The Flash’s DCEU Comic Almost Spoils The Film A Year In Advance

The long-awaited Flash film, once intended for release in 2022, was pushed back to 2023 – but the official tie-in comic was not, and the issue spoils important plot points nearly a year in advance. The popular speedster hero is a fan-favorite, but repeated delays have tested the patience of Flash fans time and time again. The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1 finally reveals crucial details about the film – but perhaps not in the way that Warner Bros. intended.

Thanks to the complicated nature of the DCEU’s continuity, there exists multiple versions of the Flash (and no one is quite sure which Barry Allen is the “correct” iteration of the character). 2017’s Justice League, directed by Joss Whedon, presents a Flash who has never seen battle and has never tested the limits of his powers, while 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League features a Flash who runs faster than the speed of light and can even travel backwards in time. 2022’s Peacemaker complicates the issue, and features Flash working alongside the Justice League (notably Aquaman) once again. Set in the DCEU, the tie-in comic takes place after both entries, and showcases a more confident Flash than ever before.

The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1, written by Kenny Porter with art by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, shows that Flash still remains close friends with Batman after the events of Justice League. It showcases the destruction of his old suit after fighting the villain Girder, his decision to train with Batman, and the discovery of the DCEU version of the famous Infinite Mass Punch. Most notably, the comic also debuts Flash’s ring and his new suit: important elements that are usually reserved for a film, but are instead revealed here.

Occasionally, a delayed film does not always mean delayed merchandise; the film G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a classic example (delayed from 2012 to 2013, the merchandise arrived far too early to help sell tickets). So it is with The Flash – the film has held numerous release dates, and the comic (available in September) would have helped promote the initial November 4th, 2022 release date. Unfortunately, the early release means DCEU fans will learn secrets of the film far earlier than DC and Warner Bros. anticipated. It must be noted that the original release of the Flash comic was indeed delayed from April to September, so DC was at least aware of the problem.

The Flash is currently slated for a June 23rd, 2023 release date. It is currently unknown if the comic depicts events that occur before the film or during; only the filmmakers and the writers at DC Comics know for sure. For all other Flash fans, seeing their hero played by Ezra Miller fight alongside Batman (appearing as Ben Affleck) in his new suit will be a welcome sight; the fact that this sight is experienced so far in advance of the film’s release is unlikely to deter their anticipation.