Tag Archives: Dan Didio

After Flash, It’s Vibe: Rebirth

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Ever since Barry Allen’s return from the dead was confirmed nearly a year ago, comics fans have been wondering who would be next to get the Rebirth treatment.

Now, the wait is over. With Flash: Rebirth hitting stores today, DC has announced that December 2009 will see the launch of Vibe: Rebirth, by the now-familiar team of Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver.

Vibe: Surprised

Vibe: What’s the Buzz?

In the early 1980s, the Justice League of America took on several new members as the “big guns” left the team. Paco Ramone, a Detroit gang leader with the ability to generate shock waves, decided to give up his life of crime and join the League as Vibe.

Vibe was a member of the Justice League from 1984 until 1987, when he was killed by one of Professor Ivo’s androids during the Legends crossover. He was the first member of the Justice League of America to die in the line of duty.

More than an Echo

On Tuesday, Ethan Van Sciver posted on his forum at the Comic Bloc:

Based on pre-sales success of Flash: Rebirth, Dan [Didio] has given me and Geoff the go-ahead to move forward with the next chapter in the Rebirth trilogy: Vibe: Rebirth.

Based on pre-release? It’s certainly not unprecedented. Just a few days ago, Paramount hired a writing team to write a sequel to the new Star Trek film, which won’t be out for another month.

When asked whether the artist would be able to hold to a schedule for another monthly project so close on the heels of Flash: Rebirth, he explained, “DC gave us a lot of lead time on Flash, so I should have plenty of time to get started on Vibe.”

“I hope this lays to rest any fears fans have about me being a ‘Silver-Age fanboy,’” Geoff Johns said. (Personally, given the tendency among many fans to think the Silver Age lasted right up to 1985, ignoring the Bronze Age entirely, I wouldn’t count on it.) When asked if he could provide any details of the story, he simply said, “Wait and see.”

Why Vibe? Why Now?

More detail came from Dan Didio, who told Newsarama:

It was really a melding of events. First of all, with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern all leaving the Justice League, Dwayne McDuffie wanted to try and bring back some of the feel of the Detroit-era League. And what character is most associated with that League? Vibe! Plus we had some very positive fan response to his appearances in Trinity. And orders for Flash: Rebirth have been phenomenal. We want to strike while the iron is hot, so I asked Ethan if he’d be interested, and he just jumped at the opportunity. Literally, he jumped. I could hear the thump on the other end of the phone.

There is a downside, though. Just as Ethan Van Sciver had to scale back his involvement with Blackest Night in order to do Flash: Rebirth, Geoff Johns won’t be available immediately for the post-Rebirth relaunch of The Flash. “I’m sure the fans will be happy to know,” Didio said, “that for the first six months of the ongoing, the Flash will be in Judd Winick’s capable hands.”

Winick himself was unavailable for comment.

Once Upon a Geek has more information, including an interview with Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver and background on Vibe and his successor, Reverb.

Update: The blogosphere is starting to hum with commentary: Crimson Lightning is disappointed to hear that Geoff Johns will be leaving the Flash once again. Justice League Detroit is upset, asking “What were they thinking?” Fortress of Baileytude, however, has been won over to enthusiastic support.

Update 2: This is, of course, an April Fool’s joke! Thanks to the Irredeemable Shag of Once Upon a Geek for planning the event — it was a lot of fun coming up with the fake quotes and trying to make things almost fit!

Vibe preliminary sketch

Didio on Flash Numbering

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So, will the post-Rebirth relaunch of The Flash start with #1, #351, #600…? Dan Didio answers in the latest 20 Answers and 1 Question at Newsarama.

14) The Flash relaunch after Flash: Rebirth. Will that continue with the old numbering, or will it launch with a new #1?

DD: There’s a strength to a #1 when we present it in initial sales, it creates that sense that this is a wonderful jump-on point. Everyone always comes and asks us what the best ways to attract new readers is, and one of the best methods we’ve got is putting a “#1” on something, because it helps the readers to feel that they’re getting in on the ground floor.

Conversely, the continuing numbering, once you get past those early numbers, those higher numbers creates that sense of history for those characters and gives the sense that they have longevity.

So we’re still discussing it, but I imagine you’re going to see a new Flash #1 after the end of Rebirth [emphasis added] – but we are discussing the overall numbering. The more interesting question is, if we do go to the original numbering, what number would we pick it up at? Some people would argue, with a good point, that the Wally West issues should add in there, but should the Bart issues? It’s an interesting argument. Right now, though, I’m thinking you’ll see a Flash #1 for sure.

I actually posed the question of what number picking things up with Flash number should start, and the argument in the room was very clear as to whether or not we would jump from Barry’s original run to this new run of Barry…but for right now, I feel very comfortable in saying that after Flash Rebirth, there will be a new Flash #1 – who that Flash is, I still can’t say.

“I still can’t say.” Yeah. As if anyone believes that they would go to all this effort to bring Barry back with a big event miniseries and relaunch, then put someone else behind the mask.

Also Flash-related in this round: a discussion of in-house advertising and why a sure-bet like Flash: Rebirth got a valuable double-page ad in last month’s DC books. And regarding “co-features,” he points out that they’ve been choosing characters for backup features whom they believe could carry their own ongoing or mini-series.

Flash News from MegaCon

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It seems that MegaCon revealed more Flash news, as Dan DiDio and Ethan Van Sciver both chose Florida over San Francisco.

