Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are featured in an exclusive interview over at Comic Book Resources. Within, they reveal their plans to debut the New 52 iteration of the Reverse-Flash in the pages of February’s Flash #17. They also confirm that, in the following arc, the New 52 Kid Flash will make his first appearance alongside Barry Allen.
For more on Flash’s new opposite number, as well as details on Manapul’s upcoming breather, follow the jump!
On the identity of the new Reverse-Flash:
Buccellato: It’s going to be a little bit of a mystery. Exactly who is Reverse-Flash?
Manapul: The next story arc after “Gorilla Warfare” is going to focus more on Barry Allen and his detective skills, finding out who Reverse-Flash is. We’re going to be sending Barry on a mission to try and figure out who this guy is.
Buccellato: There are going to be lots of opportunities to guess who Reverse-Flash is. There are definitely a number of potential people out there who could conceivably turn out to be Reverse-Flash.
Manapul: To be perfectly honest, this Reverse-Flash is going to be a complete re-imagining of him in the same way that we kind of tinkered with what the Speed Force is. We’re going to be explaining what the opposite side of that is. He’s the Yin to [Barry’s] Yang.
Buccellato: What we can say is, unlike previous Reverse-Flash iterations, we really take the ‘reverse’ part of it seriously. How about that?
On the timing of the reveal and the following arc, including the appearance of Kid Flash:
Buccellato: I know you’ve been told that there will be an appearance of Reverse-Flash in “The Flash” #17, but we’re not going to find out who and how for quite some time after that.
Manapul: We probably won’t reveal who it is until the early twenties in “The Flash.” That next story arc, which is about “Who is Reverse-Flash?” will involve current characters that we’ve already established, as well as pulling in the first meeting of Flash and Kid Flash.
Buccellato: There will also be a two-issue gap between “The Flash” #17 and the arc featuring Reverse-Flash, which begins in #20.
On Manapul’s upcoming two-issue break:
Manapul: Basically, after “Gorilla Warfare,” Brian will be doing the full-writing for those two issues. I’m not co-writing or doing layouts. I am taking a break.
Buccellato: He’s taking a short break and then concentrating on #20. He’s not going to Bahamas.
Manapul: Maybe — I might.
Buccellato: [Laughs] Maybe, but not for two months.
Manapul: That’s why the Reverse-Flash arc doesn’t pick up in #18. We’ll be picking back up with #20.
For more, including hints at the look and feel (hint: not yellow!), check out the full interview at Comic Book Resources!
I will be crushed if the color scheme significantly deviates from the classic Reverse Flash colors. I consider the Reverse Flash the coolest looking villain in the DCU since he plays off Barry’s costume.
OMG he’s going to be running backwards in slo-mo!
I’m calling it now: Reverse Flash will be Son Of Grodd. He likes the color yellow and has foot problems that make it easier for him to walk in reverse…all the other gorillas made fun of him in school calling him Backwards Banana.
It drove him ape. Now he’s out for revenge.
Well, there’s my two play-money cents.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zoom’s power be something along the lines of being able to stop or slow down time.
Sort of like the Geoff Johns-era Turtle. Makes sense.