This week sees the release of Flash #11 and the arrival of Heat Wave, as the series builds toward August’s Flash Annual. A 3-page preview is available, which led to some heavy discussion here last week. Marcus To and Ray McCarthy provide guest art for the second of two issues, with Manapul and Buccellato taking over again next month.
THE FLASH #11
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art by MARCUS TO
1:25 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
• The New 52 debut of HEAT WAVE!
• THE FLASH is on a crash course with THE ROGUES!
This week also brings three new digital back-issues at ComiXology from The Flash (1987-2009). All three are by William Messner-Loebs and Greg LaRocque.
- Flash #43: The Trouble with Kilg%re – The stories of Linda’s possession and Kilg%re’s return collide head-on, with the Flash caught in the middle.
- Flash #44: Balance Sheet – Wally West saves a mugging victim, but can’t move him safely to reach an emergency room. What’s a speedster to do?
- Flash #45: Dog Days – Flash teams up with Vixen as Grodd leads the animals of Keystone City in a rebellion against the humans. Part 1 of 3.
And finally, ComiXology has a digital copy of The Life Story of the Flash, a 100-page combination prose/graphic novel written as if it were the in-universe biography of Barry Allen by his widow, Iris Allen. Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn wrote it, with art by Gil Kane, Joe Staton and Tom Palmer. Interestingly, DC has given ComiXology the “DC Presents” reprint as the basis for the digital copy. Definitely recommended, even if most of it’s been erased by now.
From the “I’m Just Too Picky” department, it boils my blood that Comixology lists Life Story of the Flash as the DC Comics Presents edition. Because noooo, we can’t sell any graphic novels, so here’s a graphic novel. when it was re-released. in paperback, floppy form. Absolute madness.
If they’re not allowed to release graphic novels then this sounds like a reasonable workaround.
But, but it’s the same book. The same book! The major online retailers say DC can’t sell their graphic novels to anyone else, so they list the same book, just in its reprint format. It’s a good workaround for the fans, but in the realm of finally getting some coherent digital policies out there, this silly doublethink just makes matters worse.
All I want to know is when these stories will be out in *paper* graphic novels rather than digital. -_-;;
Saw three scenes with neo Heatwave coming after neo Cold (with Barry/Flash trying to intervene.)
Why is Len Snart a bleach blond? The art looks fantastic as usual, but I’m totally sidetracked by Snart’s hair. (It’s the little, insignificant things that show that you are a true fan of something. So there.) What was wrong with being brunette? 🙁
Also, I wanted to try to peg the two fighting guys in the background, but now I’m totally bewildered because they could be anybody at all in that Rogue’s Bar. Hair color and facial features mean nothing. I now am feeling like maybe I should be amazed that Barry is still a blond.