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I suppose we're lucky being in the UK now. We get our comics first n' all.

I rather enjoyed Flashpoint #1, a lot more than Fear Itself #1 infact. Okay, so I knew very few of the characters, but as an access point it felt like a whole new universe. The last page reveal was a nice little unexpected twist too.

My problem now, is that I am quite happy to look at one or two of the Flashpoint minis. But DC's information on each book has been so sporadic and scattered around the net, that its almost impossible for me to figure out which ones would suit me best.

I actually am part of Diamond's Day Early Delivery so I get my comics early too. Flashpoint #1 went straight to the top of my to read pile, and I agree with you that it was very enjoyable. I had a few issues with the group discussion that took place with Cyborg and Batman, I didn't know who a number of the characters were. That is an issue with me being relatively new to the DC Universe though. I guess that means it loses a few points on accessibility to new readers. The twist on the end was also interesting, even with all of the publicity and discussion that had been done they had managed to keep that quiet.

I'm looking forward to the minis for the most part. I'm a bit of a completionist, especially when it comes to an event that takes place in an alternate reality, so I will probably end up reading all of them even though I really don't think it will be neccesary.

Danscomics wrote: I'm looking forward to the minis for the most part. I'm a bit of a completionist, especially when it comes to an event that takes place in an alternate reality, so I will probably end up reading all of them even though I really don't think it will be neccesary.

probably just being picky.... but isn't Flashpoint the actual DCU but the timeline has been changed, rather than an alternate reality?

Paul Nolan wrote:

Danscomics wrote: I'm looking forward to the minis for the most part. I'm a bit of a completionist, especially when it comes to an event that takes place in an alternate reality, so I will probably end up reading all of them even though I really don't think it will be neccesary.

probably just being picky.... but isn't Flashpoint the actual DCU but the timeline has been changed, rather than an alternate reality?

Maybe "in theory", but since those changes are confined to Flashpoint & it's minis (& do not seem like they'll be seen in the 30+ other DC titles that come out each month which are chugging along with stories in the "normal" DC continuity) it sure FEELS like an alternate reality that is seen only in Flashpoint.

BobBretall wrote:

Paul Nolan wrote:

Danscomics wrote: I'm looking forward to the minis for the most part. I'm a bit of a completionist, especially when it comes to an event that takes place in an alternate reality, so I will probably end up reading all of them even though I really don't think it will be neccesary.

probably just being picky.... but isn't Flashpoint the actual DCU but the timeline has been changed, rather than an alternate reality?

Maybe "in theory", but since those changes are confined to Flashpoint & it's minis (& do not seem like they'll be seen in the 30+ other DC titles that come out each month which are chugging along with stories in the "normal" DC continuity) it sure FEELS like an alternate reality that is seen only in Flashpoint.

Geoff Johns has said that their will be events in Flashpoint that will carry over into the main DCU once Flashpoint ends. I'm very curious to see what that will be. Maybe we will get one more Batman running around.

Tom wrote: Geoff Johns has said that their will be events in Flashpoint that will carry over into the main DCU once Flashpoint ends. I'm very curious to see what that will be.

What I meant to emphasize is that Flashpoint "feels" so far like it will stay isolated and not be touching all the other DCU books "in the moment".

That said, we may very well have effects from Flashpoint sticking around & carrying over into the rest of the DCU, BUT there are lasting effects from books published in the regular DCU that are carried over into other books in the DCU & that doesn't get people to buy every regular book.

So, just because some things in Flashpoint will carry over I don't feel compelled to buy all the Flashpoint minis any more than I'm compelled to buy every single regular DCU book.

The facts that DC are choosing "currently" to solicit Flashpoint #5 as their only week 5 book in August and it seem that a lot of creators are bound by NDA's for what they're working on in September does seem quite portentous.

Flashpoint #1 has succeeded in making me interested in the DCU again. I'm even gonna make sure I pick up Booster Gold this coming Wednesday.

Paul Nolan wrote: Flashpoint #1 has succeeded in making me interested in the DCU again. I'm even gonna make sure I pick up Booster Gold this coming Wednesday.

I'm absolutely interested in Flashpoint, just not in Flashpoint + 16 minis.

I think DC made a mistake in "going big" on SO MANY tie-ins.

BobBretall wrote:

Paul Nolan wrote: Flashpoint #1 has succeeded in making me interested in the DCU again. I'm even gonna make sure I pick up Booster Gold this coming Wednesday.

