Category Archives: Flash News

Flashpoint Day at The Source

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Throughout the day, DC Comics is posting teasers for Flashpoint, this year’s Flash-centric “event” at The Source. The heading: “Whatever Happened to the World’s Greatest Heroes?”

So far we have:

It looks like someone — most likely the Reverse-Flash — is systematically altering history to prevent the origins of DC’S heroes. It’s a concept we’ve seen before. My first thought was of a JLI story from the early 1990s, but CraigRMacDonald pointed out on Twitter that it’s also the premise of the first year of Booster Gold. Of course, when you distill it down to such basic elements, just about any story has been told before, and it becomes all about the details and execution.

I’ll be updating this post with links to the new teasers when I have time, or you can keep an eye directly on The Source.

Or, for fun, you can play around with #FakeFlashpointTeasers on Twitter. [Edit: Fixed the link. IMO the biggest problem with new Twitter is the fragile link structure.]

The 5-issue(?) Flashpoint miniseries is being written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Andy Kubert.

Update: I linked to this the other day on Twitter, Facebook and Buzz, but for those who haven’t seen it, here’s a detailed analysis of what we know so far about Flashpoint at Inside Pulse.

Flash Sales for December 2010

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The latest relaunch of The Flash continues to hold steady around #10-15 in Diamond’s sales rankings, fitting into December’s chart at #12 for Flash #7 and #18 for Flash #8.*

ICv2’s sales estimates for the month have Flash #7 selling 56,304 copies, and Flash #8 selling 53,975.

Issue Rank Month Units Sold % Change
Flash v.3 #1 2 April 2010 100,903
Flash v.3 #2 12 May 2010 76,560 (-24.1%)
Flash v.3 #3 11 June 2010 68,799 (-10.1%)
Flash v.3 #4 15 July 2010 64,832 (-5.8%)
Flash v.3 #5 14 September 2010 62,063 (-4.3%)
Flash v.3 #6 15 November 2010 57,673 (-7.1%)
Flash v.3 #7 12 December 2010 56,304 (-2.4%)
Flash v.3 #8 18 December 2010 53,975 (-4.1%)

Some things to consider when interpreting these numbers:

  • Overall comics sales were down in December, as reflected in the fact that #7 went up in rankings even though it sold fewer copies than #6.
  • The book shipped twice this month.
  • A storyline concluded last month, making #7 a good jumping-off point.
  • #8 is the first issue without the Brightest Day banner on the cover.
  • #8 shipped the last week of the year, between Christmas and New Year’s. Any late shipments or reorders won’t factor into these numbers.
  • They’re fill-in issues. Good fill-in issues, but still stand-alone comics by a different creative team, pushed in between major stories to get the book back on schedule. The only thing today’s market hates as much as a late book is a fill-in issue. It will be interesting to see if #9 (the start of a new story, not to mention some high-profile speedster guest stars) climbs back up a bit or continues to drop.

Other interesting items of note:

  • Green Lantern #60, featuring a Parallax-possessed Flash on the cover, took the #2 spot.
  • Of the 11 books ranked higher, 4 were Green Lantern or Brightest Day, 4 were Batman titles, 2 were Avengers and 1 was Wolverine. That’s some solid company for the Flash.
  • T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2, focusing on the team’s speedster Lightning, sold 11,227 copies for a rank of #165.
  • Velocity #3 clocked in at 5,305 copies, ranked #263. I seem to recall that Top Cow considers this book a success (though it’s pulling half the numbers of Artifacts or Witchblade), which should tell you just how big a gap there is between the size of the DC/Marvel market and the size of the Indie market.

*Yesterday on Twitter & Facebook I mistakenly reported that they were #26 and #29, a big drop, but when looking back at the chart, I realized I’d been looking at the wrong column. Those were the dollar rankings, which differ from the units-sold rankings depending on cover price.

Flash #6 is the #15 comic for November

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November sales charts show The Flash #6 ranked #15 for the month, with an estimated 57,673 units sold.

The numbers are a lot like the numbers for Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. But overall comics sales are down compared to 2006, and the rankings for The Flash are solid, still holding between #10 and #15.

Issue Rank Month Units Sold % Change
Flash v.3 #1 2 April 2010 100,903
Flash v.3 #2 12 May 2010 76,560 (-24.1%)
Flash v.3 #3 11 June 2010 68,799 (-10.1%)
Flash v.3 #4 15 July 2010 64,832 (-5.8%)
Flash v.3 #5 14 September 2010 62,063 (-4.3%)
Flash v.3 #6 15 November 2010 57,673 (-7.1%)

The percentage drop is kind of disturbing, though there’s been some discussion as to a possible error in this month’s estimates. Between this and discussions of the overall comics market, I’m beginning to wonder if, by the time DC is ready to launch the long-promised second Flash title, sales will be too low to justify it.

Here’s hoping Flashpoint can do for The Flash what Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night did for Green Lantern.

