While Green Lantern is the big star of DC Comics these days, 2011 may be the year that the Flash makes a major impact on readers with Flashpoint. The devious evil speedster from the future, Eobard Thawne, known as the Reverse-Flash, is changing history, creating what is known as New Time.
All of it centers on a major event in the 21st Century called Flashpoint.
Geoff Johns spoke to CBR.com this past Summer and dropped a few details about the upcoming Flash-centric event coming from DC Comics.
We’ve heard about “Flashpoint,” but reader Chris O’Halloran asked if you had a plan to feature Barry Allen in an epic event within the DCU or even a trilogy of universe-spanning stories like you did with Hal Jordan?
I can’t say much. “Flashpoint” is five-issue series that’s going to introduce a lot of new and familiar characters, focus on Barry Allen and the DCU and it’s out sometime next year.
And you’re working with Andy Kubert on “Flashpoint.”
Actually we’ve already started on it. We’re about halfway through the first issue. Andy is obviously one of the best artists working today and he comes from that great Kubert family. The way he approaches everything is really top-notch. There is a lot of design work in “Flashpoint.” I’m really fortunate to be able to work with someone like him.
William Schwartz had a question about continuity. He asked that you explain the continuity of Professor Zoom, a.k.a. Reverse Flash, between “Blackest Night,” “Blackest Night: Flash,” “Flash: Rebirth” and “Brightest Day.” He’s alive and then imprisoned in “Flash: Rebirth,” which also hints at his soon-to-come resurrection. He’s a Black Lantern in “Blackest Night: Flash” but also alive and imprisoned before being frozen by Captain Cold. He’s then resurrected at the end of “Blackest Night” and escapes, yet he is still in prison. Is that right?
You’ll see more with Reverse Flash in “Brightest Day” and then “The Flash.” But he definitely has the timeline right. I mean, if you look at it from our point of view, in a linear timeline, he was resurrected by the Black Ring, brought back to life by the White Lantern, he then time traveled, brings Barry Allen back, gets stopped by Barry Allen and he’s get imprisoned in Iron Heights. I know. [laughs] Does anyone have an aspirin?
The Flash fansite Speed Force is proving to be an excellent resource for the upcoming story:
It looks like someone — most likely the Reverse-Flash — is systematically altering history to prevent the origins of DC’S heroes. It’s a concept we’ve seen before. My first thought was of a JLI story from the early 1990s, butCraigRMacDonald pointed out on Twitter that it’s also the premise of the first year of Booster Gold. Of course, when you distill it down to such basic elements, just about any story has been told before, and it becomes all about the details and execution.
I’ll be updating this post with links to the new teasers when I have time, or you can keep an eye directly on The Source.
The Source at DC Comics had a bit more including the cryptic promotional images below:
Flash Fact: Come back each and every Friday as we build towards the release of FLASHPOINT #1, and for the latest on the DC Universe event of 2011. This story is as ambitious and big as any event in DC history, and there’s much to tell in the weeks and months to come.
We’ll have one more tease for you this morning, then ask you all to come back next Friday.
Since this is an event centered on The Flash, it’s easy to run ahead at full speed in our excitement for the project. Because we have so much to say, we’ll be slowing down the news cycle here for a while.
We know there’s a lot of anticipation and clamoring for art and we can tell you now that Andy Kubert’s work on FLASHPOINT is spectacular, as you’ll see in the weeks to come.
FLASHPOINT #1 goes on sale this May. Can lightning strike twice?
“Whatever Happened the World’s Greatest Heroes?”
"Whatever Happened the World's Greatest Heroes?"
