Ripped from the headlines
And you thought we were done with RED CIRCLE news...
A few links of note for Wednesday
This gloomy weather has us here at The Source feeling a tad under the weather, so apologies for using the "blogging will be light" cliché today. But, we do have a slew of places for you to visit as you wait for a full recovery.
• Geoff Johns spoke to Andrew Smith, from the SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE about FLASH: REBIRTH:
Why do it? Why bring back Barry Allen, after a heroic death and successful replacement?
Johns: I think that's what the series is all about. The answers are all in there. But whenever I get on these characters, my goal has always been to kind of rebuild their world, their mythology, like with Green Lantern and JSA.
Barry Allen is, like Hal Jordan (in "Green Lantern"), sort of a centerpiece to the Flash. With Barry Allen, there's something clear I want to do and I want him to do it. For me, he's the character that's going to facilitate the stories I want to tell.
Johns also spoke to IGN's Dan Phillips about a wide array of topics, including BLACKEST NIGHT, FLASH: REBIRTH and the return of Superboy in the pages of ADVENTURE COMICS.
• IGN also has a few preview pages from the BATTLE FOR THE COWL coda, GOTHAM GAZETTE: BATMAN ALIVE #1.
• Speaking of the Red Circle characters, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES' Jeff Renaud spoke to writer J. Michael Straczynski about the four one-shots and his upcoming stint on THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD.
• Had a chance to check out pages from THE LAST DAYS OF ANIMAL MAN #1? Well, MYSPACE COMIC BOOKS has a lengthy preview.
Have some pencils from THE SHIELD
Back when we chatted with RED CIRCLE editor Joey Cavalieri, we showed off new art from three of the four RED CIRCLE one-shots. In our continued efforts to show off as much cool art as we can, we snagged four SHIELD pages by artist Scott McDaniel, who, along with inker Andy Owens, will be handling art chores on the one-shot. SHIELD looks pretty angry, huh?
All four RED CIRCLE one-shots are hitting in August.
[gallery columns="4"]
The official word on THE RED CIRCLE
You've seen the amazing designs. You've seen Jesus Saiz's cover art. But there are more details to reveal, and more art to show. That's what The Source is for, no?
This August, writer J. Michael Straczynski pairs with an all-star cast of artists to introduce a new wave of heroes into the DCU with four one-shots, each spotlighting one of the four. THE HANGMAN pairs JMS with artists Tom Derenick and comic legend Bill Sienkiewicz, while INFERNO features the gritty linework of Greg Scott. THE SHIELD showcases the work of former SUPERMAN and BATMAN artists Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens while THE WEB features the team of Roger Robinson and Hilary Barta. A pretty impressive lineup, huh? But that's not all. We corralled Joey Cavalieri -- and JMS -- who along with assistant Chris Conroy is editing the RED CIRCLE books, to give us the lowdown on these reinterpreted characters and what their deal is. Take it away, Joey:
"Join the Red Circle: four books about four super heroes who are brand new to our universe. Everything goes in circles, and while these mighty crusaders have their roots in another time, J. Michael Straczynski has made sure that these guys’ colorful costumes aren’t empty suits. They’re fully rounded ndividuals, inhabited with the ethos of our modern era.
There’s the Hangman…a doctor who’s been spared the executioner’s noose (a circle of rope, get it?) only to be confronted with a choice that condemns him o roam around Earth forever, aiding everyone in his orbit.
And the Web, a man who’s had a life of ease and selfishness…but is forced to cast the resources of his, er, surroundings outward, to embrace and encircle everyone who needs his help!
Inferno has incendiary powers, but no memory other than a single name…which may not even be his. He must circle back and discover who he is, where he came from, and why everything around him goes to blazes…
The Shield is the spearhead of a program meant to encompass America’s borders, but quickly becomes a link in a bigger chain. That chain becomes a chain reaction. As J. Michael said in a note to me ‘n Dan: 'This is where it gets really interesting. All four books are connected. One book sets up the next, then sets up the next, via interrelated actions. Each book slides off the next, showing the interconnectedness of the world, how fate can launch a bank shot from one person to the next. The Circle of Life, again reinforcing the Red Circle motif.'
Get the connection? We’ll show you how the circuit gets completed this summer. Circle your calendars: the Red Circle Revolution begins August 5th!"
And now, THE WEB
It's a week of rollouts here at The Source, and to close out our Red Circle character debuts, we've got the final cover by Jesus Saiz featuring the new look for THE WEB. Unlike THE HANGMAN and INFERNO, which went through a few changes in the design process, THE WEB was nailed pretty close the first go 'round. Sometimes things just fall into place, what can I say? So make with the click.
You've seen THE SHIELD and INFERNO, now enter THE HANGMAN
It's been a Red Circle kind of week, huh? Well, we're not only publishing The Shield and Inferno, friends, so why stop there? As some of you might recall, The Hangman is one of the key Red Circle heroes making his DCU debut in August. He's also one of the characters superstar artist J.G. Jones took a pass at when asked to tinker with a few of the RC characters. So, to continue to show you an inside look at the creative process here at 1700 Broadway, I've included J.G.'s initial Hangman sketch and artist Jesus Saiz's final cover.
Come back tomorrow for a peek at what The Web will look like come August. Yes, that's a tease. Deal with it.
SHIELD? Check. INFERNO? Here you go
THE SHIELD image we debuted yesterday was pretty close to final. It's hard to really tinker with such an iconic costume, so why try? But with a few more of the Red Circle characters available, it was a no-brainer to let an artist of J.G. Jones' caliber take a stab at redesigning some. Here's a look at Jones' character sketch for INFERNO. Come back tomorrow for another sneak peek at the newest members of the DCU.
Oh, and because I'm in a giving mood, we've thrown in Jesus Saiz's final take on the character, which will also serve as a cover, come August.
Finish off Monday with a first look at THE SHIELD
Good afternoon, clock watchers. Monday is almost over and you're probably already wearing your coat and loading your bags. But there's one more thing we want to show off before you hop in your cars or respective modes of transport.
As most of you know, come August, we'll be publishing a number of books spotlighting the Red Circle characters, specifically The Shield, The Web, The Hangman and Inferno, under the watchful eye of writer J. Michael Straczynski. But before we get into all the specifics, let's look at some cool art, shall we? Here's a peek at THE SHIELD, from artist Jesus Saiz. Check back tomorrow for more. Enjoy the commute.
Pages
