Letters to The Flash #34

[HoM]

Please tell us what you thought of this issue!

[HoM]

Wow! Things are really moving into high-gear here-- and I swear, you barely give us a moment's rest when it comes to this title, Kevin. I think though... it's going to be really hard to top the stakes of Legacy of the Lightning, but that's a problem you risk running into when you set something up on such a large scale.

The characters continue to shine, and the slow, but effective introduction of the Candyman is so sinister, that I can't help buy enjoy it. Wolfe reminds me of Normal Osborn over in Marvel right now, marching to his own tune, and whilst he isn't a sociopathic maniac with a record for killing cops, I cannot wait for his downfall. He's manipulative, dangerous, and I know that the arrangement he's going to make with the Golden Age Flashes isn't going to end well with anyone! And the Golden Glider! Bloody Hell, she's back! And she's... well, I think you know what she's not.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to next month, as I am with every other piece of prose you send my way, and this issue continues the high quality and standard you've established in your first year on the book!

Kevin. You simply can never leave.

[HoM]

Oh, and how about a treat for the ever reliable readers of The Flash?

[starlord]

another excellent issue. What I find the most fascinating about these last two issues is how easy Kevin seems to be able to get into Barry's head. Every thought sounds so real that reading it actually makes me sad as we watch Barry struggle with the horrific events that have happened.

Excellent cover, excellent writing. 5 stars as this team continues to impress.

[David]

Jeez, times are getting tough for Barry Allen! It's hard to believe Keystone and Central could turn on him so quickly and thoroughly; Thawne's attack was pretty devastating, in more ways than one! Plus, Barry was unmasked (and thus made to seem human and vulnerable to a populace that once viewed him as an unassailable hero) and gone for a month unable to defend himself against a scheming and ambitious politician... It makes sense but it still sucks! I'd hate to see him become Spider-Man !

Speaking of Wolfe... I'm with Iris. This guy is a jerk. But I get the impression he's no more a jerk than any politician wanting to make a name for himself. I don't think he's a villain... yet! We'll see how he deals with Jay, Max and Johnny. Having him on the cover was the perfect for this issue--- Kudos to the artist for a beautifully tongue-in-cheek patriotic image!

It was nice to see Wally and Jesse in this issue. Now that is an intriguing subplot. We've got the younger speedsters on the stage now, the older speedsters working behind the scenes, and Barry still managing to be the most commanding figure and center of the story!

Lots of set-up this issue (and I never say that's a bad thing--- you can't have the big pay-offs without the set-up), and it looks like the Flash universe is ramping up to another big storyline! Candyman seems like a worthy addition to the Flash's Rogues Gallery, and the Golden Glider is going to be a lot of fun, I can tell already.

Very well done, fellas! See you next issue!

[Merai]

May 31, 2009 16:04:41 GMT -5 HoM said:

Wow! Things are really moving into high-gear here-- and I swear, you barely give us a moment's rest when it comes to this title, Kevin.

As you and Dave both point out, The Flash is a title which is going somewhere, and if Barry Allen had time to rest, well, he wouldn't be the Fastest Man Alive.

I think though... it's going to be really hard to top the stakes of Legacy of the Lightning, but that's a problem you risk running into when you set something up on such a large scale.

Let's just say that plans are in motion and whatever may or may not be coming down the pipeline- still quite a way off as yet- is a very, very different story to 'Legacy of the Lightning'.

The characters continue to shine, and the slow, but effective introduction of the Candyman is so sinister, that I can't help buy enjoy it.

Get used to him, we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the weeks to come! And his new friends...

Wolfe reminds me of Normal Osborn over in Marvel right now, marching to his own tune, and whilst he isn't a sociopathic maniac with a record for killing cops, I cannot wait for his downfall. He's manipulative, dangerous, and I know that the arrangement he's going to make with the Golden Age Flashes isn't going to end well with anyone!

As you point out, Wolfe is in many respects a worse opponent than Osborn because he is the opposite- totally disciplined and under control. As for what happens between him and our heroes- and how that could affect relations with Barry, well, stay tuned, true believers!

But hey, who says he'll have a downfall?

And the Golden Glider! Bloody Hell, she's back! And she's... well, I think you know what she's not.

