CBR interviews Christos Gage, who will be writing The Flash #26 after Francis Manapul’s and Brian Buccellato’s run ends with #25. He talks about how long he’s been a fan of the Flash (big fan of Barry Allen from the old days, enjoyed Wally’s series but it just wasn’t the same), and about the difference between retelling classic stories (a Batman story he wrote based on Flash #300 is what got the editor’s attention to do a Flash issue) and breaking new ground.
Gage drops a few hints about the story. As the solicitation says, the Flash loses someone important to him, and has to go somewhere where his normal super-speed tricks won’t help him: the air. As for the story’s villain:
It’s a new character, Spitfire, but she’s kind of a reimagining of a very obscure Golden Age villain called the Sky Pirate. She’s a crazy, murderous aviatrix. I love that word, “aviatrix.”
I was hoping in all the talk of retelling classic stories that he’d say something about “Nobody Dies,” the William Messner-Loebs/Greg LaRocque story from Flash #54 in which Wally West jumps out of an airplane to save someone and must figure out how to use his super-speed to keep them alive in the air, which is still cited by fans as one of the best single-issue stories of the series, but maybe he missed that month. (If you missed it too, you can read it at ComiXology for $1.99.) I’m sure the story’s different enough, but when you’re specifically talking about new ideas and re-imagining old ones, it’s a bit odd to not acknowledge that the high-concept hook has been done before.
Well, I don’t know alot about Gage’s work, but we both have two things in common: a love for Silver Age Barry Allen & Kamandi! Love to hear modern writers talk about Kamandi, such a great, imaginative underrated work by the King & along with the Flash one of my favorite comics of all time. Flash & Kamandi, two of DC’s best! And I loved his reference to Flash 300, a fantastic story. Makes me optimistic that Gage will write a good issue & handle Barry right.
Also glad to hear about new villains! Still hope we get to see some of the existing ones who haven’t done much yet (Trickster, mostly so I can see what sorts of gadgets are in his cyber arm), but new bad guys can keep our heroes nice and fresh. Pretty stoked, hopefully he knocks it out of the park!
I agree….the “Free Fall” issue was a classic. I love that story more than a lot of ‘epic’ DC events in general.
Barry is going to lose someone close to him. That’s….depressing. I mean the character has lost quite a few people already and its only counting two years with DC52. I’m not feeling excited here for my chances in loving this newest course. We’ll see. 🙁
“Lose” could include a kidnapping. Or falling out of the plane, requiring him to jump after them like in “Nobody Dies.”
Dunno. Methinks thou stretches the potential possibilities a bit. 😛
You know, I had to click on that Flash #54 link even though I’ve read the story quite a few times before. Again it had me laughing and cheering–sometimes both at once. His personality really shone there….humor, spunk,’there’s no way I can/oh God I’m an idiot–crossed the Rubicon now–gotta think of something…’ THIS is the kind of stuff that had me loving comic Wally over even JLU-animated Wally. Why can’t they collect these classic one-shots in a TPB! *morose sigh*
I wouldn’t be too hard on Christos for not mentioning the fantastic Wally story, perhaps he never saw it. The main thing is, he’s a ruddy good writer – I recommend his Avengers Academy work without reservation – with a love of Flash lore.
Wally’s presence is felt every time the writer of an article finds it necessary to write “The Barry Allen Flash” or “The Flash, Barry Allen” instead of just “The Flash.”
I’ve always thought I was a lil’ lucky- I experienced both Barry & Wally at the same time, & enjoyed them both. Both Barry & Wally are THE Flash to me- both of them are MY Flash. I grew up with both. It’s weird, since my love of the Flash began in the ’90s( was born in ’83), because Barry was already ‘dead’, & Wally was the Flash at that point I loved his stories, but here was the lucky part: I got to enjoy Barry equally as much because my dad had a box of old comics that had alot of Silver Age Barry, & I read them til they fell apart. Though they were too different men, I enjoyed Barry as much as Wally- added to by the fact that at the time the tv show with Barry was on, & me & my whole family gathered around the tube to enjoy it. And I rummaged regularly at my LCS for Barry back-issues, absorbing everyrhing Flash. So, though Barry was ‘gone’, he was very much alive to me, & I loved his & Wally’s character & adventures equally. & like with Barry, Wally will ALWAYS exist for me. For all of us.
I was introduced to The Flash through Wally, and I really liked his complex of having to live up to his mentor. I thought that really gave him a cool pathos the other main DC heroes didn’t have.
I didn’t really see the need to bring back Barry, so I didn’t like Rebirth at all… But after New 52, I LOVE Barry. A few issues have delved into his crime stuff, they gave him Wally’s powers and… I dunno, it’s just great….
So at this point, I don’t care. Both Flashes are awesome and I love them both immensely (Bart wasn’t Flash long enough to care)
We’re on the same page there, Mr.Nefarious…Rebirth wasn’t the greatest, & the Johns series that followed had potential but fizzled out quick(not enough exploration of the Flash family/legacy, lots of plot points that were never explored, like Gorilla City being affected by Zoom, Wally’s future, Dr. Alchemy’s escape, etc.- the greatest thing about it, that continually satisfied, was the art by Manapul & Buccellato!)…Barry’s TRUE rebirth was in the New 52! I’ve enjoyed every second of it ever since, & I hope the new creative team, whoever they may be, will continue to deliver!
That costume Barry has on the new cover is very Wally West
Cover art looks good.
Yeah, not usually a fan of Booth or the “Image” styleof comics art, but that cover actually looks pretty awesome, with Barry in freefall & using super-speed to slow his descent- great sense of motion & urgency displayed. Manapul’s a tough act to follow, & Booth’s no Mananpul, but it’s still a good cover. Wish I was half as good as that!