April 1, 2011
Cobalt is an element obtained from the smelting of metallic ores such as cobaltite, copper, and nickel. The smelted form is a hard silvery metal with magnetic properties.
Cobalt-based blue pigments have been used since the Bronze Age (3000 BC) for glass, ceramics, jewellery, and paint. In modern times, the element is also used as part of a superalloy metal (which is a combination of metals) for diverse items like prosthetics, batteries, jet engines and turbines. A radioactive isotope of cobalt is commonly used in medical tests and to sterilize food and equipment.
Cobalt Blue is the name of a deep blue pigment used in ceramics, paint, glass, and even ophthalmology filters. It’s made from cobalt salts of alumina, and its popularity is in part due to its stability (meaning it doesn’t degrade or break down quickly). However, it’s toxic if ingested, much as I’d imagine Malcolm Thawne to be.
Cobalt Blue Tarantula
The Cobalt Blue tarantula is a spider species native to Myanmar and Thailand, notable for its iridescent blue legs, speed, and aggression. Somehow…this seems fitting. This site describes them as “a psychotic, high-strung burrowing species”, which makes them seem even less appealing.
There are many similarities between a blue tarantula and Malcolm Thawne: one is despised by most people and looks ridiculous. The other is a spider.
January 17, 2011
Inspired by last week’s one-line Flashpoint teasers, @Speedstersite started posting jokes marked #FakeFLASHPOINTTeaser on Twitter. Others joined in.
Here are some of my favorites:
My own humble contributions:
You can find the rest on Twitter at the #FakeFLASHPOINTTeaser tag.
But Twitter isn’t the only place people were doing this. Over at the CBR forums, posters were making their own banners in the same spirit.
December 29, 2010
The webcomic Comic Critics presents its take on Grant Morrison-style minimalist origin retellings of various super-heroes, including the Flash.
Head over to Comic Critics to read the conclusion (and the rest of the origins).
As for the Flash one: Harsh, but so, so true.
October 23, 2010
From this week’s DC Universe Halloween Special 2010: Teen Titans Miss Martian and Blue Beetle encounter Klarion the Witch Boy and his familiar, Teekl, who have focused a bit too much on the “Trick” side of “Trick or Treat.” Written by Bryan Q. Miller, art by Trevor McCarthy.
Flash fans take note: The issue also has a Flash and Frankenstein story by Alex Segura and Kenneth Loh.
October 16, 2010
I received an odd email yesterday on the webmaster account for Hyperborea.org:
My name is [removed] and i will like to purchase one of your product in your company. I need to order a Tread Mill and i wanted to know the price for one then i will be able to know the number i can order. You can also email me back with your website for me to choose from the one that suite my requirement. I will be hoping to hear from you soon.
It took me a second to realize it wasn’t just ordinary nonsense spam, but probably triggered by a search matching the writeup on the Cosmic Treadmill, the Flash’s time travel (and dimension travel) device!
Sorry, I don’t have one of those for sale…
August 30, 2010
Today’s TeeFury T-shirt is a picture of a camera fully equipped with a flash — or rather, the Flash.
Like Woot (source of the Flash vs. Apple shirt), TeaFury sells one design each day, but unlike Woot, they don’t offer second chances. The design by artist Joao Lauro Fonte will only be available until midnight EDT (sorry I didn’t spot it earlier), so if you want one, run over and buy it fast. They’ll be gone…in a flash. Update: They’re all gone now.
(via Gfest)
August 19, 2010
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!
August 8, 2010
More weekend linkblogging!
Grumpy Old Fan asks (and answers) the question: why reprint “bad” comics?
Wikipedia has a good breakdown of comic book super-powers.
Collected Editions takes a look at DC’s Spring 2011 trade paperbacks.
Fantastic image: Firefly crew as the Enterprise crew. Classic Star Trek, of course.
Sillof, the custom action figure builder who made the Steampunk Justice League and Legion of Doom, collaborated with Glorbes on a Star Wars in World War II series.
Empire Online has a set of Lucas Lee Movie Posters featuring one of Ramona’s Evil Ex-Boyfriends from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Humor! The Onion reports: Supervillain Lady Gaga Kidnaps Commissioner Gordon.
Science! Darryl Cunningham debunks the Moon Hoax in comic-book form.
July 24, 2010
Flash on the iPad, originally uploaded by Kelson.
A page from Superman #700…but the closest yet I’ve seen to official Flash on the iPad!
» Full index of Comic-Con coverage
» More Comic-Con photos
July 14, 2010
“You’re Goin’ Down!” by tubes.
I’m not sure how I missed this one when it came out, but Francis Manapul and Walyou pointed me to yet another great parody of Apple’s efforts to keep Flash (as in the animation program) off of the iPhone and iPad.