Next issue is Lisa's issue, and she's a big part of the book going forward. She's a wonderful character and I was very sorry to see her go in the real DCU... but as we can clearly see, something big has happened here since we last saw her!

AKevin. You simply can never leave.

Well, as I said a few issues back, I'm here for a while longer at least. As for never, that's how long I'd be willing to write it for, but I'm sure some ruffian (I'm looking at you, Daniel!) would kill me for the book long before then.

another excellent issue. What I find the most fascinating about these last two issues is how easy Kevin seems to be able to get into Barry's head. Every thought sounds so real that reading it actually makes me sad as we watch Barry struggle with the horrific events that have happened.

I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, Brian! The best decision I've ever made with Flash was to write it in first person, and I write every issue thankful that we went in that direction. it's making it very difficult actually to write Barry in third person in - but wait, that project's still secret! Never mind then!

Excellent cover, excellent writing. 5 stars as this team continues to impress.

As always, Brian, I welcome your ever-insightful comments and your dependable readership!

Jeez, times are getting tough for Barry Allen! It's hard to believe Keystone and Central could turn on him so quickly and thoroughly; Thawne's attack was pretty devastating, in more ways than one! Plus, Barry was unmasked (and thus made to seem human and vulnerable to a populace that once viewed him as an unassailable hero) and gone for a month unable to defend himself against a scheming and ambitious politician... It makes sense but it still sucks! I'd hate to see him become Spider-Man !

I want to take a second here to note that I have no interest in this title becoming some dark and dreary mope-fest- not Spider-Man, not Batman, but The Flash!! I welcomed the oppurtunity to turn Barry's world upside down because it's something we've never seen from him before, but that is absoloutely not to say that the fun will be gone.

The Flash as a DCU title has gone through different eras with different Flashes- it's run the gamut from the Golden Age stories to the wacked out Silver Age fun to the more edgy, darker stories of recent years. My aim is to incorporate the best of all eras... and the conflict between them is in fact a major theme of the book going forward!

Speaking of Wolfe... I'm with Iris. This guy is a jerk. But I get the impression he's no more a jerk than any politician wanting to make a name for himself. I don't think he's a villain... yet! We'll see how he deals with Jay, Max and Johnny.

We still have a lot to see about Gregory Wolfe, one way or the other- and the place to see it is in August's issue, #37, which will delve a lot more fully into the erstwhile Governor of Kansas!

Having him on the cover was the perfect for this issue--- Kudos to the artist for a beautifully tongue-in-cheek patriotic image!

Trevor delivered beyond all my expectations when I proposed that cover. I've had that image in mind for almost a year, and I was delighted by how brilliant it looked in reality! Well done, Trev! ;D

It was nice to see Wally and Jesse in this issue. Now that is an intriguing subplot. We've got the younger speedsters on the stage now, the older speedsters working behind the scenes, and Barry still managing to be the most commanding figure and center of the story!

Yes, Wally and Jesse is a teaser of things to come, though we won't be getting back to them just yet... As I've noted before, I do love my subplots, and this issue set a lot of things in motion- many of which I don't think you'll notice until much later!

Lots of set-up this issue (and I never say that's a bad thing--- you can't have the big pay-offs without the set-up), and it looks like the Flash universe is ramping up to another big storyline!

I wouldn't say 'ramping up' just yet, as we're still a long way out, but let's just say that the Flash Universe is all focused in one direction right now and hoooo boy, it's big. I'd say- well, I'd say it's the biggest battle the Flash has ever faced, but that's not really right.... battle isn't quite the word to describe it, it's too limited, too narrow...

Why... one would almost say that war was coming....

Candyman seems like a worthy addition to the Flash's Rogues Gallery, and the Golden Glider is going to be a lot of fun, I can tell already.

The Candyman is, for the eagle-eyed, actually a character mentioned in Geoff Johns' Flash runs and very briefly shown, notably in the Captain Cold issue, but almost entirely just as an 'aside', so this is the first time, as far as I'm aware, he's been utilised as a major force. And yes, Golden Glider is extremely fun to right, and I look forward to finishing the next issue immensely!

Thanks again Dave for your feedback, which is always most warmly appreciated!