Flash #1 Preview by Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul

“Thought we were meeting 4 breakfast? where r u?”

“Behind you.”

*Whoosh*

And with that 4-page introduction, I’m sold.

Of course, that was never in question given the character and creative team but what an opening nonetheless! That’s classic Flash, it makes me smile like I did when I was a kid witnessing that speed for the first time, and I can’t wait for this.

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‘Flash’ by Geoff Johns and Francis Manupal

Well, this is awesome news, if a little late on my part (which somehow seems appropriate given we’re talking about Barry Allen)! I’ve been up to my eyeballs in textbooks so pardon my enthusiasm upon finally hearing the news!

Remember how we announced that after the completion of THE FLASH: REBIRTH and BLACKEST NIGHT, writer Geoff Johns would be writing a new ongoing FLASH series? One thing we didn’t mention was the name of his artistic collaborator. Johns will be teaming up with none other than superstar artist Francis Manapul to chronicle the adventures of the Scarlet Speedster next year.

The pair knocked it out of the park with their amazing work on ADVENTURE COMICS, so having Johns and Manapul continue their magic partnership with one of the DCU’s most iconic characters was definitely a no-brainer. They finish up their run on ADVENTURE COMICS with January¹s #6 to get ready for FLASH #1, which kicks off the high-octane and mysterious storyline ‘The Dastardly Death of the Rogues!’

Add to the mix the news that Paul Levitz will be scripting the adventures of the Legion in Adventure Comics once more, that Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3) is likely my ‘game of the year’ and I have to congratulate DC for really knocking it out of the park the last few months! Can’t wait for this, obviously, but in the meantime I better get back to the books…

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The Flash, Karl Kerschl & Wednesday Comics

While I’m not all that keen on the weekly cover price of $3.99 (a price point that will likely force me to wait until a collection of sorts) I’ve been awfully impressed by everything I’ve seen in regards to DC’s Wednesday’s Comics initiative. And inevitably, every other day, some super artist/creator attached to the project releases this amazing preview art that makes the long wait I’ll have to endure seem pretty unbearable.  But what can you do, life is hard like that and this Flash preview by Karl Kerschl featuring Barry Allen (promises of Iris), Grodd and a couple talking gorillas is just plain awesome, saying nothing of the retro title header! Kerschl drew a killer Flash in the pages of All Flash and this looks to exceed even that worthwhile effort.  There’s a lot of storytelling in these panels, it looks like we’re all in for a real treat, and I’m glad as heck that Barry Allen is a part of it.  Talk about getting back into the public consciousness…quickly.

Assuming more casual readers can get past that price tag.

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Flash: Rebirth #1 Arrives!

Today’s the day!  Flash: Rebirth #1 (by Geoff Johns & Ethan Van Sciver) hits stands, and Barry Allen is back!

Now if only I didn’t have to wait until this weekend for the issue to arrive…

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“The Return of Barry Allen,” An Image

I have to run!

The image comes from a recent video interview that  Didio gave at Newsarama where he briefly discusses the “return of Barry Allen” and what heroes of his caliber bring to the DC Universe.  I thought it was a great image of the recently returned Scarlet Speedster and knowing that I hadn’t seen it, I thought a few of my fellow Flash fans might appreciate it as well (by all means, feel free to let me know if this image was taken from a scene of Final Crisis or some such).

Recognize the artist?

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DC Top-Ten #3: The Flash (Barry Allen)

3. The Flash (Barry Allen)
“The Scarlet Speedster”

Created through the combined efforts of Julius Schwartz, Robert Kanigher, Carmen Infantino & John Broome, Central City resident and police scientist Barry Allen was working one day in his lab when a lightning bolt fortuitously strikes a shelf full of chemicals, splashing them all over Barry.  Grateful that he was unharmed, he cleans up and heads for home relatively unfazed.  That is, until things start to get a little strange.  Over the course of the next several hours, several events indicate that his accident was effecting him more than he had initially thought and through a series of common events – which included dodging an errant bullet – he quickly percieves that he is able to move inhumanly fast.  The lightning and chemical bath, had granted him super-speed.  At the point of this life changing realization he humbly asks himself ‘what more can I do to help’ and with that he decides to take up the mantle of a comic book hero he admired (and who he’d find out was more real than he could then know), The Golden-Age Flash.  So, with Showcase #4, and that introductory story entitled “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!” the Flash ushered in a new era for comics – or as Paul Kupperburg once put it – he was the ‘defining event of the super-hero resurgence’ in the Silver-Age and as such he holds a special place in the history of the medium.  From him came a new blitz of interest, a dramatic rise in readership, and DC knew that the age of super-heroes was back.  Following his lead, DC re-tooled other prominent characters and successfully reintroduced readers to new versions of Hawkman, Green Lantern, the Atom, and a variation on the successful Justice Society of America with a new Justice League.

