DC Comics' newly unveiled cover for Flashpoint Beyond #3 features the Thomas Wayne version of Shazam. The cover is drawn by veteran Marvel artist David Marquez with colors by Alejandro Sánchez.
At the start of the year, DC Comics revealed that the fan-favorite Flashpoint Universe would be returning in the six-issue limited series Flashpoint Beyond from the all-star team of Geoff Johns, Eduardo Risso, Jeremy Adams, Tim Sheridan, and Xermanico. The Flashpoint universe was famously (and unsurprisingly considering the name) created by the Flash when he traveled back in time to stop his mother’s murder at the hands of the Reverse Flash. This caused reality-changing ripple effects that included Thomas Wayne becoming Batman after the death of his son Bruce. The Flashpoint Universe was seemingly wiped from existence once Flash corrected the timeline, while Thomas Wayne’s Batman was later rescued from this doomed reality and became a member of the multiversal Justice League Incarnate. Flashpoint Beyond looks like it will be returning Thomas to his home dimension, and it seems he will encounter some familiar faces.
The cover for Flashpoint Beyond #3 features Thomas Wayne standing alongside fellow heroes Cyborg and Flash as well as Captain Thunder, the Flashpoint version of Shazam. The four heroes are ed by the Flashpoint versions of the villain Enchantress and the character Element Woman who was described in the original Flashpoint storyline as “a bit mad.” All these characters appeared in the original Flashpoint event, so it seems that Thomas Wayne will be experiencing something of a reunion.
The inclusion of these characters on the cover of the issue hints at an interesting potential direction for the miniseries: Thomas Wayne Batman could be seeking out fellow heroes to help him, forming a Flashpoint version of the Dark Justice League. Thomas Wayne was first introduced in Flashpoint turning down Cyborg’s invitation to a proto-Justice League, so it would be an ironic callback to have Batman go cowl-in-hand to try and recruit his team. It’s of course possible that the inclusion of these characters on the cover is only a stylistic choice and that they won’t feature in the narrative. However, the inclusion of these five characters seems too eclectic, especially such a rogue element as Enchantress, who featured only ingly in the original series. The inclusion of a relatively niche character like Element Woman, who had a substantial role in the original series, would suggest these characters are going to have a substantial role in the mini-series.
To see if Batman will be recruiting for a Dark Justice League when he returns to the Flashpoint universe, fans will have to make sure to pick up the beginning of Flashpoint Beyond in issue #0 by Geoff Johns and Eduardo Risso, available on April 5th.
