Monthly Archives: August 2010

Design and Win Your Own Flash Ring 2010 Contest Update

We just received an email from Joey Forlini the winner of Speed Force and Arroba Silver’s Design and Win Your Own Flash Ring Contest that we cosponsored a few months back. He just received the final result of his custom Flash ring design and sent us some great pictures:

First, the original winning design:

Now the final product:

Wow. A great design turned into a fantastic piece of jewelry. We have not received word about when the ring will be available for ordering but we will definitely keep you all updated. In the meantime you can check out the Arroba Silver website HERE. Officially licensed by DC Comics to sell DC Comic-related jewelry, Arroba Silver has a wide variety of rings, earrings and even cufflinks inspired by the world’s greatest superheroes and most notorious supervillains (except for the Rogues who are horribly underrepresented and don’t like being called supervillains). They are still offering readers of Speed Force a 10% discount on any order. Go to Arrobasilver.com, pick your items, enter code: GA001 during checkout, and save 10%.

For all that entered, followed the contest, and check out this site, thank you again for all the support. You helped make this contest a huge success and we hope to get something like it going again sometime soon. (I know we keep saying that but I promise something awesome is coming up)

Oh and before I forget Joey also sent me an flashtastic picture of a smart car his local comic shop owner had customized to promote his store, The 4th Wall:

You can visit the store’s online website, HERE. Based in Canada, they aim to make comics as accessible as possible by bringing a friendly atmosphere for new and old readers to their store. Plus they price all of their books at U.S. prices. So if you are in Canada and looking to save a few bucks drop by. You might still be able to see that car too.

Pictured in the photo is our contest winner, Joey Forlini.

Thanks for reading.

Devin “The Flash” Johnson

Flash in Top 15 Super-Hero Properties

ICv2’s Top Super-Hero Graphic Novel Properties for Q2 2010 are based on “sales in all channels,” including comic shops, book stores, and online sales. Topping the list is Kick-Ass, which isn’t terribly surprising since the movie came out during this time. Edit: Here’s the full article on second-quarter comics & GN sales.

The Flash comes in at #11 overall, or #5 among DC Comics properties after Batman, Watchmen, Superman and Green Lantern, propelled onto the list by the hardcover release of Flash: Rebirth in April. No doubt the high-profile series launch during the same period helped spark interest in collections as well.

It’s also interesting that, at least in book form, the single volume of Watchmen continues to outsell DC characters who are not only cultural icons (Superman and the absent Wonder Woman), but are continuously getting new stories. This despite it being a quarter century since its first publication and a year after a movie that was widely considered a flop (debatable, but that seems to be the consensus). Is it any wonder that DC keeps it in print?

(via Robot 6)

Ivan Reis Draws a Superman/Flash Race

DC has posted six new variant covers at The Source, including this Ivan Reis cover for Action Comics #892. Part of DC’s 75th Anniversary series, it homages the cover to the very first Superman/Flash race in Superman #199 by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson.

Superman #199 (1967)

As shown here, the cover has been referenced at least once before, for the first race between Superman and Wally West in The Adventures of Superman #463 (1990) by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding.

It’s interesting to look at the three covers together and see just how comic book art styles have changed over the past four decades.

Captain Boomerang’s Legal Status

Captain Boomerang is sort of in a legal limbo right now: is he still culpable for crimes he committed before he died?

In one sense he’s like Ygor in Son of Frankenstein: Ygor was hanged for grave robbing and pronounced dead — but the coroner made a mistake. He was still alive, but legally speaking, no one could touch him. Not only had the sentence for his original crime been carried out, but they couldn’t arrest a “dead” man for new crimes.

In The Flash #3, the guards at Iron Heights prison talked about getting Boomerang’s murder convictions reinstated…but something’s missing: Until that happens, what is he being held for? What has he been charged with? (Admittedly, the prison is still run by Warden Wolfe, who has never been particularly concerned with following the law where criminals are concerned.)

Of course, now that he’s shattered a frozen guard (probably killing him), seriously injured several others, broken out of prison, and left a swath of destruction on his way to confront the Flash, it’s a moot point. There are plenty of new crimes to charge him with the next time he ends up in police custody.

But technically, what was he doing there to begin with?

The legal system in the DCU must have procedures, or at least precedent, for dealing with heroes and villains coming back from the dead. No one seems concerned about the Flash’s legal status, and Barry Allen’s official records say he was simply in Witness Protection, not dead, but it’s got to have come up in other cases.

Interviews: Beast Legends, Teen Titans, Young Justice

Some recent interviews at Newsarama:

Francis Manapul talks to Newsarama about Beast Legends.

UPDATE: Francis Manapul also talks to CBR about drawing the Flash.

Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani talk about the upcoming Young Justice comic that will tie into the animated series.

Artist Nicola Scott talks about Teen Titans.

This Week: Flash #1 Second Printing

It’s not listed on DC’s website, but Diamond Comics reports that this week it will ship the The Flash #1 second printing announced last month. Curious readers who missed the start of the relaunch can pick it up, along with those who collect alternate covers — since it’s almost certain to have a different cover than the original printing, even if it’s a banner or frame like the What’s Next? series.

Also this week

The Hourman & Liberty Belle backup feature continues in JSA All-Stars #9.

Fans of the Bronze Age Flash may be interested in the first issue of Cary Bates’ alternate reality story, Superman: The Last Family of Krypton.

As for other speedsters, there’s a new Sonic the Hedgehog issue. At #215, it’s fast-approaching a tie with either Barry Allen’s or Wally West’s series for longevity.