Quick note: Comic Bloc poster oddballuk spotted another Blackest Night: The Flash #1 preview on DC’s website that has two more pages than the one posted on IGN on Monday: Blackest Night: The Flash #1 Preview (PDF)
IGN has posted a 5-page preview of Blackest Night: The Flash #1, due in stores this Wednesday. Here’s the final cover by Scott Kolins, complete with logo, next to Ethan Van Sciver’s cover for Flash: Rebirth #1:
Interestingly, Francis Manapul’s alternate cover turns out to be the one DC used in the solicitations for issue #3 — which means we have no idea what the real covers for #3 are going to look like!
A couple of things that come to mind reading this:
Head over to IGN to read the preview!
Well, the streak had to end sometime, and DC has rescheduled two upcoming Flash issues.
Before you freak out, Blackest Night: The Flash is still starting next week!
However, DC has pushed Flash: Rebirth #6 from December 23 to January 27, 2010. That’s 10 weeks from the November 18 release of issue #5, comparable to the gaps between #3 and #4 (11 weeks) and between #4 and #5 (12 weeks). Flash: Rebirth #1–3 shipped on time, with 5 weeks between each issue.
January 27 came in fourth in the reader poll I ran a few weeks ago, with 14% of the vote. February came in first with 20%, and December 23 and “April or Later” tied for second. (I only listed specific dates for December and January.)
Meanwhile, Blackest Night: The Flash #2 has been given an extra week, and should ship January 20.
For now, Blackest Night: The Flash #3 is holding to its original date of February 17, so it should wrap in plenty of time for the Secret Files book in March and the new ongoing series in April.
Edit: Here’s my previous breakdown of the schedule, including the delays and the gaps. It’s current through the final release date of #5. At this point I’m going to wait until I have #6 in my hands before I update it.
New poll: Which will end first, Flash: Rebirth or Blackest Night: The Flash?
Geoff Johns posted on Comic Bloc this morning about plans for the Flash through 2010. He recommends that Flash fans read Blackest Night #5, says he’s seen Blackest Night: Flash #1 and goes on to reveal:
Presumably that means The Flash and Kid Flash will both debut in April. The top secret alterations may include a backup feature in Kid Flash, or perhaps an artist change. (I suppose it could mean two Flash books in April and then Kid Flash in May, but that seems unlikely for now.)
He talks a little about the new series:
The first arc of THE FLASH is called THE DASTARDLY DEATH OF THE ROGUES and should be self-explanatory…kind of. 🙂 Other arcs will include MURDER IN GORILLA CITY, THE RETURN OF ### ######## and a brand new Rogue with a power unlike anyone in comics, but perfect for the Flash.
Johns also addresses the delays with Flash: Rebirth, saying it’s “as frustrating for [him] as anyone” and adding that “after much debate, we didn’t want to hand the series over to another artist or spilt up the book.”
There’s a lot more, particularly about Blackest Night: The Flash. He notes that “the ending [of the first issue?] might be my favorite line Captain Cold has ever uttered.”
Newsarama has the trailer for DC’s upcoming direct-to-DVD/Blu-Ray animated film, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, and IESB has details on the release.
Comics Continuum reports that Josh Keaton will voice the Flash in the cartoon, and adds that Keaton is the voice of Peter Parker on The Spectacular Spider-Man.
The movie is currently scheduled to arrive in stores on February 23, 2010.
The CW’s latest promo for Smallville includes clips from February’s two-hour Justice Society episode, “Absolute Justice” (originally two separate episodes, “Society” and “Legends”). In addition to glimpses of Dr. Fate and Sandman, there’s the Justice Society conference table, Alan Scott’s Green Lantern ring, and a view of a painting (by Rodolfo Migliari) showing a dozen past Justice Society members:
It’s hard to tell exactly who’s in it, especially in the back, but the Flash’s red shirt stands out clearly. Toyriffic has more screen caps and a list of the characters pictured.
Smallville has generally done its own thing as far as continuity is concerned, which makes it interesting that they appear to be working an entire previous generation of heroes into the mythology.
(Thanks to @BubbaShelby for bringing it to my attention, and for allowing me to use the screencap!)