It’s a big week for the Flash: The final issue of this series (though of course you know it’s coming back), plus the start of DC Comics’ first-ever Flash-centric giant event, plus a reprint collection of classic Flash stories.

The Flash #12

Written by GEOFF JOHNS; Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL [edit: and SCOTT KOLINS]; 1:10 Variant cover by GEORGE PEREZ FRANCIS PORTELA.

“The Road to Flashpoint” concludes as everything Barry Allen knows and cares about is lost. What is the Flashpoint? Find out in FLASHPOINT #1!

DC Universe 32pg. Color $2.99 US

Flashpoint #1

Written by GEOFF JOHNS; Art and cover by ANDY KUBERT; 1:25 Variant cover A by ANDY KUBERT; Variant cover by IVAN REIS and GEORGE PÉREZ

Not a dream, not an imaginary story, not an elseworld. This is Flash Fact: When Barry Allen wakes at his desk, he discovers the world has changed. Family is alive, loved ones are strangers, and close friends are different, gone or worse. It’s a world on the brink of a cataclysmic war – but where are Earth’s Greatest Heroes to stop it? It’s a place where America’s last hope is Cyborg, who hopes to gather the forces of The Outsider, The Secret 7, S!H!A!Z!A!M!, Citizen Cold and other new and familiar-yet-altered faces! It’s a world that could be running out of time, if The Flash can’t find the villain who altered the time line!

Welcome to FLASHPOINT!

DC Universe 40pg. Color $3.99 US

DC Comics Presents: The Flash

Written by JOHN BROOME and ROBERT KANIGHER; Art by CARMINE INFANTINO, JOE GIELLA and others; Cover by ANDY KUBERT and JOE KUBERT

Spotlighting tales of time travel and the Rogues, these tales from SHOWCASE #4 and 14, THE FLASH #125, 130 and 139 pit The Scarlet Speedster against “The Giants of The Time World,” “The Conquerors of Time,” along with Mirror Master, Captain Boomerang, The Top, Captain Cold, The Trickster and The Reverse Flash!

DC Universe 96pg. Color $7.99 US

Several long-awaited speedster books arrive in stores this week.

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!

DC Universe 32pg. Color $2.99 US

I’m guessing this isn’t Hot Pursuit’s secret. Also: Scott Kolins’ variant cover is pretty cool.

Flash: Rebirth (Softcover)

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?

DC Universe 168pg. Color Softcover $14.99 US

Has it really taken this long for the softcover collection to come out? It’s almost exactly a year since the hardcover release. (I guess they really are following a book publishing style schedule.)

Velocity #4

story: Ron Marz
art & cover: Kenneth Rocafort

The clock counts down to zero as the taut, pulse pounding series races to its conclusion. Carin Taylor, the hero known as Velocity, has been infected with a deadly techno-virus. Thus far she has been successful in saving most of her teammates from the same virus, but now the exertion is taking its toil and the fastest girl in the world may not be able to win this race. The issue concludes the creative collaboration of writer Ron Marz (Witchblade, Angelus) and artist Kenneth Rocafort (Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer).

Full Color 32 pages $3.99 limited series

» Velocity preview at Newsarama.