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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2012 14:57:22 GMT -5
 I've always been a Flash fan since I was a little kid but the TV show put me over the edge and I started swallowing up every Flash comic I could find. I equally loved the Barry Allen and the Wally West stories, but I couldn't find as many older issues as I'd like for Barry, too pricey. I settled for getting every Vol. 2, and I almost did, I think. Still, to this day, the ENTIRE second series up until Reverse Flash comes back is just absolutely fucking phenomenal. I can't wait to get back into them someday. Years later, I'm rebuilding my collection and have absolutely fallen in love all over again with the Barry Allen Flash comics. I've gotten a bunch recently and found a torrent that has a SHIT ton of old stuff, including the original Jay Garrick stuff, and the first Barry comics that are impossible to buy. I feel like that's the only reason I'd get an iPad, to read those things proper. I have like hundreds of very old Flash comics on my computer. It's wonderful. But I want to get as many physical issues as I can. I'm enamored with them. The way they smell, in particular. There's just something about that old comic smell that sends me into a daze. Takes me back to my youth when I used to go to comic shops with tons and tons of back issues so the entire place smells like the old comics...God, it puts me in my happy place. There's just something so goddamn fun about these old comics. They're all so over the top and full of action and twists and turns and goofy shit, I can't help but soak each page in. I'm full of smiles every page. I just joined eBay and got a pretty big lot of later Allen issues, like #320 to #335 or something. I can't wait to get into them. Anybody else a Crimson Comet fan? Scarlet Speedster? Monarch of Motion? |
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Post by Valentine Smith on Feb 21, 2012 16:43:17 GMT -5
Next to Supes and Batman, I probably have more Flash comics than anything else. Nearly an entire longbox worth, I think. Maybe 3/4 of one?
Anyway, yeah. My favorite stuff is the Bates/Infantino stuff that ran from around 300-350. That whole "Trial of The Flash" is really stellar.
But, for the most part, mostly because of when I grew up, I'm a Wally guy. I have pretty much every single issue of the Wally Flash book, either via single issues or trades. This comic, from around 1987 til 2003 or so, was pretty much DC's most consistently well-written and well-drawn book. Everyone loves Waid's run (as they should), but Mike Baron's initial issues followed by William Messner-Loebs stuff are really spectacular. Especially the Messner-Loebs issues.
Geoff Johns' Barry relaunch really missed the mark, unfortunately. BUT, it brought us Francis Manapul, easily my favorite Flash artist since Infantino. And now, since the DC Relaunch, Manapul is writing AND drawing the re-relaunched Barry, and it's by far my favorite of the New 52.
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Post by Valentine Smith on Feb 21, 2012 16:44:15 GMT -5
oh, and the best thing is? All of those Wally issues, for the most part, you can grab for 50 cents or a buck a piece at comic cons. You can build an entire set of that comic for something that averages out to far less than cover price per book.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2012 20:00:11 GMT -5
When's the next con?
I love Messner Loebs the most. That's when I got into comics, during his run. Simply marvelous.
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Post by Valentine Smith on Feb 21, 2012 22:01:52 GMT -5
March 31st. Midtown. One day only.
Great design, too. Probably the best superhero costume ever. It ages well (although that Michael Turner image from 2004/2005 is hideous). I love how over the years the lightning energy/speed force has just become a part of the costume now.
I'd love to see another live-action Flash, just to see the suit in live-action again. The Shipp suit would have been perfect if it wasn't so obviously and ridiculously padded. HALF of that, keep the colors and the texture, and I'm set.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 21:17:22 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm a huge fan of the suit. I'm not sure if it's my favorite suit or if I think it's the best, but it does fucking rule. I'd be very curious to see how the next live action incarnation will look. The TV suit was pretty bad ass, despite, as you said, the padding.
I think I like Don Heck's art most out of the older Flashes, but I made a decision today. I have a new project. I'm going to get as many old Flashes as I can. I'm going to shoot for #200 to #350, as the earlier stuff gets a little pricier, but I will get what I can get. After that, I'm sure I'll gain a wider knowledge of art and then have a definite choice of favorite art.
