Flash Ending for Flashpoint

Ever popped onto a news site and found yourself saying, “Wait…what?” That was my reaction when I read this at The Source. They’re answering a fan question from fhiz:

Johns wrote that Booster Gold was the only ongoing to tie into Flashpoint, so where does that leave his book, The Flash?

The Source explains:

Great question, fhiz. While the effects of FLASHPOINT will be felt throughout BOOSTER GOLD even after the series concludes, we can’t quite say the same for THE FLASH past issue #12… Why’s that?

Issue 12 will be the final issue of THE FLASH.

It’s just as well they turned off comments the other day, or the fans would be going nuts!

I was sort of half-expecting DC to put The Flash on hiatus during Flashpoint. But to outright make #12 the final issue? Especially since they’ve already solicited #13? That’s a surprise. Not only is it an extremely short run for such a high-profile (and apparently successful) relaunch, but it if it’s canceled now, it makes it shorter than the ill-fated Flash: The Fastest Man Alive back in 2006–2007.

I guess we can look forward to yet another relaunch after Flashpoint ends.

Update: More comments at at Robot6, Comic Bloc, CBR….

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27 thoughts on “Flash Ending for Flashpoint

    1. Wally East

      Oh, that’s a definite possibility! Once Barry has his life back on the right track where it’s supposed to be, the numbering will reflect that.

      Reply
      1. Kelson Post author

        Ah, but which original numbering?

        The numbering that Barry picked up from Jay, starting with #351 and ignoring Wally’s series?

        Or counting all the monthly books (350 Jay/Barry, 247 Wally, 13 Bart, 12 Barry), picking up at #623?

        And if all the monthly books, what about out-of-sequence issues like Flash #0 and #1,000,000, or All-Flash from 2007? Or Flash: Rebirth, for that matter?

        Reply
        1. Wally East

          If they were to go this route, it would seem like right now they’d go with #351. Then, in five years, they could tease a re-numbering so that it could jump to #700.

          Reply
          1. Kelson Post author

            I’d go for that if they launched Flash #351 starring Barry Allen and Flash: Speed Force #248 starring Wally and a rotating cast of Bart, Jay, Jessie and Max. But to jump straight to #351? Or even, now that I think of it, #363 (since they ought to include this series in the numbering)? It would just feel like one more attempt to shove Wally down the memory hole.

            Reply
  1. Craig MacD

    Another possibility is that the series will be renamed. There was talk of a “Speed Force” series, so issue #13 might be The Flash: Speed Force #13 or something. Frankly, if they brought back the Flash title back only to cancel it again (for the 3rd time in the last, what, five years?) to relaunch with a new #1 issue in order to get new readers from Flashpoint I’ll be seriously pissed. Bad enough it looks like Wally will be ignored throughout Flashpoint, but this is too much.

    I was looking to give up a lot of comics to cut back on my spending, but if DC pulls this stunt I might just stop reading comics period.

    Reply
  2. Richard Guion

    Wow, strange and unexpected. I just marked down Flash #13 on my order form.

    I think DC has messed up this event. They should have done fewer tie-ins and kept the regular Flash title going at the same time.

    One thing I liked about the Sinestro Corps Wars was that it was kept local to the GL titles with a few spinoffs. I thought DC should have used that model here with Flashpoint.

    Reply
  3. Esteban Pedreros

    I’ve got to say that I really didn’t see this one coming.

    Even though I’m not following the new series. I was kind of happy to see that the book was finally doing OK. So, why would you cancel it, its beyond me. I don’t like renumberings, I find them confusing in a long term basis (i.e. JMA’s Thor had 12 issues, then it was renumbered to issue 600 and in a few months will change its name to “journey into Mystery”, but I had to track down that information).

    Well, hopefully Barry will die, Iris will age back to her 60’s as she should (at least in her mindset). Wally’s kids will never be born and P.Zoom will disappear from the book for at least 5 years.

    Reply
  4. Wayne Lippa

    Good grief! I’m really trying not to jump to any snap conclusions about this announcement, but at first glance it’s disheartening. I’m not a fan of cancelling series just to start them up again with a new #1 or whatever number they go with, so I’m just going to wait and see what comes out of this.

    Reply
  5. Lex

    Huh. I was assuming they’d use the Flash book in the same way they used the GL books during Blackest Night. Like they’d use it to tell a side story taking place during the event but not essential to understand the main Flashpoint mini. Another idea I had was that they’d use Flash to focus on either Wally or Jay.

    This move certainly has me scratching my head.

    Reply
  6. Mark Engblom

    Fiddling around with series numbering and stopping/re-starting a series is just the latest attention-getting gimmick the publishers have glommed onto. Although Marvel’s done alot more of it than DC to date (with their high profile re-numberings and, in the case of Fantastic Four, “ending” the series and beginning a new “FF” series), it appears DC’s getting in on the act with ending (or, more likely, relaunching and/or renumbering) the Barry Allen series.

