Flash #173 and the Mystery of the Shrinking Panels!

Flash #173, the full-length “Doomward Flight of the Flashes,” is an all-time classic tale of the DC multiverse by legendary writer John Broome and the great Carmine Infantino.  Featuring the three Flashes of the time in a dimension-leaping epic, this is pure Silver Age Flash in the Julius Schwartz tradition!  While reading a copy of the 1980 DC Blue Ribbon Digest #2, I was inspired by a panel on the final page, showing the three Flashes arriving back on Earth One:

brdpanel

The position of the figures in space and their different centers of gravity, as well as the solid city backdrop, give this a strange sense of motion fitting a return-trip from an alternate reality. It is deceptively simple and effective, and spurred me to pull a reprint.  That’s where things got a little weird…

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Takin’ It To the Streets (of Boston) with Jay Garrick and Doctor Fate! (review of Earth 2 #12)

earth 2 12 coverIn Earth 2 #12, Doctor Fate is learning how to control the amazing powers granted to him by the Helm of Nabu, while Jay Garrick and Alan Scott provide cover as the battle with Wotan takes to the streets of Boston!  This is a much more powerful Wotan than Nabu himself faced so many years ago, so the outcome is certainly in doubt as we rejoin the battle as this issue begins, continuing one of the best series that DC publishes today!

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD!  PLEASE READ THE ISSUE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD! Continue reading

This Week: Earth 2 and Cobalt Blue (Plus Black Bat)

New Flash comics this week:

Earth 2 #12: “The drums of war begin to sound as the heroes of Earth 2 rally behind Dr. Fate—and a threat from Apokolips becomes all too real!” James Robinson, Nicola Scott, Trevor Scott. Preview at ComicVine

Also worth a look: Flash co-writer Brian Buccellato is writing the revival of pulp hero The Black Bat for Dynamite comics. You can check out a preview of The Black Bat #1 at CBR.

Tony Quinn is a brash Defense Attorney to the mob who compromises his ethics for financial gain. When he refuses to cross the line and commit murder, he is tortured and blinded by his gangster employers. But when a fortuitous meeting with a covert agency gives him a chance to make amends, Tony transforms into the Black Bat and embarks on a redemptive quest to right the wrongs of his past.

Digital Flashbacks at ComiXology this week include…

Flash #144: No! It Can't be...YOU!

Flash v.2 #143-144: An attack on the Flash Museum leads to an encounter with a mysterious villain from the Flash’s past…with a surprising connection to Barry Allen. These two issues feature the origin of Cobalt Blue and lead into the time-spanning “Chain Lightning.”

Yes, that’s a bit of a jump, since last week they released #129. However, Flash #130-141 had been published digitally for a Grant Morrison sale, and Flash #142 – the interrupted wedding of Wally West and Linda Park – was already available as well (though I forget when).

Impulse #69: Bart Allen, Kyle Rayner and Adam Strange battle a menace on the alien planet of Rann in the second half of this Green Lantern: Circle of Fire epilogue.

Kid Flash and the Titans vs. Trigon! (Review of Teen Titans #19)

Teen Titans 19 coverThe storyline is heating up quickly in Teen Titans #19, as Trigon is here – and is devastating New York City!  Kid Flash is beginning to show signs of leadership within the team as the Titans face their biggest danger yet in the New52.  This issue is action packed, and truly one of the best issues of this title I’ve read in quite some time!

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD! Please read the issue before continuing here!

This issue picks up with some significant dissension in the ranks of the Titans in the aftermath of last issue’s battle with the Suicide Squad.  Cassie expresses her displeasure rather, uh, forcefully…with a hand around Tim Drake’s throat!  The rest of the team tries to talk her down, but it is Bart Allen who plays peacemaker here.  It is good to see Bart stepping up, and I look forward to more from Kid Flash in this title.  And, it is important that he is stepping up a bit, as Tim Drake still seems caught in his jerk-of-the-month mode.  We don’t linger here much longer, though, because…Trigon appears in Times Square with devastating results!  The Titans go into battle, to find that Trigon has more than just a few physical tricks up his sleeve.  This is a most impressive battle, but one that doesn’t go well at all for the Titans.  Raven appears to be ready to help to an extent…but is she really ready to directly defy Trigon?  We’ll have to wait for that answer…