But for the Wally stuff, my favorite always has and always will be Greg LaRoque's. Love it. Absolutely love it. Fit the character and the stories so damn well. Although Manapul IS simply incredible. Very beautiful work.
God, I love the Flash.
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Post by Valentine Smith on Feb 22, 2012 22:13:36 GMT -5
Well, once they start fucking Barry's life up in the late 200s, the book gets pretty interesting. I maintain that the final two or three years leading up to Crisis were probably the edgiest, most under the radar stuff DC was putting out at the time.
Laroque was awesome, but for me, my favorite Wally artist will always be Mike Wieringo (RIP).
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2012 1:21:26 GMT -5
I don't have much experience with him. I've gone pretty haywire with the Barry stuff. I decided to go from #135 to #350, as I have a LOT of issues coming my way that include earlier stuff. I may even try to get the entire run starting at #105 but that will take a long ass time. I don't give a shit about quality, as long as it's readable but it seems like they're all pretty good other than the really early issues. Amazing deals on eBay, really damn cheap. Yesterday I owned 8 issues. If I win everything I've bid on, I only have 101 issues to go. I'm really quite ashamed of myself.  It's going to be fascinating to read this all the way through. I only had about twenty issues or so originally, and a lot of them had a lot of backstory or continuations, so I can't wait to finally get what was going on in all of them. All the stuff with Iris and the Reverse Flash. I got a reprint of the first ever Earth Two cross over with Jay Garrick, that'll be fun as heck to read. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2012 21:23:08 GMT -5
Update!
Going from #125 to #350. The Archive books will do for the stuff prior to that, I ain't shecking out hundreds of bucks for ONE single goddamn comic book. I only have 67 issues to go. I've had a very obsessive week. I only owned FOUR issues last week. Sweet Christ. I need help.
They're all starting to flood in. I had no idea I'm basically getting a shit ton of Green Lantern stories, too. There's SO many back up GL stories in these issues, it's gonna be fucking GREAT!
I can't WAIT to read all of these. When I'm done, I think I'm going to write a Flash script. Do it proper. Do it right. It'll end with Flash fighting Zoom much like Neo fought Smith at the end of The Matrix Revolutions. I have it completely pictured it in my head. It would be fucking incredible.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2012 1:43:01 GMT -5
The newest Flash issue, #7 was FANTASTIC. I can't wait to see where it goes. I'm completely into this now. The artwork seemed to have hit a high here, it is simply gorgeous.
I'm sure this has been discussed, but is this the same Barry as before or did Flashpoint screw shit up with him?
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cypher85
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Post by cypher85 on Mar 30, 2012 7:50:32 GMT -5
Have they started a new arc. I loved the art in the first arc, but didn't give a shit about the story so had to drop it after the first 3 issues. But, manapul and buccalleto's art is calling to me. So once a new arc starts I wanted to pick it up again and give it a try.
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Post by Valentine Smith on Mar 30, 2012 7:54:48 GMT -5
The newest Flash issue, #7 was FANTASTIC. I can't wait to see where it goes. I'm completely into this now. The artwork seemed to have hit a high here, it is simply gorgeous. I'm sure this has been discussed, but is this the same Barry as before or did Flashpoint screw shit up with him? This is a total Barry reboot from what I can tell. So, he never died. There was no Crisis on Infinite Earths. Thus far, there's no Wally yet. He's never had a relationship with Iris, etc... I actually sorta wish more of the other DC books were rebooted like this. It's a reboot, it's early in his career, but they aren't spelling everything out painfully, they're just telling good stories with the character. This is the first time EVER in my life that Flash doesn't come with a ton of baggage. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2012 12:52:46 GMT -5
That's why it's so appealing to me.
Cypher, there's a new storyline with Captain Cold, but it only lasts two issues, now it's getting into something with a villain trapped in the Speed Force. It's much better than the first storyline they went with. It did get pretty lame.
