It won’t air until January 24th, but the CW has already released the trailer for the next episode of The Flash, titled “Borrowing Problems From The Future”. The episode will pick up where the midseason finale left off, dealing with what Barry saw Savitar do five months in the future (no spoilers here; check out the finale if you haven’t seen it yet!). Be sure to watch the finale before watching this teaser.

The episode’s still a long way away, but it’s something to look forward to in the new year! What did people think of the first half of the season?

– Lia.

The post “Borrowing Problems From The Future” Teaser appeared first on Speed Force.

Newsarama has posted the full complement of DC’s March solicitations, and there’s a lot going on that month. Posted above is the cover for the Titans annual, which promises a team-up between the Titans and their mentors!

THE FLASH #18
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by NEIL GOOGE
Cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Variant cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“SINS OF THE FATHER” part one! With his superhero career finally underway, Wally West must learn the truth about his father, Daniel West, the long-lost villain known as Reverse-Flash. To retrace his steps, Kid Flash and The Flash must travel to the most dangerous place in the DC Universe: Belle Reve Prison!
On sale MARCH 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

THE FLASH #19
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by NEIL GOOGE
Cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Variant cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“SINS OF THE FATHER” finale! Wally’s quest for knowledge about his villainous father takes him and Barry Allen to the Australian outback and into the debt of Captain Boomerang, one of The Flash’s oldest enemies and the last person to see Wally’s father, Reverse-Flash, alive.
On sale MARCH 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

TEEN TITANS #6
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art by KHOI PHAM and WADE VON GRAWBADGER
Cover by KHOI PHAM
Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“THE RISE OF Aqualad” part one! New story! New city! New member? As the team adjusts to their new lives at Titans Tower, Damian investigates a series of strange disappearances in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Jackson Hyde heads west to fulfill his destiny…and finds himself in the crosshairs of the Teen Titans!
On sale MARCH 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

TITANS #9
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art and cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
Variant cover by NICK BRADSHAW
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
“Made in Manhattan” part two! The Titans come face-to-face with the Fearsome Five and their newest member…Bumblebee?! Meanwhile, Dick and Wally make a stunning discovery about Meta Solutions!
On sale MARCH 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

TITANS ANNUAL #1
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by MINKYU JUNG
Cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
When Dick, Wally, Donna and Garth awaken in an unfamiliar place, they find themselves face-to-face with their mentors: Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman! Allied together against a common foe, the mentors and protégés must race against the clock to unlock the secret of their current predicament and save the planet from an alien invasion!
On sale MARCH 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

EARTH 2: SOCIETY #22
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by VICENTE CIFUENTES
Cover by BRUNO REDONDO
In this series finale, a new dawn rises on Earth-2. After a terrible struggle, the Wonders have restored their world, better than ever. Can they become the new heroes and caretakers the reborn planet needs to protect it from future threats? And what of the price they paid for peace—what is the final fate of the Earth-2 Batman and his legacy?
On sale MARCH 8 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

THE FLASH BY MARK WAID BOOK TWO TP
Written by MARK WAID and GERARD JONES
Art by GREG LAROCQUE, M.D. BRIGHT, PHIL HESTER and PATRICK ZIRCHER
Cover by TY TEMPLETON
Once Wally West was Kid Flash, sidekick to his mentor and friend The Flash, a.k.a. Barry Allen. But the death of Barry made Wally the fastest man alive—and the new Flash! Now, somehow, Barry has returned—as a violent and paranoid speedster determined to eliminate what he’s created! Is Barry really back? This second collection of stories from Mark Waid’s epic run on THE FLASH includes THE FLASH #69-79, THE FLASH ANNUAL #6, GREEN LANTERN #30-31 and #40, plus a story from JUSTICE LEAGUE QUARTERLY #10.
On sale APRIL 26 • 432 pg, FC, $34.99 US

TEEN TITANS: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS HC
Written by ROBERT KANIGHER, BOB HANEY, PAUL LEVITZ and others
Art by NICK CARDY, CARMINE INFANTINO, GEORGE TUSKA, JIM APARO, NEAL ADAMS and others
Cover by KARL KERSCHL
In these tales from the 1970s, the assassination of a world leader forces the Teen Titans to rethink their mission, leading to time travelling and cross-country adventure as they take on social issues of the day. This new title collects TEEN TITANS #25-53; THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #94, 102 and 149: BATMAN FAMILY #6, 8 and 9; and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #205.
On sale JUNE 7 • 776 pg, FC, $125.00 US

Some interesting-sounding issues that month, and a couple of cool collections/trades. “The Return of Barry Allen” is always a popular story, so it’s good to see it released in another trade. And, as I noted a few days ago when we saw the sneak peek at the Flash solicitation, it’s nice to have Captain Boomerang officially back as part of the Flashverse.

