Authentic Custom Costumes

These are the costumes that were clearly home– or professionally-made, but that stuck to the standard designs.

First up is Mike Rollerson’s photo of a really impressive female Flash. I’ve seen her in a number of other costumes at various conventions, including Catwoman and Psylocke. Keep reading – there’s another picture of her later on.

The Superman/Wonder Woman/Flash trio on the right made a huge impression, judging by the number of photographers who snapped pictures of them at the con. The Flash is a very exact copy of the costume from the game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, down to the boots and the armbands, though he’s thrown back the hood and put on sunglasses instead. I’ve seen at least one picture of the group where he’s tossed on a red sweatshirt over the costume that looks like Bart’s from Smallville.

This group includes a more traditional Flash. As with many large groups, I’m not sure how many knew each other and how many were just invited to join in for having a costume with the same theme.

Off the Shelf

This group managed to take an off-the-shelf costume or three and add a layer of geekiness by not just dressing as the Flash, but dressing as the cast of The Big Bang Theory dressing as the Flash. A little background: In one episode, they all show up to a costume party in the same outfit, and decide to follow each other around as each others’ after-images. (Photo by Mark H. Anbinder)

I liked this take on the classic Flash/Green Lantern duo, as well as the choice of location for the photo. IIRC, the power battery was at the Mattel booth. (Photos by William Lee and San Diego Shooter.)

Variations

Mike Rollerson and merhawk provided photos of this “Lounge Lizard Flash.” I think he was in the DC Nation Friday panel – I vaguely remember Dan Didio saying something about “the Las Vegas version” when someone I couldn’t see stepped up to the Q&A mike, though it could have been something I read in someone’s transcript of another panel.

There’s a bit of a story behind “Hot Flash.” Last year, the day that I went dressed as Jay Garrick, she had me pose for a photo with her. Afterward, she was inspired to put her own costume together, and her husband contacted me through Flickr to see if I was coming in costume again, so we could set up a follow-up picture. I wasn’t, but we planned to meet up at some point on Saturday so that I could see the costume.

Thursday evening, staff directed me to one of two chairs left in an otherwise standing-room-only room. Guess who was right in front of me?

Having Fun

Even the Flash slows down to have fun once in a while. Docking Bay 93 brings us back to the first Flash as she advises viewers to please, drink responsibly, while ThinkGeekMonkeys presents a Flash getting down on the dance floor.

Other Speedsters

Finally, we have another speedster, Velocity from Cyberforce. Cosplayer Meagan VanBurkleo has a write-up with more photos, in which she talks about catching the Rom Marz / Kenneth Rocafort signing at the Top Cow booth…and running into Marc and Bridget Silvestri while still in costume. (Photo by LJinto.)

» Flash Costumes at Comic-Con 2009
» Full index of Comic-Con 2010 coverage

Flash Costumes at Comic-Con Int’l 2010 is a post from Speed Force.

What Were They Thinking? uncovers the amazing science behind Jay Garrick’s origin and more Golden Age “science.”

High Five! Comics notes a pair of Flash cover homages: the latest Irredeemable’s homage to “Flash of Two Worlds” and a tale of two Flash #105s.

Mark Waid has found the Flash’s ultimate adversary: the atomic banana peel. No, I am not making this up. And neither is he.

Matthew Cody looks back at the (not so) final fate of the Flash.

Breaking off-topic a bit, here’s the *ahem* cerealized Blackest Night that’s been making the rounds the last few days.

Speed Reading: “Science,” Homages, and an Atomic Banana Peel is a post from Speed Force.

First, reader Will mentioned an episode of the comedy, The Big Bang Theory, in four characters showed up to a costume party, each dressed as the Flash. The episode, “The Middle Earth Paradigm,” aired last fall, but it’s still topical: The first season will be released on DVD next week (region 1).

Second, Esteban Pedreros of Comic Verso writes about the Chilean TV show, Estrellas en el hielo (Stars on Ice) — essentially Dancing with the Stars, with ice skating. One of the contestants is sprinter Sebastián_Keitel, nicknamed “The fastest white man on Earth.” He and his partner appeared on the show wearing Flash costumes (look for Capítulo 3). I had trouble getting the video to play (must be the intercontinental bandwidth), but I was able to check out the photo galleries.

Finally, Sports Illustrated compares Usain Bolt with the Flash, describing the real-world Olympic gold medalist sprinter from Jamaica and the fictional super-hero as “two guys with claims at being the world’s fastest.”

Sorry, no costumes on this one!

Update: One more: Collected Comics Library linked to the Detroit Free Press’ profiles of promising football players as super-heroes, including Oak Park’s running back Edwin Baker as the Flash. According to the profile, “When you have been timed at 10.5 in the 100 meters, what other superhero is there? Maybe Quicksilver?” Other players have been profiled as Hulk and Thor.

Flash in Pop Culture: Big Bang, Skating and Sports is a post from Speed Force.