WTF moment of the week- Everything Changes in Flashpoint

DC Comics are putting all their bets on the Flash this Summer with their blockbuster crossover event-- Flashpoint.  If last year's Blackest Night epic proved anything-- it's that there can be top selling comics in DC that don't just bear the Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman logo, so long as it includes them at the party.

With Flashpoint, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Andy Kubert-- we can expect some pivotal moments in the DCU history to be tampered with (most likely by the recently revived Reverse Flash) via the Speed Force.  And with that, we will have a DCU landscape that is vastly different from today.  The primary series will cover 5 issues with 15 3-part stories (and one-shots) to focus on the major/minor players through the mega event.

Many on the comics interwebs have likened Flashpoint to Marvel's Age of Apocalypse-- where the affected titles (how can any DCU title not be though?) will be completely refreshed to reflect the impact from the event. I don't think this is far off base, but the difference is DC promises this IS NOT an elseworld or other universe story-- and that it all happens here.

If the teaser above and names of the minis below tell us anything, its that they will be honing in on DC's fab five-- Supes, Flash, GL, Wonder-Woman and Bats-- and bringing an extra chair at the table for Aqua-Man.  Quite hyped that Deathstroke and Captain Cold are mainstays in this event too.  Now is it just me or did I only count 14 mini-books, what is the 15th???  Stay tuned!

 

Whatever Happened to Gotham City?                                                          FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1-#3
FLASHPOINT: DEADMAN AND THE FLYING GRAYSONS #1-#3


Whatever Happened to the World’s Greatest Super Villains? 
 FLASHPOINT: CITIZEN COLD #1-#3
 FLASHPOINT: DEATHSTROKE & THE CURSE OF THE RAVAGER #1-#3
 FLASHPOINT: THE OUTSIDER #1-#3

Whatever Happened to the Aliens?
FLASHPOINT: ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN #1-#3
FLASHPOINT: PROJECT: SUPERMAN #1-#3

Whatever Happened to Science & Magic?
FLASHPOINT: FRANKENSTEIN & THE CREATURES OF THE UNKNOWN #1-#3
FLASHPOINT: SECRET SEVEN #1-#3

Whatever Happened to Europe?
FLASHPOINT: EMPEROR AQUAMAN #1-#3
FLASHPOINT: WONDER WOMAN AND THE FURIES #1-#3
FLASHPOINT: LOIS LANE AND THE RESISTANCE #1-#3

Everything You Know Will Change in a Flash
FLASHPOINT: KID FLASH LOST #1-#3
FLASHPOINT: THE WORLD OF FLASHPOINT #1-#3
 




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big O

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if you don't know, now you know- Straczynski Calls It Quits on Monthly Comics

DC Source just announced that legendary creator J. Michael Straczynski will no longer write for their flagship monthly titles-- Superman and Wonder Woman--starting issues #707 and #605 respectively.

It is stated that JMS originally came to DC for the Superman: Earth One project that was just released, sold-out and according to Co-Publisher, Dan Didio was a "success...and couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out".  For the whole story in the writers words, JMS states:

“I’d originally come to DC to do the Superman Earth One book which, at the time, was top secret so nobody knew about it,” Straczynski said, “and filled out on Brave and the Bold for a while to have fun and get up to speed on the DCU. When I was done with SEO I took on the Superman and Wonder Woman monthlies on the theory that I’d have time to script the full 12 issues before bounding back onto Earth One. But when the huge numbers started coming in on Earth One, and the need to fastrack the next volumes became evident in order to keep the momentum going, I knew there was no way in god’s green earth that I could write that and the monthlies simultaneously. Since DC has had my notes and outlines from day one on both titles, so they’re still my stories, it makes sense to let Chris and Phil keep going from the story beats I’ve set up. I’ll dive in on occasion as needed for important story points. It’s still my story, I’m involved in both books, and they’re going to continue in the direction we set up. I’m looking forward to seeing what Chris and Phil have in store.

First off, I am a core JMS fan but have been meh on stories and directions that he has taken major characters to-- like that of Spiderman in "The Other" and more recently with Superman in the "Grounded" arc.  On the other hand I have been the biggest fan of his Brave & the Bold run with Jesus Saiz and Trish Mulvihill, along with his controversial revamp of Wonder Woman.      


Other popular sites are reporting that JMS is leading the move from monthly or pamphlet style books being that the ROI and popularity is dying out, but I argue that good stories will always be supported and I am too looking forward to Phil Hester (Green Arrow, Brave New World)) picking up where things were left with Wonder Woman and as for Superman, that is a book I may take a 1 to 5 year break on. 

Looking forward to the sequel for Superman: Earth One and long live the monthly!!!



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big O

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if you don't know, now you know- Jock on Detective Comics

No secret on our major Jock-age on the maddening, visceral art steez of Jock and hyped to learn via DC Source that he will be returning as regular artist to Detective Comics with another Vertigo-alum, Scott Snyder (American Vampire).  I took a "break" on the book since Rucka, JHWIII and Jock finished their thang on Batwoman, but with this ill news-- looks like I among many of you will be batarang'n myself back in November. 

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big O

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