Hal & Barry as Butch & Sundance

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Newsarama’s Vaneta Rogers has an interview with Geoff Johns on…Everything related to Blackest Night. At one point he talks about writing Barry Allen and Hal Jordan.

The biggest surprise is how easy it is to write when Hal and Barry are together. These two know each other so well, and there’s such a strong tie to them…it’s like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. And something happens to Hal when he’s with Barry. It happens to me when I hang out with my friend, Matt. He’s so organized and punctual that a little part of my brain shuts off. I don’t need to worry about the time or where we’re going. I feel like that happens to Hal when he’s around Barry. Hal goes with the flow a little more, while Barry’s taking up the slack of figuring out where to go. I have more Barry and Hal scenes written down because they just keep writing themselves. Introvert and extrovert. Saint and sinner. Time and space.

The “saint and sinner” characterization has actually been brought out in the text of Flash: Rebirth, and he’s talked before about the Flashes being connected to time in the way Green Lanterns are connected to space.

As I recall, though, Butch and Sundance’s partnership didn’t end very well…

Another bit I found interesting was where Johns talks about background characters.

There are Black Lanterns in the background, and if you know who they are, that’s fun, but it’s not always important to this story. It’s like, who is Dengar in Empire Strikes Back? He’s a bounty hunter in the background, and you don’t go, “You know what? I can’t figure this movie out because I don’t know who that guy is! I’m outta here!”

I think that’s a good comparison, because some comics fans actually do that! Maybe it’s just being detail-oriented. Or maybe it’s a consequence of the way that reading comics, for many fans, is not a matter of just following individual stories, but following a universe. Continuity over everything. So fans expect to recognize everyone, and find it confusing when they don’t.

Any other thoughts as to why that might be?

Downtown San Diego Shows During Comic-Con 2009

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Lyceum Theatre Entrance.As a follow-up to my last Comic-Con Tip — catch a play or concert at a downtown theater — I’ve compiled a list of events going on in or near Downtown San Diego during the convention.

I’m sure there’s more going on — these are just the events I found online. And of course San Diego is a big city, so there’s lots of stuff going on outside of the downtown area.

Downtown

Plays and Movie Screenings

  • Rocky Horror Picture Show screening Wednesday 11:00pm at the Lyceum Theatre
  • Repo! The Genetic Opera screening Saturday 12:00am* at Gaslamp Stadium Theaters.
  • Godspell Thursday-Sunday at the Horton Grand Theatre
  • Jazz Queens Cast Blue Shadows Thursday-Saturday at the Lyceum Space Theatre
  • Lebowski Fest, Sunday 6pm at House of Blues.

Comedy

  • Demetri Martin Saturday at the Spreckels Theatre
  • Brian Posehn & Doug Benson, Friday 8pm Balboa Theatre
  • Tim and Eric Live, Friday 12:00am* at 4th and B. (Also, Awesomecon on Saturday)

Music

  • Richard Cheese Wednesday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (main stage)
  • Modern Day Moonshine on Thursday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (Voodoo Stage, free)
  • West of Memphis on Friday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (Voodoo Stage, free)
  • Private Domain on Saturday at 7:00pm at the House of Blues (Voodoo Stage, free)
  • Sci Fi & UCP Present Bear McCreary: the Music of Battlestar Galactica Thursday-Saturday at the House of Blues
  • Van Hunt Sunday at 7pm at House of Blues (Delta Room)

I know there’s got to be more going on, but for some reason the only downtown events I could find online were at House of Blues.

Nearby

All Over Town

There is, of course, lots of stuff going on in other parts of San Diego, so if you’re willing to do some driving, take a cab, or are already staying outside of downtown, check out Sign on San Diego’s Comic-Con Guide. Actually, check it out anyway. They’ve got local restaurants, bars and nightclubs,

Theater Scouting

I’ve been to the Spreckels Theatre, the Lyceum, and the Voodoo Stage at the House of Blues (just last month). The Spreckels is a medium-sized theater hidden inside an office building at Broadway and 1st near Horton Plaza. The Lyceum is actually below Horton Plaza, with a sunken entrance at the north end of the mall (pictured above, with the obelisk). The House of Blues is just north of Broadway on 6th and takes up the entire width of the block. The Voodoo Stage is actually a small raised platform

I’ve also walked past the Horton Grand Theatre several times, and keep forgetting I’ve already taken photos of it. It’s on 4th next to the Horton Grand Hotel.