Anything you’re looking forward to in March? Share your thoughts!

– Lia.

The post March DC Solicitations appeared first on Speed Force.

The full list of DC’s March solicitations hasn’t been posted yet (they’ll probably be out on Monday), but the Teen Titans and one of The Flash solicits/covers are out already.

THE FLASH #19
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON—Art by NEIL GOOGE—Cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO—Variant cover by DAVE JOHNSON
“SINS OF THE FATHER” finale! Wally’s quest for knowledge about his villainous father takes him and Barry Allen to the Australian outback and into the debt of Captain Boomerang, one of The Flash’s oldest enemies and the last person to see Wally’s father, Reverse-Flash, alive.

TEEN TITANS #6
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art by KHOI PHAM and WADE VON GRAWBADGER
Cover by KHOI PHAM
Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
“THE RISE OF Aqualad” part one! New story! New city! New member? As the team adjusts to their new lives at Titans Tower, Damian investigates a series of strange disappearances in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Jackson Hyde heads west to fulfill his destiny…and finds himself in the crosshairs of the Teen Titans!
On sale MARCH 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s good to see Captain Boomerang back in the Flashverse, because in the New 52 there was absolutely no sign that he was connected to it at all. We’d already seen a hint that Boomerang has faced the Flash in the Rebirth Suicide Squad book, but this is the first time in The Flash book itself.

You can see the rest of the solicitation snippets at Bleeding Cool at the site. Be back here for the full list of solicitations next week!

– Lia.

The post Sneak Peek At March Solicitations appeared first on Speed Force.

Wow, are we already 12 issues into the REBIRTH era? Actually, it’s 13 if you count the REBIRTH one-shot…and Kid Flash finally has his chance to be in the spotlight! It’s an issue that wraps up the “Speed of Darkness” story arc in fine fashion, with a nod to the REBIRTH mystery dropped into the plot for good measure. Want to know more? Follow us after the jump!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Flash and Kid Flash are trapped in the Shadowlands, along with the Shade himself, Hope and Iris…and things are not looking good for our heroes. The shadows no longer listen to the Shade, and a possessed Hope and Iris are opening a door to the waking world to take it over. In that fight, Kid Flash discovers a new aspect to his powers, one that not even Barry can match. And we see the partnership…and the trust between them growing. The wrap up to the battle involves that partnership, and the stubborn nature of one of Central City’s best reporters. As the battle wraps up, the Shade mentions something about Barry’s “wife”…could the Shade have a memory of the Pre-FLASHPOINT/New 52 world? The mention only confuses Barry, who doesn’t recall that earlier life…but he does decide to start living his life in a more balanced way and asks Iris out for a date!

NOTES: There is only one beef I have with this issue, and it’s a relatively small one. I’m not sure how Iris could have been so easily taken over by the shadows and then relatively easily shake them off…but in the end it’s only a minor concern in an otherwise excellent plot. It was wonderful to see young Wally getting the chance to be a true hero, earning his spot back in Barry’s training program. It’s also good to see how the Speed Force impacts Wally in a slightly different way, continuing the ideas we saw in the earlier Speed Storm arc.  And, for this long time Flash fan, IT IS ABOUT TIME that Barry asks Iris out…yay for that FINALLY happening!

This was a fitting finale to the “Speed of Darkness” arc, with a nice return for a long time Flash foe/friend and some great developments for Wally and for Barry/Iris. Joshua Williamson continues to give us amazing scripts, and the art continues to impress thanks to Davide Gianfelice with colors by Ivan Plascencia & Christopher Sotomayor.

I’ll give this one a 9/10 – but that’s just my rating. What do YOU think? Leave your comments below!

– Ed Garrett.

The post “The Speed of Darkness” Part 3 – Review of THE FLASH #12 appeared first on Speed Force.

Montreal Mini-Comiccon 2016 - The Flash

pikawil100 has added a photo to the pool:

Flash #12 is out this week, and Multiversity Comics has the exclusive five-page preview. Check it out at the link!

THE FLASH #12

Written by Joshua Williamson, art by David Gianfelice cover by Carmine Di Giandomenico, variant cover by Dave Johnson.

