If you ask a non-comic-reader who their favourite DC character is, they will undoubtedly say either Batman or Superman. This is fair enough, as both these characters have had more films, TV shows, cartoons, and video games than any other. Myself, on the other hand--having never read a DC comic until the recent New 52 campaign--had always considered The Flash to be my favourite. Why this is, I've never been entirely sure. My best guess is the short-lived live-action TV series that ran when I was at the impressionable age of 11. No matter the source, my liking for the character has carried through to adulthood and has been more than justified by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's current series.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Why The Flash?
If you ask a non-comic-reader who their favourite DC character is, they will undoubtedly say either Batman or Superman. This is fair enough, as both these characters have had more films, TV shows, cartoons, and video games than any other. Myself, on the other hand--having never read a DC comic until the recent New 52 campaign--had always considered The Flash to be my favourite. Why this is, I've never been entirely sure. My best guess is the short-lived live-action TV series that ran when I was at the impressionable age of 11. No matter the source, my liking for the character has carried through to adulthood and has been more than justified by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's current series.
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It's still Barry Allen Flash specifically this week, right?
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, I forgot to specify that. Barry's the only Flash I'm familiar with, so I forget there were others :)
ReplyDeleteMaking my triumphant return to guest contributions here. :D
ReplyDeleteThe Flash - Cold Stare
The Premise: What with it being the New 52 and all, this would be the first time the Flash has encountered his nemesis, Captain Cold. As his alter ego Barry Allen, he interrogates Cold in the witness box.
PAGE ???
Panel 1: Cold's POV. Barry is sitting down across from him, laying folders down on the table. Barry has a courteous, instinctive smile on his face.
BARRY: Hi there. Barry Allen, CSI. Mind if I ask you a few questions, Mr. Snart?
Panel 2: Cold is in handcuffs, fists clenched. He still wears his dirty blue suit, hood down, but his visor isn't present. There is a sneer on his face and his heavy eyes regard Barry with contempt.
COLD: You can't be a real cop.
Panel 3: Both of them in shot, Cold still staring at Barry, Barry looking at his folder as he removes a file. He is quietly confident.
BARRY: What makes you say that?
COLD: Cops don't ask so nicely. If they ask at all.
Panel 4: Over Cold's shoulder (heh). Barry nonchalantly regards his file.
BARRY: I'm sorry you feel that way, Mr. Snart. Sorry that you think we're all the same.
BARRY: But then, such simple thinking is common to men of your... *education.*
Panel 5: Cold loses his cool now (another pun, I swear it's unintentional). He is pointing and snarling at Barry.
COLD: Hey! *I* outsmarted *you* pigs! Took you two weeks to pin me for that rich bitch's murder, and I still had time to pull off that diamond heist in Broomton!
Panel 5: Close up of Barry. His head is down, but his eyes dart up at Cold/us. There is a tiny smug grin on his face.
BARRY: Thank you, Mr. Snart. I have everything I need.
END OF PAGE.
@J.D Some good dialogue going on and it was cool to see Barry in his 'day job' and getting the better of Cold there too.
ReplyDeleteI've been AWOL for a little while. So, here we go again:
The page features a nine panel grid and all panels are from the same viewpoint, looking out from the TV out into Barry's living room in his apartment.
Whilst not set in any specific continuity as such, Barry is dating Iris at this point.
PANEL 1
A POV shot from the TV in Barry's apartment. A sofa sits in the foreground of the panel. Behind it we can see BARRY and IRIS entering the apartment, both in long winter coats. They both carry cartons of chinese takeaway in their arms and are heading towards the kitchenette (also in the background).
On the wall, just to the left of the fridge, is a clock. At the moment it reads six o'clock. The time displayed increases in ten minute increments with each panel progression.
BARRY (CAPTION): My days move quickly.
PANEL 2
FIXED PANEL: we can see Barry feeding Iris some of his noodles with chopsticks as they stand next to the kitchen worktop.
He and Iris have taken their coats off now. They both wear t-shirt and jeans.
BARRY (CAPTION): Always thinking.
PANEL 3
FIXED PANEL: Barry, still standing by the kitchen worktop pours a glass of wine for himself. Iris takes a sip from her own glass.
BARRY (CAPTION): Always moving.
PANEL 4
FIXED PANEL: Barry and Iris both sit on the sofa in the foreground of the panel. The lights are off and the only light source is the neon glow from the TV.
Iris has her legs drawn up to her stomach and looks slightly frightened. Barry looks petrified too.
BARRY (CAPTION): The world becomes a blur.
PANEL 5
FIXED PANEL: Iris nuzzles her head into Barry's shoulder, not daring to look at the TV. Barry has a hand over his eyes, peeking through a gap in the fingers.
BARRY (CAPTION): You miss the finer details.
PANEL 6
FIXED PANEL: Iris points at the screen and is laughing uncontrollably. Barry can be seen peeking from behind the sofa.
BARRY (CAPTION): Sometimes you just need to take a moment.
PANEL 7
FIXED PANEL: Iris and Barry, both laughing, play fight over the remote control for the TV.
BARRY (CAPTION): To her it's date night.
PANEL 8
FIXED PANEL: Iris, remote in hand, sits back gloating and smiling. Barry sits next to her, arms folded in mock defeat.
BARRY (CAPTION): To me?
PANEL 9
FIXED PANEL: Iris has fallen asleep, her head resting on Barry's shoulder. He kisses her on the top of her head.
BARRY (CAPTION): Heaven.
@Dan: Nice fly-on-the-wall piece. What I particularly like is that it serves as an analogy to modern life in general--it's all too easy to get caught up in the frantic pace and miss the little things.
ReplyDeleteJD - I love this page, but it doesn't say Barry Allen to me. Then again, I've not read new-52 Flash yet so maybe they've changed his character somewhat since I knew him.
ReplyDeleteDan - yeah, that felt more like the Barry Allen of old. Big soppy git.
@J.D. - this made me think of the time the Brady Bunch kids got the better of some fool in court who was suing them for neck damages sustained from a hosue collapse the father no doubt designed and the kids slammed a suitcase shut and he twisted his head to look thereby showing his neck was not actually damaged at all.
ReplyDeleteMake of that what you will.
@Dan - nice, man, nice. Very sweet page and the pantomijme of Barry peeking through fingers and over the sofa really made me smile. Excellent pacing of words, as well.