Speed Reading: Archenemies, SBP, CFJ, Smallville, Art, and More

Some weekend linkblogging.

Commentary

The Speedster Site Forum wants to know: Who do you consider the Flash’s archenemy?

The Weekly Crisis posts thoughts on comics for November. Regarding Superboy Prime’s upcoming appearance in Adventure Comics #4 (a Blackest Night tie-in), Ryan says, “The only way this won’t make me even more annoyed with the end of Legion of Three Worlds is if the Superboy Prime scenes are actually just him ranting on message boards.”

ICv2’s Confessions of a Comic-Book Guy discusses two events in Justice League: Cry For Justice #2: one now infamous among comics discussion circles, the other the less-commented-on off-panel killing of Jay Garrick’s three dimwitted sidekicks.

Update: IO9 talks to Mark Waid about The Unknown, science, and death, and has the first issue online for free. The Unknown has been an excellent miniseries, and I’m really looking forward to the conclusion on Wednesday.

Art

Photon Torpedoes looks at the use of ghost images to show the Flash’s speed in Blackest Night.

Adventure Comics artist Francis Manapul has posted photos of several convention sketches he’s done this year, including the Flash and Kid Flash! Elfgrove posts a scan of another Francics Manapul Kid Flash. Update: Manapul has posted a follow-up with more sketches after asking fans to send in their scans.

Update: Former Impulse artist Craig Rousseau shares a sketch of Bart Allen.

Television

Geoff Johns drops a hint about his upcoming Smallville episode, “Society:”

The Justice Society will be heroes that come out of ‘retirement’ to see how the current generation operates. Can’t say much more than that right now. Sorry! 🙂

Superhero Shows spotlights the Flash’s TV appearances in cartoons and live-action, from the early Filmation cartoons of the 1960s through to recent appearances on Smallville and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Conventions

Long Beach Comic-Con (October 2-4) is running a “Why Long Beach?” series on life outside the convention. So far they’ve posted nearby attractions and a restaurant guide.

Please help identify these Unknown Cosplay Characters from various conventions! I’ve got a few of my own photos in there of people who had interesting costumes, but I still have no idea who they were dressed as!

Can the Flash Survive Another 6-Part Epic Relaunch?

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The writers and artists have changed. The face under the Flash’s mask has changed. But there’s one thing that the three Flash relaunches we’ve seen since Infinite Crisis all share: pacing.

For some reason, every time DC has relaunched the Flash lately, they’ve done it with a slow burn.

Rising Action: Speedsters Slowing Down

Now, I have no problem with slow burns in general. I really did like most of Final Crisis, for instance (and that was almost all slow burn), and as frustrating as Flash: Ignition was at the time, I really like the story in retrospect — but as a break from the crazy pace of Run Riot and Blitz. Just about everything I’ve read or watched by JMS has used a slow build-up to something huge, from Babylon 5 to Squadron Supreme (some to better effect than others).

But I don’t think it’s the best structure to launch a character whose main claim to fame is speed…especially when it’s serialized.

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Creator Catch-Up: Johns on Shazam, EVS & Guice at C2E2, Remembering Ringo

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The Hollywood Reporter, well, reports that Geoff Johns will co-write a Shazam! movie with Billy Birch. So, what do you think? Is Geoff Johns cut out to write a super-hero with a red costume that has yellow and white trim and a lightning motif? featuring Captain Marvel (via CBR and )

Flash artists Ethan Van Sciver (Flash: Rebirth) and Jackson Guice (early Wally West solo issues) are among the guests of honor at C2E2 in Chicago next year.

Ain’t It Cool News talks with Geoff Johns about Blackest Night, Flash: Rebirth, and the Flash and Green Lantern movies.

More sites remember Mike Wieringo: Panels on Pages remembers the artist through Tellos. Pipeline reprints the original column with some updates on matters such as the ‘Ringo scholarship, the What If…? tribute book, and so forth.

Quick Link: Comic-Con 2009 Index

One Week to Flash: Rebirth #4

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It’s been a long wait since issue 3, but Flash: Rebirth #4 is not only on DC’s schedule for August 26, it’s on Diamond’s upcoming releases list for comics shipping next week. It’s very rare for a book to slip once it’s made it to that list, though it does happen from time to time. (Hey, Dabel Bros.! Where’s Robert Jordan’s New Spring #7!) *ahem!*

Here’s the current schedule:

Issue	Orig. Date	Actual Date	Gap	Delay
Flash: Rebirth #1	April 1	April 1	3 months*	On time
Flash: Rebirth #2	May 6	May 6	5 weeks	On time
Flash: Rebirth #3	June 10	June 10	5 weeks	On time
Flash: Rebirth #4	July 22	Aug. 26	11 weeks	5 weeks
Flash: Rebirth #5	Aug. 26	Oct. 14**	7 weeks	7 weeks
Flash: Rebirth #6	Sep. 30	Nov. 25**	6 weeks	8 weeks

*Since Flash v.2 #247

**Well, currently-scheduled date, anyway.

This Week (Aug 19) – Brave and the Bold, etc.

Flash in Wednesday Comics has passed the half-way mark, and Gorilla Grodd also makes an appearance in Superman/Batman. Plus there’s Tiny Titans, Super Friends and a guest spot in the latest Brave and the Bold collection.

Wednesday Comics #7

The Flash battles Gorilla Grodd and tries to date Iris West in a story written by Karl Kerschl (Teen Titans Year One, The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive) and Brenden Fletcher with art by Karl Kerschl.

Wednesday Comics will arrive in stores folded twice to 7″ x 10″.

7″ x 10″, 16 pg, FC, $3.99 US.

Superman/Batman #63

Written by Michael Green & Mike Johnson
Art and cover by Rafael Albuquerque

It’s the start of an all-new arc bringing an old foe back from the dead who endangers the loved ones of both Superman and Batman! With Lois Lane and Alfred Pennyworth kidnapped, the secrets of the World’s Finest heroes are an open book for one villain to exploit.

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Notes: Again, not clear whether there are any Flashes, but that’s Gorilla Grodd on the cover. Also: The Source has a preview.

The Brave and the Bold: The Book of Destiny TP

Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez and Jerry Ordway
Cover by George Pérez

Collecting issues #7-12 of The Brave and the Bold in trade paperback! The Book of Destiny’s been opened, and it will take the combined might of Superman, The Flash, the Metal Men, the Blackhawks, the Atom, Hawkman, Aquaman, the Teen Titans, the Newsboy Legion and more to prevent certain doom!

160 pg, FC, $17.99 US

Note: This includes the Flash/Doom Patrol story from just after the Wally West relaunch, regarded by many as the best Flash story during Waid’s brief return to the character in 2007.

Super Friends #18

Written by Sholly Fisch
Art and cover by J. Bone

Meet the Bizarro Super Friends! This am not the solicit for the next boring issue of SUPER FRIENDS! We hate the Super Friends and no want you to steal this right now!

32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

Tiny Titans #19

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

Love is in the air…and in Titans Treehouse! Plasmus and Bumblebee are hanging out more, and the other Titans are starting to notice. And Robin just wants to write his school report, but for some reason the girls won’t leave him alone. Plus, the return of the Titans Ape Club! Eek!