But I didn’t know any of this when I was young, I just knew that I wanted to be like the Flash, and that if I couldn’t have super-speed that I’d have to settle for trying to run awful fast while pretending to move at unfathomable speeds.  Barry Allen had the first power that I really wanted and if I couldn’t replicate his level of speed, then I could certainly have fun trying.  Obviously I never quite hit that level (dang it!) but the Flash was one of the coolest characters around and the one I likely identified most with for years.  Later I’d obtain that great Super Powers figure that made a running motion when you pressed the arms together and it was off to the races where the imaginary Super Friends/Powers adventures were concerned. As for the comics, Barry Allen is well known for making what is arguably comics greatest sacrifice, when during the Anti-Monitor’s cosmic rampage in the pages of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Barry is able to thwart his scheme of destroying worlds with a powerful antimatter cannon, buying time for Earth’s heroes to save the Earth and Multi-verse.

“Everything that’s ever mattered to me…everything that’s ever been important…the lives of everyone on Earth and throughout our universe…in the present, and in the future…that’s what I’m fighting for now!”

That heroic action led to his ‘death’ and as the Crisis came to a close Barry’s nephew, Wally West a.k.a. Kid Flash, took up the mantle and has been trying (rather successfully in recent years) to live up to Barry’s legacy.  For over twenty years this has been the case and I have to admit I’ve grown pretty fond of good ‘ol Wally in that time, but I’ve always hoped that Barry Allen would return one day and finally – finally – DC has decided to bring him back and he’s getting the “Rebirth” treatment from none other than Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver, authors of Green Lantern’s own fantastic “Rebirth” event.  Reaction to the news has ranged from jubilant excitement to utter disapproval, but as far as I’m concerned this is the most exciting thing to happen in the DCU in the 20 years. Barry was a hero through and through, it was just in his nature to help others, and while so many fans have preferred the conflicted anti-hero in the last 2 decades, by and large that’s not what I’m interested in reading about and I have to believe that it’s a theme that has played itself to death.  So many clamor for something different, and really, what’s more original these days than a hero that does the right thing because it’s the right thing.  Who’d a thunk it!?  Seriously, a hero that is simply a hero for goodness’ sake is by far the exception these days — and a true original, sad as that may be.  The world could use a straight-shooter like Barry Allen. We need another honest to goodness hero.

Welcome back old friend!

(Incidentally, while making the Marvel list I noted that there is a small group of characters that lay claim to having one of the coolest looking costumes in comics, and the costume they created for the Flash has few, if any, equals IMHO.  From the scarlet color contrasted by the yellow, to the cowl, boots, gloves, and lightning bolt on the chest it just doesn’t get any slicker and the creators involved – a story unto itself – hit gold with its creation.)

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The Flash: Rebirth

“Lightning Strikes Twice!”

I’ve been on vacation this week and I had planned to take a quick breather from the net, and a few other things, to recharge my batteries for a few days — but I had some free time tonight and thought I’d see what, if anything, had been announced in the four-color world…

…and, wow, talk about an announcement!

At the San-Diego Comic-Con it was officially revealed that the Flash, a.k.a. Barry Allen, has returned to the DCU — and that he’s here to stay! Further, it was announced that he’ll be the central focus of a mini-series by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver in early 2009 that will delve into the return and what it means for Barry, Wally, and this cornerstrone of the DC universe. From Newsarama:

I think this book is going to have a new tone from any Flash book that’s been done before. Simply because it’s about Barry, and we haven’t seen Barry for over 20 years…I think the whole idea is going to shift…What we want to try to do is take everything we’ve done with The Flash: Iron Heights and Green Lantern: Rebirth and Sinestro Corps and present a new look at The Flash, super-speed and superheroes that move fast, and what that means, while also exploring Barry Allen as a character…Barry’s outlook and everything are different — as a character, he’s different because of his intrinsic values and what he believes in and how he approaches crime and how he approaches criminals and how he approaches the guilty and the not guilty. There are very specific details to his character and personality that we’ll be exploring on a completely new level. The other cool thing is that he has been gone for so long. ‘Cause he’s never met Tim Drake, and he’s never seen these other things. There’s so much that has happened in the DCU that he hasn’t seen. To me, Barry Allen led the way in the Silver Age. But now that he’s been gone, bringing him into the Flash Universe is going to make everything very different from anything we’ve seen in a Flash comic for a very, very long time.

When Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver brought us Green Lantern: Rebirth, and the return of Hal Jordan, I was beside myself not only for the fact that Hal would be back, redeemed, but also because I would have the opportunity to read the adventures of an old friend once more. There was so much potential there for Hal and the Green Lantern concept and dang if Johns & Co. haven’t knocked it out of the park over the last several years! With that success in mind, I believe there’s that much more potential for Barry, Wally, Jay and the rest of the Flash cast and I can’t tell you how happy I am that these two are stepping up to bat again (bringing their legions of fans) and that when the dust settles, a childhood hero, and one of my all-time favorites will be back in action again! This is easily the best news I have heard out of DC in well over 10 years.

Can lightning strike twice? Well, if anyone should know, it’s Barry and I”ve no doubt that this is going to be one heck of a run!

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Barry Allen: “Run!”

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July weekend, that you had the chance to ponder our freedoms, enjoy a hamburger and hot dog, see some fireworks, and spend time hanging out with family and friends! That evening, I enjoyed a fantastic dinner out with my girlfriend at a steak house that I’ve been meaning to try for years and three days later my stomach is still thanking me! I have to do that more often.

But on to the subject of the entry. With the final page of Final Crisis #2, and the ever appropriate “Run!” — it appears that the silver-age speedster, Barry Allen, has returned to the DCU proper and it’s high time that we welcome an old friend back here in Duckburg! That said, let me exercise a little caution in my own celebration. This isn’t the first time the possibility of Barry’s return has been showcased only to have the possibility yanked right away, and we have no idea as of yet that Barry will even make it through DC’s Final Crisis event, so I’ll retain that ‘ol familiar sense of cautious optimism — but this time it appears that DC is ready to bring Barry back permanently and I’m holding out hope that indeed this time the Flash is finally back!

And with that in mind I wanted to take a moment to share my gratitude that I’ll be able to enjoy the adventures of a childhood hero once more and that hopefully, along the way, he’ll reach a whole new generation of fans again. Because as much as I respect and appreciated Barry’s sacrifice near the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earth’s, the reason it was initiated was both cheap and cowardly, and certainly the man that ushered in and defined the Silver-Age deserved much better than the treatment he received at the “crossroads” of the mid-80’s. Not knowing where to take him next, editors (with a few exceptions) decided to take the low road and kill him — that’d get people talking! Thankfully, a host of talented writers wouldn’t forget the character (as would be the case with Jay, years later) and they took many an opportunity to pay homage to the Scarlet Speedster, keeping his memory and legacy alive through Wally’s continual drive to pay respect to his Uncle nearly every step of the way. And to Wally West fans, he really did become a great character and I don’t want him to go anywhere. I’m hoping that they find a way to keep all the Flash’s fresh in the lime-light, but Barry got the raw end of the deal those many years ago and it’s high time he got the chance to run again.

Flash’s debut…was the defining event of the superheroic resurgence. Fast on the heels of Flash’s success came still more Schartz-spearheaded rivivals from DC’s 1940’s heroes, including Green Lantern, Justicle League of America, Atom, and Hawkman. All these…features went on to recieve their own titles…thereby sparking renewed interest in super-hero comics. The Flash…would act as a ‘Big Bang’ to the kickstarting of the entire comic book industry! – Paul Kupperburg

So, in honor of his return, I went back and read that introductory story in Showcase #4, entitled “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!” over the weekend and I really do believe this is exactly the kind of hero people need today. Y’see, one of the things that was unique about Barry was that he was already a “hero” prior to gaining super-speed. He was a police scientist already in the service of his fellow man, working to solve crimes through scientific exploration in a forensics lab (ahem, that sounds like a great show…) and when that fateful day came that the lightning struck, and once he realizes the power he possesses, the first thought he has is: ‘what more can I do to help.’ Now, you can take your modern “conflicted heroes” and champion their gray “characterizations” until you’re blue in the face — but I’ll adamantly argue that there’s a heck of a lot more actual “character” to be found in the man that simply does the right thing because it’s the right thing. Sure, it was great to watch Wally grow into those boots and finally become the hero that everybody knew he would be, but that same song isn’t for everyone and heck if we don’t have hundred(s) of conflicted heroes to satisfy readers who long for “gray matter” out there. Seriously, a hero that is simply a hero for goodness’ sake is by far the exception these days — and a true original, sad as that may be.

