Daredevil Message Board

harryhausen · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:11 am Post subject: The Flash?

Maybe some of you DC cats can help me out?

When I was a kid I loved the Flash and when I got back into comics (relatively recently) I tried to see what he was up to, but was turned off by the crazy splintering and time travel and deaths and whatnot. Now, it seems, they're set to get Waid back on it and it looks cool. I bought the All-Flash one shot and am diggin' it - excited for Flash 231 (what a cool cover!).

Now, this means that I've had to spend some time on the ol' wikipedia to figure out who some of these goofballs in the DCU are, but that's okay. [I have this weird anti-DC thing that I can only explain by saying - and please brace yourself, Mr. Castle - that I hate Superman. I think Batman's just okay, Wonder Woman might as well not exist for me, and the Green Lantern seems like a weirdo. Laughing

]

My questions: Any Flash fans out there? If so, any recommendations on TPBs, etc. to catch up on key moments? I was reared on Barry Allen, but I'm getting into Wally West.

Thanks.

Forrest · Lowlife Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 1439

the truebeliever · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject:

Me myself, I've been trying to branch out into DC more and more over the years. I've always been a fan of Batman and the Bruce Timm and his team's Batman, Superman, and Justice League animated series. Whenever I wanted to get into Flash I read Rogue War TPB. It was great and really get me into the character. I definently recommend. Also, thanks Forrest for recommending Return and Secret of Barry Allen.

james castle · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:01 pm Post subject:

The problem with Superman and Batman is that they're such icons. Literally every Superman/Batman comic I own (and almost every Superman/Batman comic I've read actually) are big iconic books. Like Allstar Superman or Dark Knight Returns or Secret Identity. I honestly can't imagine what the monthlies are like. Sadly, for DC, I don't think such icons lend themselves to monthlies. Like, as much as one might kinda think that a Marv monthly would be cool, it really wouldn't be. To paraphrase Gordon, some characters are just too big.

Flash isn't like that though. He just runs fast. And I literally have no idea what Green Lantern does.
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JC

So why can't you see the funny side?
Why aren't you laughing?

Meador · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:53 am Post subject:

My personal preference is Wally as the Flash. I would recommend the Geoff Johns run. It is one of my all time favorite runs. You can get the entire run in trade paperback. They are releasing the trade "Wonderland" soon and that will make the entire run available. Some of the trades are cheap but some are very expensive, relatively speaking ($40.00 and up). I can't recommend that run enough. If you collect individual issues (164-225 volume II), make sure you get Flash 1/2, Flash secret files #3 and Flash Iron Heights.
Although I am a big Waid fan, his run on the Flash didn't do much for me (it was good, I just think Johns' is a better and a better place to start). If you become a Flash fan, then I do recommend getting them. I am excited about his upcoming run. I read a little interview with Waid in the latest Wizard and he has a lot of good ideas planned.
After those two runs, I would recommend going back to the Messner-Loeb (sp?). An underrated run, in my opinion.
I hope this helped some.

Eric
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"One must think like a hero to merely behave like a decent human being."

harryhausen · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:46 am Post subject:

Thanks for the tips, all-around. I’ll definitely get some of these (money allowing). I picked up the Flash: Born to Run TPB at a local used book store that does a surprisingly brisk turnover in Marvel and DC trades ($5 and under, too, usually!). And I liked it quite a bit.

Seems the Flash manages to be old-school without being corny somehow (at least under Waid’s pen), which strikes me as a feat of writing prowess. I can’t wait to read these others. Of course, maybe I just like all-red costumes, huh?

On a side note, I started investigating it partly because my 2-year-old son is way into identifying superheroes. He loves DD (of course!), but his heart seems to belong to the Hulk. I let him look at issues and trades and stuff and start realizing that the violence in them might not be a good idea – not that I’m prudish about that stuff, usually, but the other day he said, out of nowhere, “Wolverine punched Spider-Woman!,” after I let him see NA#32 (sorry, Castle!). [On an even further tangent, he also announced at breakfast that, “Spider-Woman is NOT a Skrull!” – we’ll see if this pans out.]

My point is, DC seems to be a more, I don’t know – cartoony? – universe. So, I’m dusting off the Flash partly because there’s way less impaling and dismemberment and terrifying crushing in it, it would seem. And, to my amazement, I find that it’s still cool! Wow, there are options to the grizzled anti-hero, I guess!

I also find that I’m increasingly accepting of the time-travel/Speedforce/30th century stuff. But, man, I don’t know who ANY of these rogues are. Got to hit the wiki!

Forrest · Lowlife Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 1439

harryhausen · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:42 am Post subject:

I should give the Lantern a chance.

Meador · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject:

I sound like a broken record (even though I don't post that much), but Green Lantern is my favorite title out there right now (IMHO). Since REBIRTH the stories have been fantastic. This title won't cost as much to get back issues as John's run of the Flash, but I recommend trying to get both.

Eric
_________________
"One must think like a hero to merely behave like a decent human being."

Forrest · Lowlife Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 1439

Clayton Blind Love · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject:

Okay, I'm picking up the Rebirth tpb. I loved the Sinestro Special. I had to get that just for Superboy Prime alone. But now I want more Ethan Van Sciver art.

C.

ps - sorry, Flash who? Wink

_________________
Love is blindness, I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night around me

harryhausen · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:55 pm Post subject:

No apologies necessary - I'm learnin'!

Meador · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

Clayton Blind Love wrote

Meador · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:32 pm Post subject:

Forrest wrote:

Jim B. · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:49 pm Post subject:

I heard they brought back Wally West as Flash is this true? I thought it was kind of silly to make Bart Allen (Impulse/Kid Flash) the new Flash after Infinite Crisis. I mean how many times are they going to make up a new person to be the Flash? Wally is great and there is no reason to get rid of him to me.
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