Category Archives: Out This Week

Digital Backlist: Impulse vs. the Vid-Masters of Korpor!

Sorry I missed the regular “Out This Week” column, on a week that actually featured a new Flash issue no less. Since that’s already covered (and reviewed!), I’ll just focus on the digital backlist: Impulse #88 by Todd Dezago, Carlo Barberi and Terry Austin.

Reality has been restored to normal, but one thing remains from the time when Impulse held the cosmic powers of Bedlam: He knows where (and when) his mother and his best friend Carol went after the events of Dark Tomorrow. He speeds into the 63rd century to find they’re playing the most dangerous game show on an alien world…but the ringmasters have decided a speedster would be an even better star for this deadly reality series!

This is the second to last issue of Impulse. Within a few weeks, the entire series (minus annuals) will be available digitally.

Impulse #88

This Week: Digital Flashback: The Garricks’ Honeymoon in Vegas

It’s a week without any new Flash comics, but DC is adding another classic to their back catalog.  This one’s Flash #161 (2000). With Wally and Linda off on their honeymoon, Jay Garrick tells the story of the hijinks on his and Joan’s honeymoon in what was then a little-known out of the way town called Las Vegas…and what happened when his JSA pals tagged along to throw a reception, and the Fiddler, Thinker and Shade show up to rob the casino.  There’s also a side plot revealing the fate of the Three Dimwits — a Stooges-style trio of buffoons from the Golden Age supporting cast who had largely been ignored by later flashback tales.

It’s a fun story by Pat McGreal, Paul Pelletier and Doug Hazlewood, with a cover by Steve Lightle.

Flash #161

This Week: Rogues’ Rebellion #4, Impulse’s Ultimate Power

Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #4Forever Evil: Rogues’ Rebellion #4 is out today, and you can catch a Preview at Comic Vine.

The Rogues just can’t catch a break! On the run from the Crime Syndicate and the Secret Society, the Rogues are forced into a showdown with an army of escapees from Arkham Asylum!

Written by: Brian Buccellato
Art by: Scott Hepburn, Andre Coelho
Cover by: Declan Shalvey

Also: New to the digital backlist at ComiXology, Impulse #87 has Bart Allen coming to grips with the fact that the “perfect” reality he’s created with Bedlam’s powers might not be so perfect after all. Written by Todd Dezago, art by Carlo Barberi and Greg Adams.

There are just two issues left until the entire Impulse series is available digitally. Well, that and two annuals, a couple of team-up one-shots, and of course Impulse: Bart Saves the Universe.

This Week: Earth 2 Scribble, Digital Flash Honeymoon

Earth 2 #19 Scribblenauts variant Flash of Two Worlds homageI’m not sure how much Jay Garrick is involved these days, but the variant cover for Earth 2 #19 is quite Flashy.

In “The Dark Age”, Earth 2 is further torn apart as the Parademons of Apokolips arrive to usher in the next wave of terror. Earth 2 will soon be ready for Darkseid, unless Earth 2’s Dark Knight can find a way to stop evil Superman from turning Earth 2 into the New Apokolips! Has Terry Sloan left something behind that can be used against the invasion? What did Jimmy Olson see when he hacked Sloan’s personal files? EARTH 2 #19, written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by Nicola Scott and Robson Rocha and Trevor Scott and Oclair Albert,

Additionally, DC Comics is releasing another digital backissue of the 1987 Flash series through ComiXology.

Flash #160 by Brian Augustyn and Scott Kolins features the long-delayed honeymoon of Wally and Linda West. The only problem is: everywhere they go, no matter how secret the plans, supervillains attack. What’s a newlywed super-couple to do?

This Week: Flash #26 vs Spitfire, Digital Impulse Genie

Flash #26Comics are out a day early this week to avoid New Year’s Day, including The Flash #26, a done-in-one story by Christos Gage and Neil Googe. You can read a preview of the issue at DC Comics’ blog.

Barry Allen is hot on the tail of Spitfire after investigating the death of his mentor, Dr. Carlson. But to catch the villain responsible, The Flash must figure out how to use his powers in the one place where they do him little good: the sky! Spitfire is sure to escape unless The Flash can go airborne! A special standalone issue, THE FLASH #26, written by Christos N. Gage and illustrated by Neil Googe, will be available in stores on December 31.

Update: I forgot to include Teen Titans #26, featuring the continuing exploration of the New 52 Kid Flash’s origin.

Impulse 86Digital re-releases continue for Impulse on ComiXology. Impulse #85 was already up, having been released as part of the “World Without Young Justice” crossover. Bedlam, the genie from World Without Grownups, has been forcing Bart’s “time scouts” to alter history. But his spells are all aimed at blocking Impulse…not at Kid Flash!

Today, DC releases Impulse #86. Bart Allen has gained the powers of a genie, and sets about creating the perfect world! But do we really want a reality designed by someone with the attention span of a fruit fly? Todd Dezago and Carlo Barberi.

This Week: Digital Dark Flash Conclusion

DC is only releasing two comics in print this week, Forever Evil #4 and Justice League #26. The digital backlist, however, is continuing: Today sees the release of Flash #159 on ComiXology, the final issue of the Dark Flash saga.

Abra Kadabra is defeated, Wally West and Linda Park are both back and ready to finish their wedding, and Walter West and Angela Margolin hope to spend some time together… Until Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman show up with an ultimatum: Walter must leave this timeline immediately before he endangers the fabric of reality.

There are just two more Waid/Augustyn issues after this, and two done in ones by Pat McGreal, before the backlist catches up to Geoff Johns’ run. #164-182 are already available digitally, so I hope DC will take the opportunity to go back and fill in the missing four issues from “Race Against Time” and “Final Night” in Flash #116-119.

Written by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn. Cover by Steve Lightle. Art by Paul Pelletier and Jose Marzan, Jr.

Flash #159