May 31, 2011
The USA Today article about DC’s upcoming reboot includes a drawing of the Justice League with Jim Lee’s new costume designs…but not the entire image. Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Superman and Green Lantern are all visible, but the Flash and Batman are both off-panel, but it turns out that the article thumbnail on the newspaper’s home page shows the Flash’s mask.
I got the impression somewhere on Twitter that the full image appears in the print version of the article.
Update: I was in such a rush to post this that I forgot to comment on it. The only thing that really stands out in this picture is the chin guard (which was my least favorite element of the Walter West Dark Flash costume). The seams will get lost in the detail when drawn by most artists, and the earpieces change all the time anyway.
Update 2: SpeedsterSite found a copy of the full Jim Lee Justice League image. Here’s the Flash:
Oh, look, there’s that yellow outline around the circle, which Ethan Van Sciver so carefully added to Wally West’s costume in order to distinguish him from Barry Allen.
Update: You can see more of the costume in Francis Manapul’s cover for Flash #1.
USA Today confirms that DC is in fact relaunching everything at #1 in September, and Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are relaunching Justice League.
It looks like it’s a bit more than simply a coordinated jumping-on point like One Year Later or the post-Zero Hour #0 issues or a more thorough reboot. Jim Lee has “spearheaded the redesign of more than 50 costumes to make characters more identifiable and accessible to comic fans new and old,” and Dan Didio says, “This was a chance to start, not at the beginning, but at a point where our characters are younger and the stories are being told for today’s audience.”
Further details about individual series and characters will follow on The Source over the next week.
I guess the first rule of Flashpoint has been rescinded.
More importantly: DC will begin releasing comics digitally on the same day as the print editions go on sale.
As for what this means for the Flash franchise…I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but I’m beginning to suspect that one of my worst-case scenarios for Flashpoint is actually going to happen.
Update: Newsarama posts a letter DC sent to retailers about the revamps, including the following explanation:
We have taken great care in maintaining continuity where most important, but fans will see a new approach to our storytelling. Some of the characters will have new origins, while others will undergo minor changes. Our characters are always being updated; however, this is the first time all of our characters will be presented in a new way all at once.
More details will be announced over the next month, with full September solicitations on June 13.
Updates: CBR has a round up of what we know so far. USA Today has an interview with Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and Dan Didio. More breakdowns at Weekly Crisis, Comics Alliance. The Beat has a round-up of creator & retailer reactions.
May 30, 2011
I moved recently, which meant finding a new comic shop. After my first visit, I pulled the car away from the curb and looked up to see this:
Hmm, where have I seen that name before? Ah, yes!
May 27, 2011
While DC still isn’t saying much about what happens after Flashpoint (“The first rule…”), they’ve just made an announcement about the Flash:
But like issue #12 was the final issue of THE FLASH by Johns, the final issue of FLASHPOINT will conclude Johns’ run on FLASH titles for the foreseeable future.
Geoff Johns wrote a long run on The Flash (vol.2) starring Wally West in the early half of the last decade, then returned in 2009 for the miniseries Flash: Rebirth and Blackest Night: The Flash, and the short-lived series The Flash (vol.3) starring Barry Allen, culminating in the Barry Allen-centered Flashpoint.
So what is coming up for The Flash after Flashpoint?. We don’t know much (see that first rule again), but DC’s subscription service says The Flash #1 is coming in September (thanks to Deron Morgan for asking them!). This may fit in with the rumors of a line-wide post-Flashpoint renumbering, or it may simply be the logical choice to launch The Flash (vol.4).
UPDATE: Some Thoughts
I’m of mixed feelings on this. On one hand, I’ve been disappointed with the relaunched series. There’s quite a bit about the Rebirth-era Flash that I haven’t liked, and my favorite aspect, in fact, was the fantastic art by Francis Manapul. So bringing in someone new — perhaps someone more interested in telling stories about a speedster than telling me how wonderful this particular speedster is — is probably something I’d welcome.
Plus with his job as Chief Creative Officer, chances are that Geoff Johns has been awfully busy, which may have contributed to the now-infamous delays.
That said, what stands out the most for me about The Flash vol.3 are the missed opportunities. I wanted to read “Murder in Gorilla City.” I wanted to read those backup stories featuring Wally West (I’m still waiting to see him “kick ass,” as Geoff Johns promised a year and a half ago) and those Kid Flash solo stories by Sterling Gates. I wanted to read about Abra Kadabra’s other enemies scattered across the centuries. I thought “Mara Thawne” was a cool name for a villain. Presumably, we won’t even see The Flash: Secret Origin, which Geoff Johns has said on several occasions that he wants to do.
Most of all, I wanted to believe (wasn’t convinced, but wanted to believe) that everything I didn’t like about Geoff Johns’ take on The Flash was part of a long-term plan that would have some sort of payoff. For that to happen, he had to be committed to the character long-term.
Now we know that Flashpoint is the endgame. That’s a lot for the next four issues to live up to.
