Flashpoint is a 2011 comic book crossover story arc written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Andy Kubert published by DC Comics. In its end, the series radically changes the status quo for the DC Universe, ending the continuity of New Earth and leading into the New 52 relaunch.
Flashpoint details an altered DC Universe in which only Barry Allen seems to be aware of significant differences between the regular timeline and the altered one, including Cyborg’s place as the world’s quintessential hero, much like Superman is in the main timeline, with Superman himself being held captive as a lab-rat by the United States government within an underground facility in Metropolis. In addition, Thomas Wayne is Batman, and a war between Wonder Woman and Aquaman has decimated western Europe.
Flashpoint consists of 61 issues, with sixteen separate three-issue miniseries, and a number of one-shots.
What To Read Before Flashpoint?
- The Flash: Rebirth
Collects The Flash: Rebirth #1–6. Follows the “rebirth” of the Silver Age character The Flash, real name Barry Allen after the character’s initial return in DC’s 2008 crossover storyline “Final Crisis”. Explains Barry Allen’s current situation in life. - Flash: Road to Flashpoint
Collects The Flash #8-12 - Time Masters: Vanishing Point #6
Collected in Time Masters: Vanishing Point. Gives hints about what will happen in Flashpoint.
- To discover more stories with the fastest man alive, check out our Flash reading order.
Flashpoint Reading Order: Collected Editions
The Absolute Edition
- Absolute Flashpoint
Collects Flashpoint #1–5. Includes scripts, design sketches and more.
The Omnibus Edition
- Flashpoint: The 10th Anniversary Omnibus
Collecting the five-issue Flashpoint miniseries along with the prelude story from The Flash #8-12 and all 56 tie-in issues.
The trade paperbacks
You can read the main event, then going back to read tie-ins you’re interested and you’ll be fine.
- Flashpoint
Collects Flashpoint #1-5. - Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Batman
Collects Flashpoint: Batman Knight Of Vengeance #1-3, Deadman And The Flying Graysons #1-3, Deathstroke And The Curse Of The Ravager #1-3 And Secret Seven #1-3. - Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Wonder Woman
Collects Emperor Aquaman #1-3, Outsider #1-3, Lois Lane And The Resistance #1-3 And Wonder Woman And The Furies #1-3. - Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Superman
Collects World Of Flashpoint #1-3, Booster Gold #44-47, The Canterbury Cricket #1 And Project Superman #1-3 - Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Green Lantern
Collects Hal Jordan #1-3, Abin Sur #1-3, Frankenstein And The Creatures Of The Unknown #1-3 And Green Arrow Industries #1. - Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring The Flash
Collects Grodd Of War #1, Kid Flash Lost #1-3, Legion Of Doom #1-3, Reverse Flash #1 And Citizen Cold #1-3.
Flashpoint Reading Order: Issue by Issue
- Flashpoint: Reverse-Flash #1
- Flashpoint: Project: Superman #1
- Flashpoint: Project: Superman #2
- Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies #1
- Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies #2
- Flashpoint: Lois Lane and The Resistance #1
- Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries #1
- Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket #1
- Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #1
- Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #2
- Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #3
- Flashpoint: Grodd of War #1
- Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1
- Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2
- Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #3
- Flashpoint: Abin Sur – The Green Lantern #1
- Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #1
- Flashpoint: Abin Sur – The Green Lantern #2
- Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #2
- Flashpoint #1
- Flashpoint: The Outsider #1
- Flashpoint: Secret Seven #1
- Flashpoint: Secret Seven #2
- Flashpoint: Secret Seven #3
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #2
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #3
- Flashpoint #2
- Flashpoint: The Outsider #2
- Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #1
- Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #2
- Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager #3
- Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance #1
- Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance #2
- Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance #3
- Flashpoint #3
- Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #2
- Flashpoint: Booster Gold #44
- Flashpoint: Booster Gold #45
- Flashpoint: Booster Gold #46
- Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1
- Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #2
- Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #3
- Flashpoint: The Outsider #3
- Flashpoint #4
- Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies #3
- Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #1
- Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #2
- Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #3
- Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #1
- Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #2
- Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #3
- Flashpoint: Booster Gold #47
- Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #3
- Flashpoint: Abin Sur – The Green Lantern #3
- Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #3
- Flashpoint: Project: Superman #3
- Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #1
- Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2
- Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3
- Flashpoint #5
What To Read After Flashpoint?
Like said above, Flashpoint led to a new era named New 52, a revamp and relaunch by DC Comics and in the end a mess for continuity destined to be retconned by Rebirth.
After Flashpoint, you can start off with Justice League, Vol. 1: Origin, a sort of prologue to New 52 and go read the books for the characters you like – for example, we have a Batman Reading Order for the New 52 era.
The Flashpoint universe and/or some of its concepts will come back with the Convergence storyline that ends the New 52 branding and Batman/Flash: The Button.
