Writer Brian Buccellato Talks About Science of 'The Flash' Comic Book

Writer Brian Buccellato is one-half of the team that was put in charge of relaunching "The Flash" for DC Comics' New 52. One of the things Buccellato and fellow writer/artist Francis Manapul are trying to do with the new direction of the book is inject elements of real world science into it. I had the opportunity to talk with Buccellato about the concept and what he and Manapul hope to accomplish through it.

How is the Flash now rooted in the real world of science?

He's rooted in the fact that we are finding scientific justification for some of the things that happen in our book. I don't think the Flash's actual power use of speed is something that's rooted in science. That's something that comes with the Flash. You can't really explain that. What we are trying to do is explain the things we can, like regeneration or augmented cognition. We are looking for scientifically plausible ways of explaining things so we can expand the reading experience.

Are you also trying to use the book as a tool to encourage readers to explore science more?

There are kids reading this book. It's only right that they get something from it besides just throwaway enjoyment. We have a unique opportunity and can bring something else to the table. We're taking advantage of the character we work with. We have a book that is part science fiction and part CSI/police. Getting information out to kids is a positive so why not do it?

What are you trying to do differently with the Flash than is being done with other titles right now?

There's a place in the New 52 for all kinds of books. I feel like the idealized hero is underrepresented. It's one of the factors of where comics and entertainment have gone in the last 20 years or so. We've gone from the superhero to the tortured hero. Many of us have had enough of that. We're in a different world now. This is an opportunity to take an iconic character and show what makes him great. We want hope and positivity.

Why do you think it's important to address renewable energy and things of that nature in "The Flash" book?

It's not just moving forward for the sake of moving forward and evolution. It's moving forward but with the Flash's sense of hope and optimism. Everyone can use more hope and optimism in the world. That's not a bad thing. We're moving Central City forward hopefully in a greener and kinder way. We're doing it because that's a good thing and kids should be reading about that, too.

What sort of challenges does making the Flash accurate to real world science present for you as the writer of a science fiction/fantasy comic book?

It's all problem solving. I don't know if it's more of a challenge. We know where we want to go. We just keep looking until we find a way to explain it. It's challenging because there's more legwork and researching to do because we want it grounded in real science. However, we're not going to throw away a whole plotline because we can't find the element on the periodic table that will make the science work. We're not going to tie our hands that way. What we're trying to do is add value with the science. It's not any more of a challenge except we have more research to do. We've been lucky to find a way to justify what we already know we want to do so far.

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Eric Shirey is the founder and editor of Rondo Award nominated movie and comic book news websites MovieGeekFeed.com and TheSpectralRealm.com. His work has been featured on Yahoo!, DC Comics, StarWars.com, and other national entertainment websites. Besides his three decades long obsession with everything sci-fi, horror, and fantasy related in TV and movies, Eric has what some would call an unhealthy love for comic books. This has led him to interviewing and covering legendary writers and artists in the medium like Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, Steve Niles, Bernie Wrightson, and Howard Chaykin.