Flash: Rebirth #5 Really Shipping This Week! UPDATED!

Yes, according to Diamond, Flash: Rebirth #5 is actually shipping this week! As if that weren’t enough, there’s the JSA 80-Page Giant, new issues of Tiny Titans and Super Friends, the trade paperback of JSA: Thy Kingdom Come vol.2, and a Showcase volume featuring Superman Team-Ups from DC Comics Presents…opening with a Superman/Flash race.

No sign yet of the final cover for Flash: Rebirth #5, or the variant cover, or a preview. UPDATE! While I was at lunch, DC posted a 5-page preview with the covers. I’d like to say two things: First, that alternate cover with Max and Bart is seriously making me cnosider picking up the variant again. Second…I called the coloring change on the main cover back in July!

The Flash: Rebirth #5

Flash: Rebirth #5 - Final Flash: Rebirth #5 - Alternate

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and covers by Ethan Van Sciver

The greatest threat to face the Flash Family in decades stands revealed! A new hero will step into an old speedster’s boots! And Barry Allen will make the ultimate sacrifice: his life! Oh yeah, you read that right, but you’ll never believe just what it means! They always say nothing will ever be the same, but trust us, this one will rewrite the history books!

This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver).

5 of 6 · 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Other books shipping this week behind the cut: Continue reading →

Speed Reading

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Some linkblogging for the weekend…

Francis Manapul shares a black and white version of his variant cover for Blackest Night: The Flash #3.

Dan Didio talks to CBR about a number of things including Flash. He reiterates some of the reasons they let the book fall behind rather than put a new team on it to bring it out quickly, like they did with Final Crisis:

That ran with some delays, but at the end of the day we looked at the full package of how that will look as a book, and we wanted to maintain consistency all the way through. The events of that book weren’t essential to what happens with the Flash in “Blackest Night.”

Nothing new. In fact he said more or less the same thing a couple of days earlier to Newsarama. Interestingly, he describes the new Flash series book as spinning out of Blackest Night. Whether that’s simply in publishing terms, or in story terms as well, is not clear.

Collected Editions compares the Final Crisis and Blackest Night collections.

The Flash in New Frontier makes Comics Should Be Good’s 313th cool comic book moment.

Blackest Night: Flash #3 Solicitation & Cover

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IGN has posted DC’s Blackest Night solicitations for February 2010, including the conclusion of Blackest Night: The Flash.

Blackest Night: The Flash #3

Blackest Night Flash #3 (Variant)On sale February 17 – 3 of 3 – 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Scott Kolins
Variant cover by Francis Manapul

It’s a case of the chicken-or-the-egg as Barry Allen takes on the Black Lantern Reverse-Flash and seeks answers to the very nature of Professor Zoom’s impending resurrection. Plus, the Rogues witness an act so horrifying that it changes one of their own forever.

This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Scott Kolins), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Francis Manapul).

Notes: I hate to admit it, but I have no idea who the Flash is fighting on this cover. Well, almost no idea. Is this the new design for Nekron?

Also, this pretty much confirms that Professor Zoom’s personal timeline is, well, reversed, and that he’s being resurrected in Blackest Night, then going back in time for Flash: Rebirth. It’s not 100% certain, but it looks extremely likely at this point.

And finally: I believe this is the first official Flash art by Francis Manapul that DC has released. He’s doing alternate covers for all three issues of Blackest Night: The Flash, and will of course take over as the artist on The Flash when it launches next spring.

Johns & Van Sciver at C2E2

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The upcoming Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (April 16-18, 2010) has confirmed Geoff Johns as a guest of honor. Since Ethan Van Sciver was announced back in August, that means that the Flash: Rebirth and Green Lantern: Rebirth writer/artist team will both be appearing at C2E2 next spring.

This also means that neither of them will appear at Wizard’s Anaheim Comic Con, held the same weekend.

This Week (Nov. 11): JSA vs. Kobra, Titans, Absolute Justice

Just one week until more Flash: Rebirth. For now, we’ve got JSA vs. Kobra, The Titans, and the Absolute Justice hardcover.

JSA VS. Kobra #6

JSA vs Kobra 6Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Don Kramer & Michael Babinski
Cover by Gene Ha

It all ends here! Now that the Kobra’s lair has been razed by the Justice Society, Jason Burr’s plans should fall to pieces. But the terrorist leader has more than one plan at work, and the JSA won’t be able to stop them all once they’re put in motion! It’s old dogs vs. new tricks in one final gambit!

On sale November 11 · 6 of 6 · 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Titans

Titans 19Written by J.T. Krul
Art by Angel Unzueta & Wayne Faucher
Cover by Angel Unzueta

It’s not easy being a dad in the DCU — just ask Roy Harper, who never wants to leave his daughter Lian an orphan. Unfortunately, that choice may not be his to make…Hot off his BLACKEST NIGHT: TITANS miniseries, J.T. Krul returns for another issue!

On sale November 11 · 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Absolute Justice HC

Absolute JusticeWritten by Alex Ross & Jim Krueger
Art by Alex Ross & Doug Braithwaite
Cover by Alex Ross

The spectactular 12-issue series by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite is collected in this amazing, oversized, slipcased Absolute edition. The members of the Justice League of America are about to learn they aren’t the only ones who can band together toward a common goal. The greatest criminal masterminds of our time appear to be acting in concert — but with a surprising plan that seeks to achieve more good than the JLA ever could!
This Absolute edition features a new cover by Ross, plus sketchbook a section with previously unseen artwork and more!

On sale November 11 · 8.25″ x 12.5″, 496 pg, FC, $99.00 US

Poll Results: When Will Flash: Rebirth Finish?

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Okay, so maybe the question itself is a bit of a cheap shot, but with the number of times issues #4–6 have been rescheduled, it seems a fair question. At this time, Flash: Rebirth #6 is scheduled for December 23, 2009, just five weeks after issue #5 comes out. But with 3-month gaps between issues #3, #4 and #5, it’s certainly not hard to imagine the schedule might slip again.

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