Remake & Reboot: The FLASHPOINT Comic Series

In the build-up to DC’s New 52 and the resulting wave of new titles, the publisher’s 2011 summer event series Flashpoint drifted out of public memory faster than Flash himself. But DC has always been a fan of alternate universes and that dispensation is even evident in 2012 as they prep the  Earth 2 Justice Society of America title; so why not a return to the world of Flashpoint?

I have a plan.

The Concept:

In the course of one summer, DC built up and fleshed out an entire world of heroes and villains that got readers buying and got comics journalists talking. Seeing Bruce Wayne’s father as Batman, Cyborg as an All-American patriotic hero, and Superman as a frail shut-in super-hero was an eye-opening endeavor and one worth revisiting. DC’s doing it already with the previously mentioned Justice Society of America, and Marvel is getting in on the alt-universe ongoings with this month’s Age of Apocalypse series. In the 2011 summer event series Flashpoint, Barry Allen (aka the Flash) is transported to this strange new world… and although he returned to the normal DCU in the final issue, there’s still a world he left behind. For this new series, leave Barry Allen be…

Because we have Wally West.

Yes, I know he died in Flashpoint: Citizen Cold but death’s never stopped any other hero, and his absence in New 52 could fuel a revived Wally West as the lead in a new Flashpoint ongoing. Seeing Wally West’s smiling mug won’t set this book up for a long life on it’s own, nor will an anthropological snore-fest showing how this world is different from the DC we know. Instead, we should see our new Flash try to make sense of the Aquaman vs. Wonder Woman war and attempt to come to terms with the odd version of Superman floating above Earth with his new-found freedom, possibly looking down at humanity as his long-time captors. What happens when heroes go bad? And who can stop them

The Creators:

The Writers – Geoff Johns & Peter Tomasi: Getting Geoff Johns to return to Flashpoint is a no-brainer, but to ensure this to work on a long-term basis I’d bring in editor-turned-writer, and Brightest Day collaborator, Peter Tomasi. Their unique collaboration has been successful in the past, and could really flesh out the Flashpoint world into a fertile world to live in.

The Artist – Jesus Saiz: This current artist of Birds of Prey has been groomed by DC for a long-time to be a big player, and this could be just the thing to set his rocket ablaze. Saiz has shown himself capable of handling whatever is thrown at him with his work with JMS on Brave & The Bold, and a Flashpoint ongoing could be just the think for him to show a bigger audience what he can do.

Comments

  1. If Jesus Saiz is busy, I think the other “Jesus” Jesus Merino can do the job too. If not, nothing wrong with bringing in Ivan Reis.

  2. Too soon!

  3. i like this idea. loved flashpoint. revisiting that world sounds like fun to me. a possible evil superman and an even darker dark knight in thomas wayne(my favorite character of 2011 next to lil’ loki, miles morales, and thori).
    and lets not forget the return of the much debated, short-lost wally west. i hope he is written with a sense of humor like the flash from the JL cartoon. i dig a funny flash.

    • martha wayne as the joker was pretty sweet, too. i know her and thomas died, but if they’re bringn’ back wally then what the hell, right?

  4. @Chris: Do you envision this book being monthly or, perhaps, bi-weekly? I think Brightest Day and JL: Generation Lost both benefited from being bi-weekly books, and I kind of see this Flashpoint idea as being similar. With a whole universe to explore, with all the characters that exist, and the many storylines that could be followed, I think having more issues in a shorter period of time, would help the book generate and keep momentum.

    By the way, I would buy this book.

    • for my wallet’s sake, i hope this is monthly. i know people get tired of hearing that, but that doesnt change the fact.
      besides, if there is only one artist, then i would say it will be monthly

  5. I enjoyed the Flashpoint universe much more than the current DC Universe. It’s sad because I’m such a big DC fan.

  6. I liked scrawny Superman.

  7. I never finished Flashpoint. I only read the first two issues. It’s not that I didn’t like it, it’s just that the store kept selling out of issues before I could get them.

  8. I actually really like this idea a lot!