We owe this guy, and as much as I can appreciate the sacrifice he made for everyone in the original Crisis, I don’t believe that his death had to be his defining moment, but rather, that the choices he makes day in and day out can hold at least as much power and significance.

Welcome back old friend!

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DCU #0…and that last panel…

[SPOILERS FOR DC Universe #0 Ahead…]

According to The Daily News, in the very last panel of DC Universe #0 (in stores today) we witness the return of none other than…

…Barry Allen!

“Introduced in 1956 as The Flash in the DC comic Showcase, he lasted until 1985, when he was vaporized after preserving the cosmos. But in DC Universe 0, comic book folks have put Barry’s pieces back together. For a superhero who can run faster than the speed of light, it sure took him long enough to return. DC Comics is reviving Barry Allen – aka The Flash – the popular superhero killed off by the publisher 23 years ago, the Daily News has learned.”

Given the magnitude of the announcement I’ve already been witness to fan response ranging anywhere from genuine appreciation, to outright venom over the possibility that Barry is indeed returning to the DCU. But, I reckon that’s all part of the deal (ask Hal!) and I can only hope that those given the charge of bringing him back have a plan and that they’re going to give the character the respect he deserves along the way. Never mind trying to quiet the naysayers, the majority of them will either never be happy or reluctantly come around only after kicking and screaming, I’m just hoping that with some care and good stories that a wide range of fans will jump on board in the same way that we’ve seen with Hal Jordan. Particularly if this additional snippet has any teeth:

“Without Barry Allen, we’d still be reading comic books about cowboys,” Geoff Johns, co-writer of the new Flash comics, told the Daily News.” If anyone can hit the ground running with Barry, it’s Johns, one of the biggest Flash fans around, and already a Scarlet Speester fan-favorite.

I couldn’t be happier about the news.

That is, if it turns out to be true.

I sure hope so.

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The Final Crisis…and Barry Allen?

A break in the ClanDestine entries to bring you this bit of Flash-related news from Grant Morrison:

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The Flash, historically, has proved to be a vital cog in all the ‘Crisis’ events. In “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” Barry Allen, the second Flash, died while stopping the plot of the Anti-Monitor to destroy the world. He returns, briefly, in “Infinite Crisis” to team up with the other Flashes – including Wally West, Bart Allen and Jay Garrick – to push Superboy-Prime into the Speedforce, eliminating that threat. Wally and Jay are active and Barry and Bart are dead, but both are rumored to make a return in “Final Crisis.”

CBR News asked Morrison point blank, which Flash runs a month ahead into “Final Crisis” #4. He replied with a laugh, “It’s not Jay Garrick! In #3 we have a race between the Flash and the Black Racer, who is, as you know, the New Gods’ version of Death. So you go and figure it out.

*It should be noted that it was announced in the DC solicitations for July that Geoff Johns’ “Rogues’ Revenge” Flash miniseries will be tied directly to “Final Crisis.**’

__________________________________________

More of the interview at Comic Book Resources.

Now, I’m always very cautious when dealing with any news that even hints of the possibility of Barry’s return to the DCU, and am going to try to maintain that cautious optimism now given that I’ve been hoping for the day for years, but dang if it isn’t fun to think “what if…?” Wally West, as the Flash, has really grown on me during the last several years, and he’s done the mantle proud but good ‘ol Barry is the one I want to read about most under the cowl when all is said and done. And if there’s a way to keep them both around, along with Jay, then that’s all the better!

Simply put, the world needs a straight-shooter like Barry Allen. We need another honest to goodness hero who chooses the right merely because it’s the right thing to do, even in the comics. “Everything that’s ever mattered to me… everything that’s ever been important… …the lives of everyone on Earth and throughout our universe… …in the present, and in the future… … that’s what I’m fighting for now!”

And I can only hope.

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