Tag Archives: Solicitations

Release Date & More Detail on Flash #1

Bleeding Cool has what appears to be the full solicitation text for the 52 DC Comics titles launching in September, including The Flash.

THE FLASH #1

Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Variant cover by IVAN REIS and TIM TOWNSEND
On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The Fastest Man Alive returns to his own monthly series from the writer/artist team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato! The Flash knows he can’t be everywhere at once, but what happens when he faces an all-new villain who really can! As if that’s not bad enough, this villain is a close friend!

What’s New compared to the first announcement? The release date, the variant cover credit, and the news that the new villain is a close friend. Since coming back from the dead in Flash: Rebirth, Barry doesn’t seem to have any close friends outside the super-hero community, but who knows what’s been changed in the wake of Flashpoint. Could this be a returning character or a new one?

Let the speculation begin!

Update (Monday): DC’s official solictations confirm the additional details.

Flash Reboot Creative Team: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato (UPDATED)

DC has announced ten of the new titles and their creative teams launching as part of their massive universe-wide revamp this September, including The Flash #1.

Rising superstar Francis Manapul, fresh off his acclaimed run on THE FLASH with Geoff Johns, makes his comics writing debut in THE FLASH #1, sharing both scripting and art duties with Brian Buccellato. The Flash knows he can’t be everywhere at once, but what happens when he faces an all-new villain who can? The cover to issue #1 is by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato.

Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato on art? An all-new villain in the first issue?

DC just found a way to keep me reading!

Obviously Manapul as a writer is an unknown quantity, but I love his art on the book, and the way Buccellato colors it. And assigning him the book now seems like a clear vote of confidence from DC upper management, further supporting the idea that he wasn’t solely responsible for the delays in Flash vol.3. I’d hazard a guess that a big part of it was Geoff Johns being tied up with preparations for the universe-wide reboot. That’s got to have been time consuming.

Update: Francis Manapul, addressing concerns about the team’s writing experience, posted the following on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/FrancisManapul/statuses/76339587789766656

As far as what’s in store for the Scarlet Speedster:

https://twitter.com/#!/FrancisManapul/status/76343324516159488

Buccellato adds:

https://twitter.com/#!/BrianBooch/status/76344568219570176

Update: Here’s why I’m calling this Flash vol.4.

Update: Bob Wayne’s second letter to retailers insists: “this is the launch of the New DCU. It is not a ‘reboot.’ I think you will soon discover why that is.” My take, based on what I’ve seen in today’s announcements, is that they’re basically doing what they did after Crisis on Infinite Earths, just in a more coordinated manner. The key difference being, it seems that this isn’t going all the way back to the beginning for every character. We’ll have to see what that means for the Flash. I just hope it means we won’t be reading updated versions of old stories every few months.

(More reports & commentary: CNN, Comics Alliance, The Beat, Comics Should Be Good, Robot 6, Comics Nexus, Newsarama, Firestorm Fan.)

DC Retroactive Flash Comics for August

DC has released covers and slightly more detailed descriptions of the 1980s and 1990s-themed Retroactive Flash specials in their August solicitations, along with the official info on the “Road to Flashpoint” collection.

DC RETROACTIVE: THE FLASH – THE ’80S #1
Written by WILLIAM MESSNER-LOEBS
Art and cover by GREG LAROCQUE

From the minds that brought you the Scarlet Speedster’s adventures in the 1980s comes a brand new adventure from that exciting era, along with a classic tale from that same decade.

ONE-SHOT • On sale AUGUST 3 • 56 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

This cover should put to rest any question about which Flash is starring in this issue.

DC RETROACTIVE: THE FLASH – THE ’90S #1
Written by BRIAN AUGUSTYN
Art and cover by MIKE BOWDEN

During the ’90s, Wally West took the title “The Fastest Man Alive” to a whole new level. Join the the writer who turned the sidekick into a hero in his own right for another race against evil, along with a classic tale from that decade.

ONE-SHOT • On sale AUGUST 17 • 56 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

At the time DC solicited the 1970s special, they didn’t have a cover yet and posted style guide art instead.

THE FLASH: THE ROAD TO FLASHPOINT HC
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by FRANCIS MANAPUL and SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

Make way for Hot Pursuit – the latest speedster to come out of the Speed Force! He’s here to make sure no one breaks the speed limit – hero or villain! And just wait until you see whose face is under Hot Pursuit’s helmet!

This hardcover collection of THE FLASH #8-12 leads up to FLASHPOINT, the biggest comic-book event for summer 2011!

On sale OCTOBER 26 • 128 pg, FC, $22.99 US

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3 (Solicit & Cover)

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

Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #3 (Solicit and Cover)

FLASH FACT: Central City’s greatest hero’s darkest secret will be exposed.

FLASHPOINT: CITIZEN COLD #3
Written by SCOTT KOLINS
Art and cover by SCOTT KOLINS
On sale AUGUST 10 * 3 of 3, 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US * RATED T

Thoughts: Flashpoint #1 suggests that Citizen Cold isn’t the perfect hero he claims to be, and in fact the police suspect him of murder.

Also, the Rogues on here, for those who might not be familiar with all of them, include Fallout and Tar Pit alongside more familiar faces like Trickster, Mirror Master and Weather Wizard.