Here’s the thirty-second trailer for next week’s episode of The Flash, titled “Family Of Rogues”. In this episode, we’ll be seeing more about the dynamics of the Snart family, which are probably rather strained.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens with Len and Lisa’s dad (who’s called Lewis in the show, although he was named Lawrence in Flashpoint). Anybody else excited for the episode?
The classic Flash #123 brought Golden-Age Flash Jay Garrick back from obscurity and established the DC multiverse, setting in motion JLA/JSA team-ups, villains of Earth-3, Crisis on Infinite Earths and more. It’s fitting that the story lends its title to tonight’s episode of the Flash TV Show, which properly introduces Jay Garrick and the multiverse to TV audiences.
Carmine Infantino’s cover has been referenced many times over the years, by professionals and fans alike — including the TV show’s posters! It’s popular enough that I once toyed with the idea of running a weekly “Flash of Two Worlds” homage feature on the blog, but never quite got started. Still, you can see a small selection by looking at our posts tagged Flash of Two Worlds.
The main villain for Season Two of the Flash TV show is Zoom … but who is Zoom, and how does he differ from the Reverse Flash?
As with Reverse Flash, they appear to be taking inspiration from a couple of sources in the comics, though Zoom’s true identity on the show is being kept mysterious for now. I’m including a few other villainous speedsters whose stories or designs may be relevant.
This 25th-century criminal reverse-engineered Barry Allen’s powers from one of his costumes, beginning a centuries-spanning rivalry as the two speedsters traveled through time to battle each other over and over. Thawne developed an unhealthy oobsession with taking over Barry’s life, particularly with his wife Iris.
Thawne eventually killed Iris, and years later tried to kill Barry’s new bride Fiona — but Barry killed him while protecting her. This led to a lengthly trial for the Flash, which ended just before Barry’s death in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
The Blackest Night crisis brought Thawne back from the dead, and he proceeded to start running back in time to mess with Barry’s life earlier and earlier, culminating in Barry’s mother and framing his father for the murder. [Full bio]
A cold war test pilot whose plane was hit by lightning. On gaining super-speed, he became obsessed with the speed force, learning more than anyone else about its secrets. A battle knocked him forward in time several decades, during which his followers became a powerful cult.
Savitar’s greatest desire was to become one with the speed force, and to do it he meant to block — or eliminate — all other speedsters. It took a full coalition led by Wally West and featuring every other speedster hero active at the time to take him down. [Full bio]
Update: As Lee H. points out in the comments, it looks like the show has drawn visual inspiration from the personification of Death as it comes for speedsters. The Black Flash is a force of nature, pursuing speedsters whose time has come and ushering them across the threshold to death.
It was later shown in Flash: Rebirth that an actual person could become the Black Flash, more like the New Gods’ concept of the Black Racer: An ordinary person takes on the role, whether they like it or not, and they have a job to do. This happened to Barry Allen briefly in Flash: Rebirth, and in an interesting bit of timing is happening again in Darkseid War right now. [Full bio]
A criminal profiler with the Keystone City police who became friends with Wally West during his time as the Flash. An attack by Grodd left him unable to walk, and he tried desperately to convince his friend to travel back into the past and fix his mistakes. When Wally refused, Zolomon tried to activate the cosmic treadmill himself.
The accident gave him time-based powers that simulate super-speed. He became obsessed with making the Flash a “better” hero…by making him experience more personal tragedy, so that he would be more willing to risk altering reality for others. [Full bio]
The younger brother of Iris West, a juvenile delinquent who got out of jail around the time a disaster hit Central City and linked him to the speed force. He gained the ability to travel back in time for short hops, and went around killing others who had gained the same connection in order to use that power to go even further back in time — to kill his own abusive father.
Two decades from now, an older and angrier Barry Allen would discover that the speed force had been damaged by the Reverse Flash’s time travelling, and he started heading backward in time to seal the breach when it was still small enough to repair. On the way he killed a few villains and stopped a few disasters, until he came face to face with his past self.
Note the dark blue costume with glowing trim…
We don’t know his background yet, but we do know he really hates Barry Allen, and he’s traveled throughout history collecting people who have gained various powers from the speed force and convinced them that the Flash is a monster disguised as a hero, someone who needs to be stopped.
There you have it! Zoom, Professor Zoom, and the Reverse-Flashes, plus two speedsters who (judging by previews) may have inspired the TV show’s take.
You can read about some of the Flashes’ other opposite numbers in our Guide to Rogues and Reverse Flashes.
(Incidentally: In the process of re-reading the New 52 stories, I was reminded how much I love Francis Manapul’s and Brian Buccellato’s art and layouts.)
Warner Brothers has now released The Flash sizzle reel shown at New York City Comic-Con. It has scenes from the first few episodes of second season, so there are definitely spoilers for upcoming episodes shown here. More behind the jump.
There’s always new information about upcoming episodes of The Flash, so let’s get right into it. To the left is another poster for the show (they’ve made a lot for this season), and there are spoilers for upcoming episodes behind the jump. You’ll have to decide if you want to see them.
This week, with the Flash TV show returning for season two, DC’s digital backlist adds one more Flash comic from the 1970s and a pair of collections covering the entire One Year Later run of Flash: The Fastest Man Alive featuring Bart Allen.
Flash #208 (1971): I’ll just quote ComiXology’s description here: “Featuring nuns who go after crooks that are using a church to store pilfered goods, and Barry and Iris attend a church social. Also, when Kid Flash traces a mysterious explosion to another dimension, he finds that it was caused by the K-10 gang.”
Flash: Lightning in a Bottle (2006): Bart Allen takes over as the Flash after Wally West disappears in the Infinite Crisis…but only reluctantly, as his roommate Griffin gains super-powers and becomes a threat to anyone connected to the speed force. (Flash: TFMA #1-6)
Flash: Full Throttle (2006-2007): Bart battles the latest incarnation of Manfred Mota, a nuclear powered villain who has faced each Flash over the years. Then his dark twin Inertia recruits the Rogues to defeat the Flash once and for all. (Flash:TFMA #7-13)
The two Fastest Man Alive collections are currently on major discount, $4.99 each down from $10.99, as part of ComiXology’s Arrow/Flash sale this week.
