The Flash: DC Reveals Very Unsettling Cover Art Featuring Ezra Miller's Barry Allen
The timing on this cover art reveal could have been better.
DC Comics has solicited the first issue of The Flash: Fastest Man Alive, a new limited series that serves as a prequel to the upcoming DCEU movie. But whatever excitement fans might be feeling about that project is being drowned out by a very unsettling cover image.
In a neat bit of DC synergy, the first issue of the series boasts a variant cover drawn by none other than The Flash director Andy Muschietti. Unfortunately, the composition of said cover is more than a little head-scratching:
Muschietti proves he has some artistic chops in addition to his directing skills, particularly with one version of the cover revealing the uncolored pencil art he delivered to DC. However, the content of said cover gives plenty of reason for pause. We see Miller's Barry Allen seemingly caught off-guard and sans clothing, trying to don his new Flash costume while Ben Affleck's Batman battles Girder in the background. Or maybe Barry is purposely mooning Girder? Either way, how Barry came to be roaming the streets of Central City naked is anyone's guess.
This somewhat racy cover art certainly seems poorly timed in light of Miller's recent legal and PR troubles. Following a series of arrests and public incidents in Hawaii, the actor is now embroiled in a scandal involving accusations of grooming and psychological intimidation. According to Rolling Stone, Warner Bros. recently held an emergency meeting to discuss Miller's future with the studio.
As for the comic itself, Fastest Man Alive will shed light on the deepening Barry Allen/Bruce Wayne dynamic leading up to the new movie. The series is written by Kenny Porter and drawn by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz. DC's solicit text teases:
Race through the streets of Central City in this lead-up to the hotly anticipated blockbuster The Flash! After Barry’s adventure with the Justice League, he’s determined to become a truly skilled and inspirational hero. As a new threat emerges in Central City going by the name of Girder, Barry turns to Batman for advice on training to master his powers. Can the Dark Knight help show the Scarlet Speedster a way to defeat this metallic menace, or will the Flash be crushed by Girder’s strength?
The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1 will release on September 13, 2022, with the movie currently slated for release on June 23, 2023. Until then, you can read up on the new Flash footage IGN saw at CinemaCon 2022.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
