DC keeps reminding us that this week’s The Flash #12 is the final issue of the series. But we all know that the series is coming back, one way or another. The Flash is one of DC’s foundational* series that only ever gets canceled to pave the way for a relaunch.
So we know The Flash will be back in some form after Flashpoint. But how?
Main Series
Most likely it’ll be called The Flash, and as long as Dan Didio and Geoff Johns are in charge it’s a safe bet that it’ll star Barry Allen. The question is, will it be…
- Flash vol.4 #1 (a straight relaunch)
- Flash vol.3 #13 (picking up where they left off)
- Flash with some sort of combined numbering.
For that last option, I added the series up a while back and came up with ways they could launch at #625 or #630. There’s also the Flash #351 approach some people have suggested, which is odd, because it includes both the Golden and Silver Age numbers but skips over the last 25 years of Flash comics.
If Flashpoint is a big turning point for the Flash, they might go for a new title, maybe All-Flash vol.2 #1 (Gotta keep those titles in trademark!)
Who will write it? Geoff Johns could. He’s said he can do 3 monthly books, and with Brightest Day over, he’s committed to Green Lantern and Aquaman. But he’s also busy with his job as Chief Creative Officer. Could it be time for someone else?
How about art? After the way things went with this run, it probably won’t be Francis Manapul on the next ongoing. Scott Kolins seems to found a niche as the go-to-guy for “quick draw” Flash books, so he might return full-time. Or we might see someone entirely new.
When will it start? Most likely it’ll launch right after Flashpoint (or 3 months later to keep spoilers out of solicitations), but DC might run a miniseries first.
Spinoffs
Secret Origin. Geoff Johns has said on several occasions that he wants to do Flash: Secret Origin, and at last year’s Baltimore Comic Con it was suggested that it would follow the second story arc on The Flash. (At the time, my guess was that Secret Origin would run through the main title while Flashpoint ran in its own miniseries, though that obviously isn’t happening.) I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he and Francis Manapul started working on this behind the scenes during Flashpoint, with Flash: Secret Origin launched as a miniseries after Flashpoint concludes. If that happens, I’d guess that DC will wait until Secret Origin is finished before relaunching The Flash again.
Kid Flash. At SDCC 2009, Geoff Johns announced plans for a Kid Flash series by Sterling Gates, launching in 2010 alongside the Flash relaunch. This was eventually scrapped, though Gates is writing the Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost miniseries. If it sells well, I would not at all be surprised to see a Kid Flash ongoing spin out of the event.
Speed Force. At SDCC 2010, Geoff Johns announced plans for a second Flash series, Speed Force, featuring Wally West and Bart Allen, launching in 2011. Most likely this would be a rotating cast like JSA Classified. It’s only occasionally been mentioned since then, and unlike Kid Flash, it doesn’t have as obvious a hook from Flashpoint…that we know of.
Chances are that we’ll see Speed Force or Kid Flash spin out of Flashpoint, but not both.
Flash: Secret Origin sounds like a good bet, though, whether before the new ongoing series launches or side by side with it.
*To use Grumpy Old Fan’s term for those books that are essentially cancellation-proof, since they’ve been in publication almost continuously since 1960 or longer.
My guess is that they’ll launch a Flash: Secret Origin mini-series following Flashpoint to establish the (presumed) new history of Barry Allen and (possibly) the legacy of Flashes before and after him. As an aside, I’m hoping a new origin can lock down the Barry Allen/Speed Force connection. That part’s always been pretty sketchy and they need to solidify what that means for the long-term.
Next, I’m almost positive they’re going to re-launch The Flash with a new #1 issue and feature the new ongoing continuity established in Flashpoint and solidified in Secret Origin.
As far as a Speed Force title goes, I would love to see something like that published…but we’ll have to see how everything shakes out following Flashpoint and how many speedsters actually make it through to the other side. I think the ranks could stand to be thinned a bit, but I think the core Flash Family could support another title (despite recent spin-offs like JSA: All-Stars failing).
I think you’re both right – a Secret Origin miniseries launching out of Flashpoint makes a lot of sense.
And if it were drawn by Manapul, that’d be GREAT. I don’t think it will be, though; he sounded a bit…touchy about the blame game and complaints about delays. He’s a rising star, he can probably choose a new top project easily.
After Secret Origin, we’ll surely get another Flash #1. And I’m guessing a few months later…the Speed Force series?
Barry isn’t the Flash. I’m pretty sick of this “Wally who?” crap. If they relaunch Flash without Wally as the main Flash, I’m dropping every DC book from my pull list.
I hope you’re prepared to stop reading DC comics, because…
A) Barry Allen is the Flash. By saying he isn’t, you sound like those jerks who spout off that Wally West isn’t really the Flash, and you give the rest of Wally’s fans a bad name.
B) I really don’t see Johns and Didio putting this much into bringing back and promoting their personal favorite version of the character and then deciding, “eh, heck with it, let’s kill him off again and switch back to the other guy.”
IMO, Barry Allen is *a* Flash. Same as Jay and Wally.
I do, however, think that the “Wally who?” attitude is backfiring on them.
I got an e-mail from DC regarding my Flash subscription that said this:
——-
Dear butt_nugget@hotmail.com
We’ve reserved copies of every issue contained in the five issue mini-series FLASHPOINT, just for you, and you’ll be receiving them at no extra cost in lieu of receiving THE FLASH this summer.
The regular FLASH series will be on hiatus this summer as the story you have been following in your monthly issues of THE FLASH leaps into the pages of FLASHPOINT. Beginning in May, you’ll receive extra-sized issues by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert. Be warned, however: EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE IN A FLASH!
Thanks for your subscription!
Jeff Boison
VP of Operations
Because we value our loyal subscribers we don’t want you to miss out on this summer’s exciting Flash-driven storyline – FLASHPOINT!
——-
OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ME is the use of the word HIATUS in the first sentence of the second paragraph, which implies that the current Flash series will return after Flashpoint. I assume that would mean we’ll get Flash v.3 #13, although as “honest” as DC’s been lately who knows.
By the way, my e-mail address isn’t really butt_nugget
I got the same email. From that phrasing, I too would believe the Flash title would resume at #13.
Another Flash-centric title would be appreciated. Johns was always going on about how the character was one of the cornerstones of the DCU (can’t have a Crisis without a Flash dying, right?)
GL has three books, Superman three or four, Batman a gazillion. Why not one more for Flash? Anything will be better than nothing.
I don’t see Johns leaving Flash after Flashpoint he’s made it a point that he wants to be on the book longterm. What I expect to see after Flashpoint is a reluanched Flash book with a highter number written by Johns and drawn by Kollins (pick one) and a Speedforce book written by Gates with an artist to be named later.
The book will pick up where it left off with #13 I’d imagine. I can’t see DC wanting to pull ANOTHER #1 so soon.
Unfotunately, I don’t see the ‘Speed Force’ appearing anytime soon on the horizon. As much as I like the Bart character, I would rather read a monthly title with Bart, Jay, Max AND Wally. Throw in some Jesse Quick, XS and John Fox and you’ve got a party!!
Is it 2013 yet? -_-;; (I’m hoping to see some significant Wally by then. Otherwise, got more important things to worry about than DC’s recent fixation of the number 1 for Flash books.)
Johns is taking down DC from within. Waid understood why bringing Barry back was a terrible idea, and he was blacklisted. What’s with DC’s denial regarding this entire series? Most people reading comics today want to read about Wally, not Barry. And I don’t hate Barry. He’s a great character, but he had his run. Flushing 25 years down the toilet and completely negating the sacrifice that Barry made has got to be one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard – not to mention inconsiderate for the fans of the series. And combining aspects of both characters and just slapping the “Barry nametag” on the amalgamation is an even worse idea, because they’re pissing off both groups. Great job, Johns and Didio. I guess I’m switchin’ over to Boom! Studios.