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Writer Joshua Williamson went from a fan wanting to write "The Flash" to being responsible for DC's ongoing post-Rebirth series in the span of two years. His first collected trade paperback is now on sale.

(c/o DC)

When the days are good -- when the deadlines are easy, when life with his wife and newborn daughter is ever so right, when walking in Portland's Hawthorne district gives him the feeling that "this is where I was meant to be" -- writer Joshua Williamson has the fleeting fancy that existence cannot be this perfect.

That this is all the rapidly dissipating electrical discharge of a few neurons.

That he died two years ago on a Hawaiian beach.

Williamson and his wife were celebrating New Years with a trip to Hawaii, and on the second-to-last day of the vacation, he found himself in the middle of patch of rough ocean, surrounded by stiff waves which eventually sent him tumbling in the water and on to a serious concussion that could have killed him. (Maybe it did?) It "ruined" the end of what had been a great trip, Williamson said, but the concussion couldn't wipe out part of what made the vacation special, which was a five-year written plan that he and his wife put together with personal and professional goals -- a list of objectives that were all accomplished in under 24 months.

"We did all of it, which was surprising to us," said Williamson, who achieved his goal of becoming exclusive to DC Comics in April 2016. "It was great, and we worked hard for it, but we did it all within two years."

"The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice"

Today, Williamson is a busy man, both shepherding the recently completed "Justice League vs. Suicide Squad" event and concluding his "Frostbite" miniseries for DC's Vertigo imprint. But talk to him for any length of time, and it's clear that his creative passion is nowhere more focused than on his work for the post-Rebirth "Flash," a series with its first collected volume in stores this week.

"It's a great time to be a Flash fan," said Williamson, whose office is outfitted in Flash merchandise including a 1976 Pepsi/Flash drinking glass along with various toys and statues. "There's a lot of really cool stuff with the character. For me, it's just been something I've been into since I was a kid.

"It's a part of me, I guess."

A two-page spread from "The Flash" #1.

Getting the gig

Williamson comes by his office decorations and his fandom earnestly, counting himself as a fan of the speedster since Mark Waid's 1993 "The Return of Barry Allen" story arc.

"I really love that story," Williamson said. "I remember getting it as a kid and sitting on the ground and reading it. I actually kind of read it out of order -- I read the last two issues first and then went back and read the whole story, and I loved it. There's just something about those characters, about Barry and Wally [West], that really spoke to me as a kid."

That kid grew up and eventually started writing comics, even working for DC on a few books. By 2015, however, Williamson had been away from the company for a period, yet part of his Hawaii plan was to work for the publisher full time. That began in part with chatting up DC co-publisher Dan DiDio at San Diego Comic-Con, where Williamson pitched an idea for a "Flash" run. DiDio was receptive, Williamson said, but he didn't love the story and gave constructive feedback.

"The notes he was giving me back were super dead on, but I wasn't going to give up," Williamson said. "I really wanted to work on 'The Flash.'"

Williamson retooled, went back to DiDio at the following New York Comic-Con and pitched the story again. As Williamson started in, the DC co-publisher interrupted him: "I love it," DiDio said. Conversations continued regarding Williamson taking up "The Flash," but he didn't know for sure he had the job until he was given the news in a meeting with DC brass in November 2015. From that point until DC's grand Rebirth event at the Los Angeles WonderCon in March 2016, Williamson knew he would be writing for one of the few things that might approach his dream job, but he couldn't tell anyone until the official announcement.

"Living in Portland, there's so many people who work in comics, and you hang out with them...the whole time, they're asking, 'What are you doing?' I'd have to lie. I had to say, 'Oh, I'm just working on some stuff,'" said Williamson, who limited his social media commentary of The CW's "Flash" television show just in case that gave anyone a clue. "Not only did I not tell people that I working on 'The Flash,' I didn't mention DC at all. At that point, I didn't want say I was even working on something for DC. I wanted to keep that quiet.