“Speed of Darkness,” part three! Time is running out for The Flash and Kid Flash as they race to help the Shade regain control of the Shadowlands, the dimension of pure darkness from which the Shade draws his terrible power, before it reaches our world and consumes the light forever.
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Dec. 14.

– Lia.

The post Flash #12 Preview Is Up appeared first on Speed Force.

THIS is what a Christmas episode should be. Just enough sappy fun to evoke the season, but not so much as to take away from what makes the series work. We see some significant reveals about the backstory of Alchemy…some serious danger…and foreshadowing of events that will have us waiting with bated breath for the next episode in late January 2017. Want to know more? Just follow us after the jump!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

We learn a LOT about Savitar, the Philosopher’s Stone, and Alchemy in this episode. Where to start? Let’s go out of order and catch you up here…

• Savitar was the first person to gain speed, becoming known in Speed Force myth as the god of motion. Even Jay Garrick has heard of him. Only speedsters can see him, and he seems drawn to any speedster who can challenge him.
• Savitar is somehow defeated in the future by Barry Allen, who traps him “in eternity”. Savitar is here for revenge (or would it be in this case “pre-venge”).
• But, Savitar is tied to the Philosopher’s Stone in some strange way. The stone can create metas, and has for many years according to Hindu lore. As for the box that contains it…
• …Savitar seems to only be able to appear when the box is open. Close the stone inside the box and Savitar goes away.
• BUT, Savitar can call to a person while trapped. He appeared to Julian as his dead sister, convincing him to look for the box in an archeological dig very reminiscent of Indiana Jones. It was through this dig that Julian became Alchemy.

Now, Julian has no memory of becoming Alchemy. He blacks out and does not realize what he’s doing. Barry (with the help of Earth 3’s Jay Garrick) captures Alchemy and unmasks him as Julian. Only after Barry reveals his own identity does he get Julian to realize what has been happening.

While everyone is in S.T.A.R. Labs, Savitar calls to Cisco through the image of his dead brother Dante. Cisco opens the box, releasing Savitar. Wally and Barry are in serious danger until Caitlin convinces Cisco to close the box again.

After that incident, Cisco figures out a way to communicate with Savitar without opening the box. Savitar tells his own story, and makes three predictions…

1. One shall betray you
2. One shall fall
3. One shall suffer a fate worse than death.

It may be misdirection from the producers, but the images shown while Savitar made these predictions were (in order): Wally, Cisco, and Caitlin.

After the talk with Savitar, Jay suggests a way to end the threat. Jay and Barry run at top speed and throw the Philosopher’s Stone (box and all) into the Speed Force itself! There is a backlash of energy that throws Barry five months into the future…where he witnesses Savitar…….

…..

…..

…..

…..

Killing Iris West!

Jay pulls Barry back into the present. They talk about what Barry saw, and Jay tells Barry that this is not written in stone. Still, it would explain why we saw a change in the byline of that future Flash article last week. Barry is determined not to let that future happen…but for now…

We cut back to the West house for Christmas. This is where the slightly sappy but very happy things happen.  Joe and Cecile finally kiss. Wally (after much debate during the episode) gets a very special Christmas present…his Kid Flash uniform. Julian accepts the invitation to the West house and even brings word that Barry can have his old job back. And…Caitlin briefly takes off her cuffs and provides a little Christmas snow.

As for the epilogue…this time it’s a happy one. Barry’s present to Iris is…an apartment for the two of them to share! Barry can’t be sure of how much time they have…but he won’t waste another minute without the two of them being together.

NOTES: Before we get to this episode, a thought has hit me from the recent crossover.  The future Barry Allen’s message came from the year 2056.  Now, the future article we’ve been watching since the first season of THE FLASH has him disappearing in the “crisis” type event in 2024.  Looks like he is meant to come back from that? We’ll see…or not, but it’s still an interesting thought (to me anyway).

As for this episode…this is one of the very few “Christmas episodes” of any series that really worked for me. Usually, a show will either barely bring in the holiday spirit or else they will break every character and plot point in favor of working in more sappy moments. This show had balance, and it worked for me on every level. We still have a big bad, we still have significant developments for our characters, and we still have a HUGE cliffhanger that will have us anxiously awaiting that next episode.