*Several events are listed as being 12:00am on (for example) Friday a certain day. I suspect in most cases they mean midnight at the end of Friday evening. Taken literally, it would mean 12:00am Friday morning, or Thursday evening.

Flash: Rebirth #4 Delayed

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Flash: Rebirth #4DC has quietly rescheduled Flash: Rebirth #4 from July 22 to August 5 — a two-week delay for a book that was already scheduled at six weeks after the previous issue. No indication why, but DC did change the book from a 5-issue miniseries to a 6-issue miniseries. Even if Johns and Van Sciver were aiming for 6 issues from the start, it wouldn’t surprise me if they had some restructuring to do on #4.

So far, the schedules for issues #5 and #6 haven’t changed, so we could still see the series wrap by the end of September.

On a personal note, there’s a bit of a silver lining for me, since the original date was the zeroth day of Comic-Con International. I’d been trying to figure out the best way to buy the book, read it twice, and write up a full review on the same day that I’d be driving down to San Diego and attending Preview Night.

Update July 15: DC’s website now shows Flash: Rebirth #4 with a release date of August 12. That’s a full 3 weeks after the original release date, and a full 2 months after the previous issue. At this point it seems likely that issues 5 and 6 will be pushed back as well.

Update August 24: It’s coming out this week.

Creator Catch-Up: Video, Appearances, and a Twitter War

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Some linkblogging related to Flash writers and artists:

Long Beach Comic-Con announces the full guest list for their first convention, and Geoff Johns is on it.

Comic Book Resources has some video from the Earth-2 Comics grand opening a few weeks ago with Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and others.

Ethan Van Sciver will be signing at Comic Book Etc. in Woodstock, Georgia on July 18.

Newsarama interviews Mark Waid on Irredeemable.

Speaking of Mark Waid, he and Gail Simone got into a “Twitter War” yesterday, slinging silly accusations at each other and insisting that others choose sides. It’s a funny read, and you can catch up at @GailSimone and @MarkWaid.

Update: And one more Mark Waid story that I somehow missed: in Wednesday’s Cup o’ Joe column, he tells the story of a time when he was invited out to a signing at a comic store in a Vermont town, only to arrive and discover that there was no store…just “two comics fans who had pooled their lawnmowing money to pay for a LaGuardia-to-Vermont plane ticket for their very-soon-not-to-be-favorite writer so they could meet him and own him for a day.” It’s a really surreal story, and worth the read.

Flash Panels at Comic-Con 2009

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DC has posted their panel schedule for Comic-Con International. Some panels where the Flash is likely to come up include:

Thursday, July 23rd

2:15-3:15 Spotlight on Geoff Johns
He is the mastermind behind the smash-hit, critically acclaimed Flash: Rebirth and DC’s most anticipated book of the year, Green Lantern: Blackest Night. Wondering what makes Geoff Johns tick? Don’t miss this panel hosted by Eddie Berganza, Group Editor—DCU, interviewing one of the most exciting talents in the DCU. Room 6DE

Notes: I missed this one last year because it conflicted with a Robert J. Sawyer spotlight panel. I don’t regret going to the RJS panel, but I did miss some cool stuff at this one. With luck, I can make it this year.

5:00 -6:00 JSA: The Great Society
DC’s legendary super-team enters a new era with top talent and explosive storylines in the second half of 2009! Get the inside scoop on everything JSA right here including info on the exciting spin-off title Magog and the main series Justice Society of America from the creative minds behind the franchise. Hosted by DC’s Senior Group Editor, Mike Carlin, with top talents Bill Willingham (JSA), Matt Sturges (JSA), Freddie Williams (Final Crisis Aftermath: Run), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Jimmy Palmiotti (Power Girl) and more! Room 5AB

Friday, July 24th

3:00-4:00 DC NATION
Calling all NATION recruits! Bring your friends and hear top talent discuss where the DC NATION is heading from 2009 and beyond. Sr. VP – Executive Editor Dan DiDio hosts this exciting discussion with Ian Sattler, James Robinson, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and more! Join them for a VIP look into the most talked about stories and events of the summer! Room 6DE

Notes: I’ve been to DC Nation twice — once at last year’s CCI hosted by Dan DiDio, and once at this year’s WonderCon hosted by Ian Sattler. Say what you like about DiDio, but he really brings energy to the panels he hosts.

