Speed Reading: Scott Pilgrim, Comic-Con and Fantasy Books

Hilton Bayfront with Scott Pilgrim Banner.Some items I’ve written about elsewhere that might be of interest to this site’s readers.

First up: I’ve finally found the time to finish my San Diego Comic Con write-ups! Here’s Saturday and Sunday at Comic-Con International!

Review: I liked Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It was a fun movie/comic/video game mash-up, and it’s a shame that so few people have gone to see it.

Speaking of reviews and things that are insanely late: I found some interesting reviews on Amazon this week while looking for long-delayed fantasy books, including Tokoypop’s Labyrinth and Dark Crystal series. I found it most amusing that George R.R. Martin’s fans are already reviewing A Dance With Dragons…even though the book isn’t finished yet. More precisely: they’re reviewing the wait for the book!

More Flash Rescheduling

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DC’s website now shows Flash #5 coming out on September 15, and Flash #6 coming out on September 29.

Flash #5 was originally scheduled for August 18 and has been pushed back several times. #6 was originally September 22; this is its first (and if we’re lucky, only) slip.

Interestingly enough, Velocity #2 has also been rescheduled for September 15. Velocity #1 hit the same week as Flash #3. Flash #5 and Velocity #2 were both scheduled for August 25 at one point, were both later scheduled for September 8, and are now both scheduled for September 15. It’s as if the two speedster series have somehow become synchronized, with two issues of Flash for each issue of Velocity — despite being published by different companies!

Flash Ranked #15 for July 2010

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ICv2’s July sales estimates are up. The Flash #4 takes the #15 spot by units sold, with an estimated 64,832 copies sold to retailers.

OK, back to the charts for the last few relaunches. Let’s see how volume three is doing. (In case you’re wondering, I only plan on doing the detailed relaunch-by-relaunch-by-relaunch comparisons through the end of the first story arc.)

Issue Rank Month Units Sold % Change
Flash:TFMA #1 7 June 2006 120,404
Flash:TFMA #2 25 July 2006 77,487 (-35.6%)
Flash:TFMA #3 30 August 2006 70,633 (- 8.9%)
Flash:TFMA #4 25 Sep 2006 66,663 (- 5.6%)
All-Flash #1 22 July 2007 78,955
Flash v.2 #231 26 August 2007 72,898
Flash v.2 #232 32 Sep 2007 56,969 (-21.9%)
Flash v.2 #233 41 Oct 2007 51,152 (- 10.2%)
Flash v.2 #234 44 Nov 2007 46,435 (- 9.2%)
Flash: Rebirth #1 2 April 2009 102,429
Flash: Rebirth #2 4 May 2009 86,183 (-15.9%)
Flash: Rebirth #3 10 June 2009 83,086 (-3.6%)
Flash: Rebirth #4 14 Aug 2009 78,107 (-6.0%)
Flash v.3 #1 2 April 2010 100,903
Flash v.3 #2 12 May 2010 76,560 (-24.1%)
Flash v.3 #3 11 June 2010 68,799 (-10.1%)
Flash v.3 #4 15 July 2010 64,832 (-5.8%)

So: still dropping (as most series do), but it seems to be leveling off. I’m not sure how this compares to standard attrition for a new series at DC or Marvel. The drop-off rate seems about the same as Flash: The Fastest Man Alive, though perhaps it will level off at a higher point.

That said, the numbers are still solid (if still below F:TFMA), and the rankings are very good.

Flash vs. Superman vs…the Dukes of Hazzard???

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I don’t know how I missed this one the first time around, but Comics Alliance has posted a round-up of Chris Sims and Rusty Shackles’ Great Comics That Never Happened series – covers featuring bizarre team-ups like the Justice League and the Wu-Tang Clan, or the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen featuring 1980s icons like Mr. T, Doc Brown and MacGuyver, or Hannah Zatanna, torn between the worlds of superheroes and magic…or this one:

When Boss Hogg sets up a phony charity designed to funnel contributions from well-meaning citizens into his own pockets, Superman and the Flash are roped into holding a charity race across Hazzard County–without super-powers! But when Bo and Luke Duke, a couple of good ol’ boys who never mean no harm crash the race, can the two Fastest Men Alive outrun a souped-up Dodge Charger before it hits the county line? Find out in this exciting issue! Also featured: Lois Lane discovers a Hazzard County fashion statement sure to catch Clark Kent’s eye and a two-page backup story where Jimmy Olsen and Kid Flash meet Coy and Vance!”

Click through to the original article for a full-sized cover, as well as a dozen more team-ups that never were!

THUNDER Agents Designs: Lightning

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DC has posted artist CAFU’s designs for the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents relaunch coming in November, including the team’s speedster, Lightning.

Lightning’s past is one readers of the sports page will be familiar with. It’s one of failure, self-doubt and, ultimately, redemption – if he can manage to outrace death long enough, that is.

CAFU came up with a number of designs for Lightning’s suit, but we ultimately settled on this one as it seemed both the most stylish and the most practical. Zipping around that fast, you’re going to need some protection!

As described in previous articles, the premise is that the suits that give the agents their super-powers will also kill them within a year. The agency recruits covert operatives willing to trade their lives for one last shot at redemption.

The article at The Source has four designs, including Dynamo, NoMan, and Menthor in addition to Lightning.

Also worth a look: Newsarama’s article on the history of the team, back to their 1965 debut at Tower Comics.

More Flash in November: Vanishing Point and Faster Friends

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DC’s full November solicitations are out, featuring two more major Flash appearances in addition to the Flash #8 Reverse-Flash one-shot.

DC Comics Presents: The Flash and Green Lantern: Faster Friends

Written by RON MARZ, MARK WAID and BRIAN AUGUSTYN
Art by BART SEARS, VAL SEMEIKS, RON LIM, ANDY SMITH, TOM GRINDBERG, JEFF JOHNSON and others
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON

Collecting the two-part miniseries from 1997 that brought together two Flashes and two Green Lanterns to battle the menace called Alien X in a story that begins in the 1940s and concludes in the modern era!

On sale November 3 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US

Notes: This story stars Jay Garrick and Alan Scott in the 1940s, and Wally West and Kyle Rayner in the modern era. Naturally, they’ve put Hal Jordan on the cover.

Fun Fact: This is the comic book with the polar bear that Walt was reading in the first season of LOST.

Time Masters: Vanishing Point #5

Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by DAN JURGENS & NORM RAPMUND

None of the Time Masters’ problems in the time continuum compares with what’s in store for them when they cross paths with the Reverse Flash! In fact, nothing will be the same for the entire universe after this fateful meeting!

Don’t miss this companion series to the best-selling “Return of Bruce Wayne” storyline!

On sale November 17 • 5 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Notes: That Thawne guy sure is going to be busy in November, isn’t he? Can you say Flashpoint setup?

Other DC Speedsters

Justice Society of America (with Jay Garrick) picks up the new run by Marc Guggenheim and Scott Kolins.

Justice League of America (with Jesse Quick) battles the Crime Syndicate.

The Teen Titans meet Robin.

DC Comics Presents: Young Justice continues with #2, reprinting The Secret, stories from the Young Justice Secret Files, and Young Justice in No-Man’s Land. We seem to be getting the specials reprinted – how long before DC reprints the series itself?