From Newsarama:
As March solicitations revealed and DC has confirmed, Tom Peyer is taking over as writer of The Flash, replacing Mark Waid on the ongoing title with issue #238. The issue will kick off a six-part story called "Fast Money" with Freddie Williams II remaining as penciller on the series. This follows the end of Mark Waid's run on the series with January's issue #236 and a one-issue fill-in story by Keith Champagne in February's issue #237.The only way this can work is if Editorial lets Tom just do the offbeat quirky stuff he did on Hourman. No, Hourman didn't last a hell of a lot of issues, but there are a bunch of people I know who remember the series fondly and would plunk down $50 for it complete on eBay.
If Tom's writing is just shoehorned into serving whatever larger continuity interests are out there in the DCU, this run on Flash will be a non-entity. But since the pooch was screwed on the previous Bart Allen series, why not just get wacky with this book and stir up an audience? What is there to lose?
Get rid of the "wonder twins." Bring back Bart. Bring back Barry. Bring back Iris. Bring back Chunk. Do a parody of "One More Day" with Mr. Mxyzptlk as Mephisto. Do something.
And, in the interest of full disclosure: I assistant-edited Tom on Magnus Robot Fighter a loooooong looooooong loooooong time ago.
well getting rid of that awful acuna art was a mighty good start!
ReplyDeleteand yes I agree, the kids are obnoxious.
I'd like to see them make the kids not obnoxious somewhere. Everyone expects them do die (and are taking bets) it'd be nice to see both of them stick around just to defy expectations a little.
ReplyDeleteIf Barry can make the occasional post-mortem appearance due to time travel, what's stopping Bart from doing the same? Did he ever set foot on a cosmic treadmill at all?
ReplyDeleteTom Peyer is a hack writer if there ever was one. He's a miserable writer who doesn't do characterization beyond the most basic 2D stuff and writes terrible dialog. He's exactly the sort of guy who would be fired if comics was run even sort of close as to how any other business is run.
ReplyDeleteHow come no one is up in arms over DC's bait and switch? After their Flash reboot bombed, they brought in Waid for what, 4 issues, and now they're already going back to a crappy writer. No one's upset about this? 4 issues by Mark Waid is enough to satiate everyone's quench for decent mainstream comics?
Waid always said he was only on-board for the relaunch as he liked the story he'd been handed to write. DC has a current policy on the creative front of playing musical chairs with major franchise books that lack direction (possibly because they're playing musical chairs with the writers and artists), so this shouldn't really be any surprise to anyone. Peyer will probably only be around for a few months, too.
ReplyDeleteBased on past experience, I can see where they went wrong with the current Flash relaunch - those kids should have been twin teenage girls, and drawn by someone with an extensive pornography collection. DC would be beating off new readers with a stick, which is fitting, as the new readers would be beating thems--
Actually, I won't finish that comment. It would demean us all.
Because Tom and Mark are such close friends and have often collaborated, I saw this writing switch as more of a formality than anything else.
ReplyDeleteI liked Acuna's art, and I love the way Mark expands Linda's role as an expert in superpowers because she has to be, but I didn't think the kids were as well defined as they might have been.
I adore Tom Peyer's writing (and Tom). This is great news.
ReplyDelete...
ReplyDelete...
...Flash had mojo? WHEN?
Tom Peyer is truly an aboniable writer (R.E.B.E.L.S.? Uhg), but his Hourman was in fact mad genius. I agree wholey with Val.
ReplyDeleteTom Peyer is just about the most criminally underemployed writer in mainstream comics and it's great to see him on a franchise book for DC.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the Beechens and Bedards DC has been heaping books on, it's nice to see them offer a book to a real talent.