Speed Force

Those of you who pick up your comics on Wednesdays have no doubt already noticed: Although Francis Manapul was scheduled to draw both Flash #11 and Flash #12, his art only appeared on the cover of this week’s issue. Instead, Scott Kolins provides the interior artwork this time around.

The one-time regular Flash artist explains on Twitter:

Sorry guys I didn’t do flash 11 and only came back to help on 12. Editorial decided to get me started on the next project

Clearly Editorial wanted to get those last two issues of The Flash out before Flashpoint, and the clock was ticking. Manapul doesn’t say what the “next project” is, but I’m guessing it’s either not tied to DC’s event schedule or has a lot of lead time.

My guess: Someone else will pick up the inevitable post-Flashpoint Flash relaunch, but we may see Francis Manapul back for the equally-inevitable Flash: Secret Origin.

Personally I’m sad to see him go. His art was a big part of what I enjoyed about this run, and I do think that “The Road to Flashpoint” will ultimately suffer a bit for being split between two artists with different styles. It really makes me wish DC and/or Geoff Johns hadn’t tied the series to another event with its own deadlines.

One last note: It’s not clear whether Scott Kolins is doing the art for next month’s series finale (except for the 5 pages that Francis Manapul mentions elsewhere on Twitter), but after the two Rogue Profiles and #11, it seems like a safe bet.

UPDATE: Francis Manapul writes more about the move on his blog, saying: Read the rest of this entry »

DC posted more of its Flashpoint writers Q&A on Friday, including Citizen Cold writer/artist Scott Kolins and Grodd of War writer Sean Ryan.

Ryan says of Grodd of War:

Since my one-shot is about one of Flash’s greatest villains, Grodd, the conflict is what does Grodd do without his archenemy. He gets everything he’s ever wanted, but there’s no more challenges in his life. He’s got everything he wants, but he’s miserable.

When asked about his favorite Flashpoint character and a “surprise” character who “will have fans talking,” Kolins says:

I am having so much fun with Cold. Geoff and I have talked many times about how great it would be for Cold to have his own monthly series. Surprise character? Flash fans will be very interested in a mysterious masked character who plays a crucial part in the story.

As for personal stories, “It doesn’t get more personal than CITIZEN COLD. Can a hero with a bad secret fall in love?”

Check out part one, part two and part three from last week, including Scott Kolins’ Flashpoint Rogues, and go onto part four of the interview.

DC has been posting questions and answers from the writers of the various Flashpoint tie-ins today, including this piece of art depicting Mirror Master, Fallout(?), Tar Pit, Trickster (Axel Walker), Weather Wizard, and Pied Piper.

It seems appropriate that someone would have a goatee.

Kolins says of his miniseries:

There’s bunch of stuff in my CITIZEN COLD 3-parter that’s has never been done for [Captain] Cold or the Rogues. Can you imagine Cold being the hero of Central City? What kind of hero would he be? Plus there’s the whole Iris angle – that’s new and soooo much fun.

Click through to the article for more Q&A and a larger image. And don’t miss the first article in the series, either. Update: Part three is up. They’ve got quite a bit of unfinished art and logo designs on the these articles.

DC has started posting covers for July’s Flashpoint comics at The Source, each one with a “Flash Question” (as opposed to a Flash Fact.)

FLASH QUESTION: Will Central City’s greatest hero be able to stand against the Rogues?

FLASHPOINT: CITIZEN COLD #2
Written by SCOTT KOLINS
Art and cover by SCOTT KOLINS
On sale JULY 13 • 2 of 3, 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

I guess this cover answers one question from the teaser for issue #1. Iris doesn’t exactly look too thrilled, does she?

Nice to see Piper back.

The closer we get to Flashpoint, the more overwhelming it gets trying to cover it. You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been sticking with the directly Flash-related and Rogues-related announcements lately. Partly it’s keeping the site focused, but a lot of it is just time.

DC has released seven covers over at The Source today, including this Scott Kolins piece for the upcoming Flash #11, due at the end of April.

On a related note, Flash #10 is scheduled for April 13, featuring the Francis Manapul cover originally set for #9 and a Yildiray Cinar variant.

DC has posted a preview of Flash #8 (arriving next week), along with the final covers by Scott Kolins and Stanley “Artgerm” Lau. It’s the second of two Rogue Profile issues by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. Francis Manapul returns next issue for the second story arc, “Hot Pursuit.”

For some reason I didn’t expect them to actually call the book “Reverse-Flash Rebirth.” Read on at the Source or at CBR.

