Tag Archives: showcase presents

Flash Collections in 2015: Future Flash/Mashup TPB and Showcase Moves into the 70s

The Beat has a list of upcoming DC collected editions, including two coming up in June that should be of interest to Flash fans:

The Flash Vol. 6 (The New 52)
Robert Venditti, Van Jensen, Brett Booth
On Sale Date: June 23, 2015
$16.99 USD
176 pages
Trade Paperback

Summary: The start of a new era for the Fastest Man Alive! In the future, The Flash is a broken man. His powers have failed him time and again at great cost to him and the city he has sworn to protect. Now he’s coming back to the current time to stop the one event that destroyed his life. Meanwhile, in the present, Barry Allen must contend with thieves trying to capitalize on the devastation of FOREVER EVIL. It’s a tale of two timelines that ushers in one of The New 52’s most anticipated character debuts!

THE FLASH VOL. 6 begins a brand new era for the Scarlet Speedster, from writer Robert Venditti (GREEN LANTERN), Van Jensen (GREEN LANTERN CORPS) and artist Brett Booth (NIGHTWING, TEEN TITANS). Collects THE FLASH #30-34 and THE FLASH ANNUAL #3.

Well, I guess that answers the question about hardcovers. Starting with vol.5, the New 52 Flash is going straight from monthlies to paperbacks.

There is one thing odd about this solicitation: As I understand it, the storyline launched in Flash Annual 3 continues in next week’s Flash: Future’s End and wraps in next month’s Flash #35, with a new storyline starting in Flash #36. It seems like that would be a more logical place to break it. Sure, it would be a little long at effectively 9 issues (I’m counting the annual as two), but there are several other New 52 trades on the same list that clock in at a 200-250 page count.

Showcase Presents: The Flash Vol. 5
Robert Kanigher, Irv Novick
On Sale Date: June 23, 2015
$19.99 USD
528 pages
Trade Paperback

Summary: Over 500 pages of classic super hero adventure are collected in this value-priced volume!
The Fastest Man Alive is back in this new collection of tales from the 1960s. In this fifth volume, The Flash faces foes from his Rogues Gallery including Captain Cold, and faces difficulties include amnesia, his girlfriend, Iris Allen, being granted invulnerability, and much more.

Collects THE FLASH #185-208.

One of DC’s reprint lines has finally brought the Flash into the 1970s! I’ve criticized DC before for its tendency to start a complete reprint run with the early Silver Age stories, then the next time they introduce a new format, start over with the same early Silver Age stories, never moving past around 1964.

Showcase Presents: The Flash Vol.5 brings the black-and-white reprint series up to August 1971. I wouldn’t count on the Archives or Chronicles getting there anytime soon.

Incidentally: Someone needs to tell whichever PR group wrote that summary that Barry and Iris were married at the time. I mean, the name “Iris Allen” ought to be a clue…

Annotations: The Trial of the Flash, #336 – “Murder on the Rocks”

This Week: Flash #13, Showcase vol.4, Digital Flashbacks

Out this week, it’s The Flash #13 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato. “Gorilla Warfare” begins as Grodd and his army attack Central City and the Flash is forced to team up with the Rogues to defend it.

Showcase Presents: The Flash vol.4

This week also sees the release of Showcase Presents: The Flash vol.4, continuing DC’s low-cost black-and-white reprints from the Silver Age. This 500+ page volume features Flash #162-184, covering the mid-1960s as Barry Allen fights classic Rogues and teams up with Jay Garrick and Green Lantern. Written by John Broome, Gardner Fox, E. Nelson Bridwell, Cary Bates, and Frank Robbins with art by Carmine Infantino, Ross Andru and others.

Here’s what I said about the contents when it was announced:

Let’s take a quick look at what’s in here. Barry Allen and Iris West’s wedding…Reverse-Flash…oh, no, it’s the Mopee story!…a three-Flash team-up with Wally West and Jay Garrick…the Stupendous Triumph of the Six Super-Villains with the now-iconic, frequently-homaged cover of the Rogues standing over the Flash’s dead body…the second Superman/Flash race (the first was in the pages of Superman)…the Giant-Head Flash…Cary Bates’ first Flash story, introducing Earth-Prime…the Samuroids…and the Most Tragic Day. They stories 1966-1968, as the Flash inches its way from Silver-Age goofiness toward the more serious (but still odd) Bronze Age.

In the digital realm, ComiXology continues its re-releases of Flash (Wally West) and Impulse. Flash #66 features a team-up with Aquaman. Flash #67 is the first half of a two-parter featuring the return of Abra Kadabra and a new look at the 64th Century from which he came. Mark Waid writes and Greg LaRocque draws both issues.

Impulse #26, Mark Waid’s final issue, sees the teens of Manchester occupying the local shopping mall to protest a curfew. Impulse #27 by Tom Peyer and Sal Buscema features the first appearance of Arrowette, who would go on to become a member of Young Justice.

Upcoming Flash Collections: Move Forward (New 52 vol.1) & Showcase Presents vol.4

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Showcase Presents: The Flash vol.4

DC Comics’ full solicitations are up for September 2012 monthlies and the next few months of collections.

THE FLASH VOL. 1: MOVE FORWARD HC

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale NOVEMBER 7 • 192 pg, FC, $24.99 US

In this first DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 collection of THE FLASH, Mob Rule wages a campaign of crime across Central City, plunging the city into darkness! The only way The Flash can save his city is to make his brain function even faster than before – but as much as it helps him, it also comes at a steep price.
Collects issues #1-8 of the original monthly series.

DC first told us about this collection back in January, but didn’t announce a firm release date at the time. Collecting Flash v.4 #1-8 covers the opening “Mob Rule” arc, the two-parter with Captain Cold, and the one-shot in the Speed Force introducing Turbine.

The Flash: Move Forward is available for pre-order now.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE FLASH VOL. 4 TP

Written by JOHN BROOME, GARDNER FOX, E. NELSON BRIDWELL, CARY BATES and FRANK ROBBINS
Art by CARMINE INFANTINO, ROSS ANDRU and others
Cover by CARMINE INFANTINO and JOE GIELLA
On sale OCTOBER 24 • 528 pg, B&W, $19.99 US

The Flash faces Heat Wave, Gorilla Grodd and Captain Cold, and meets Green Lantern, Superman and the Golden Age Flash!
Collects THE FLASH #162-184.

Let’s take a quick look at what’s in here. Barry Allen and Iris West’s wedding…Reverse-Flash…oh, no, it’s the Mopee story!…a three-Flash team-up with Wally West and Jay Garrick…the Stupendous Triumph of the Six Super-Villains with the now-iconic, frequently-homaged cover of the Rogues standing over the Flash’s dead body…the second Superman/Flash race (the first was in the pages of Superman)…the Giant-Head Flash…Cary Bates’ first Flash story, introducing Earth-Prime…the Samuroids…and the Most Tragic Day. They stories 1966-1968, as the Flash inches its way from Silver-Age goofiness toward the more serious (but still odd) Bronze Age.

Showcase Presents: The Flash vol.4 is also available for pre-order.

Annotations: The Trial of the Flash, #331 – “Dead Heat!”