One-Man Team

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Something I’ve noticed as I read through various Golden-Age Flash Comics is a repeated subgenre in which the Flash plays an entire team. “Nine Empty Uniforms” (Flash Comics #90, 1947) is the first one I read, since it was reprinted in an 80-page Giant. The bad guys cause problems for a baseball team, so the Flash takes the place of every single player in the upcoming game.

As I’ve picked up comics from the 1940s, and the new Archive book, I’ve found more. In an untitled story from All-Flash Quarterly #1 (1941, reprinted in The Golden Age Flash Archive Volume 2), racketeers hassle a hockey team.The owner needs the money from the “Manley Cup” for an operation for his daughter, so when the racketeers force the players to sit the game out, the Flash steps in.

“Play of the Year” (Flash Comics #39, 1943) breaks with tradition a bit and instead of a sports team, the Flash replaces a troupe of actors. A rival producer tries to financially ruin one of Jay’s friends by preventing his play from opening, in this case faking a measles outbreak among the cast and putting them in quarantine. Once again, the Flash steps in and plays every single role, changing costumes and switching places faster than the eye can see.

The weird thing about these stories is that nowhere does anyone suggest that having a super-powered player—who isn’t even on your roster—just might be cheating. It goes all the way back to his first appearance in Flash Comics #1: Back in college, Jay Garrick was a football scrub. After the accident gave him super-speed, he convinced the coach to put him on the field so he could show off in front of his girlfriend, Joan.

Interestingly, later retellings of the Flash’s origin make it a point that he quit the team immediately afterward because staying would have given him an unfair advantage.

Originally posted at K-Squared Ramblings.

This Week (Sep 16): Blackest Night, JSA vs. Kobra

It’s hard to believe we’re only one week away from the final issue of Wednesday Comics! Also out this week are new issues of Blackest Night, JSA vs. Kobra, and Tiny Titans.

Wednesday Comics #11

WEDNESDAY COMICS, DC’s new, 12-issue weekly series, reaches its incredible conclusion in September. WEDNESDAY COMICS will arrive in stores folded twice to 7″ x 10″.

7″ x 10″, 16 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Blackest Night #3

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Variant cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Sketch variant cover by Ivan Reis

As the dead attack in full force, Green Lantern is faced with an impossible decision and the scattered remains of the Justice League suffer a terrible loss. Who can stop the Black Lanterns? Why are they rising? And how can the Spectre help?

This issue will ship with three covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ethan Van Sciver). For every 100 copies of the Standard Edition, retailers may order one copy of the Sketch Variant Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis).

3 of 8 · 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

JSA Vs. Kobra #4

Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Don Kramer & Michael Babinski
Cover by Gene Ha

The trail of Kobra leads the Justice Society of America to Fawcett City! Jason Burr may think that it’s safe to venture into former Shazam territory, but he’s about to learn that the JSA protects each other’s turf no matter what. And now that Burr has gotten them mad, there’s no holding the Justice Society back!

4 of 6 · 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Tiny Titans #20

Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar

Raven conjures a black hole to get to school on time, and soon black holes are popping up everywhere! The Titans try to avoid them, but they keep falling in and ending up…who knows where? Also: black holes aren’t the only way to travel — some of the Titans discover the joys of jetpacks!

32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

Flash and the Happy Pills

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One of the characters I encountered early in my exploration of Golden Age Flash stories was Ebenezer Jones, the Worry Wart. In fact, All-Flash #24 (1946) was one of those first two GA Flash books I bid on just to see if I could win. The story in that book referred to previous meetings. If it had been the Silver Age, it would have included a helpful editor’s note telling me “See issue #X,” instead of just a recap.

As I kept watching auctions and looking on sites like the Grand Comics Database, I identified at least two more appearances. I finally tracked down the last of the three in March, and was able to write up a bio of the character.

Who is the Worry Wart? In short, he was an ordinary man who had a case of anxiety so bad it was contagious.

Jones worries about dying in his sleep, and about not getting enough sleep. He gets fired from two jobs because his bosses and coworkers start worrying about every little thing when he’s around.