MORE NOTES: I’m glad to FINALLY see Kid Flash get his uniform. It was well past time for this, but at least we know we will see him in “official” action for the second half of the season. And, seeing Mark Hamill as the Earth 3 Trickster was fantastic! Yes, he looked somewhat Joker-ish…but given Hamill’s past voice acting as the Clown Prince of Crime, that made it all the more fun.  Savitar’s prophecy was perfect as well…maybe a little over the top but still something that should cause considerable anxiety for our cast as they go into the second half of season 3. And as for that cliffhanger…we’ll find out if “preventing the future” has as many consequences as changing the past.  Should make for some great shows.

SUMMARY: I’ll give this episode a 9/10.  Merry Christmas to all, and to all a….somewhat disquieting night waiting for Savitar…I mean Santa Claus.  But, that’s just my opinion.  What to YOU think? Leave your comments below!

– Ed Garrett.

The post “The Present” Review of THE FLASH S3 Ep9 appeared first on Speed Force.

Hopefully you’ve already read my review of this week’s FLASH episode, part 2 of the full-week “Invasion” crossover event for DCTV.  Now that the full crossover event has concluded, I wanted to add just a few thoughts on the event as a whole…follow us after the jump to learn more!

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

• The crossover started out as not-much-of-a-crossover, with a regular (and excellent) episode of SUPERGIRL that just included a few mini-breach appearances and one good scene with Barry and Cisco meeting Kara.  Things really hit high gear with THE FLASH and the appearance of the Dominators.
• I was torn just a bit by the appearance of the Dominators. I realize TV shows won’t have the full CGI budget of a major motion picture, but these creatures were more than a little clunky during the battle sequences.  The faces were spot-on, and the close up scenes outside of battle were well rendered, but the battle action was just above Nintendo Game Cube and not quite PS3.  Still, that was the only drawback to a really good crossover event.
• FLASH, ARROW, and LEGENDS each did an excellent job in highlighting their respective stars without diminishing the rest of the gang. FLASH did a great job in setting up the threat, ARROW had a great “what if” setup, and LEGENDS had the great ending battle sequences.
• The crossover did a great job in balancing the brighter, more hopeful tones of SUPERGIRL and THE FLASH with the darker tones of LEGENDS and especially ARROW.
• And…THE HALL OF JUSTICE! Yes, it was a hangar and it has the S.T.A.R. Labs logo, but let’s be real, THAT was the Hall of Justice from Super Friends. Wonderful!

But, the best thing? This crossover actually has consequences. There are real turning points for the characters that will continue to play out over time. That’s something so few crossover events actually do…they promise “nothing will be the same”, but then things quickly revert to business as usual. Not here.

• We finally resolve Cisco’s issues with Barry…and not by some sappy conversation. straight out of a 70’s sitcom.  No, this came about by Cisco’s own mistake in screwing up history, and realizing that the way he messed up was exactly what Barry had tried to do earlier. Seeing how and why Barry changed the timeline gave him a new perspective…and a way to restore the friendship that had been there before.
• More surprising was the introduction of a new character…Prof. Stein’s daughter! His reaction to this “aberration” is off-putting at first, and possibly a little sappy by the event’s end, but there are some real possibilities ahead if they continue to explore what his daughter can do with nano-technology.
• And, important for fans of this site, Wally finally gets to be a hero – if only for a brief moment. And, he gains a trainer – meaning we will (hopefully) see him in the yellow and red uni before long.

Certainly there were some plot holes…there always are in crossover events.  That little device that sends Kara home provides an all-too-easy way to bring her back in at any time in the future…something not really needed if Cisco can vibe his way to he earth, but hey it was still somewhat cool.  But in the end, what we got out of this crossover is everything we hope for in a big event…lots of action, a chance for every hero to shine, and some twists that will have a lasting effect for each series. Frankly, that’s more than what we saw in BvS, and for this review more than we got out of Civil War.  This crossover was actually worth the hype – not perfect, but more than expected and truly entertaining throughout.

That’s just my opinion – what do YOU think? Leave your comments below!

– Ed Garrett.

The post Better Than BvS…AND Civil War? Invasion Crossover (Supergirl, Flash, Arrow, Legends) appeared first on Speed Force.

THIS is how a crossover event show should be made. The second night of the BIG crossover event features our own Scarlet Speedster, in a game of “who do you trust?” Answer…apparently not Barry…but hang tight folks, there’s a LOT more going on in this episode of THE FLASH! Want to know more? Just follow us after the jump!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

This may be the second night of the crossover, but as far as storyline it is actually the first real chapter in the arc. Monday night’s SUPERGIRL was a regular episode except for the appearance of Barry and Cisco near the end, asking Kara to join them in the fight we see here. Still, they more than made up for that with tonight’s action-packed episode. Let’s get to some highlights, shall we?

