May 22, 2012
In an interview posted on Friday, Flash co-writers Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato talked to comic book resources about the arc of their speedster saga. Going into this week’s first New 52 Grodd story, and upcoming reintroductions of Weather Wizard, Heat Wave and (Golden) Glider, the Flash team delved into the existing relationship between the Rogues and the road to September’s Flash Annual.
Manapul kicks things off by explaining the crescendo of the series thus far:
Francis Manapul: I think there’s a theme that the book is really about overwhelming the Flash. In the first arc, we created this villain who could really be in multiple places at once, so in that sense, the Flash is overwhelmed physically and also overwhelmed emotionally because of the fact that he’s [fighting] an old friend, a guy that he grew up with. It’s kind of an overwhelming time for Barry Allen, having discovered that the weight of the world is on his shoulders. On top of that, the Rogues are slowly starting to get back together; we’re slowly showing what kind of a threat they would be to Barry Allen.
For highlights, including choices made during the redesign of the Rogues and the team’s answer to the Wally West question, follow the jump!
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May 18, 2012
Hey Speed Readers,
I’d been away from the net for a few days so I hadn’t heard that the first picture of The Flash in Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes had been released by Game Informer Magazine. This is the first visual confirmation of the Scarlet Speedster we’ve had since USA Today revealed his presence in the game a couple of months ago. The only picture so far is in the magazine that I don’t own but luckily the internet is full of all kinds of cool cats posting scans and vids:
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May 8, 2012
Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are featured in a new interview over at Newsarama where they discuss the title’s next steps on the road to the one-year mark of the New 52. Within, the cover for the upcoming Flash Annual, due in September, is revealed. It features the first looks at new versions of Mirror Master, Heat Wave and a re-imagined Golden Glider, alongside Captain Cold, Turbine and the new Weather Wizard, forming a Gauntlet of Super Villains for the New 52 Flash.
Check out what the duo had to say about thematic ties to Flashpoint, the new, “crispy” Heat Wave, Weather Wizard: Drug Lord and the reintroduction of the Pied Piper (and much more!) after the jump…
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March 28, 2012
On the road to today’s release of Flash #7, the creative team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato has been making the interview rounds. Here’s a roundup of the past few days, covering their appearances in multiple outlets.
First up, Manapul stopped by iFanboy’s Word Balloon podcast to talk about his work on the title, include the nature of his collaboration with Buccellato. From the description:
Artist/writer Francis Manapul is back to tell us what’s been happening in the pages of The Flash for DC Comics. We talk about his unique art choices to display the hero’s super speed, and the Flash’s point of view when faced with the choices of how to stop a crime or disaster from happening.
More after the jump!
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March 27, 2012
Captain Cold is back – and he’s more dangerous than ever! Seeking revenge on The Flash, he must convince the rest of the Rogues to reunite one last time. But what tore them apart before? And what did The Flash do to earn their deadly scorn? Find out here!
$2.99. Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato.
DC has released a preview of the issue through BuzzFeed. The article title and URL sound like they could use a spoiler warning, which is why I suspect they’re figurative.
Edit: I forgot to link to it yesterday, but here’s the variant cover by Dale Keown.
March 2, 2012
The Source has unveiled Dale Keown’s variant cover for The Flash #7. They also hint that there’s more behind Captain Cold’s rampage than was revealed last issue.
On the art process:
“I was sent a few sentences about the story and an existing cover to get started,” Keown told THE SOURCE when asked about his creative process. “I worked up a sketch for editorial, which was approved with some notes. I usually do the digital inks with some gray scale rendering so it’s just a matter of throwing on some color and hi-lites.”
The Flash #7 concludes the two-part Captain Cold story, and races into stores on March 28.
February 22, 2012
With issue #6 hitting stands today, the Flash creative team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are featured in two new interviews, one over at Newsarama and the other at PopMatters.
The Newsarama piece discusses the reintroduction of Captain Cold, the new character Turbine, as well as the vision for Speed Force as it appears New 52 version of Flash. They also discuss the pacing of the title, noting stories will be told in one-to-two issue sets for the next few months. The article features preview pages from issue #6, out today, as well as the first announcement of a new Flash Annual, due before issue #12 hits stands.
On their upcoming portrayal of the Speed Force:
Manapul: Inside the speed force itself will be quite different. I think before, it’s always been portrayed as just these speed lines and light and stuff like that. We really want to make it a world that’s fully realized, you know? And when the Flash enters this world, we want the readers to be in awe just as much as Barry Allen is.
It’s really going to be quite different visually.
More after the jump, including selections from a new interview with PopMatters.
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February 20, 2012
Flash writers Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are featured in a new article and interview over at USAToday.com, which also has an exclusive preview of issue #6, out this Wednesday.
Manapul and Buccellato continue to hint at the mystery surrounding the Rogues’ new power manifestations, as well as their view of the Flash and the world at large, in the New 52. The group will be introduced one-by-one, according to Manapul:
“They have reasons for feeling how they feel about him and that will unfold over the course of the next two issues,” Buccellato says. “The dynamic is the same — it’s just the relationships are not the same as they were because some stuff has happened.”
While there’s a certain charm to them working together, Manapul adds, “showcasing them one by one at the moment puts an emphasis on how much stronger these characters are.”
Manapul states that Captain Cold is “definitely a lot more dangerous than he was before,” but also addresses what sets the Rogue and his associates apart in the New 52 DCU:
“The Rogues are about the score — they’re about getting in, getting paid and getting out. They’re not the Joker, they’re not Lex Luthor. They have their own way of doing things,” Buccellato says.
For more, including Manapul on Cold’s bold new look, check out USA Today!
February 14, 2012
The Source has posted the new cover to Flash #7, featuring Captain Cold. The solicit still features the cover to issue #6, which was originally intended to be #7 but was bumped up. A time-hopping CSI story originally intended for #6 was scrapped in favor of moving up the New 52 debut of the Man Who Mastered Absolute Zero.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, the post focuses on the love triangle that has been on display since the last issues of the pre-Flashpoint series. Editor Brian Cunningham poses some rhetorical questions about the relationship between Barry and Patty, with Iris on the outside (for now).
The fun part is building a love triangle where no one knows how the heck it’ll turn out. For now, Barry’s happily dating Patty…and it might stay that way for a while, with Iris outta luck waiting in the wings. Will Barry someday succumb to Iris’s charms and brassy style, making for a difficult time at work with Patty shooting daggers with her eyes?
Maybe…maybe not. Keep reading to find out. In fact, the cover to FLASH #7 shown below is probably an apt metaphor for our hero with Patty on the left, and Iris on the right.
Happy Valentine’s Day, speed-readers!
January 30, 2012
The Source has posted the variant cover to Flash #6. Featuring artwork by Mike Choi, the cover shows the Flash frozen mid-movement. It has been revealed that Captain Cold will make his first full appearance in Flash in issue #6.
Choi is also quoted in the post, where he talks about some of his artistic influences:
From the get-go, [Flash editor Brian Cunningham] told me to try and infuse more dynamism to my figure work by looking at artists like John Buscema and Wally Wood, and hopefully that’s coming through bit by bit as my career progresses.
Interestingly, the solicit up at DCComics.com has not been updated to reflect the new content in issue six and still reads as below. It has been stated by writer Brian Buccellato that the CSI story is “off the table.”
THE FLASH #6
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Variant cover by MIKE CHOI
1:200 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale FEBRUARY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Struggling with the climactic aftermath of his battle with Mob Rule last issue, The Flash must solve a murder mystery that dates back 150 years! Is this case too cold even for Barry Allen? Also: Learn the origins of Central and Keystone City!
