| Flashpoint | |
|---|---|
Cover art to Flashpoint #1. Art by Andy Kubert. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Format | Limited series |
| Genre | Superhero |
| Publication date | May – September 2011 |
| Number of issues | 5 (main series)[1] |
| Main character(s) | Barry Allen Batman Cyborg[1] Booster Gold Wonder Woman Aquaman |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Geoff Johns[1] |
| Artist(s) | Andy Kubert[1] |
| Collected editions | |
| Hardcover | ISBN 1401233376 |
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011. The core miniseries series was written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Andy Kubert.
The series details an altered DC Universe in which only Barry Allen, Kid Flash and Booster Gold seem to be aware of significant differences between the regular timeline and the altered one, including Cyborg's place as the quintessential hero, Superman's apparent detention by the government, and a Thomas Wayne version of Batman who spends "his days running Wayne Casinos."[1]
Consisting of a five-issue run, the series also crossed over with Booster Gold, sixteen three-issue miniseries, and a number of one-shots beginning in June 2011.[2] DC also announced that Flash #12 would be the last in the series; a thirteenth issue had been announced for sale on May 25, 2011, but had since been withdrawn.[3]
Contents |
Barry Allen wakes up to discover he is in an altered timeline in which Citizen Cold is Central City's greatest hero; his mother Nora (deceased in his own timeline) is alive; his father, Henry, died of a heart attack three years ago (instead of in prison); and that the Flash, the Justice League, and Superman do not exist.
In Gotham City, Batman throws a criminal off a building before being confronted by Cyborg. Cyborg and Batman have a conference with a group of superheroes to discuss how the battle between Aquaman's Atlanteans and Wonder Woman's Amazons has caused massive death and destruction in Western Europe (sunken by the Atlanteans, except for the United Kingdom, which was conquered by the Amazons), with the prospect of America being similarly endangered. The heroes cannot work together to find a solution, and the meeting is disbanded. Barry Allen drives to the Batcave where he is attacked by Batman who is revealed to be Thomas Wayne—Bruce died in his place in this timeline.[4]
In the flooded remains of Paris, Deathstroke captains a pirate ship in search of his daughter. He and his crew (Sonar, Icicle, and Clayface) are attacked by Emperor Aquaman, who stabs Deathstroke in the chest. Sonar is able to remove a piece of the trident from Deathstroke's chest and heal him. Back at Wayne Manor, Barry tries to explain to Thomas about his secret identity as the Flash and his relationship to Bruce Wayne. Barry's memory begins to spontaneously realign itself to the altered timeline and Barry learns that the world of Flashpoint is not an alternate dimension, but his own. Barry's ring ejects the Reverse-Flash's costume and causes Barry to believe that the Reverse-Flash is responsible for changing history. Barry decides to recreate the accident that gave him his powers in a bid to undo the damage caused by the Reverse-Flash, but the initial attempt causes him to be badly burnt.[5]
In London, Steve Trevor is waiting at a rendezvous point for Lois Lane but is attacked by Wonder Woman and the Amazons. Wonder Woman catches him by the neck with her Lasso of Truth and begins interrogating him. He explains that he was hired to extract Lois Lane from New Themyscira because she was sent to gather information on the Amazons for Cyborg. The U.S. president informs Cyborg that Steve Trevor sent a signal to the Resistance but was intercepted because of a traitor among the heroes that Cyborg tried to recruit. Cyborg is relieved of duty as Element Woman sneaks into the headquarters. Meanwhile in New Themyscira, Lois Lane encounters the Resistance. A second lightning strike grants Barry Allen his powers, healing his injuries, allowing him to recreate his costume. Barry's research of past records of newspaper clippings leads him to conclude that the Reverse-Flash deliberately changed the timeline to prevent the formation of the Justice League. He also learns of a rocket carrying the infant Kal-El, that crashed into Metropolis instead of Kansas. Kal-El was taken by Project: Superman, and named Subject 1. Flash and Batman meet with Cyborg and agree to join the cause to stop Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and the three go in search of 'Subject 1'. In the project headquarters they discover a pale, weakened version of Superman. Their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of guards and Superman flies off in the midst of battle, leaving the Flash, Batman, and Cyborg in the sewers to be rescued by Element Woman [6] Flash's memories begin to change much more drastically. In order to prevent him forgetting the original timeline completely, Batman gives him an anti-epileptic to slow down his brain's electrical activity.
