Lost in all the Flash TV news on Saturday was this announcement from the Grant Morrison spotlight panel at SDCC: Morrison will follow up the success of Multiversity by writing a series of original graphic novels called Multiversity Too, set in various realms of the DC multiverse. The first is planned to be Multiversity Too: The Flash in 2016.
There’s no word yet on an artist, or which reality, or which Flash the book will focus on. DC is playing up the possibilities.
It’s been a while since Morrison wrote a Flash solo story, back when he and Mark Millar co-wrote the main series for a year back in the late 1990s. He has of course written the character in plenty of team-up books, most recently a number of Flashes in the pages of Multiversity.
UPDATE: As JasonV points out in the comments, Morrison spoke to CBR about the project, explaining:
[I’m] doing the Flash almost as a sci-fi story where it’s a guy getting faster. Really simple, a Richard Matheson idea like “Shrinking Man,” or Stephen King’s “Thinner” where you just take a really simple notion — bigger, smaller. This one, he’s someone getting faster. What does that mean? And seeing how The Flash would emerge from just this very simple scientist getting faster story. So I’m doing that, and to a certain extent it’s a revamp, but it’s happening outside the main continuity.
He went on to add:
I love Wally West, but this one I want to be Barry Allen. He fits in better. I like the idea of the police forensic scientist. And I know they’ve done a lot more of that in the recent [comics], but back in the day that was barely looked at. And I want to do the Iris relationship, the idea of this girl who’s like super fast in this city who’s obsessed with fashion and they all drink coffee. It’s just a fast city and [all that] information. And she can’t stop talking — like me, I can’t stop talking. And Barry’s this methodical guy and suddenly he’s like he’s on speed all the time and it’s just getting worse and worse and worse. And she’s kind of having to deal with her boyfriend who she quite liked as being the slow, methodical guy is suddenly turned into this pop star, this fizzing as if he’s on coke constantly. And there’s there’s also a tragedy of what happens as we start to approach the speed of light.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/cbr-tv-sdcc-morrison-talks-hindu-myths-his-final-batman-story-more-multiversity
His take on the characters sounds fascinating! Can’t wait!
He’s doing Barry Allen. No offense, but can’t he do another Flash? Even Red Racer from Multiversity? Enough already about Barry. He has a show and an ongoing.
When I read that it was going to be Barry, I was also disappointed for the same reason: All the possibilities of the multiverse and we get another version of the guy who’s got the spotlight now?
But then I read the post Jason linked to, and it’s a fascinating concept. It does fit Barry better than Wally or Jay or Bart (though Bart would be a slightly better fit than the other two). And I think if he picked one of the less prominent characters it would run the risk of becoming the defining story for that character. (Admittedly, depending on the character, that might be a good thing.)
I’d like to see more Wally West. I’d like to see NEW Flashes. I still think the New 52 missed an opportunity to really create a new Flash for a new generation instead of slapping a new coat of paint on the old guy. And yet I’m still intrigued by this and JMS’s Earth One book. (Moreso than the ongoing comics, to be honest.)
I hope the higher profile from the TV show, especially with Jay and Wally showing up, and these two OGNs will give DC the confidence to try new things with new Flashes (though the cynic in me says they’ll just double down). I’d love to see a new take on Jesse Quick for instance, or a spotlight on Justice League Beyond’s Flash.
I agree with everything you said. I especially want to see more of Justice League Beyond’s Flash and Red Racer. A black female Flash? An LGBT Flash? That would be great.
Supposedly, Morrison’s book is his original Flash Earth-One proposal. And honestly, JMS doing the Flash Earth-One book? Those Earth-One titles haven’t been well received.
But Barry is also in Earth-One and at one point you just have to say it’s overkill. I’m not interested in any of these titles. I also wonder if editorial mandates are at work here. But we can only speculate.
I agree–with Wally and Jay coming to the show, there is potential for the Flashverse to open up in the comics. I’m still doing a Snoopy dance over Wally coming to the show.
DC really played it safe with the Flash when the new 52 launched. IMO, it hobbled the Flash franchise and it’s still suffering from stale ideas and abandoned concepts. Shame.