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cypher85
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Post by cypher85 on Mar 30, 2012 13:49:27 GMT -5
Good to hear that the storyline has improved. Is the captain cold issues worth reading? Or should I just wait until the start of the next arc?
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Post by Valentine Smith on Mar 30, 2012 14:49:56 GMT -5
The Captain Cold issues were kinda lightweight, but to me, Manapul's art makes EVERYTHING worth it. I can't love this dude's work any more than I do. It's perfect. AND the guy never misses a deadline.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2012 2:14:06 GMT -5
The fluffiness of the plot isn't such a big deal when you have that artwork to behold. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but it's not great. I haven't read great Flash stuff in a long, long time. But the art? Best ever. Simply gorgeous.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2012 11:39:56 GMT -5
17 issues remain and I have every Barry Allen comic book from the 50's through the 80's.
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ShogunLogan
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Post by ShogunLogan on Apr 10, 2012 13:55:47 GMT -5
17 issues remain and I have every Barry Allen comic book from the 50's through the 80's. That's impressive! I on a same sort of mission with the Amazing Spider-Man. I think I am 22 issues away from the entire run. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2012 14:03:16 GMT -5
That's pretty fucking awesome!
What's not so fucking awesome is how much this has cost me, and probably you, too. But eh...missions are missions. I didn't get EVERY issue, though, as a surprising amount of them are just reprints of earlier stories, so eh...no point in spending money on them if I already have them in their original issues.
I'm getting pretty close to starting to read them. I remember always seeing those DC Archive books at stores and wanting to buy them. They are very well done, quite beautiful. Lots of love went into them, you can tell.
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Post by Valentine Smith on Apr 10, 2012 14:53:49 GMT -5
When you start reading 'em, quit smoking (cigs) and start running! Barry will guide you.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2012 13:35:41 GMT -5
It has begun!
I read the first Archive book, which has his first appearances in the Showcase comics and the first four issues of his own series. It's fantastically fun. Some of it is just so goddamn silly, but it rules. Lots of sexism and racism, that's pretty damn interesting. I was wondering what it was going to be like. I can't wait to see all the social changes happen through time via this comic.
The artwork is gorgeous. Val, you might be right, Infantino might be the best, but it's way too early to tell. He is amazing, though. And BOY, is this shit fun to read when drunk!
I only have 11 issues to go, which I should be getting Friday.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2012 12:01:50 GMT -5
It is done. Behold.  |
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Post by Valentine Smith on May 1, 2012 14:17:29 GMT -5
I think I just came.
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Kirok
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Post by Kirok on Sept 17, 2012 11:31:57 GMT -5
I actually sorta wish more of the other DC books were rebooted like this. It's a reboot, it's early in his career, but they aren't spelling everything out painfully, they're just telling good stories with the character. This is the first time EVER in my life that Flash doesn't come with a ton of baggage. Yes, this is what the New 52 should have been for every character, and a big reason why Flash is one of DC's best books right now. Flash has always been on my radar more than any other supehero outside of Superman and Batman, mainly because of the TV series. Also my dad had a lot of old comics he passed down to me, and while most of them were Supes and Bats there were a good number of Flashes in there too. That said, outside of my current New 52 subscription, "Flash: Rebirth" is the only current Flash story I've read. I enjoyed it even though it was a bit confusing at times but I chalked that up to me being unfamiliar with the greater mythology of the character. I've also got all of "Flashpoint" (the main story and all the spinoffs) in graphic novel form waiting on my shelf to be read. Once I get through those I'll probably be looking to get deeper into the character. Geoff Johns and Mark Waid are a couple of my favorite comics writers so there should be plenty to choose from! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2012 12:10:23 GMT -5
I burnt myself the fuck out on The Flash. I read the first three archives and a dozen issues after that. Last night, I read two issues from 1962, though, and was drawn back in. It's so damn fun. Like even REALLY good, sometimes, nice and heartfelt and shit like that. It's quite positive, very pleasant. I love this stuff.
The smell of these comics almost put me in tears.
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