Spoiled Fun

Kris couldn’t make it in today, so I had to pick up his comics. Wednesday we saw the end of The Fiash and the beginning of Flashpoint. After big events like this, Kris and I get to have long discussion of what happened and what we think will happen. Since he couldn’t come in, it was hard for us to talk.

Flashpoint looks like it could be really good. I’m still not sure how it will affect the DCU, but it will definitely be an entertaining story getting there. Geoff Johns has been hitting the comic news sites doing interviews talking about Flashpoint. He’s got a lot of interesting things to say, but fair warning it’s very spoilerific. What I found the most interesting is completely spoil-free: Flashpoint #4 & #5 will both come out in August, thus ending Flashpoint. As Geoff Johns put it, Flashpoint is definitely just a Summer event. The other interesting thing he said was that DC creators have been expressly forbidden to talk about their September issues. It makes sense since that DC doesn’t want to ruin the surprise for how things will change after Flashpoint, but it makes me wonder what will happen with the September solicitations. The September solicitations should be released next month, right in the middle of Flashpoint but still early enough that I would think DC would not want to give away too many secrets about life after Flashpoint. During Blackest Night, DC released solicitations for several of the Blackest Night issues blacked out with very minimal descriptions. While this worked fine for these “special” issues, I can’t see them doing the same thing for regular issues in September, especially without angering and confusing any DC readers who aren’t reading Flashpoint.

A while back, Kris and I procured a complete set of Grant Morrison’s Seven Soldiers of Victory. We evenly divided it and my half sat unread for a very long time. My half included the Frankenstein mini-series, so I finally read it through in anticipation of Jeff Lemire’s Frankenstein Flashpoint tie-in. I have a mixed feelings about Morrison as some of his work (like Batman RIP) I really enjoyed, while other works (basically Final Crisis on) have been some of my least favorite comic work. We’re pretty much ignoring Batman Inc here at Ret-Conned HQ (more on that in the pull lists). I really enjoyed the Seven Soldiers books up until the final issue. All of the different story and art styles in the final issue just made it too hard to follow. Morrison writes a great story and can be very entertaining, if he’s not writing things that affect the greater continuity. I’ll have to get Kris’s half of the story and see if I enjoy it as much.

Travis, what’s on your pull list?

• Batgirl #21 - Stephanie is one of the most fun characters to read on a monthly basis.
• Batman Inc #6 - I had to go back and get this issue whenever I heard Cassandra Cain was in it. While it was great to see Cass, it was way to brief and the rest of the issue really didn’t interest me. Morrison’s Bruce is pretty crazy and the art was pretty disappointing.
• Birds of Prey #12 - This was a great issue, made even better by Question-Huntress banter. We need more of that.
• Cinderella: Fables are Forever #4 - This is a very fun romp through the Fables universe. I’m really enjoying it.
• Red Robin #23 - The first page alone could have warranted a full issue. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes.
• Unwritten #25 - The gang’s back together and now that we know what we need to do, it’s time to do it!

Travis, what’s on Kris’s pull list?

• Batgirl #21
• Birds of Prey #12 - Anyone else find it weird that The Question didn’t get a powers or name description?
• DC Comics Presents The Legion of Super-Heroes 100 Page Special - This mini trade contained the classic Legion of the Damned storyline. The art was a little hard to follow at times, but the story was very entertaining. It also had lots of XS, who I hope will become more important during Flashpoint.
• The Flash #12 - This is the final issue of the Flash series as we know it, which concludes the current storyline and starts Flashpoint.
• Flashpoint #1 - Geoff Johns sure crammed a lot into this issue. This event is going to be awesome.
• Mega Man #1 - If you were a fan of the Mega Man cartoon, you need to pick this up. The art is spot on and it was a very fun read.
• Nonplayer #1 - Bedrock sold out of the first printing before Kris could get one. It’s ridiculously pretty, but short on story.
• R.E.B.E.L.S. - Final issue. I haven’t read much of the previous issues, but any fight with Starro is a good read.
• Red Robin #23 - I’m really loving the Linx-Red Robin relationship.
• Superman #711 - Some people are calling this the best Superman issue in this run. It’s kind of true, which makes you realize how bad this run really is.
• Titans #35 - All of the subplots are moved forward slightly. None of them are very exciting.