Category Archives: Flash News

New Flash Debuts in Justice League Beyond #19

Justice League Beyond #19 - The Flash

Newsarama talks with Justice League Beyond series writer Derek Fridolfs about “Recruitment Drive”, in particular tomorrow’s digital installment “Flashdrive,” featuring the debut of an all-new future Flash. From the preview panels in the article, we learn that her name is Danica and she works as a tour guide at the Flash Museum. And, keeping with tradition, she’s always late.

Here’s a link to Justice League Beyond on ComiXology. New issues are released weekly on Saturdays, and the stories are collected in the print series Batman Beyond Unlimited.

I’ve long thought that if DC were ever going to really reinvent their lineup like they did in the Silver Age (a missed opportunity for the New 52, IMO), the Flash would be one of the A-list characters with the most flexibility as far as identity goes. There’s nothing critical in the concept that requires the Flash to be a man, a scientist, a cop, book-smart, streetwise, rich, poor, white, arrogant, compassionate, only child, orphan, or anything else except fast.

The name — Flash, not Flashman — may be why some of the higher profile alternate reality projects, the ones that really made an effort to do something different with the concepts instead of variations like “medieval DCU” or “Gilded Age DCU,” made their Flashes women. I’m thinking in particular of the Tangent Flash and Stan Lee’s “Just Imagine” Flash. And of course once you’ve committed to creating an entirely new character for the role, you’re not tied to the previous character’s race, profession, or anything else about their personal identity.

Flash #20 Solicitation & Cover – The Reverse Flash Arrives!

Flash #20 Cover

THE FLASH #20
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:25 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale MAY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
An all-new Flash epic begins here, and the stakes have never been higher as Barry races toward a confrontation with the Reverse Flash!

DC has released their Justice League group solicitations through Comic Book Resources, among them the Flash #20 solicit. This issue features the return of the regular creative team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, and the full introduction of the new Reverse Flash — not Eobard Thawne, and not Hunter Zolomon — who will debut briefly in #17 before becoming the focus of this new story. We’ve previously discussed possible candidates, including Wally West.

Flash #16 Preview at IGN

Flash #16 Final Cover

IGN has a preview of Flash #16, the second-to-last chapter of “Gorilla Warfare.”

The Flash takes Grodd into the Speed Force in a last-ditch effort to defeat the mad gorilla! And…he loses?! Plus: The Rogues, the introduction of a major villain and a look at the one and only date between Barry Allen and Iris West in The New 52!

The promised glimpse at that date is part of the preview.

Francis Manapul has also posted his art process for the included pages.

Flash #16 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato arrives on shelves on Wednesday.

Media Blitz! Manapul and Buccellato Talk Reverse-Flash, the West Family (via Comic Vine)

The Flash creative team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato were featured in an interview posted yesterday at Comic Vine.  Within, the two talk about their plans for the title in 2013, including the fates of Iris West and her family, the introduction and genesis of the new Reverse-Flash and more!

flash19cv

Media Blitz! features highlights from recent Flash news items.  Follow the jump for the latest!  There are some interesting threads in the writers’ responses…

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Flashing Around the DC Universe in April (Solicitations & Covers)

Justice League Dark #19

DC’s April solicitations are trickling out today, and in addition to The Flash #19 and the usual team books, the scarlet speedster is guest starring in at least two three other comics: Justice League Dark, Dial H (hinted at in the March solicitations) and DC Universe Presents. Plus, Impulse’s guest spots in Smallville Season 11 continue for a fourth issue as Bart and Clark face off against the Black Flash.

Flash #19

From the Justice League group:

THE FLASH #19
Written by BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art by MARCIO TAKARA
Fold-out cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:25 MAD Variant cover by The Usual Gang of Idiots
On sale APRIL 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

  • What is the latest and greatest threat to The Flash and all those closest to him?

That’s not a proper riddle, now is it, my precious?

Update: I forgot to mention that this is the second of two issues that Francis Manapul is taking off. Assuming plans don’t change, he’ll be back for Flash #20 and the start of the Reverse Flash storyline.

Update: I missed the fact that this is the book attached to the sword cover we posted on Friday:

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #19
Written by TONY BEDARD
Art by JESUS SAIZ
Fold-out cover by JESUS MERINO
On sale APRIL 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

  • In this final issue, what time displaced-hero has arrived on our world—and is the destruction he brings the herald to a great disaster?

DC Universe Presents #19

From the Dark group:

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #19
Written by JEFF LEMIRE and RAY FAWKES
Art and fold-out cover by MIKEL JANIN
On sale APRIL 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

  • The House of Mystery is under siege—can special guest star The Flash help Justice League Dark battle this unexpected threat?

DIAL H #11
Written by CHINA MIEVILLE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and DAN GREEN
Fold-out cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
On sale APRIL 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

  • What? The? Flash?

So that’s what WTF means. And all this time I thought it stood for something else.

Smallville Season 11 #12

From the Beyond the New 52 group:

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #12
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by JORGE JIMENEZ
Cover by SCOTT KOLINS
On sale APRIL 3 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

  • All-new digital adventures in print for the first time!
  • The shocking conclusion to “Haunted.”
  • Superman and Impulse face off against the Black Flash in Las Vegas!
  • Meanwhile, events move into crisis mode on Earth 2…

+1 for the Black Flash, -1 for Electric Superman.

Impulse Collection Canceled

Impulse #1

ComicList reports that the trade paperback Impulse: Runs in the Family has been canceled. I guess that explains why it hasn’t shown up on any of the solicitations. [Correction: It was solicited in October.]

This isn’t the first collection DC has canceled before release. Usually it means they looked at the pre-orders and just didn’t see the demand.

On the plus side, the issues that would have been collected are all available digitally now. Of course, that brings up an interesting question: What role did digital sales play in this decision? Did DC see poor digital sales and low print pre-orders and decide to cancel it? Or did they see better digital sales than print pre-orders and decide to focus on the more effective market?

Comics used to be disposable entertainment, but since the early 1990s, readers tend to keep their collections for years. With that sort of audience, what’s the market for reprints of 20-year-old comics that have been kept bagged and boarded so that the people who have the most nostalgia for them also still have a copy in good condition?

(Thanks to Collected Editions for the tip.)