• Kid Flash is already up to Mach 2, but Iris and Joe are still in fear for his safety and want to hold him back. Wally is no dummy, and is seriously disappointed in how they are treating him.
• By show’s end, Wally makes a major save, but is injured (though not seriously).
• Wally gets a new trainer…HR?! Yes!
• Barry gets the team together (Team Flash, Team Arrow, Team Legends, and, uh, Supergirl). And, they do manage to have a LOT of fun with the introductions.
• We get a “danger room” type facility that looks suspiciously like the famous Hall of Justice – in this case a hanger owned by S.T.A.R. Labs, and incidentally…
• We get the reminder that S.T.A.R. Labs is owned by Barry – guess we don’t have to worry about how he will pay the bills now that he is out at the CCPD. That does bring up the question…why did he live at the West house for so long, and why did he need to crash at Cisco’s place if he has all that money? Oh, well…
• The Dominators appear…and they are apparently multiversal as they have supposedly gone to Krypton many years ago.
• Just as the team is ready to go after them, Cisco finds that message from future Barry, the one we’ve heard parts of on LEGENDS. Future Barry tells them they can’t trust anyone…not even present day Barry.
• Cisco forces Barry to tell everyone about Flashpoint. After that, only Ollie and Kara have any trust left for Barry…and they go off without Ollie or Barry to fight the Dominators and save the President (who has been kidnapped by the Dominators).
• That may be for the best…as the Dominators have a device that takes over the minds of the away team. They all come back, looking to attack Ollie and Barry!
• Wally saves Barry but is injured. While Ollie tries to take him to safety, Barry has a plan to destroy the device…
• …by luring a mind-controlled Supergirl to the location and tricking her into breaking the device and its hold on our heroes.

At the end, the Dominators “collect” Sara, Diggle, Ray, Thea, and Ollie! Ready for ARROW? Yes!

NOTES:

• This episode did a wonderful job in mixing the lighter tone of SUPERGIRL and THE FLASH with the darker tones of ARROW and LEGENDS. You could see the differences in the emotional reactions of the characters, and it made the show all the better for it. There were plenty of cracks that one would expect if your world had never had a Kryptonian around. I loved Kara burning her “S” into the concrete at the hangar. And, I loved Mick’s lecherous reaction to the idea of x-ray vision (it was SO Mick).
• We are still dealing with the aftermath of Flashpoint. It continues to tear apart the lives of everyone. I can’t believe I thought it was being quickly addressed and dismissed at the start of the season…but here we are eight episodes in dealing with the emotional results. I’m glad it wasn’t dismissed so early, but I am in a way almost ready to move on…as long as the writers can find a realistic way of dealing with a resolution for Team Flash.
• Future Barry’s message not to trust present day Barry actually helped out here…if he had been trusted to go with the team in that first battle, ALL the heroes would have been mind-controlled.  Was that the plan, or do we have more to learn from future Barry?
• The action was outstanding in this episode! Do I need to say more?

SUMMARY: This really is how a crossover should be. No one character or team was allowed to completely outshine the rest. Yes, there was an emphasis on Barry, but it is his show…and even so, we got a LOT from Kara, Ollie, Wally and so many more.  The Dominators were a bit clunky at times as far as CGI goes, but the overall effect was still good for TV. This was a 9/10 for me – what do YOU think? Leave your comments below!

– Ed Garrett.

The post Invasion! Review of THE FLASH S3 Ep8 appeared first on Speed Force.

Firstly, a warning of upcoming episode spoilers herein.

The CW has released the extended trailer and some still images from next week’s episode of The Flash, titled “The Present”. It will be the mid-season finale, and we’ll be seeing more of Jay Garrick as well as some of the season’s major villains.

And you can see the stills over at BeautifulBallad.org. There, you’ll see more of Jay (at the Fox Bank, which is undoubtedly named after his co-creator Gardner Fox), and what is probably the Earth-3 Trickster. At the very least, it’s the return of Mark Hamill to the show!

Looking forward to the mid-season finale? Glad to see more of Jay Garrick? Share your thoughts!

– Lia.

The post “The Present” Trailer and Official Stills appeared first on Speed Force.