Image from the lenticular cover to Batman #21; art by Jason Fabok, courtesy of DC Comics.
Why would Doctor Manhattan reboot the main DC universe? It’s a fascinating question that fans of DC Comics got a glimpse of in DC Universe: Rebirth #1, but one the heroes themselves have been too busy to unravel.
In fact, they really have only one clue that something is amiss: a button. And not just any button, but the famous blood-stained smiley face from the Comedian of Watchmen fame.
That symbol will take on greater significance this spring, as DC announced a four-part crossover between Batman and The Flash that will take place in issues #21 and #22 of both series. Appropriately titled “The Button,” the arc will see writer Tom King and artist Jason Fabok handle the Batman issues, while writer Joshua Williamson and artist Howard Porter collaborate on The Flash.
All four issues will feature special $3.99 versions with lenticular covers by Fabok.
Here’s the tease DC gave for the story itself:
The two greatest detectives in the DC Universe unite to unravel the mystery behind a certain blood stained smiley face button stuck in the Batcave wall. However, what begins as a simple investigation soon turns deadly when the secrets of the button prove irresistible to an unwelcome third party – and it’s not who anyone suspects! This is a mystery woven throughout time, and the countdown starts here!
Lenticular cover to The Flash #21; art by Jason Fabok, courtesy of DC Comics.
Geoff Johns, DC’s Chief Creative Officer and the writer for DC Universe: Rebirth #1, has hinted that this would be a good year for fans craving more of the overall Rebirth saga. The company has always maintained that it would play out over the course of several years, so “The Button” could be all we get of the meta-story for the first half of 2017.
Or there could be more yet to come. Batman and the Flash may not be the first pairing of DC superheroes one would put together for a big story like this, but they’ve been linked for some of the biggest moments in comic book history over the last four decades, from Barry Allen appearing to Batman while approaching his final fate in Crisis on Infinite Earths to the way Flash formed a new appreciation for Bruce Wayne via an alternate version of Thomas Wayne in Flashpoint.
“The Button” promises to be another memorable tale, and one that’s vital for anyone curious about the overall DC Comics picture in 2017. Look for all four parts of the story wherever you get new comics, beginning on April 19.
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