Newsarama posts from DC Universe:

Next up, DiDio introduced Ethan Van Sciver—who spoke at length about Flash: Rebirth which hits shelves next month. Van Sciver expressed his enthusiasm for the project and working with Geoff Johns by saying, “This is the book that Geoff and I have been waiting to do our entire careers—we’re returning Barry Allen to the DC Universe,” which was followed by an eruption of cheers and applause from the audience. Indicating that could not talk at length about the project, Van Sciver still managed to tease the audience, “In the first issue, Barry Allen will discover a dead Flash that will lead him to investigate real truths and the scary reality of being a Flash.” He paused, “The only other thing I’ll mention: Issue #3— Superman/ Flash race,” which drew another round of applause from the audience.

Yeah, because that’s what the Flash mythos needs: even more death. 🙄

DiDio asked the audience potentially re-numbering a Flash monthly title. A fan reasoned, “Either 598 or 351—depending on which Flash is in the book.” The panel marveled at how quickly the fan had responded with the numbers.

They shouldn’t be surprised — fans have hashed the topic to death online, long before bringing it to the panel!

There was a short discussion regarding George Perez’s earlier work on New Teen Titans when it was pointed out that two fans in costume, one dressed as Wally West/Flash and the other dressed as Starfire, were both creations from Perez’s first run on New Teen Titans. They were asked to come to the stage—Perez greeted them both warmly and said, “Who knew that creating Starfire would lead to having women dress up like her at conventions…” drawing a healthy amount of laughter from the audience.

Um…no, Kid Flash was not a George Perez creation. He did draw Wally in New Teen Titans, of course…

Also from DC Nation:

QUESTION: DC has been bringing back characters – Barry Allen Flash, Oliver Queen Green Arrow – each had characters existing that took their place. Is there a reason they don’t take on their own identity? Such as the multiple Atoms, the multiple Flashes, the multiple Green Arrows…

DD – Sounds like a great idea for a story some day!

Flash: Rebirth #2 Cover and Didio on Why Barry?

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Newsarama’s latest 20 questions with Dan Didio is up, featuring a detailed response to the question, “Why bring Barry back when Wally has been the Flash for a whole generation of readers?” — and the cover to Flash: Rebirth #2, an homage to that classic Showcase #4 cover (previously reimagined for the collected edition of “The Return of Barry Allen”)

Showcase #4 Flash: Rebirth #2

Time to start worrying about dead speedsters?

The Q&A segment is long, so I’ll put it after the cut.

Continue reading →

Flash Hints from DC Nation at NYCC

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Mostly from coverage at Newsarama, though there’s more on CBR:

First post-resurrections reunion of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan? Blackest Night #0 and Flash: Rebirth #1, said Johns, who added that Blackest Night #0 will be free—as part of Free Comic Book Day.

“If Wally West is just going to be in Titans and guest starring in Flash, aren’t you basically making him Kid Flash again?” “Who said those would be the only books he’d be in,” asked Sattler.

Thank you, Ian Sattler, for at least implying that Wally isn’t being stuck in Titans alone.

Starman or Golden Age sequel? “I think the best sequel to the Golden Age was done by Mr. Darwyn Cooke,” said Robinson, referring to New Frontier. “As far as Starman, probably not, but I am doing a Shade origin miniseries.”

DiDio then brought a fan in a Kid Flash outfit up to the dais to pose for a picture with George Perez. The fan asked about the future of Bart Allen: “He’ll be in the 31st century in Legion of Three Worlds,” said Johns, adding that he’ll be back in the Flash universe as of Flash: Rebirth.

And from the lightning round of questions:

Max Mercury? “Uh…maybe,” said Johns.

Kid Flash back in Titans? “We have to fight about that.”

“How many Flashes will you kill in Blackest Night?” “Not enough,” said DiDio.

“Any chance of a Young Justice trade paperback?” “Not at this time,” said Wayne. The crowd didn’t like that much (or at least the vocal portion).

Anything coming up for the Rogues? “Yeah, it’s called Flash: Rebirth“

Dan Didio: Bringing Wally Back to his Roots

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Newsarama’s latest 20 Questions with Dan Didio is in video form, broken into 4 video clips with 5 questions each. The first clip includes the following:

OddballUK wrote: Flash: Rebirth begins in April. While I’m looking forward to the mini and reading about Barry, my question is how happy you think fans of Wally will be over his involvement in the mini and status in the DCU when it concludes?

I think we’re going to treat Wally with the same level of respect Kyle was treated in with the Hal Jordan Rebirth. So I’m hoping Wally fans are going to be excited. We’re going to be bringing Wally back to some of his roots, and more importantly, there’s going to be plenty of Wally in the DCU in 2009 with Rebirth and following Rebirth as well.

On one hand this is good news for Wally fans: Wally won’t be simply racing off into the sunset. On the other hand: What exactly does he mean by returning Wally to his roots?

His roots as a hero in the public eye, loved by the people he protects for being one of them and not hiding his identity? (I could go with that.)

His roots as the speedster who has to eat 50,000 calories a day to maintain his speed? (I could deal with it, but it would be annoying.)

His roots as a single guy who “moves fast?” (Throw Linda and the kids under a bus so that he won’t seem “too old.” No, thanks.)

His roots as the Titans’ resident conservative caricature? (Do we really need this?)

His roots as a teenage sidekick?

It really depends how far they want to go back, doesn’t it?

And of course Kyle Rayner fans are divided as to how well he’s been treated since Hal Jordan’s return.