Tag Archives: Brightest Day

Retro Review: Flash #2

Sorry this review is so late. Things just kept coming up, and I pushed it further and further back. Then my local comic store didn’t receive their order of The Flash #3 on time (Diamond sent them extra copies of Deadpool Team-Up instead), so I haven’t had a chance to read the new issue…and it occurs to me that this is my last chance to review The Flash #2 before reading issue #3!

So, on to the review!

I’m still enjoying this series a lot more than I did Flash: Rebirth. Francis Manapul’s artwork has a lot to do with that, but also the fact that they’re just telling stories about a guy with super-speed instead of trying so hard to justify why they’re telling stories about this guy with super-speed.

Admittedly not a whole lot happens in this issue, but it continues to move as quickly as the previous chapter did. I expect that when “The Dastardly Death of the Rogues” is finished, pairing it with a collection of Silver-Age stories like Flash vs. The Rogues will provide a great example of the change in comic-book storytelling styles from 1960 to 2010.

The expected confrontation with the Renegades is cut short, leaving the rest of the issue divided between the mystery aspects (presented through Barry Allen’s civilian life) and a visit with Captain Boomerang, providing the Brightest Day connection advertised on the cover. Also: the Flash evacuates, then rebuilds an apartment building at super-speed. Once again, the issue ends on a cliffhanger, only this time it has to do with Barry Allen, rather than the Flash.

Francis Manapul’s artwork continues to stand out, especially in sequences like the apartment evacuation, though there are some places where it seems a bit more static than last issue. Last issue I thought his faces seemed a bit off, but this time I started noticing the way he handles expressions. There are a couple of sequences where he really makes use of changing expressions with similar panel layouts. The last two pages stand out, as does a sequence earlier in which a girl complains that she lost her doll in the building collapse. (His attention to detail holds as well. If you flip back a few pages, there she is…and there’s her doll.)

Okay, spoiler time!

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Flash #4 Delayed One Week

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According to Diamond/Previews’ shipping updates, Flash #4 has been pushed back one week from July 28 to August 4. (Hat tip to Jay75 on Comic Bloc)

In the discussion on Comic Bloc, trmnlvlctyyy pointed out that Francis Manapul has been traveling a lot filming a TV show, which probably interferes with his time to work on the art.

On the other hand…how many comics is Geoff Johns writing these days? Add in the fact that Brightest Day is biweekly and has to be a priority, and he’s got that new job wrangling all of DC’s media adaptations, and you’ve got to wonder just where we should be pointing the finger.

Flash #3 is still scheduled to arrive in stores next Wednesday, as can be seen on Diamond’s upcoming releases list.

Flash #3 Preview

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DC has posted a 5-page preview of next week’s The Flash #3.

It may be BRIGHTEST DAY, but when a mysterious group of so-called heroes turns up, another Rogue ends up dead. Plus, the mystery deepens as The Flash witnesses another murder — his own!

The preview picks up the Brightest Day angle and focuses on Captain Boomerang. “Digger” Harkness discovers that he’s a bit…different now that he’s back from the dead. It’s an interesting development, but if what’s seen here can be taken at face value, I’m not sure it’s necessary. It seems like a second attempt (after Owen’s super-speed) to give a villain who throws weaponized boomerangs an extra edge. It’s an odd choice for Geoff Johns, who managed to revitalize the rest of the Rogues simply by taking them seriously.

The Flash #3 arrives in stores next week, on June 30.

Update: I’ve added this issue to my gallery of Dead Flash Covers!

Speed Reading: Spotlight, Uni-Formz, Gratuitous Storytelling and More

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Other Comics

Collected Editions looks into the question: will the Young Justice cartoon series bring us any new YJ collections? They’ve also updated the DC Trade Paperback Timeline.

Multiversity Comics discusses gratuitous storytelling in recent comics, particularly DC and Marvel. *cough*Rise of Arsenal*cough*

Comics Should Be Good compares various artists’ approach to super-heroic posture.

Comics Nexus notes a trend in current DC Comics and concludes that Geoff Johns must be stopped. Is the tendency to tie everything together good for comics…or is it hurting them in favor of media adaptations? There’s a follow-up post, too, which amounts to, we really don’t think he’s the problem, honest!

Speaking of Geoff Johns, IGN interviews DC’s Chief Creative Officer about Brightest Day and the Rebirth of the DC Universe.

Brightest Day Captain Boomerang HeroClix Announced

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Digger Harkness will be getting his second HeroClix in October when they release The Brightest Day Action Pack. Boomerang will be released alongside several other key characters from DC Comic’s white hot bi-weekly series Brightest Day, including: Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond), Aquaman, Osiris, Martian Manhunter (half martian, half Black Lantern), Hawkgirl, and Deadman. I really only collect Flash-related items so I will definitely be picking up Captain Boomerang, but the rest of the characters look pretty good too. You can check out Brightest Day Captain Boomerang below:

I mentioned that this is Digger’s second HeroClix. The first being released a few years back as part of the 2007 Justice League Set. This was the washed up version of Digger from his later years (primarily Identity Crisis):

I don’t like to compare ‘Clix usually, unless I have them in hand, but the second Boomer looks a lot better than the first. Of course the older one is supposed to be the washed up version and this newer one was released 3 years later and is supposed to be Digger rejuvenated, so I guess it makes sense that it looks a lot cleaner. I am really liking the new Boomer character design too. Although I’m not usually a fan of designs with trench coats, I can make an exception with characters like Digger that carry a large amount of weapons on their person (in this case lethal boomerangs). It makes perfect sense for storage purposes. I will of course reserve final judgement until it arrives, but I like what I’m seeing so far. Which reminds me: I’ve gotten eight new Flash-related ‘Clix over the last few months and I still have yet to do a write up on them. I was waiting for Blue Lantern Barry Allen to arrive and it finally got here a couple days ago. I will definitely have to make an effort to do this asap.

A little bit of Flash HeroClix trivia before we go:

In addition to Digger Harkness, only one other Flash villain has had two different HeroClix releases in two different sets; Who is it?

–Devin “The Flash” Johnson

Flash #6 Solicitation and Cover

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DC’s Brightest Day solicitations for September are up, including…

The Flash #6

Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:10 Variant cover by ALE GARZA & SANDRA HOPE

BRIGHTEST DAY dashes on with the stunning conclusion of “The Dastardly Deaths of the Rogues!” With Barry caught between the Rogues and the Renegades, the resurrected Captain Boomerang’s role in the adventure is revealed! You won’t believe how this leads to the upcoming FLASHPOINT…

On sale SEPTEMBER 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

So if “The Dastardly Death of the Rogues” wraps up in #6, but the collection covers #1 through #7, presumably we’ve got a done-in-one story coming up in October.

And they’re already starting to plug Flashpoint.

In related news, DC has rescheduled The Flash from the beginning of each month to the end. Flash #3 is now June 30, Flash #4 has been moved from July 14 to July 28, and Flash #5 is now August 25 (previously August 18) — all in keeping with the September 22 date they just gave for #6.

Speed Force

Tracking the Flash – the Fastest Man Alive