Blue Lantern Barry Announced for DC Universe Classics

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Right after DC Direct releases Blue Lantern Barry Allen for Wave 6 of their Blackest Night line of action figures, Mattel announces the release of Blue Lantern Barry in the upcoming Blackest Night-themed Wave 17 of the acclaimed DC Universe Classics Series:

Okay, I’m always excited for just about anything Flash, especially when it comes to action figures, and I hate to be ungrateful but do we really need another Barry in the DC Universe Classics Line so soon? Yes, I can understand the inclusion of the figure because 1) It’s cheaper to reuse a mold than to commission a new one, 2) Blackest Night is DC’s most successful comic event to date and I would be foolish to expect them not to try and cash in on it and 3) Barry is the main Flash again and DC is determined to avoid highlighting any other speedsters until Barry has been firmly established in every medium.  Still is it too much to ask for even a Zoom? I’m already kind of burnt out on Blue Lantern Barry (after the Heroclix and the aforementioned DC Direct version) and I can never get enough of Zoom. Although what I would really want is Wally or Jay.

I will say that the Blue Lantern uniforms are still very striking visually and despite my annoyance at essentially already owning three of the same figure (Wave 7, TRU Gold Repaint and Giants of Justice) and having to add yet another repaint to my DCUC collection, I still may pick this up. Funny how I complain yet still plan on purchasing it anyway.

As far as this one versus DC Direct’s version? I’m digging the glossy paint job on the DC Direct version a lot more, that and the overall sculpt is just more pleasing to me. Especially since I prefer to have less articulation in my figures. I will say that Mattel has done a great job at making the many points of articulation on their figures less noticeable but I still find them to be less appealing. I’m going to have fun comparing and contrasting them once I have the DCUC version as well.

DC Universe Classics Wave 17 will also feature Hal Jordan as a White and Black Lantern, Violet Lantern Wonder Woman, Orange Lantern Lex Luthor, Indigo Lantern Atom, and Yellow Lantern Scarecrow. The Collect and Connect figure is going to be the modern version of the Anti-Monitor. A Red Lantern Mera was planned to be included but she was scrapped due to the cost of tooling another figure. There are plans to include her sometime down the road. The wave is planned for release in late Spring next year, just in time for my birthday.

–Devin “The Flash” Johnson

Flash #8 Preview Available

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DC has posted a preview of Flash #8 (arriving next week), along with the final covers by Scott Kolins and Stanley “Artgerm” Lau. It’s the second of two Rogue Profile issues by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. Francis Manapul returns next issue for the second story arc, “Hot Pursuit.”

For some reason I didn’t expect them to actually call the book “Reverse-Flash Rebirth.” Read on at the Source or at CBR.

Flash Comics for March 2011

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DC’s solicitations are out for next March. In addition to the already-announced Flash #11, we have Superman vs. the Flash and Superboy vs. Kid Flash races, plus upcoming collections.

THE FLASH #11
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:10 Variant cover by SCOTT KOLINS

The road to FLASHPOINT is paved with good intentions, but The Flash is about to learn the truth behind those good intentions — and the secret of Hot Pursuit!

RESOLICIT • On sale MARCH 30 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

SUPERMAN #709
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI & CHRIS ROBERSON
Art by EDDY BARROWS & J.P. MAYER
Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
1:10 Variant cover by ADAM HUGHES

Superman visits Boulder, Colorado, as “Grounded” races forward! And speaking of racing, here comes The Flash! The Scarlet Speedster has made a strange discovery that relates to Superman, so he tracks The Man of Steel down in the Centennial State to get some answers! What did Flash discover? Well, let’s just say there’s a reason Superman isn’t very happy to see him…

On sale MARCH 16 • 32 pg, FC $2.99 US

SUPERBOY #5
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by PIER GALLO
Cover by EDDY BARROWS & J.P. MAYER
1:10 Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

Get ready for the first-ever Superboy/Kid Flash race! Bart Allen may have the speed, but Conner Kent has the power – who will win?! Meanwhile, a dangerous threat is nipping at their heels, one that may mean the end for Superboy, Kid Flash and all of Smallville!

On sale MARCH 9 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

THE FLASH OMNIBUS VOL. 1 BY GEOFF JOHNS HC
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by ANGEL UNZUETA, DOUG HAZLEWOOD, SCOTT KOLINS, ETHAN VAN SCIVER and others
Cover by SCOTT KOLINS

The first in a series of hardcover volumes that collect all of the best-selling issues of THE FLASH written by comics superstar Geoff Johns, beginning with issues #164-176, plus THE FLASH: OUR WORLDS AT WAR #1, THE FLASH: IRON HEIGHTS and THE FLASH SECRET FILES #3!

In this volume, Wally West finds himself without his super speed in a darker, mirror version of Keystone City. Can a powerless Flash defeat Captain Cold and Mirror Master to save the city he loves? Plus, The Flash is shocked to learn that a strange cult is killing all the people he has ever rescued. Featuring art by fan-favorites Ethan Van Sciver, Scott Kolins and more!

On sale MAY 18 • 448 pg, FC, $75.00 US

THE FLASH: REBIRTH TP
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER

Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver, the writer/artist team behind the blockbuster GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH and THE SINESTRO CORPS WAR, create an explosive, jaw-dropping epic that reintroduces Barry Allen as The Flash in this new collection of the fast-paced 6-issue miniseries. But how will this greatest of all Flashes find his place in the 21st century?

On sale APRIL 27 • 168 pg, FC, $14.99 US