Category Archives: Fun

Readers’ Favorite Flash Story of 2009

Earlier this month I posted a poll asking readers to choose their favorite Flash story of 2009. The poll closed today, so here are the results.

Not surprisingly, Flash: Rebirth — the only Flash-titled series we’ve really had during 2009 (not counting one issue of Blackest Night: The Flash in December) won the poll…but it only pulled in 35% of the vote!

Making a strong second-place showing was Blackest Night at 28%. While not primarily a Flash story, the Green Lantern-based universe-wide event has focused heavily on Hal Jordan and Barry Allen.

Third place, with 13%, is the Flash feature in Wednesday Comics. (This one was my favorite.)

Some of the write-ins are rather telling, though. While many readers have liked this year’s Flash stories (or at least some of them), others have been extremely disappointed. I have to admit getting a chuckle out of “It’s like asking which punch in the face was better.”

Update: Sadly, Twtpoll purged the complete results before I thought to copy them over.

Street of the Green Lantern

The city of Dana Point, California has a Green Lantern Street. I’ve always thought there should be a comic store on there, but I don’t think there’s really room for one.

Sign: Street of the Green Lantern

Actually, Dana Point has a whole bunch of “Street of the ___ Lantern” names dating back to the 1920s, the biggest one being Street of the Golden Lantern. I never really thought about the rest of them in super-hero terms, but of course Blackest Night brings a while new set of X Lantern Corps.

I was in Dana Point a few weeks ago for a company Christmas party, and while driving back the next day, decided that “someday” I should drive around getting pictures of all the relevant Lantern streets. I mentioned this to my wife, who said, “No time like the present!” So, armed with the Thomas Bros. map of Orange County, we drove up and down Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) looking for all the Corps-appropriate lanterns we could find.

More photos after the cut! Continue reading

Speed Reading: Toys & Humor

Revere FlashAt Comic Bloc, Fastest turns a typo into art. Beware… the Revere-Flash!

Comics Alliance wonders: If the Flash is going to be superhero CSI, How About Superhero CSI: Miami?

What Were They Thinking? has located another “Flash Fact” about the effects of hard water exposure. 😉

The Aquaman Shrine has a picture of JLA Cubees.

Lia “Mwahaha” Brown has photos of her Rogues’ Gallery collection of action figures.

The beta release of Google Chrome on Mac and Linux reminds me of Something Positive’s Google Crom comic from last year.

Speed Reading: Prime, LEGO, Reborn

Some weekend linkblogging…

Interviews

CBR is readying a new installment of its Geoff Johns Prime Q&A column. If you have a question for the Flash: Rebirth and Blackest Night writer, you can submit it through Monday at 5:00 PM PST.

CHIU-stream is holding a contest for original art by Francis Manapul, and will be interviewing the upcoming Flash artist on December 10.

Art Finds

Crimson Lightning is back from its Nanowrimo-imposed hiatus with a Foxtrot Flash Find.

Ulises Farinas draws a LEGO Blackest Night (via Robot6). Brickest night?

Augustine at Comic Bloc found a probable Flash reference in Ultimate Spider-Man.

Commentary

Also at Comic Bloc, a discussion on the origin of Wednesday as new comics day.

I haven’t decided yet whether to put together a list of Blackest Night: The Flash #1 reviews. If I do, it’ll probably just be major sites and those that I follow, plus anything I stumble across. Searching does take time, even with Google Alerts.

Poll Results: Worth the Wait?

Well, of the 261 votes, the overwhelming consensus was that Flash: Rebirth #5 was good…but those responses were split between those who thought it was “absolutely” worth the wait and those who thought three months was too long. Those who thought the delay was excessive edged out the rest with 47% of the total vote to 35% for those who thought it was worth it.

Those who found it disappointing (or worse) or had already given up on the miniseries made up a sizable minority at 16%.

The latest poll: Which will end first, Flash: Rebirth or Blackest Night: The Flash?

Speed Reading: DC 2000, Lo3W, Strips and Zoom

Some weekend linkblogging…

Comics and…Other Imaginary Tales looks back at DC Two Thousand, a two-part story from the turn of the millennium in which the modern Justice League of America goes back in time to 1941 and meets the Justice Society. The Golden Age heroes aren’t entirely sure the JLA’s future is worth saving, though.

Collected Editions reviews Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds.

Comic Book Movie fan-casts Flash: Rebirth.

Chris Samnee sketches Kid Flash.

What Were They Thinking? has another example of why they called the Golden-Age Flash a comic “strip.”

Over at Comic Bloc there’s a comedic discussion of What else Zoom did to Barry (spoilers for Flash: Rebirth #5).