver, or Hannah Zatanna, torn between the worlds of superheroes and magic…or this one:

When Boss Hogg sets up a phony charity designed to funnel contributions from well-meaning citizens into his own pockets, Superman and the Flash are roped into holding a charity race across Hazzard County–without super-powers! But when Bo and Luke Duke, a couple of good ol’ boys who never mean no harm crash the race, can the two Fastest Men Alive outrun a souped-up Dodge Charger before it hits the county line? Find out in this exciting issue! Also featured: Lois Lane discovers a Hazzard County fashion statement sure to catch Clark Kent’s eye and a two-page backup story where Jimmy Olsen and Kid Flash meet Coy and Vance!”

Click through to the original article for a full-sized cover, as well as a dozen more team-ups that never were!

DC has posted artist CAFU’s designs for the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents relaunch coming in November, including the team’s speedster, Lightning.

Lightning’s past is one readers of the sports page will be familiar with. It’s one of failure, self-doubt and, ultimately, redemption – if he can manage to outrace death long enough, that is.

CAFU came up with a number of designs for Lightning’s suit, but we ultimately settled on this one as it seemed both the most stylish and the most practical. Zipping around that fast, you’re going to need some protection!

As described in previous articles, the premise is that the suits that give the agents their super-powers will also kill them within a year. The agency recruits covert operatives willing to trade their lives for one last shot at redemption.

The article at The Source has four designs, including Dynamo, NoMan, and Menthor in addition to Lightning.

Also worth a look: Newsarama’s article on the history of the team, back to their 1965 debut at Tower Comics.

I’m curious.

Thanks, everyone! Here’s my analysis of the results.