2022 is shaping up to be a big year for superhero fans. One of the most talked about out of all the upcoming releases is the highly anticipated DC film The Flash, directed by It’s Andy Muschietti and starring Ezra Miller. The film is not set to release until November, but Warner Brothers is not wasting any time building the hype. DC has just announced a prequel comic entitled The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive that will tie into the film. The publisher also revealed the art for the first issue's cover. It will be a three-issue monthly series, with the first 48-page issue releasing in both digital and print on April 26, 2022. The series will be written by Kenny Porter and drawn by artist Ricardo López Ortiz.
The plot of the comic reads as followed:
“Barry Allen’s world-saving adventure with the Justice League has driven Central City’s favorite son to become a truly skilled and inspirational Super Hero. But when a new threat by the name of Girder emerges in Central City, Barry turns to Batman for advice on training to master his powers. Under the Dark Knight’s tutelage, The Fastest Man Alive will have to find a way to defeat this metallic menace or be crushed by Girder’s strength!”
The first thing of note with this comic is that it will presumably re-team Miller’s Flash with Ben Affleck’s version of Batman. Even though Affleck is not mentioned by name in the description, the cover art for the first issue by Max Fiumara shows an airborne Dark Knight with the same bulky build and similar costume design to his version of the character alongside the scarlet speedster in his new costume from the upcoming film. Since The Flash will be the last time audiences will see Affleck’s Batman, it is nice that DC Comics is giving the character a fun, if unconventional, send-off.
Just like in Justice League, Batman will be taking on the mentor role, and it will be interesting to see what kind of story they come up with given the fact that Girder is a lesser-known Flash villain. In the comics, Girder is a steelworker named Tony Woodward and who gains super strength after falling in a vat of steel.
Other talent involved in this project is Muschietti himself doing a variant cover for the first issue. The second issue will release in May and will feature art from Juan Ferreyra, while Jason Howard will be providing the art for the final issue in July. For fans who do not want to collect the individual issues, a trade paperback collection will be released in October 2022 just in time for the movie.
The Flash, from the short teaser released at last year's DC Fandome, looks to be adapting the famous comic storyline Flashpoint in a multiverse adventure and, with the reintroduction of Michael Keaton’s Batman, appears to be resetting certain aspects of the DCEU’s canon. The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive will set the stage for the epic film when it releases on April 26th before The Flash speeds into theaters November 4, 2022.
Check out the cover for the first issue below:
