Playing Catch-Up (Part 2)

Continuing to play catch-up from my All-Superman June, I have to talk about something that happened just last week:

He's Baaaaaack! Anyone familiar with Comic Coverage knows how much I can blather on about Barry Allen, the second man to wear the Flash costume who perished in DC's epic Crisis on Infinite Earth (1985).

Over the intervening 23 years, Barry's been lionized as some sort of Ultimate Martyr King...and the one character death that was somehow off limits and irreversible (despite everyone else and their uncle coming back from the dead).

Well, after a false alarm last summer, the final page of last week's Final Crisis #2 featured Barry Allen blasting through the dimensional barrier, appropriately yelling "RUN!". Who's he running from? That would be the re-designed version of the Black Racer, the personification of Death from the New Gods pantheon of characters. Oh, and in the jar above Barry's head? That's probably a super-deadly viral creature named Morticoccus.

Where this all goes from here is anyone's guess. There's still a very good chance Barry's return is a big, giant head-fake (as it has been in the past), but there's always hope they'll let him stick around. Personally, I can't wait to see how Barry would interact with the modern DCU and all its challenges. This past weekend at the WizardWorld Chicago Con, there was an intriguing hint regarding Barry's possible future in an exchange between Executive Editor Dan Didio and artist Ethan Van Sciver:

Didio followed up, “Which Flash would you talk about?” Van Sciver shot back, “Why not all of them?” Didio pretended to be incredulous “In the same book?” Van Sciver drove it home with, “Why not?”

So, maybe in answer to the "dilemma" of who gets to be DC's primary Flash character, DC's decided to have all of the living Flashes play a roll in a new Flash title. Obviously, the first Flash (Jay Garrick) can appear anywhere and be welcome, Barry's a given, yet Wally West (the former Kid Flash and standard-bearer since Barry's death) is still a vital character as well...so keep 'em all around and we'll see what happens.

But for now: Welcome back, Barry!

Next item of belated business? One word:

SHAZAM!
I've been looking forward to this for quite awhile, and wouldn't you know, I'm able to provide a "heads up" for it just in time. Today marks the debut of Billy Batson and the Magic of SHAZAM, a new title from the kid-oriented Johnny DC imprint. Writing and illustrating the book is Eisner Award-winning creator Mike Kunkel, long known for his work on Herobear and the Kid.

I absolutely adore Kunkel's cartooning, and I can't wait to see what he's got in store for the good Captain and the rest of the Marvel family.  Unfortunately, Cap's gotten lost in the shuffle over in the "regular" DC Universe (and that's being kind)...so it's wonderful to see Cap get the spotlight he deserves....better yet, aimed squarely at younger children...where the soul of Captain Marvel has always seemed most at home.  In the words of Mike Kunkel (from an interview last September):

"I love the heart in those (classic Captain Marvel) books. I can’t help but draw upon their charm and whimsy and fun. That helps, because I always strive to choose the perspective of childhood and tell the stories with that point of view. "

I realize times are tight, and comics aren't getting any cheaper...but if you support the concept of giving kids some comics of their own (and enjoy a whimsical approach yourself), give Billy Batson and the Magic of SHAZAM a shot when you're at the comic shop today.  I'll let you know what I thought once I've had a chance to check it out myself.

Not quite convinced?  Here, check out Kunkel's fantastic character studies for The Magic of SHAZAM (click on the image for a larger view):

Comments

[phillyradiogeek]

I picked up Shazam today and will read it with my 5-year-old daughter. Captain Marvel is a perfect fit for the Johnny DC line, and I can't wait to see his treatment in this title.

I've also been picking up DC's new Super Friends title and my daughter has loved it. It's good to find a superhero comic that actually is aimed at young children (kids comics, remember them?).

[Mark Engblom]

Yeah, I just picked up mine over lunch, and am anxious to read it when I get home. I should note that the comic book is a bit cheaper than standard comics at a mere $2.25 (instead of $2.99), and printed on a cheaper stock (closer to the old comics of our youths). Obviously, this was done to cut corners and keep the Johnny DC titles a tad more affordable....but I also like how it gives it a retro feel (not that kids would ever pick up on that).

[ShadowWing Tronix]

I may give Shazam a shot, since I'm running out of superhero comics to read. I tried DC Super Friends, but it's too kiddie even for me, and I watched Krypto the Super Dog. Maybe it's just because JLU was so good.

[Lauren]

BA Flash isn't my favorite. However I like the mythos that has grown on him.
WW Flash has made some interesting story telling mainly because he was always compared to the Legend of BA Flash.

They better not kill off Wally.

[Mark. Engblom]

I don't think they'll kill him off. After just killing of Bart Allen last year, DC probably isn't itching to cut down aother Flash...especially after Barry returns. DC's managed to juggle multiple Green Lanterns with little conflict, so multiple Flashes don't seem like an insurmountable problem to me. If Wally is in danger of being marginalized, it started happening in 2006 during Infinite Crisis, long before Barry's recent return...and his pseudo-Incredibles nonsense under Mark Waid certainly didn't help dissipate the aura of irrelevancy that's been haunting him for awhile.