Writer/Artist Francis Manapul Talks About the Science of 'The Flash'

Writer/artist Francis Manapul is one-half of the team that was put in charge of relaunching "The Flash" for DC Comics's New 52. One of the things Manapul and fellow writer Brian Buccallato 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 Manapul about the concept and what he and Buccallato hope to accomplish through it.

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

We have this opportunity with the Flash. He is a physically forward moving character. The concept of introducing themes like renewable energy and science is to create a book that is also about progression. It's not just moving the character forward but moving Central City and Keystone City forward. Everything else around him is moving ahead. It's about expansion of science and seeing where things will go. Many of these things are absolutely relevant to the current climate of the world.

You want to show a superhero actively changing the world around him?

We want to show what it's like for a hero to [affect] a city in a positive way. Not just by flying around saving someone falling from a tree, stopping an exploding bomb, or something like that. We want to show that a hero can have positive effects on people's lives.

How are you trying to use science as reality in "The Flash?"

A lot of the science we've used has not only helped move the story forward but it's also helped inspire certain things. We're not going to shoehorn something in just to fit it in or have our story hindered by it at the end of the day. It has to be something that helps move our story forward and get us to where we need to be. We've been lucky enough that many of the things we needed to find exist. That's what is more amazing about it. Some of the things we've introduced, as out of this world as they seem, are real. These scientific terms aren't just made up words. They're real.

I think the readers knowing that they're real help create a bigger sense of what this is all about. It gives them a better sense of emotional attachment because they start thinking, "Wow, if that is real, then this and this can be real!" It also presents a certain challenge. Once they hop on to Google and look up the words that certainly opens up the opportunity for them to speculate where the story is going. I think part of the fun of it is being involved and the participation we're asking the readers to take on.

Are you heavily into science?

By no means are we scientists. There's no big bang theory going on here. We're just two creative dudes who understand how to use a search engine, watch science shows, and know how to problem solve. There's no Oz behind the curtains. It's just a couple of guys who are working hard and have been fortunate to find scientific reasons that we can understand and then pass on to others.

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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.