DC unveiled two pages of art from Flash #24 at their New 52 panel in NYCC today. Not much else came out about the Flash at this panel, except that the Reverse-Flash’s actions are twisting time, making him “more monstrous.”
No word yet on the new creative team.
When asked about Wally West, Brian Buccellato assured fans that “When the time is right, Wally will return. Don’t applaud–I don’t know when that will be” — basically the usual “hang in there” response.
Hey Speed Readers,
So in an sneak preview DC Collectibles announced not one but two new Flash figures coming soon to a comic shop and online retailer near you. The first figure will be a part of the Justice League: War line of figures based on the upcoming animated movie. You can definitely see the animated influence on this guy:
In an extensive interview at CBR about the Manapul/Buccellato team’s new job on Detective Comics, Francis Manapul reveals that Brian Buccellato will be returning to write The Flash for three more issues after the Gage/Googe one-shot, from Flash #27-29. “Hopefully,” he says, “the idea is to wrap up some of the things we didn’t quite get around to during our run.” They didn’t say anything about who will be doing the art. It may not even have been decided yet.
This is starting to remind me of the end of the Waid/Augustyn run (which, oddly enough, is right where DC is currently at in their slow digital re-release). Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn finished up with Flash #159, the end of the Dark Flash saga, followed by several done-in-one issues by Pat McGreal…and one by Waid/Augustyn. Then DC brought on a little-known writer named Geoff Johns to do an arc while they looked for someone to take over the book long-term.
DC Comics announced through USA Today that Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, who are leaving The Flash after November’s Flash #25, will be taking over Detective Comics next spring.
They spoke to USA Today about focusing on the “detective” side of Batman, introducing additional supporting cast to “focus on the importance of family to Bruce Wayne,” and Batman’s obsession with protecting Gotham City. “Unlike other heroes who protect their home because they want to, Batman has to. He’s going to be such a fun character to sink our teeth into.”
Brian Buccellato stresses that they have a “gritty and dark side” more suited to Batman than their lighter take on the Flash and Central City. Readers concerned that the book will be too bright for Batman may want to look outside DC Comics to Buccellato’s solo writing on Foster at Dog Year Comics and and The Black Bat at Dynamite.
The article doesn’t say exactly when Manapul and Buccellato will be taking over the book, and but it’s after Detective Comics #27, which will be a special anniversary issue.
No word yet on the new Flash creative team.
Update: Rob S. points out in the comments an interview at CBR in which the team talks about their approach to Batman, and mentions that Brian Buccellato will stay on as solo Flash writer for three more issues.
DC has added dozens of digital collections to ComiXology and Google Play, including four Flash books:
In the case of ComiXology it’s not a big change, since the individual issues have been online since 2011 (along with a much, much deeper catalog). It just makes it a little easier to buy a complete story, and it looks like it’s slightly cheaper to buy the collection than the individual issues.
In the case of Google Play, it opens the audience up to Android tablet owners who don’t have a dedicated comic book app such as ComiXology or DC’s branded ComiXology app.
DC has a much fuller catalog in individual issues on ComiXology, as well as collections on the Kindle, iBooks and Nook stores. And apparently I missed the fact that individual issues are also available on those platforms as well, and have been since last November.
It’s not clear how much of the back catalog can be found on these sites. I can’t see the iBooks store at all, and Amazon isn’t set up to make it easy to browse a long series. The Nook store does let me look at a series, but only seems to have backissues that were released since early 2013. No sign of the Brightest Day Flash issues, though they have the collections of Dastardly Death… and Road to Flashpoint, and the Wally West issues start at #84 and have a lot of gaps. I suspect if I went back over my weekly release posts, I’d find those gaps are where DC skipped over issues that had already been posted on ComiXology. I’ve spot-checked a few issues I saw (and didn’t see) on the Nook store over at Amazon, and it looks like the same issues are present — and missing — there. I’d guess iBooks probably lines up with that catalog as well.
No new Flash comics this week, but DC is adding one more to its digital backissue catalog: The Flash #156 featuring three Flashes in peril!
The Dark Flash battles Replicant in the main timeline. In Walter West’s alternate timeline, Walter and Wally fight each other and Abra Kadabra…and we learn the true origin of the Dark Flash.
Mark Waid & Brian Augustyn, Paul Pelletier & Jose Marzan Jr, cover by Steve Lightle.