The Flash gives the Worry Wart his happiness pills There’s an odd subtext to the character’s stories, though. The reason he returns to Keystone City is that the Flash had previously set him up with a supply of “happiness pills,” which had run out. In Flash Comics #76 (1946), Ebenezer Jones deliberately overdoses on the happiness pills, causing a euphoric delirium just as contagious as his anxiety.

Looking back on this from 2007, it’s hard not to think of it in terms of the vast numbers of people today taking medications for depression or anxiety. Not to mention people who abuse prescription medications. Or just people who abuse drugs. There’s a disturbing drug-dealer vibe in that panel.

It gets better, though. In the Worry Wart’s first appearance, in All-Flash #15 (1944), the Flash makes him a serum to counteract his anxiety:

The Flash gives Jones a tonic to counteract his anxiety... and it really works.

Yes, that’s right. The Flash gives him a bottle, and he drinks his cares away. No subtext here!

Originally posted at K-Squared Ramblings.

Quick Thoughts: Weekly Twitter for 2009-09-13

Thoughts

Today I learned that you can have more than 1 longbox worth of comics & trades in piles and not realize it.
Anyone else find themselves driving behind a dark red Mercury Mystique and think, “Shouldn’t that be blue?”
Domain transfer went through just in time before getting overcharged for renewal! Now to get it set up at the new registrar.

Photos

The Shade.
Wow there were a lot of women dressed as Rogue at Dragon*Con. And people took a lot of pictures of them.
It’s tough to look for “flash” and “zoom” on a photo site.
Wow! Incredible photo set! RT @liabrown1: Awesome collection of Rogues (and Flash) cosplayer photos.
LOST props at D23 featuring the Flash/Green Lantern comic (the one w/the polar bear).
SDCC pix have mostly taken over top 10 slots on my Flickr stats, but Wondercon’s Silk Spectre & Dr Manhattan are still #1
9 shelving units of graphic novels, & they file Sandman & V for Vendetta under superheroes?

All Flash: Barry & Wally to Share the Spotlight? UPDATED

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And one more item to round out the afternoon of catching up. I’d prefer something a little more solid, but this is clearly going to get people talking whether I post it or not, so here goes….

Update (Sep 13): Geoff Johns has confirmed on Twitter that the book is Flash, not All-Flash:

Have no idea where Wizard got that. We’re launching THE FLASH #1 and KID FLASH #1 after BLACKEST NIGHT: FLASH. 🙂

All-Flash?

Yesterday, Comic Bloc user darylwing1 posted a scan from an issue of Wizard. It looks like a sidebar, and features the following statement:

Flash: Rebirth
Barry Allen’s comeback mini ends in September followed up by Blackest Night: Flash, both leading to Johns’ new ongoing Flash title starring Allen and Wally West, All Flash.
Ethan Kaye

(Ethan Kaye writes for Wizard.)

There’s also a picture of the Kent family captioned, “Johns explores Supes’ early days in Origins.”

Comparing Sources

So, first: I don’t know what issue of Wizard this is in. I’m not familiar with darylwing1, but his posting history looks solid, so I see no reason to doubt the scan itself. As for the statement itself, it still lists Rebirth ending in September (which, we know now, isn’t happening). It also refers to Superman: Secret Origin as Origins. And DC’s announcement of Francis Manapul as artist mentions “Flash #1.”

So I’m not convinced that it’s accurate.

Another thing to consider: Continue reading →

Cosplay Photos: Flashes & Rogues at Dragon*Con

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Just from what I’ve seen on Flickr, there were a ton of Flash-related costumes at Dragon*Con this year.

Looking through these photos, be sure to notice:

The Flash’s secret revealed: Red Bull!
The Grail Knight (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) asks the Flash to choose wisely.
Smallville-style Impulse
The entire frakking Rogues’ Gallery!

The Rogues’ Gallery group not only did an incredible job on their costumes, but got together for an extended photo shoot…and hung out at a bar afterward, in full costume. You can read all about it, with dozens of photos, in xanykaos’ (Trickster II) post on flash_rogues, A Meeting of Rogues. (Thanks to Lia for the link!)

Speed Force

Tracking the Flash – the Fastest Man Alive