Every issue of Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge followed the standard trade dress for Final Crisis: One “sliver cover” showing a fragment of an image relevant to the story, and one “iconic cover” featuring a character in a dramatic pose. Series artist Scott Kolins did all the covers. The variants were shipped 50/50.
Blackest Night: The Flash featured main covers by Kolins (returning as artist for this miniseries), with 1-for-25 variants by Francis Manapul, the incoming artist on the new ongoing Flash series that would launch after Blackest Night.
Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1
Sliver Cover Scott Kolins |
Iconic Cover Scott Kolins |
Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1 (September 2008)
Scott Kolins
In keeping with the cover scheme for Final Crisis, each issue of Rogues’ Revenge features two covers: one with a 1/3-width vertical sliver of plot-related art, and one full-sized iconic image of one of the book’s characters. Series artist Scott Kolins provided all six covers.
The series is about the aftermath of a Flash’s death, so Kolins revisited the image of Barry Allen’s death from Crisis on Infinite Earths #8. For the iconic cover, writer Geoff Johns has mentioned on numerous occasions that Captain Cold is his favorite of the Flash’s Rogues. That makes him a clear choice to start this series.
A month later, DC issued a second printing of the book. They took the iconic image of Captain Cold, put it into the sliver layout, and changed the colors.
(Thanks to the GCD for the “sliver” cover. I pulled the reprint cover off a review site, but I don’t remember where. Thanks to whoever it was. Previously I’d posted a mock-up from ComicNewsi.)
Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #2
Sliver Cover Scott Kolins |
Iconic Cover Scott Kolins |
Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #2 (October 2008)
As mentioned above, Rogues’ Revenge follows the dual-cover scheme for Final Crisis, with one story-based and one character-based cover.
The sliver cover shows the Rogues in trouble, symbolically trapped in Libra’s scales.
After showcasing Captain Cold on the first iconic cover, Heat Wave is a natural follow-up.
(Thanks to GCD for the sliver cover and Newsarama for the iconic cover.)
Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #3
Sliver Cover Scott Kolins |
Iconic Cover Scott Kolins |
Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #3 (November 2008)
As mentioned above, Rogues’ Revenge follows the dual-cover scheme for Final Crisis, with one plot-related and one character-based cover.
The sliver cover shows the outcome of the titular revenge: A hand, lyring on the ground in a pool of blood, the Rogues’ faces reflected in it. As for the character-based cover, Scott Kolins told Comics Bulletin that he chose the second Trickster for this cover because he liked the character.
Blackest Night: The Flash #1
Standard Cover Scott Kolins |
Variant Cover Francis Manapul |
Blackest Night: The Flash follows directly on the heels of Flash: Rebirth, and Scott Kolins shows us a reversal of the familiar cover to Flash: Rebirth #1. Instead of the Flash putting on his boot, facing left, we have the Black Lantern Reverse-Flash putting on his boots, facing right. Even the logo placement mirrors the original cover.
Note the predominant color on the main cover: it’s black with muted blues.
Echoing the Final Crisis pattern, the variant cover by Francis Manapul is a bit more plot-related, though still symbolic. No confrontation between the Flash and Nekron appears in this book.
(Main cover via preview on DC’s website; variant cover via The Source.)
Blackest Night: The Flash #2
Standard Cover Scott Kolins |
Variant Cover Francis Manapul |
For issue #2, both covers are a bit more story-related. The main cover by Scott Kolins shows Captain Cold pursued by the undead Rainbow Raider, Trickster, Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, Top, and Golden Glider. The blue color scheme continues, and the caption offers a nod to the previous year’s Rogues’ Revenge.
The variant covers the other half of the story, showing Barry Allen and Wally West trying to help Bart Allen, who has been possessed by a Black Lantern ring. It leaves out something critical, though...
(Variant cover via preview on DC’s website.)
Blackest Night: The Flash #3
Standard Cover Scott Kolins |
Variant Cover Francis Manapul |
Scott Kolins offers the clearest view yet of Barry Allen deputized as a Blue Lantern. It can’t be coincidence that the main covers show more and more blue over the course of the miniseries. Interestingly, to avoid spoiling the lantern deputies, the issue was solicited with the variant cover to issue #1!
Francis Manapul’s variant cover shows us the Rogues still standing in the aftermath of their battle with the Black Lantern Rogues battle. They’ve seen better days, but they’re still standing.
(Variant cover via preview on DC’s website.)
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