Flash Facts: Cobalt Blue

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Cobalt is an element obtained from the smelting of metallic ores such as cobaltite, copper, and nickel. The smelted form is a hard silvery metal with magnetic properties.

Cobalt-based blue pigments have been used since the Bronze Age (3000 BC) for glass, ceramics, jewellery, and paint. In modern times, the element is also used as part of a superalloy metal (which is a combination of metals) for diverse items like prosthetics, batteries, jet engines and turbines. A radioactive isotope of cobalt is commonly used in medical tests and to sterilize food and equipment.

Cobalt Blue is the name of a deep blue pigment used in ceramics, paint, glass, and even ophthalmology filters. It’s made from cobalt salts of alumina, and its popularity is in part due to its stability (meaning it doesn’t degrade or break down quickly). However, it’s toxic if ingested, much as I’d imagine Malcolm Thawne to be.

Cobalt Blue Tarantula

The Cobalt Blue tarantula is a spider species native to Myanmar and Thailand, notable for its iridescent blue legs, speed, and aggression. Somehow…this seems fitting. This site describes them as “a psychotic, high-strung burrowing species”, which makes them seem even less appealing.

There are many similarities between a blue tarantula and Malcolm Thawne: one is despised by most people and looks ridiculous. The other is a spider.

A “Retro-Active” Flash-Back

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At the WonderCon DC Nation panel, DC announced a series of one-shots coming this summer called “Retro-Active.” Each set features three one-shots set in 1970s, 1980s and 1990s continuity re-uniting the characters with the creators most associated with of classic runs from that era.

The Flash issues will be written by:

  • Cary Bates for the 1970s
  • William Messner-Loebs for the 1980s
  • Brian Augustyn for the 1990s.

Each issue will feature 26 pages of new story and 20 pages of reprinted material and will run $4.99. No word yet on artists or release dates. Other characters announced include Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Justice League of America.

It’s odd that they’ve broken up the Waid/Augustyn team. Given that Waid has expressed willingness to work for DC again, I figure this means one of two things:

  • DC doesn’t want to hire Mark Waid for now.
  • Mark Waid doesn’t want to return to The Flash after the disaster of “The Wild Wests.”

Source: CBR coverage and Newsarama coverage.

Update (Monday): DC has released the logos and writers for the event.

Road to Flashpoint Hardcover in October

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Collected Editions spotted a number of late-2011 DC collections last week, including Flash Vol. 2: The Road to Flashpoint, on Amazon’s schedule for November 1. Since Amazon gets its books on Tuesdays, that means the collection is likely to hit comic shops on the previous Wednesday, October 26.

Vol. 1: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues contained issues #1-7 (and the story from The Flash Secret Files 2010). DC has stated that they’re ending The Flash at #12, though they’ve solicited #13 as the conclusion of “The Road to Flashpoint,” and it’s still on their website. It looks like this volume will cover either Flash #8-12 or Flash #8-13. If the latter, the main story will be bracketed by two Reverse-Flash specials.

Geoff Johns: Flashpoint-by-Point

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Newsarama has an extensive interview with Geoff Johns. Here are the items they thought were worth highlighting:

  • In the Flashpoint mini-series, Flash and Batman team up “Brave and the Bold style.”
  • Johns says his mini-series is the “most accessible event I’ve ever done,” saying there is no other comic necessary to read before or during his story.
  • The writer has been working on the concept for years.
  • One of the reasons there are multiple tie-ins is that comic creators were told about the event at a meeting, and they came up with what Johns calls “quality stories” they wanted to tell in the Flashpoint world.
  • Although Johns won’t clarify whether the mini-series has lasting ramifications, he keeps saying things like, “where DC is going” … and “what we have coming out of” Flashpoint.

A few additional items that will probably be of interest:

  • Andy Kubert is currently drawing issue #4 of the 5-issue miniseries, and Geoff Johns is currently writing #5.
  • “The tie-ins aren’t just, like, ‘look, so-and-so is this way.’ It’s exploring ‘how did they get there, and why?'”
  • “The first rule about Flashpoint is, don’t talk about what happens after Flashpoint.”
  • “There’s another character that’s very obscure who is going to have a bigger role in the Flashpoint mini-series than she’s ever had in the DC Universe.”
  • “In a way, Hot Pursuit will appear in Kid Flash: Lost, by Sterling Gates.”

“In a way?” That’s odd phrasing. Sort of like how Darth Vader killed Anakin Skywalker “from a certain point of view.” Hmm….

Meanwhile, let’s start speculation on the “very obscure” female character who will have a bigger role in this series. I’m guessing it’s not Element Girl/Element Woman since she’s already been mentioned (assuming they’re even the same character).

There’s a whole lot more in the full interview.

In other Flashpoint news, The Source has been posting more character designs with commentary by artist Andy Kubert.

Additionally, ComicsAlliance has a scoop with a new set of Flashpoint variant covers.