Flashpoint Beyond # 0 2022 NM-

Flashpoint Beyond #0 (2022), the prelude to the six-issue limited series, sets the stage for the return to the grim, altered reality of the Flashpoint Universe. It was released on April 12, 2022.

The issue, written by Geoff Johns, follows the Thomas Wayne version of Batman, who finds himself trapped in a world that should have ceased to exist at the end of the original Flashpoint event.

• The World That Shouldn't Be: Thomas Wayne is acutely aware that his reality is a paradox, a "ghost" world sustained by an unknown force. His mission, as established at the end of Justice League Incarnate, is to return things to the way they should be so his son, Bruce Wayne, can live his life as Batman in the proper timeline.
• A New Killer: Thomas discovers a string of murders in Gotham committed by a new serial killer. The clues left behind are perplexing, linking to events and characters from the main DC timeline, such as the mysterious number 89 (referencing the year Thomas's parents died in the main continuity).
• The Clockwork Killer: The investigation leads Thomas to believe that a new villain, dubbed the "Clockwork Killer," is responsible for both the murders and, more importantly, the continued existence of the Flashpoint world itself. This mystery person has been tampering with time.
• A Failed Experiment: In a desperate attempt to restore the timeline, Thomas tries to recreate the lab accident that gave Barry Allen his powers. However, he is unsuccessful and the attempt is sabotaged, failing to create a Flash and leaving Thomas without his key to fixing reality.
• Setting the Stage: The issue ends with Thomas understanding that he must find the Clockwork Killer and the true origin of his reality's persistence if he ever hopes to save his son's future.

Key Details

• Prologues the Series: This issue establishes the core mystery and stakes for the main Flashpoint Beyond series.
• Creative Team: The issue was written by Geoff Johns with art by Bryan Hitch, who provided detailed, cinematic pages that captured the gritty tone of the Flashpoint world.
• Tie-ins: It serves as a direct follow-up to the Justice League Incarnate miniseries and the original Flashpoint story from 2011.