4:30-5:30 Wednesday Comics
Wednesday Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition by reinventing the classic newspaper comics section and filling it to the brim with today’s top talent and characters! Learn all you need to know about DC’s excitingly innovative weekly 12-issue series from the title’s mastermind, DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, and an all-star list of panelists! Believe us; you’ve never seen a panel or a project like this! Room 5AB

Notes: I’m not sure if I’ll make it to this one, but assuming the first few weeks of Wednesday Comics hold up to their promise, I’ll certainly make an effort.

Saturday, July 25th

12:45-2:00 DCU Editorial Presentation
Dan DiDio, Senior VP / Executive Editor DCU, Ian Sattler, Senior Story Editor—DCU, and countless DCU talent are gathering for a discussion that’s not to be missed. Now that Blackest Night is upon us, what lies ahead for your favorite heroes? Got a question for your favorite DCU creator? Come on by! There’s no greater gathering of top-tier creative talent! Room 6B

Notes: Generally, these are more or less DC Nation Part 1½. You get some retread from the previous day’s panel, then some new stuff, then the reader question-and-answer. I’ll have to see what this is up against.

2:15-3:15 Green Lantern: Blackest Night
The dead are rising in the DCU – who will survive when the Blank Lantern Corps attacks? This is your only chance to hear what’s coming up in Blackest Night, the most anticipated comic event of the year! Featuring all the key figures behind the biggest, coolest threat to the DCU in years! Hosted by Group Editor Eddie Berganza with Geoff Johns (Green Lantern), Pat Gleason (Green Lantern Corps) and others! Room 6QUAD

Notes: I have no idea what room 6QUAD is. Ordinarily I’d assume they meant 6CDEF, but I’ve seen 6DE listed on its own.

Sunday, July 26th

2:00–3:00 Sunday Conversation with Dan DiDio
As the con comes to a close, sit back and unwind as Dan DiDio and friends invite you to a relaxed Sunday afternoon comics discussion. Share your opinions and listen to others as some of comics’ biggest names talk about their love of all things comics. All are welcome, no RSVP required. Room 2

Notes: I’ve never been to one of these. Anyone else know what they’re like?

Not Just One Flash Book?

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From the latest 20 Questions with Dan Didio:

12. Is there word on a creative team for Flash post Rebirth? Obviously, it’s assumed that Geoff [Johns] will be writing it…

DD: Yes it is, it is assumed. (laughs)

NRAMA: What are the chances that Ethan will join him?

DD: Right now, we’ve got Ethan [Van Sciver] and Geoff pushing pretty hard on Flash: Rebirth, and once we get a little closer, we’ll be announcing the team on the Flash monthly comic. It’s all part of a bigger announcement, because it’s not just about one Flash book. [emphasis added]

Reeeeeallly…?

The obvious implication here is that there will be more than one Flash-related series spinning out of Flash: Rebirth. We can probably safely assume that one will be The Flash, starring Barry Allen, written by Geoff Johns. As for the other(s), Didio may simply be referring to the 3-issue miniseries, Blackest Night: The Flash, which starts in November. DC hasn’t announced the creative team for that book, either, so they could be planning to announce the mini and the ongoing together.

But what if he is talking about something more ambitious? What might a second Flash-related book be?

  • Kid Flash, starring Bart Allen?
  • Flash Family, starring Wally West and the twins?
  • Flashback (i.e. Flash: Classified), featuring stories of Barry, Wally, and/or Jay in times gone by?
  • All-Flash, starring a speedster team or rotating cast?
  • The Rogues, starring…well…the Rogues?

What else would you like to see? What else would you expect to see?

(via @collecteditions)