Those unfamiliar with the Rogue Profiles from Geoff Johns’ previous Flash run might dismiss a whole issue focusing on Captain Boomerang as filler. And while it’s true that this issue and the next were added to the schedule to get the main story back on time, it feels like an integral part of the mythos (if a bit more related to Brightest Day than to the story building to Flashpoint), and leads directly into next week’s issue’s profile of Professor Zoom.

Like the earlier profiles, this issue follows the featured villain as he goes about his business and thinks back about what made him the criminal he is today. It serves both as an origin story for new readers and a way for the writer to explore just what makes him tick. In this case, it doesn’t add anything really new to his background, but rather collects and crystallizes the key elements that have been established over time: a troubled family life (what Rogue didn’t have that?), coming to the States as a toy mascot, and then embarking on his life of crime.

I’ve raved before about how well Scott Kolins’ art is suited to the ruggedness of the Flash’s Rogues Gallery, and that remains true here. Yet his art is transformed by Brian Buccellato’s painted-looking colors, making it blend perfectly with Francis Manapul’s work and revealing just how much of the look of this series is due to his contribution.

Read the rest of this entry »

Over at The Source, DC has posted several variant covers, including both the standard and variant covers for The Flash #8 starring Professor Zoom. We’ve seen the variant by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau before, but through unofficial channels. This confirms it. This is also the first time we’ve seen Scott Kolins’ cover in full color!

Flash #7 arrives in stores next week, with Flash #8 scheduled to reach stores on December 29.

DC has posted its Brightest Day solicitations for November, including…

The Flash #8

Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by SCOTT KOLINS
1:10 Variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU

“Reverse Flash Rebirth!” In this FLASHPOINT prelude, don’t miss the epic telling of the origin of Barry Allen’s greatest foe, Professor Zoom! Eobard Thawne’s story is just beginning — and he intends to finish it with The Flash!

On sale NOVEMBER 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Thoughts

So, one more stand-alone issue before Francis Manapul returns for the second story arc. It’s hard to complain when the fill-in artist on The Flash is Scott Kolins, though.

That said…I’m kind of disappointed that we’ll only have one Flash story before jumping into Flashpoint. It’s odd that on one hand, DC is absolutely determined to establish Barry Allen as THE Flash before widening the scope to other speedsters, but at the same time they’re jumping straight into this big event.

That and I think I just don’t really like Eobard Thawne that much. He’s too much of a mustache-twirling caricature villain. Hunter Zolomon was far more interesting a character…though IMO neither should appear too often, or else they risk losing their impact. (That pretty much happened with Zolomon during the Villains United/Infinite Crisis period.)

So, who wants to take bets on just how much of Mark Waid’s classic “The Return of Barry Allen” gets trampled by this new origin?

Update: Full solicitations are up. Here are some more Flash appearances in November.

I’ve gotten out of the habit of putting together the full “Out this week…” posts except when a new Flash issue is out, mostly because of the time it takes (more than you’d expect, especially if I include images), but Jesse reminded me that this week’s issue of Magog features Flash Wally West…in a cover appearance, no less!

Also this week is the collected edition of Blackest Night: The Flash!

Magog #11

Written by SCOTT KOLINS • Art and cover by SCOTT KOLINS

The Psy-cho Twins are seeing flashes of the future, and for Magog that appears to mean KINGDOM COME! In part 1 of a 5-part* story written and illustrated by Scott Kolins, Magog races across the U.S./Canadian border to stop an experiment gone wrong at S.T.A.R. Labs, and it becomes clear he’s witnessing the birth of N-I-L-8, a major player from KINGDOM COME!

Note: I told myself that my days of picking up every random appearance by my favorite character were over, but (a) it’s Scott Kolins, (b) I doubt we’re likely to see Wally much of anywhere else until Flashpoint, and (c) Jesse reports that it’s got Tina and Jerry McGee in the issue as well.

*DC canceled the book with issue #12. Instead of finishing in the pages of Magog, the story will wrap up in Kolins’ JSA Special in September.

Blackest Night: Black Lantern Corps Vol.2

Written by JAMES ROBINSON, GEOFF JOHNS & GREG RUCKA • Art by SCOTT KOLINS, NICOLA SCOTT, EDDY BARROWS & RUY JOSE • Cover by RUDOLFO MIGLIARI

The Flash, Wonder Woman and the JSA come face to face with their greatest foes and long-lost loved ones, newly undead as evil Black Lanterns, in this collection of three 3-issue BLACKEST NIGHT miniseries:

• Blackest Night: Justice Society of America
• Blackest Night: The Flash
• Blackest Night: Wonder Woman

240pg. · Color · Hardcover · $24.99 US

Order from Amazon (shipping next week) or buy it at your local comic shop today!

Note: Volume 1, featuring the Blackest Night Superman, Batman and Titans miniseries, is also out this week.