May 26, 2011
Welcome to the second part of our interview with legendary Flash writer Cary Bates! A DC Comics luminary, Bates’ first Flash story appeared in 1968, and he was the regular writer on the book from 1971 – 1985.
Last week we discussed the genesis and impact of the Death of Iris Allen story arc, which we have also been annotating here at the site. This week we’ll look at the implications of that story and the final days of the Flash title, as well as Bates’ upcoming work for DC Comics, both Flash and otherwise.
Read the rest of this entry »
Converse has FINALLY gotten around to making an official pair of DC Comics licensed Flash Chuck Taylors. Chuck Taylors were a style of shoe first created in 1915, with the current incarnation being popularized in the 70s. Converse has released several different kinds of shoes over the years featuring DC Comics characters including Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. To my knowledge the closest we got to having a pair of Flash Chucks before was if we made them ourselves:
Now Flash and Converse fans finally have an official pair of shoes to rock:
Available exclusively through popular online shoe website, Journeys. The shoes are currently available for pre-order to ship in June, although I think they have gone through their initial stock because my order is back-ordered until July. I’m crossing my fingers that the order goes through, there is no telling how many of these shoes are available. They are pretty affordable at $59.99 so if you plan on ordering them I would do it asap.
Anyone else plan on ordering a pair of these? How many of you would actually wear them?
Thanks for reading,
-Devin “Flash” Johnson
May 25, 2011
After last year’s five-con blowout, I’ve backed off a bit from Comic-Cons this year. In 2010 I attended at least one day at WonderCon, Anaheim Comic Con, Long Beach Comic Con, the general sci-fi/fantasy convention Westercon, and a full week of Comic-Con International in San Diego. (Those links go to my writeups and photos.)
This year I missed WonderCon (we weren’t sure about traveling with a baby), Anaheim (I’d rather catch Long Beach), and the one-day Long Beach Comic Expo (a busy month after moving, the new place desperately needed a no-plans weekend for some unpacking).
The second half of the year looks better.
Comic-Con International (July). I’m only going one day this year — new job, new baby and plans to move all conspired to keep things uncertain back at the time that tickets went on sale. So I’ll be a lot more focused on experiencing the day that I have than trying to report from the floor, but I’ll post my usual photos and writeups afterward.
Long Beach Comic Con (October). I’m still kicking myself for missing their April event, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. During its first two years, Long Beach has been a fun regional con focused on the actual comic part of Comic Con, and while I couldn’t make it to WonderCon this year, I really have no excuse to miss this one.
(Wizard World) Los Angeles Comic Con (September). Just announced a month ago. I sort of figure this is a second chance to catch Anaheim in case I change my mind, since Wizard has been really big on standardizing their shows lately. Also, I suspect they’re trying to crowd Long Beach out of the market, which is a big reason for me not to go.
Comikaze Expo (November). I only just heard about this one today, through the press release on Newsarama. It looks like they’re trying to out-Wizard the Wizard cons, judging by the heavy emphasis on TV/movie celebrities in the guest list, and maybe throw in elements of Anime Expo and GenCon to boot. It bothers me that they’re trying to hype it as the first con of its type in LA, ignoring the history of the Wizard cons and nearby conventions that aren’t within the Los Angeles city limits, but are close enough to be considered LA. I might drop in out of curiosity, assuming I’m not conventioned-out from Long Beach the week before.
So, current plans: San Diego and Long Beach. Maybe one of the two LA cons.
May 23, 2011
Thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s installation of our “Where Was Wally West?” contest here at Speed Force!
We posted a panel from a classic Flash comic, featuring Wally West in an alternate reality, the past or a “possible future”. Correct answers were put into a raffle, and a winner was drawn at random. To refresh your memory, here is the latest subject:
This week’s straw-in-a-hurricane is…
Congrats to Michael! This week’s subject was Flash #43, (September–October 1990): “Night of the Mechanical Zombies,” writer – William Messner-Loebs, artist – Greg LaRocque. This is the scene where Flash is fighting the Kilg%re, and receives the ‘pill’ which will bring him back to life in issue #50. Michael wins a copy of the Terminal Velocity TPB.
See you on Wednesday for the next installment in “Where Was Wally West?”!
May 22, 2011
Some weekend linkblogging…
Art
Flashy Links
Flashpoint
Other Comics Stuff
May 20, 2011
Among today’s Flashpoint Friday articles at The Source are this map of the world of Flashpoint showing trouble spots, and an interview with Sean Ryan about his one-shot: Grodd of War.
It seems that in a world without a Flash, Grodd took control of Gorilla City and began expanding his empire, conquering the whole of Africa by the time Flashpoint begins. But everything’s come too easily, and he just isn’t satisfied without a challenge.
Other articles posted today include interviews about The World of Flashpoint and Frankenstein and the Creature Commandos. CBR has a good round-up of the day, including both DC’s releases and fan reactions.
