The “Zero Year” arc edition of The Flash finds a younger, pre-Flash Barry Allen on the streets of Gotham…and he isn’t the only citizen of the Gem Cities hanging around these mean streets. Manapul and Buccellato give us one last great story before their own move to Gotham City, complete with one “beginning” we see in this issue for the first time anywhere!
LIGHT SPOILERS ONLY
Heat Vision has a preview of Flash #25, out in stores next Wednesday. It’s a Zero Year tie-in, written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato — their last issue of Flash together before moving to Detective Comics — with art by Chris Sprouse and Karl Story.
In it, a pre-Flash Barry Allen and Iris West meet in Gotham City five years ago. “What crucial part did Barry Allen play in the Zero Year saga, and how did it shape his future as The Flash?”
Flash #25 arrives in stores on Wednesday, November 27.
As their three-year artistic, two years everything, Flash run comes to a close, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato have begun the transition into their new Gotham digs over in Detective Comics. Yesterday, as part of an interview with Newsarama and a post over at DC HQ, details continued to emerge on the team’s final act.
First, here is a plot summary and preview page (above) from Flash #25 via DC Comics:
In THE FLASH #25, you’ll meet a young Barry Allen before he’s realized his full potential as the Scarlet Speedster. A recent graduate from the Police Academy, Barry finds himself partnered with Harvey Bullock in Gotham City when he volunteers to go help the city deal with the chaos brought on by the events of “Zero Year.” But Harvey is not thrilled with working with someone so young and inexperienced, leaving Barry to team up with Gotham Gazette intern Iris West to help solve the case of a mysterious drug appearing on the streets of the city that is causing people to spontaneously burst into flames. And it’s in this first meeting between Barry and Iris that the “will they or won’t they” tension is introduced to their relationship.
Flash cowriter Brian Buccellato talks to Newsarama about the Flash’s role in Batman: Zero Year — or rather Barry Allen’s role — and about the three Villains Month one-shots featuring the Reverse-Flash, Rogues, and Gorilla Grodd.
Most interesting is what he says about Zero Year:
Well, I guess I can reveal one of the other characters. Our Zero Year issue is an important chapter in the history of Barry and Iris. And it ends with an important moment that took place in the past.
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The Zero Year issue will sort of explain why Iris feels the way she does. She goes to Gotham as a young reporter, and the two of them get involved in this adventure in Gotham City.
Another standout: his comments on how the Rogues differ from other villains.
The Rogues don’t want to run the world. They don’t want that. They have no evil machinations. They just want to clock in and do their job, which happens to be stealing stuff and robbing and getting money. That’s what they do. And then they want to clock out and have a beer and play pool and enjoy themselves. They’re working class villains. And they really don’t want the world handed to them on a platter.
Read the whole interview at Newsarama.
A quick round-up of Flash news from this week:
November’s Flash #25 will tie into Batman: Year Zero, with a pre-Flash Barry Allen traveling to Gotham City. Chris Sprouse and Karl Story provide art for the Francis Manapul/Brian Buccellato story. MTV Geek has the details and interviews Manapul and Buccellato.
CBR talks to Brian Buccellato about the three Flash “Villains Month” issues featuring Grodd, Reverse Flash and the Rogues.
DC has preview pages of Villains Month Week 1 including Grodd and Villains Month Week 2 including the Reverse Flash.
DC has decided to retool Justice League 3000 before launch. Kevin Maguire has been replaced after drawing an entire first issue that won’t be published, and Howard Porter will take over art on the series, which will be pushed back to a December launch.
Finally, Geoff Johns reveals the real premise behind Forever Evil: Earth’s Villains aren’t just taking over in the absence of the heroes, they’re fighting against someone worse: the Crime Syndicate, alternate-reality evil versions of the Justice League, back on Earth 3 in the New 52 multiverse. The article at IGN includes a promotional piece featuring new designs for the villains including the Crime Syndicate’s speedster, Johnny Quick.
