I don't really understand the point of the Earth One graphic novels. It would be better to have an in-continuity "Flash: Secret Origin" story arc in the main Flash title that can then be repackaged as a stand-alone book (rather than "The Flash volume 8"). Green Lantern: Secret Origin sold very, very well for DC using this method. Joshua Williamson has more than proven himself as the man for the job of writing it. They'd just need to figure out a schedule, because it would absolutely need to have a single consistent art team to become an ever-green book in DC's back catalogue.
It's kind of crazy that we've never gotten a "Year One" style expanded story arc for Barry Allen's Flash before.
I completely get you. To be honest I don't really understand the earth one GNs either, when Rebirth is happening. I would love to see a year one for Barry Allen as I feel like he deserves one (especially since Geoff Johns Flash rebirth isn't the greatest thing I've ever read, although I haven't read the new 52 so I don't know if it has already happened). I'm still open to the earth one graphic novels as long as they do something completely new.
there were plans for a flash earth one graphic novel?
When the lightning bolt comes down to strike Barry, he runs from it, unsuccessfully. When he wakes up, he realizes he is 50 years into the future. There he meets his grandson, who has the same powers. Bart tells him how his powers, when not controlled properly, propel him forward in time, and you will ironically end up getting to your destination way later than intended. Here, Barry is shown the ropes by his grandson, he acquires his fancy technologically advanced suit which can shrink and fit inside a ring, he learns that he gets married to someone named Iris West (instead of his current fiance, Patty Spivot), and he learns that being the Flash leads to his demise somehow (COIE). With Barry's return, the Rogues, who are old and washed up, get back together to settle the score.
At the end, when Barry says his goodbyes and returns to the present, he wakes up in the lab, the scene of the accident, wondering if it was all a dream from the chemicals, though he quickly learns that it was all real when he notices the ring on his finger. Even though he remembers that becoming the Flash will lead to his death, he does it anyways, hopeful that the future isn't set in stone, and willing to meet his fate if it is in fact set, as it's the right thing to do. At the very end, he meets Iris West.
Last edited by SmokeMonster; 01-04-2018 at 07:11 PM.
I love the idea of bringing the Turtle back, but I don't know about giving him powers and all. Wasn't the original Turtle just a really good planner with the quirk of doing everything slowly? I kind of love that, I'd rather do something with that. I wouldn't include the Flash's origin, I'd just say it happened a month ago and Barry was just starting to really get the hang of his powers, putting on the costume and stopping crimes and disasters and such. The trick to the Turtle's success would be to avoid ever being in the same place as the police or the newly costumed Flash. The Turtle would be a more psychological villain, but not psycho, just very, very methodically clever.
I'd treat The Flash: Earth One as a pretty small scale story about Barry figuring out how to deal with super-villains by being tougher than the toughies, smarter than the smarties, and- alas!- square.
"You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me."
Honestly, I am not a fan of the Turtle just being a criminal mastermind that does everything slowly. In my opinion, his gimmick of doing all his crimes slowly did not really make sense for someone who didn't want to get caught. I would rather he be a clever criminal mastermind that is one step ahead of the Flash, and he uses his power of slowing down time when he has to confront the Flash at the end of the Story.
Last edited by KC; 01-04-2018 at 08:55 PM.
This is something I actually contemplated last year. I came upon the idea of Max Mercury and Bart Allen arriving from the future to the present to ensure that Barry becomes the Flash in the first place and show him the ropes. The main inspiration for tone is Back to the Future. Make it fun. With only 120 pages, I wouldn't stuff too many characters in, but Snart and Thawne are a given. I also would weave in the idea for a companion piece that stands in stark contrast, titled Flash: Earth 3. And no, it doesn't star Johnny Quick.