    Welcome to the cynical new age of modern comics marketing!

    Reply
  7. John

    this comes as a shock to me maybe they are just stopping the series for the duration of FLASHPOINT? who knows maybe we are just coming to rash conculsions

    Reply
    1. Kelson Post author

      There’s logical, and then there’s what they actually said, which is “Issue 12 will be the final issue of THE FLASH.”

      There’s not a whole lot of ambiguity there. Basically the only thing it could mean other than cancellation is a renaming.

      Or they could just be lying. There’s certainly precedent for it.

      Reply
  8. Mark Engblom

    I wonder what’s up with the already-solicited issue #13? Maybe they’ll be riffing on the number 13 aspect of it and making it a spotlight on Reverse Flash triumphant (as the cover solicitation seems to corroborate). Or…maybe it’s just a screw up…which also has plenty of precedent.

    Reply
  9. Imitorar

    I’m not even going to gripe about this. Johns has said that he likes playing the long game with a title and letting things build up, and it’s not like The Flash hasn’t been selling well enough to justify its continued existence. Obviously something major will happen to Barry during Flashpoint that will explain why his book is being canceled or altered, but it will be back in some form when the story is over, be it a new title, or renumbered, or what. DC is in no way stupid enough to go so far as to bring back Barry Allen only to cancel him in a year. They already tried that once with Bart, and look where that got them. It’s just a marketing stunt, the integrity of the story is still intact.

    Reply
  10. Kelson Post author

    it will be back in some form when the story is over, be it a new title, or renumbered, or what.

    Obviously.

    DC is in no way stupid enough to go so far as to bring back Barry Allen only to cancel him in a year.

    And yet that’s what they said they’re doing.

    Oh, you mean getting rid of Barry.

    Nah, they’re not going to do that. They’ve invested too much in him at this point. Relaunching the series doesn’t always mean replacing the lead character, as we’ve seen with the latest relaunches of Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, etc.

    Reply
  11. EJ

    Definately interesting news, looks like there will be some big things spinning off of Flashpoint for The Flash and Barry Allen. Me i’ve learned to trust Johns and his vision for my favorite characters so i’m not going to jump to conclusions about things. Whatever Johns has planned for The Flash hopefully it will involve a new artist because Manapul has taken alot of the steam from the relaunch.

    Reply
  12. Esteban Pedreros

    Thinking about it. Ending the series doesn’t make much sense. As much attention as a new #1 coming out of Flashpoint, might get them. A tightly tied-to-the-event monthly series would probably sell better and for a longer period. You’d get at least 5 months of the book selling as much as the event itself (probably a little less, but still, much more than what a new #1 will sell)

    What do you know, the people might actually stay on the book after the event and maybe Flash could fight toe to toe with GL for the Top 1 spot at the Diamond’s Top 100 list.

    I’m pretty sure that DC wants as many tittles as possible, selling as much as possible.

    Reply
  13. Jason West

    Cmon DC…stop toying around with our emotions…I’m thinking The Flash #13 will secretly be The Reverse-Flash: Rebirth (part 2). That’s essentially what it was solicited as. As far as canceling it? I’m thinking more like renumbering at 351 or 623 after Flashpoint…as well as a Speed Force book alongside it. 🙂 we really don’t know much about Flashpoint or it’s repercussions…let’s wait this out and trust Johns…

    Reply
  14. Aussiestorm

    I think this decision has to do with the delays in the series. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but did not Geoff say that during Flashpoint the storyline in the Flash monthly would be a secret origin story (which would make sense as it would allow people to see what Barry’s origin is and what has change because of Flashpoint and since Barry will fight the Reverse Flash in Flashpoint, it would make sense to re-tell Barry’s first encounter with the Reverse Flash) so I don’t think that they planed to do this.

    I think the delays (whether it is Geoff’s or Manapul’s fault) affected this so they had to change it. Since issue 13 would of came out in the same mouth as Flashpoint and if they are still are having trouble getting the story arc done for the Flash monthly, I think they decided to cut their losses and cancel or put the series on hold until Flashpoint is done and then either have the series continue on again (with issue 13) renumber it, or relaunch the series under another name. This way it would look like a publicity stunt instead of it being that they could not get the series out on time.

    Reply
  15. kyer

    Maybe they plan on taking the THE out of The Flash title.

    Honestly, what a thing to wake up to after a xtra-long work shift day. Maybe it’s because I’m still tired from that, but I refuse to be jerked around, DC. Stop playing like an edition of The Enquirer. *yawns*

    I highly doubt Flash is being canceled…just reworked either in number or in character(s) setting as a result of Flashpoint or the book becoming a single team one.

    Reply
  16. Eyz

    I knew we had to expect this with House of M.. I mean Flashpoint. (haha..but that’s what this giant Elseworld is.. and I love What if../Elseworlds tales!)

    Tying to the old numbering should also be expected I guess.

    Reply

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