Just a quick note for those who haven’t seen it: CBR interviews Sterling Gates about Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost. In addition to the current book, he talks about his connection to Bart Allen, how that grew out of a connection to Wally West, and the fact that he’s pitched a Kid Flash series to DC three times since 2007.
DC has released previews of several Flashpoint issues coming out next week, including Flashpoint: Reverse-Flash and Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1.
They also offer a little more information on The Source. Flashpoint: Reverse-Flash has a new, more intriguing catchphrase: “The man I’d give anything to kill has to live…or I die.” Writer Scott Kolins adds, “Flash’s arch nemesis sets up Flash’s greatest trial in this issue.”
As for Kid Flash Lost, Bart Allen also remembers the original timeline, and brings in Hot Pursuit to help…but is this the same Hot Pursuit? Sterling Gates explains:
KID FLASH LOST is a FLASHPOINT mystery, as Bart and the mysterious character known as Hot Pursuit try to unravel what has happened when the world they wake up in is not their own. Bart will deal with many of the character threads set up in Geoff Johns’ “Road to Flashpoint” storyarc even as he confronts the greatest danger the 31st century has ever seen.
One thing that makes these two tie-ins unusual is that they both focus on the main-timeline versions of the lead characters. It sounds like the Reverse-Flash book is a mix of origin story and creating the Flashpoint world, while Kid Flash will be facing the same kinds of questions that the Flash is facing in the main series, and Booster Gold is facing in his own book.
On a side note: it’s interesting to see that they brought back the One Year Later–era Flash logo for the Reverse-Flash one-shot.
Today, DC announced its teenage superhero titles, including the new Teen Titans series.
Tim Drake is forced to step out from behind his keyboard when an international organization seeks to capture or kill super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he must team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and a hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash in TEEN TITANS #1, by Scott Lobdell and artists Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund.
Tim Drake’s actually named. That’s clearly Cassie and Connor. Not sure about the other two women, but Jim Lee mentions adding new characters. As for Kid Flash, they seem to be going out of their way not to name him. His personality sounds like Bart Allen, but the shoulder symbol is the one usually used for Wally West. Can Dan Didio shed some light on this?
All of these characters have history with the DC Universe that existed before the team is built, but it might be just slightly different. But I think in capturing the voice and the spirit of these characters, I think they’re exactly who people think they are.
Newsarama adds that it’s Bart Allen, which certainly fits with Didio’s “exactly who people think they are” statement.
I wonder if he’ll still be a time-traveler? If he’ll still be Barry’s grandson? He could be a distant descendant (the way the Tornado Twins originally were in the Silver Age), which would remove one of the problematic aspects of Barry Allen’s return (namely that he’s supposed to be ~30 and has a teenage grandson, and even though he’s capable of traveling through time, he doesn’t use the ability to actually raise his kids).
13 titles left. Barry and Bart Allen are confirmed. Is there a place in the new DCU for Jay Garrick or Wally West?
Update: Several people, including Craig MacDonald and Scott Mateo, pointed me to this second image, which appears to be the actual cover for Teen Titans #1.
Update 2: Live Pa pointed out that there’s some more info in the discussion on Brett Booth’s blog.
We saw the cover last week, and now DC has released the solicitation for Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3.
FLASH FACT: Bart is back, but now he must find his way home.
FLASHPOINT: KID FLASH LOST #3
Written by STERLING GATES
Art by OLIVER NOME
Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale AUGUST 24 * 3 of 3, 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US * RATED T
DC keeps reminding us that this week’s The Flash #12 is the final issue of the series. But we all know that the series is coming back, one way or another. The Flash is one of DC’s foundational* series that only ever gets canceled to pave the way for a relaunch.
So we know The Flash will be back in some form after Flashpoint. But how?
Most likely it’ll be called The Flash, and as long as Dan Didio and Geoff Johns are in charge it’s a safe bet that it’ll star Barry Allen. The question is, will it be…
For that last option, I added the series up a while back and came up with ways they could launch at #625 or #630. There’s also the Flash #351 approach some people have suggested, which is odd, because it includes both the Golden and Silver Age numbers but skips over the last 25 years of Flash comics.
If Flashpoint is a big turning point for the Flash, they might go for a new title, maybe All-Flash vol.2 #1 (Gotta keep those titles in trademark!)
Who will write it? Geoff Johns could. He’s said he can do 3 monthly books, and with Brightest Day over, he’s committed to Green Lantern and Aquaman. But he’s also busy with his job as Chief Creative Officer. Could it be time for someone else?
How about art? After the way things went with this run, it probably won’t be Francis Manapul on the next ongoing. Scott Kolins seems to found a niche as the go-to-guy for “quick draw” Flash books, so he might return full-time. Or we might see someone entirely new.
When will it start? Most likely it’ll launch right after Flashpoint (or 3 months later to keep spoilers out of solicitations), but DC might run a miniseries first.
Secret Origin. Geoff Johns has said on several occasions that he wants to do Flash: Secret Origin, and at last year’s Baltimore Comic Con it was suggested that it would follow the second story arc on The Flash. (At the time, my guess was that Secret Origin would run through the main title while Flashpoint ran in its own miniseries, though that obviously isn’t happening.) I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he and Francis Manapul started working on this behind the scenes during Flashpoint, with Flash: Secret Origin launched as a miniseries after Flashpoint concludes. If that happens, I’d guess that DC will wait until Secret Origin is finished before relaunching The Flash again.
Kid Flash. At SDCC 2009, Geoff Johns announced plans for a Kid Flash series by Sterling Gates, launching in 2010 alongside the Flash relaunch. This was eventually scrapped, though Gates is writing the Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost miniseries. If it sells well, I would not at all be surprised to see a Kid Flash ongoing spin out of the event.
Speed Force. At SDCC 2010, Geoff Johns announced plans for a second Flash series, Speed Force, featuring Wally West and Bart Allen, launching in 2011. Most likely this would be a rotating cast like JSA Classified. It’s only occasionally been mentioned since then, and unlike Kid Flash, it doesn’t have as obvious a hook from Flashpoint…that we know of.
Chances are that we’ll see Speed Force or Kid Flash spin out of Flashpoint, but not both.
Flash: Secret Origin sounds like a good bet, though, whether before the new ongoing series launches or side by side with it.
*To use Grumpy Old Fan’s term for those books that are essentially cancellation-proof, since they’ve been in publication almost continuously since 1960 or longer.
Timed with Newsarama’s interview with Sterling Gates, DC has released Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato’s final cover for Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost.
This one continues the falling theme, which you can see with the covers for #1 and #2. Continue reading