August 16, 2011
People are looking for answers about the missing Flashpoint: Reverse Flash #2. The simple answer is: There isn’t one. It was originally solicited as a one-shot, along with Flashpoint: Grodd of War, Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries and Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket, but a misprint on the cover identified it as #1 of 3 instead.
So no, there isn’t a Flashpoint: Reverse Flash #2, or a Flashpoint: Reverse-Flash #3 for that matter. It hasn’t been canceled. It hasn’t been delayed. It wasn’t planned in the first place.
Two Flash-related comics are out this week: DC Retroactive: The Flash 1990s and Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #3.
DC Retroactive: The Flash 1990s
Written by BRIAN AUGUSTYN
Art and cover by MIKE BOWDEN
During the ’90s, Wally West took the title “The Fastest Man Alive” to a whole new level. Join the the writer who turned the sidekick into a hero in his own right for another race against evil, along with a classic tale from that decade.
ONE-SHOT • On sale AUGUST 17 • 56 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Newsarama has a set of DC Retroactive Previews including The Flash ’90s, which starts on page 6.
Be sure to catch our exclusive interview with Brian Augustyn about the special and his long-term collaboration with Mark Waid on The Flash.
Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #3
In this final issue of FLASHPOINT: LEGION OF DOOM, Heatwave has escaped his prison and is dead-set on getting his revenge against Cyborg. But first, he plans on burning the city of Detroit to the ground to send his nemesis a warning. Will Cyborg be able to stop Heatwave before thousands of innocent lives are lost?
FLASHPOINT: LEGION OF DOOM #3, in stores on Wednesday, is written by Adam Glass and features art by Rodney Buchemi and Jose Marzan Jr.
The Source has a preview.
This week, former Flash editor and writer Brian Augustyn will return to the character he built for over a decade.
From 1989 – 1996, Augustyn was the editor on highly regarded runs by writers William Messner-Loebs and Mark Waid, including the landmark issue #50, “Born to Run,” “The Return of Barry Allen” and “Terminal Velocity.” In 1996, with issue #118, Augustyn joined Waid as co-writer. Save for a year-long break over 1997 – 1998, he would remain on the title until issue #162 (2000).
Augustyn will be joined by artist Mike Bowden on this week’s Retroactive installment. We reached the writer via email and asked about the new issue, his Flash run and the fate of Wally West.
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August 15, 2011
A new Flash action figure is headed our way via DC Direct in April of 2012:
JUSTICE LEAGUE: HEROES & FOES SERIES 1 THE FLASH ACTION FIGURE
Every hero is defined by his foes … and by the allies who stand ready to back him up!
All four figures feature multiple points of articulation and include display bases. Character-appropriate accessories are also included.
Batman measures approximately 6.75” high.
The Joker measures approximately 6.75” high.
Wonder Woman measures approximately 6.75” high.
The Flash measures approximately 6.75” high.
4-color clamshell blister card packaging.
On sale April 11, 2012 * Action Figures * PI
I can’t lie, I squealed like a teenage girl when the image first loaded and I saw the belt. Then grim reality set in and I realized it was just a new version of Barry sporting a costume closer to the DCnU version. It looks like they used the great sculpts from the DC Direct Blue Lantern and White Lantern Flash released earlier this year and of course the kicker is the blue eyes. Still a great looking figure that will make a great birthday present to myself come April.
-Devin “Flash” Johnson
DC Comics’ November solicitations are up. In addition to The Flash #3 and the usual Justice League spot, the Flash guest-stars in Captain Atom #3, and Mark Waid’s “The Life Story of the Flash” is reprinted.
The Flash #3
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:25 Variant cover by JIM LEE
1:200 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale NOVEMBER 23 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
If the Fastest Man Alive is going to capture Mob Rule, he must first tap into his new amped-up super brain to save the citizens of Central City from the EMP that has blacked out the city. Witness a spectacular sequence of out-of-control cars, trains and even airplanes that must be stopped from destroying the city!
Captain Atom #3
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale NOVEMBER 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Captain Atom is taking his powers to new heights – saving people all across the world in the blink of an eye. But he’s not the only one who can move at super speed. Enter: The Flash! And when their paths cross, don’t expect them to share the secret hero’s handshake – because Captain Atom may be a bigger threat than any villain.
DC Comics Presents: The Life Story of the Flash #1
Written by MARK WAID and BRIAN AUGUSTYN
Art by GIL KANE, JOE STATON and TOM PALMER
Cover by GLEN ORBIK
On sale NOVEMBER 16 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
This striking tale combines comic-book illustration and prose to follow Barry Allen from his humble childhood to his noble death, detailing his transformation from police scientist to one of the DC Universe’s most dynamic heroes.
Note: It’s worth considering that the structure of this book hinges on the Barry/Iris relationship and marriage. Just a thought.
This Steampunk Flash costume was designed and built by Dustin Fletcher of Penny Dreadful and Cathy Jones of God Save The Queen Fashions.
Fletcher and Jones each write about their parts of the costume after the jump.
Photo by Nathan Rupert.
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August 14, 2011
Flashy links
Other stuff:
August 13, 2011
Along with the Flash 101 sale mentioned yesterday, DC and ComiXology have released a free Flash 101 digital booklet featuring origins, a rough timeline, and a collection of covers.
The timeline’s the most interesting part, to me.
It’s also got the two-page origins of Gorilla Grodd, the Trickster and the Pied Piper from Countdown to Infinite Crisis, and a similarly-styled two-page origin of Barry Allen by Scott Beatty, Howard Porter and Livesay that I think is new. None of the Flashes got profiled in 52, which was where the hero origins appeared, and the second page features the post-Rebirth costumes for Wally West, Iris West and Jesse Quick, as well as the Countdown-era costume for Jai West.
August 12, 2011
As fandom moves onto the next big convention of the season, I hope you’ll take a few moments to look back at San Diego and the people who dressed as the Flash (and related speedsters) at Comic-Con International.
United Underworld’s incredible gender-swapped Justice League, featuring Psykitten Pow’s Flash. Photo by John Austin.
It turns out that the Flash was the inspiration for the group theme:
“A couple of us like to do female versions of preexisting male characters. One of our friends, Psykitten Pow, she had a female Flash,” says Tallest Silver, who organized the group and who dresses as Batma’am. “One night, we were all hanging out and I said how funny it would be if we had a whole Justice League with swapped sexes.”
Photograph by Chuck Cook Photography.
The group previously appeared at WonderCon, and Psykitten appeared as the Flash last year. Read the rest of this entry »
August 11, 2011
Welcome back to the Zoom Room, where we break down classic stories featuring Professor Zoom, the Reverse-Flash!
After last week’s look at Flash #237, we’re jumping back in time to Flash #233 and “The Deadly Secret of the Flash!”, by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Tex Blaisdell. This is a crucial Flash tale featuring some of the seeds of the Death of Iris Allen story and a vision of Professor Zoom that is still vital in Flash comics today. Links to artwork and research are included throughout this post. For previous annotations, click here!
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