I'm absolutely interested in Flashpoint, just not in Flashpoint + 16 minis.

I think DC made a mistake in "going big" on SO MANY tie-ins.

I was interested in the tie-ins prior to reading Flashpoint #1. After reading the first issue, I am now MORE interested in reading the tie-ins. That said, after reading three issues of Fear Itself (prologue and the first two issues of the main series), I have little desire to read the tie-ins, which there are a lot of tie-ins.

HassanT wrote: I was interested in the tie-ins prior to reading Flashpoint #1. After reading the first issue, I am now MORE interested in reading the tie-ins.

You're a hard-core DC addict, weren't you buying ALL the Flashpoint stuff from the get-go? You're not the person they need to win over.

Now if I find myself wanting to read all the minis after I read Flashpoint #1, then they will have accomplished something.

Regardless, I think 16 minis was over-reaching for them, no matter how good Flashpoint is.

HassanT wrote: That said, after reading three issues of Fear Itself (prologue and the first two issues of the main series), I have little desire to read the tie-ins, which there are a lot of tie-ins.

I agree with you here. Fear Itself is a pretty mediocre story, for me.

BobBretall wrote:

HassanT wrote: I was interested in the tie-ins prior to reading Flashpoint #1. After reading the first issue, I am now MORE interested in reading the tie-ins.

You're a hard-core DC addict, weren't you buying ALL the Flashpoint stuff from the get-go? You're not the person they need to win over.

Now if I find myself wanting to read all the minis after I read Flashpoint #1, then they will have accomplished something.

Regardless, I think 16 minis was over-reaching for them, no matter how good Flashpoint is.

It is true that they don't need to win me over, but I wanted people to know that my interest has increased after reading Flashpoint #1. And even though I am hard-core DC fan/addict, I stayed away from the miscellaneous Countdown mini-series because .... well.... they didn't look that great and the main series was ... horrible.

HassanT wrote: It is true that they don't need to win me over, but I wanted people to know that my interest has increased after reading Flashpoint #1.

Flashpoint has the benefit of being written by Geoff Johns, as opposed to 2/3rd of the minis that are done by (hyperbole) "some random dude" (/hyperbole)

I'll be very interested to hear you and others commenting on the various minis as you read them.

John pointed this one out to me:

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/20074.html

DC Comics has announced that the last issue in its 5-part Flashpoint miniseries will be the only DC title that will arrive in comic book stores on August 31st, 2011. The 40-page, $3.99 final issue of the key series in the mega-crossover will be DC’s only release that week “because of its impact on the DC Universe.”

Flashpoint #5 is a book I won't be ordering from DCBS. I'm going to pick it up at the LCS, I have no desire to be dodging spoilers on the internet for the 6-days it takes my weekly-shipped books to make their way to me (let alone the delay for people with bi-weekly or monthly shipping). Well worth the $1.60 discount I'll miss out on.

I definitely enjoyed Flashpoint #1, and it got me excited to check out this week's Booster Gold issue. As for the minis, I didn't pre-order any at all, however, I may pick up the Lemire Frankenstein mini, along with the World of Flashpoint mini since that one has Traci 13. I'm a big fan of Doctor 13 and his daughter Traci.

Just Read Flashpoint #1......

I thought it was OK...... I can see many hooks into the stated premises of a bunch of the minis, but I'm not (n the strength of this issue) looking to go out & buy all of them. I'll read the ones I was planning to get anyway.

In general, this comic read, in some respects, just like Fear Itself #1 to me in that it felt like a "Cliff's Notes" touching on many aspects and highlights of a story without actually buckling down and TELLING ME the story straight out.

The comic felt somewhat inaccessible to people without a lot of DC background. A lot of the "oooh, cool" moments took knowledge of DC trivia that casual readers would not have. Dan mentioned above that he felt this way somewhat, so my feeling seems to have some basis in reality

That said, I'd love to hear what more people who are not hardcore DC fans thought about the issue. Paul said it made him interested to get back into the DCU, but I'm not sure how much prior history he had with DC & how much some of the little tid-bits in Flashpoint connected with him and how many were lost. Perseus, what's your background in DC before reading this comic? You said it made you interested in the Lemire Frankenstein book, that's one that I don't recall seeing a reference to in the actual #1 issue, so I'm curious about why you'd be any more interested in that particular mini now than before reading #1?