Monthly Archives: July 2012

Preview out for Flash #11

Newsarama has a 3-page preview of next week’s The Flash #11 featuring Heat Wave, written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato with guest art by Marcus To and Ray McCarthy.

It looks like this version of Heat Wave is somewhere between Geoff Johns’ pyromaniac and Adam Glass’ full-on psychopath in Flashpoint: Legion of Doom (a portrayal I could do without ever seeing again) — a lot of it probably due to the fact that his power upgrade doesn’t seem to have worked out as cleanly as Captain Cold’s or Weather Wizard’s.

Also, I can’t stop seeing the fact that the splash page uses the STAR WARS lettering style.

This Week: Digital Flash(back) #40-42

Flash #40

This week’s digital backissues at ComiXology include Flash v.2 #40-42, featuring a two-part Dr. Alchemy story and the first part of a Kilg%re two-parter.

In “Philosopher’s Stone” and “Elemental Conflict,” Wally West consults the reformed but quirky scientist Al Desmond to help Linda with her spiritual possession (Seamus, the medieval Irish bard who showed up unwanted while they investigated the Celestial Ranch cult last time). But there are two sides to Desmond’s personality, one of which is Dr. Alchemy. This story made an interesting reveal about the nature of the two Al Desmonds, one which seems to have been forgotten or at least glossed over by later Flash writers.

In “Mechanical Failure” (though I prefer the “Night of the Mechanical Zombies” tagline from the cover), we catch up with Wally’s old flame Dr. Tina McGee, now working with her husband Jerry on an artificial intelligence project. But her colleagues don’t seem to be acting quite themselves, and no one will believe her when she tells them something seems wrong about them….

Flash #40-42 will be available on ComiXology Wednesday morning.

Comic-Con 2012 Photos are Up!

Flash Photography

I’ve finished posting my photos from Comic-Con 2012 on Flickr! I kind of wish I hadn’t already used the “Flash photography” pun.

Also, I just want to add: I was originally annoyed at the hotel we ended up staying at, just because it made logistics a lot more complicated. (I wanted something convenient to both the convention and the zoo, and we got neither.) But the view made up for it:

San Diego at Night

SDCC 2012 Friday: DC Justice League & Green Lantern

SDCC 2012 DC Panel: Justice League and Green Lantern

On Friday, I live-tweeted the Justice League/Green Lantern panel at Comic-Con International. Here are those tweets, collected in one place with a few corrections.

DC panel is starting. Geoff Johns (blocked by podium), Jim Lee, James Robinson, Nicola Scott, Scott Lobdell, Brian Cunningham(?), Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato,

Justice league 0 is big Shazam issue. Will join team next year.

JLI annual is a Booster Gold story that Dan (Jurgens, I assume) wanted to tell

(Geoff Johns covered some of the same Green Lantern ground as in the DC Now panel the day before.)

Guardians’ first army was Manhunters. Second army was Green Lanterns. Now Guardians want to try again w/Third Army

GL Corps 0 is New 52 Guy Gardner origin, sets stage for next few months

GL: Kyle showing signs of accessing other rings, may become secret weapon in upcoming war. Hope+compassion come easy to him. Rage not somuch

Kyle’s story in Third Army described as kung fu movie where hero has to master multiple styles.

Flash: We all know Barry’s origin, so were filling in gaps. Who raised him, why does he focus on justice?

FM: You guys like gorillas, right? Cause you’re going to see a lot of gorillas. Grodd invades Central City

And Flash is going to need help from Rogues to fight off Grodd’s gorilla army

Earth 2 #0: there were 8 wonders in the past, not just a trinity. 4th hero has since turned evil & is a villain in present day.

Wesley Dodds to appear as Sandman in Earth 2.

Leader of World Army in Earth 2 described as Captain Nemo meets Nick Fury.

Jeff Lemire & Geoff Johns working on JL Dark as bridge between main & Dark sides of DCU. 0 issue focuses on Constantine & Zatanna

Frankenstein, Amethyst, Tim Hunter joining Justice League Dark

Earth 2: yes, we’ll see more members. Rolling out slowly. More mystical feel to this world. Arc 2 is govt vs JSA, magic vs science

Complicated GL question. GJ answer: “You’re very astute.”

Why are all the British people evil? James Robinson: “Because we ARE all evil.”

Need to reexplore Kyle’s past now that Jade & Donna have been erased.

Fcbd followup in JL/JLDark crossover

Jim Lee: adopting TV model of choosing what to publish, how to assess changes to line.

Deadpool walks up to mike at DC panel. “Are you lost, sir?”

Q about GL of Krypton’s sector at time it exploded. I could swear someone did explore this in the 70s or 80s. (Several people point out that in the pre-Crisis DCU it was Tomar-Re)

No plans to revisit Flashpoint right now.

Flash Q: Is Barry going to revisit role as Blue Lantern? A: There is no blue in Barry’s immediate future.

Flash Q: is he ever going to find Bart or Jay? A: It’ll happen at some point.

Fan from Australia asks for Justice League Australia aka JLOz

Johns: Billy Batson’s attitude is what sets Shazam apart from Superman.

Geoff Johns plans to reintroduce the Metal Men at some point.

Lobo & Red Lantern ring prob not going to get addressed. “I just wanted to see him eat it & see what happens”

Fan asks about Wally. Buccellato: “It’s not really a panel until someone asks…. He’s somewhere.”

“He’s probably hanging out w/Ted Kord.” Audience: Oooooh. “Why must you hurt me so?” “B/c they love it.”

Some other sites covering this panel: Newsarama, CBR

UPDATE: My full Comic-Con write-up is complete!

DC animation teasers

Warner Brothers showcased some new DC animation teasers at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, and fortunately they’ve been put online as well.

The Young Justice: Invasion teaser features Wally and has a brief cameo of Bart (non-Americans may not be able to view this; last night I could, but now I can’t).

The DC Nation trailer shows a funny-animal Flash versus Captain Cold, and possibly Tar Pit fighting Black Lightning. And notice the ‘Gambi’ sign behind Thunder and Lightning. Other characters shown include the Masters of Disaster and Amethyst, and an interesting new Batman piece.

All in all, something to look forward to!

Thursday at SDCC: DC Now

I wasn’t originally planning on attending Thursday’s DC Now panel at Comic-Con International, but my feet were tired and I figured I might learn something. It was mainly an informational panel with writers talking about the book they’re working on.

Here’s my terribly incomplete live-tweet coverage.

DC Now moderator says they came up with name for panel & were quite surprised when “someone else” used it.

Jimmy Palmiotti: “I was in the Twilight panel, that’s why I was delayed.”

Batman: Earth One. @geoffjohns describes as “rollback Batman” who doesn’t know what he’s doing & does it for wrong reasons.

Justice League year 1 was about what the team IS. Year 2 about what it SHOULD be. @geoffjohns

Why is new GL carrying a gun? “These rings run out of energy, don’t they?”

Third Army premise (eliminate free will) sounds like Darkseid and the anti-life equation.

Scott Snyder: in the past, the Joker hasn’t really gone after Barbara, Jason or Dick PERSONALLY. Now he will.

(At this point I left to go to another panel that I really wanted to catch. SpeedsterSite was following another liveblog, though.)

@SpeedsterSite: Buccellato says Flash #0 will explore who Barry is, “and why he’s the guy who always needs to do the right thing.”

@SpeedsterSite: Buccellato: “And there is no Wally in this run at all, I’m sorry.” Crowd boos.

For more info, check out Comics Alliance, Comic Book Resources, or Newsarama’s articles.

UPDATE: My full Comic-Con write-up is complete!