As we left the Trinity War arc in Justice League, it appeared to everyone that Superman had killed Dr. Light…even Superman thinks he did it. The battle is on between the Justice League and the JLA, with Amanda Waller pulling every string that she can…and with someone else behind all of this!
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD
With Comic-Con International on the verge of taking over the comics press cycle and fan collective mind for the next week, DC Comics has announced their next animated feature after Flashpoint Paradox: Justice League: War in 2014, based on the first storyline in the New 52 Geoff Johns/Jim Lee Justice League series.
This is the first New 52 storyline to be adapted to animation. Some of the voice case has been announced, including Chris Gorham (Covert Affairs, The Batman) as the Flash.
More info at Newsarama and Comic Book resources.
Every universe-spanning event has to have a trigger event, and the first major spark of “Trinity War” is found right here in Justice League #22. This is a credible start – not as awe-inspiring as Crisis on Infinite Earths but certainly better than watching Libra kill Martian Manhunter in Final Crisis. Whether this will be a great series or something a little more forgettable has yet to be decided…but there are a few highlights…and low lights…to be found in this initial chapter:
SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
Flash comics out this week:
Justice League #22: “Trinity War part 1! The death of a hero ignites a violent war among the Justice Leagues! It’s League vs. League vs. League as an impending darkness approaches the DC Universe. Continued in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (2013- ) #6.”
And in digital backissues, DC seems to be alternating Flash and Impulse now as they add to their back catalog at ComiXology.
Impulse #73. Part 1 of “Dark Tomorrow,” Bart pursues Carol to the future where he finds that someone close to him has created an army of super-speedsters who answer only to the President of Earth – a President named Thawne.
Hey Speed Readers,
DC Collectibles released their solicits for November 2013 and there is only one real item of interest for New 52 Flash fans:
DC COMICS—THE NEW 52 SUPER HEROES VS. SUPER-VILLAINS ACTION FIGURE 7-PACK
The battle between good and evil rages on with this special 7-pack action figure set that includes Aquaman, The Flash, Batman, Catwoman, The Joker, Captain Cold, and Black Manta!
FEATURES:
All-New Aquaman Head Sculpt and Sceptre
The Flash Metallic Redeco
Batman Metallic Redeco
All-New Catwoman Action Figure
The Joker and Captain Cold Redeco
*Action Figures* $99.95 US • On Sale November 2013
*Allocations May Occur
Nothing too exciting if you plan on just purchasing the Captain Cold figure separately in September, but since I’ve been trying to build and expand my own DC Universe in action figure form, Catwoman, The Joker, and Black Manta will come in quite handy. I have to decide which Batman and Aquaman I prefer to have in my display but I have a feeling they will both be joining that new Flash figure in my Justice League team. Batman looks especially boss with that darker color scheme.
The Flash collector in me will be thrilled to have a Flash with the lightning seams painted in and that excellent metallic sheen reminiscent of the Kotobukiya Flash statue. I’m not sure what exactly is different about the Captain Cold redeco (maybe that icey arm?) but I won’t mind having two; one to put with my Secret Society of Super Villains display and one to put with my Rogues display.
These figures usually retail for about $24.99 a piece so even at the regular price of $99.95 this set is a steal. Of course I’m going to keep an eye out for a deal similar to what I found on the We Can Be Heroes 7 pack set but they only come out to about 14 bucks at regular price which isn’t bad.
While I’m not too upset about the exclusive figures being packed in with figures I already have I can understand the frustrations of others. Catwoman, Katana, and Vibe are figures that can only acquired by purchasing figures that many of us have already procured. They feature some new additions like head sculpts and paint jobs but they are still the exact same character. I understand the logic that it could possibly help to move little known characters like Vibe and Katana by packing them in with more popular heroes and playing on their in-story connections (Vibe’s abilities can disrupt the Speed Force and Katana has been chosen to join the JLofA to counteract Wonder Woman) but the target audience is pretty much going to be buying the very first (and probably only figures) of Vibe and Katana anyway. It seems more like them trying to artificially inflate the price by giving us something we already have. Yeah, Flash features a new head sculpt (or more accurately his original head sculpt) but is it enough to justify the $39.95 price point?
I’ve praised DC Collectibles in the past for their 7 pack releases and I will continue to do so with this one. Yeah there are 3 figures that most of us probably don’t need, but for the patient this is a chance to get 4 figures in one fell swoop and for a fraction of the cost. As long as you aren’t a super completist and need things like weapons and accessories you should be good.
So what do you all think of DC Collectibles’ latest offering? Who plans on picking up this 7 pack in addition to the single of Captain Cold? Let us know in the comments below.
Warner Bros. has released box art and further details for the July 30 release of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the home video animated feature based on 2011’s Flashpoint miniseries. Casting was announced yesterday, with Justin Chambers and Kevin McKidd as Flash (Barry Allen) and Batman (Thomas Wayne).
According to comicbook.com, the special features include:
Update: World’s Finest has more details including a synopsis:
When time travel allows a past wrong to be righted for Flash and his family, the event’s temporal ripples prove disastrous, creating a fractured, alternate reality where the Justice League never formed, and even Superman is nowhere to be found. Amidst a new world being ravaged by a fierce war between Wonder Woman’s Amazons and Aquaman’s Atlanteans, Flash must team with a grittier, more violent Batman and government agent Cyborg to restore the continuity of Flash’s original timeline.
Jim Krieg (Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Batman: The Brave and the Bold) adapted the script, with Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) directing and James Tucker (Superman: Unbound) producing.
So, what episodes from the vault would you like/expect to see? I’m hoping for “Speed Demons” from Superman, “A Mirror Darkly” from The Batman, “Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster” from Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and of course “Flash and Substance” from Justice League Unlimited. Though I can imagine they might go for alternate reality stories instead.