The president announces Cyborg's failure to unite the world's super heroes and the U.S. entry into the Atlantean/Amazon war. In Fawcett City, Billy Batson feels distressed about trying to intervene after being easily defeated by Wonder Woman, before resolving to put a stop to the war. The Flash, Batman, Cyborg, and Element Woman break down the door in need of the Marvel Family's help, and Batman asks Billy to use his lighting to prevent Flash's memories from changing even further. Billy sees the memories of his DC timeline counterpart. The group hears of the failed air assault on England due to the Amazons' Invisible Plane airforce. Hal Jordan is the first casualty, and a giant Atlantean-generated tidal wave threatens the rest of New Themyscira. Flash tells Batman that he cannot just stand by as people die since if he fails to stop the Reverse-Flash, the world will destroy itself. Despite some reservations, Batman joins Flash as the group heads off to New Themyscira where they are joined en route by Enchantress. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are fighting one-on-one until Flash and his team arrive. The Marvel Family transform into Captain Thunder, also transforming Tawney. Captain Thunder attacks Wonder Woman and appears to be winning until Enchantress reveals herself as the Amazon spy and uses her magic to restore the Marvel Family to their mortal forms. Penthesileia kills Billy Batson, causing a massive explosion that cripples the opposing forces. In the wake of the devastation, the Reverse-Flash appears in front of the Flash.[7]
Reverse-Flash reveals to Barry that the Flashpoint timeline was actually created by Barry himself after he travelled back in time to stop Thawne from killing his mother. Barry pulled the entire Speed Force into himself to stop Zoom, transforming the timeline. Zoom resets Barry's internal vibrations, enabling him to remember this. According to Zoom, these actions transformed him into a living paradox, no longer requiring Barry to exist and allowing him to kill the Flash without erasing his own existence. Zoom continues to taunt Barry with this knowledge until he is stabbed in the back by an Amazonian sword and killed by Batman. As the fight continues, Subject 1 arrives and begins to aid the heroes, but Thomas still insists that Barry put history back to normal to undo the millions of deaths that have resulted from the Amazon/Atlantean war. Meanwhile Cyborg detects seismic activity which he claims could destroy the world and waves start to approach. Now knowing the point of divergence, the Flash resumes his attempts to restore the timeline. Before he enters the timestream, Thomas thanks him for giving his son a second chance and gives Barry a letter addressed to Bruce. Barry then meets his mother and reveals his secrets and his inadvertent role in creating the Flashpoint universe by saving her life. Barry bids a tearful farewell to her and Nora Allen also accepts her fate, acknowledging that she will be reunited with her husband in the afterlife when Barry succeeds. Traveling back in time, Barry merges with his younger counterpart during the attempt to stop Thawne. In the timestream, Barry realizes he can see three different timelines -- DC, Vertigo, and WildStorm. A mysterious hooded figure tells him that the world was split into three to weaken them for an impending threat, and must now be reunited to combat it. The DC, Vertigo, and WildStorm universes merge, creating the new DC universe. Barry then wakes up in a similar manner to the beginning of Flashpoint. Believing that everything is over, Barry remembers Thomas' letter and gives it to Bruce, who is still the Batman in this timeline. Bruce is deeply touched by his father's sacrifice to ensure his own life, and is grateful to Barry for informing him of the events that transpired before the timeline was reset.[8]
Several tie-in mini-series were announced via DC's "The Source" Blog.[2] and the creative teams were announced in March 2011.[9]
The series is being collected into a number of volumes:
The prelude titles are also being collected:
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