Kid Flash does feature more prominently here than in some recent issues, and there is foreshadowing of future storylines that may finally explain Bart’s future/history in the New52.  Scott Lobdell’s script (with dialog by Lobdell and Tony Bedard) was very well done and action packed throughout.  It is easily the best issue of Teen Titans I’ve read in some time.  Eddy Barrows does a great job on pencils, with inks by Eber Ferreira and colors by Alex Sinclair.  This is an excellent issue – and I can’t wait for TT #20!

New Tidbits From ‘Flashpoint Paradox’

Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox 17

There’s been quite a bit of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox information and images released in the last day, although I suspect it wasn’t entirely authorized. Screen Rant posted what was apparently a ten-minute preview from the movie, but it’s already been removed by Warner Brothers. However, the site still contains an interesting piece of information:

“The Justice League members will still be featured, but they won’t be the ones entrusted with carrying the plot and giving fans more of the heroism they know and love. This is Barry Allen’s show, and the newest peek behind the scenes gives a brief rundown for those unfamiliar with Barry’s backstory, while highlighting the impressive voice cast assembled for the adaptation.”

So it seems Flashpoint Paradox will definitely be of interest to Flash fans, and it’s nice to see a Flash-centric film for once.

That isn’t the entirety of Flashpoint Paradox news, however. Other sites are posting images of what are possibly screencaps from the removed video, and among them is a collection of some Rogues designs.

flashpoint rogues

Personally, I am utterly delighted to see the Top there, and the movie has gone from a ‘probably will get it’ to a ‘must get it’ for me. The character designs are certainly stylized and might take some getting used to, but overall I like it. And the stills we’ve already seen from the film aren’t quite as extreme as these images suggest, so maybe these aren’t the final designs.

There are more images available at the Idle Hands blog, including designs of all the Justice League members and some other DC villains, as well as storyboards showing of a bit of the action. It certainly gives some hints as to what the movie will be like.

What do other people think — do you like the character designs? Are you interested in the film?

Justice League Dark Meets Barry…and Swamp Thing? (Review of Justice League Dark #19)

JL Dark 19 coverThis issue of Justice League Dark begins a three-issue arc that will include The Flash as they fight a power that has taken over the House of Mystery! Flash fans may be a bit disappointed in this first issue of the arc, as there isn’t much of an appearance from the Scarlet Speedster…but hopefully this is just the start of a much greater role for The Flash in this story arc.  Barry isn’t the only guest star present, though…and that’s where the fun begins!

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD – PLEASE READ THE ISSUE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD!

This story begins with Constantine at the race track, actually attempting to lose without much success (and yes, I know that sounds odd).  But, it is the prelude to an attack, one that severs his connection to the House of Mystery just long enough for it to be taken over! Constantine gathers the JL Dark (although at least Deadman hates that name for the group) and calls in help from Swamp Thing to locate the missing House.  Swamp Thing does help them find the House of Mystery…but that triggers nightmare visions sent by the House for each member of the league!  Madame Xanadu does manage to get a cryptic message out to Frankenstein before they are separated, saying “when the lightning comes, make it your friend.”

That lightning does come…in the form of The Flash!  His brief appearance is a lead in to the next issue of Justice League Dark, as they fight the villain who is revealed in the final panel of the story.  If you want to know just who they are up against, you’ll need to buy the issue.

Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes scripted this issue, with Mikel Janin and Vicente Cifuentes on art with colors by Jeromy Cox.  Their work on the JL Dark characters is amazing and their Flash is credible, though we will have to wait for next issue to see just what they do with Barry in a longer appearance.  If you are a JL Dark fan this should be a good issue for you.  Flash fans may be a little disappointed as the cover gives the indication of a longer appearance than what actually happens in this issue.  However, we may see a lot more Flash-oriented action as this arc progresses, and it will be interesting to see what happens to the House of Mystery before this arc is through.