"It kind of sucked -- I was lying to people. It was tough sometimes, but I knew in the end, it would be worth it...it got me in the mindset of being Barry Allen, because Barry Allen is always keeping the secret that he's the Flash from his friends. He's always having to avoid certain conversations and not reveal who he is. That's kind of how I felt...I actually made it all the way until the WonderCon event last year when they announced all the books. It never got leaked, it was never a story, there was never a hint."

Williamson's first 'Flash' trade

"The Flash: Rebirth", page 1

With his initial volume, Williamson was eager to "get back to basics" with a compelling Flash story that spoke to the basic elements of Barry Allen. Williamson did this in part, he said, by introducing Godspeed, a fellow Speed Force user who is in many ways a darker, mirror version of the Flash.

"Barry is so concerned and is really obsessed with the idea of justice...Godspeed is sort of a twisted version of Barry's ideal," Williamson said. "He believes in revenge and that conflict between them, by having someone who is twisting that ideal, it allows me to push forward Barry and reiterate Barry's ideals."

The volume -- "Lightning Strikes Twice" -- is Williamson's attempt at what he said is a "modern" take on the character that includes elements that fans of the ongoing CW television show can enjoy. Williamson said he also wanted to write the volume in such a way that it was accessible to new fans while also seeming meaningful to the character and its legacy, making sure, as he said, that it "counts."

"The Flash: Rebirth", page 2

And while it may also matter to fans, having the trade in his hands means a great deal to Williamson, who has a chronological collection of previous books in his office -- with his volume now standing as the last book on the shelf.

"That's something really special to me to know I have this shelf of all these different stories of Flash that I love and all these different writers and then you get to the end and that's my trade. The one with me and the artist that we worked on," Williamson said. "It means a lot...it's not going to be that way forever -- eventually, I'll pass the baton to someone else, which is part of the beautiful thing about comics.

"But right now, it's great to know that's where the character is at -- with me at the end of the shelf."

"The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice" is available now.

This week in Bat books

DETECTIVE COMICS #949. DC. Written by James Tynion IV and Marguerite Bennett. Art by Ben Oliver.

"Detective Comics" #949

There's nothing about "Detective Comics" #949 that doesn't work -- it's a solid standalone story, it's a great concluding chapter in the two-part "Batwoman Begins" and it's a fabulous prelude to next month's "Batwoman: Rebirth" and the Lady Bat's new ongoing series. Just fantastic all around. (Quick question: Can Ben Oliver draw all of the Batman books? No? That's too bad.)

Generalized Unique Emoticon Scientific Score: O.O, :-D, *giddy*

Let that be your last battlefield: the end of Civil War II

CIVIL WAR II: THE OATH One-shot. Marvel. Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Rod Reis.

"Civil War II: The Oath"

So...we just gave ultimate power to a secret Naz-I mean-Hydra soldier. That should work out well. "Civil War II: The Oath" is as graceful a transition from one event (Civil War II) to another (Secret Empire) as you'll see, and while that might not necessarily be the course I'd plot, at least the ride is smooth. Hydra Cap continues to be one of the most fascinating characters around.

GUESS: :-O, *ominous music*, :-)

Other new and notable books of the week



WARLORDS OF APPALACHIA #4. Boom. Written by Phillip K. Johnson. Art by Jonas Scharf.

"Warlords of Appalachia" #4

In reading/reviewing "Warlords" #1, I called it the beginning of a masterpiece, and I'll be good and damned if that didn't hold true. It still surprised me, though, because the series turned out to be a relatively small story in the fabric of a much larger world that writer Phillip K. Johnson created. No matter the scope, the characters are amazing -- Kentucky rebel leader Kade Mercer has the best parts of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and "Braveheart"'s William Wallace and the despotic President Oren Roth is...well, he seems awful familiar. I missed my prediction on the overall story (I had visions of a burning White House), but the last five pages of this book are as good a thing as I have read in a long time, with one of the best monologues you'll find. Johnson nailed it with this series -- and I'm desperate for more.

GUESS: *standing ovation*, \0/, *American flag*

Picks for next week

"Planet of the Apes / Green Lantern" #1, "Green Lanterns" #16, "Ringside" #9, "Darth Maul" #1, "Blood Blister" #1