Happy Wednesday/new comics day! And welcome to your mid-week edition of Comics Relief! Today, we’ve lots of news covering several publishers, starting with a tease from DC Comics on the return of a long gone hero. Read on for all the details!

This Week’s Flash #9 Teases A Heroic Return to the DCU

Although the supposed “big news” out of this week’s Flash #9 is the first meeting between the older, ginger haired Wally West and his younger, African-American teenage namesake who is the new Kid Flash, there was actually even bigger news in this week’s issue at the very end. You might want to skip to the next story if you don’t wish to know.

Still with us? Ok. According to the issue from the creative team of Joshua Williamson and Carmine Di Giandomenico, it seems while trapped in the Speed Force, Barry Allen sees a very familiar helmet in there….the helmet of original 1940s era Flash, Jay Garrick. Although a younger Jay Garrick has existed since the New 52 began and is part of the Earth-2 comic, it was thought that that the older Justice Society of America versions were totally done away with for good. Rebirth is saying otherwise.

Looks like the old fogies are making a comeback, although what that means for their younger selves in Earth-2 is still a mystery. But it looks like it’s only a matter of time before classic Jay, and maybe the rest of the JSA as well, is back. [Inside Pulse]

Jack T. Chick Passes Away at 92

Even if you’ve never read a comic book or comic strip in your life, chances are you have still come across the work of cartoonist Jack T. Chick, who passed away this week at the age of 92. The Christian fundamentalist cartoonist was famous for making wallet sized mini-comics called “Chick Tracts” for over sixty years, most of which were then stuffed into your locker in high school by certain groups, or left in some place they knew kids would find them.

These ridiculous comics warned youngsters of the evils of everything from gay rights, feminism, Dungeons & Dragons, Halloween, and even Freemasonry and the Catholic Church, which Chick actually believed instigated the Holocaust, the Russian Revolution, and the Civil War. These comics were objectively awful and offensive, but they were also kind of hilarious, although unintentionally. And just as a hard working cartoonist, Chick should be honored…after all, who else has created a comic series consistently over 60 years? It’s hard enough to get a creative team to stay on a comic these days for just a year. At least he was committed. [AV Club]

Jock Confirms Work Is Underway On Wytches Volume II

Scott Snyder and Jock’s horror comic Wytches caused quite a sensation last year, and fans have been wondering when the next volume of the Image Comics series is set to be released. Well, in an interview with Bleeding Cool from the recent MondoCon, Wytches artist Jock did confirm that the book is getting closer to becoming reality, and here is what he said while talking future projects:

“I have All-Star Batman, with Scott (Snyder), and then finally we’ll be doing the second arc of Wytches, which he’s finally working on right now. It’s been a long time coming but I’ve been kind of busy with … some other stuff.” So there you have it, Wytches fans. No release date or anything has been confirmed, but more are definitely on the way. [Bleeding Cool]

Strangers in Paradise Set To Return in 2018

Acclaimed creator Terry Moore has announced that his creator-owned, award-winning series Strangers in Paradise is officially returning in 2018. Moore originally made the announcement at Comic Con Paris, and then he subsequently confirmed the news via Twitter.

Strangers in Paradise started back in 1993 and ran until 2007, spanning over 107 issues and three different volumes. The series centered around the personal lives and various relationships of its protagonists, Katchoo and Francine. When the series returns in 2018, it will mark the 25th anniversary of the title. [CBR]

Marvel Reveals Venom #2 Variant, Giving Us The Classic Symbiote Look

Although former Spidey villain Venom has been around in one form or another consistently over the past several years, he’d been redesigned slightly by different artists, to varying degrees of success. But now, it looks like Venom will be back to his giant Todd McFarlane-esque tongue wagging ways, as evidenced by the Venom #2 variant cover, drawn and colored by artist Tradd Moore.

The solicitation for issue #2 reads “Venom was doing so well as a cosmic hero, but now he’s back on Earth in the gutter. Who has taken possession of the symbiote and turned him back into the slathering, fanged monster?” You can see Moore’s variant cover image above. [CBR]

Former Teen Titans Artist Shows Us What Might Have Been

Although he only completed two issues of the new Rebirth-era Teen Titans series before walking off due to the age old “creative differences”, artist Jonboy Meyers has revealed his various designs for the members of the team, and we get to see which characters were this close to making the new team.

Among the characters who almost made the cut, it seems that the new Aqualad almost joined, as did Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark), Miss Martian, Speedy, and Bunker. All these characters are homeless since the last version of Teen Titans ended, so who knows where they’ll show up next.  Maybe a new version of Young Justice is on the way? Fingers crossed. You can see all of Meyers’ Teen Titans designs at the following link: [Newsarama]

Marvel Taps A-List Artists For 5 More Monsters Unleashed Variants

Marvel Comics has released five new variant covers for their upcoming Monsters Unleashed miniseries, featuring art from legendary illustrators like Mike Mignola, Art Adams, Ed McGuinness, Bill Sienkiewicz and Sara Pichelli. In Mignola’s variant, Vision fights the Insect Man, while Ms. Marvel fights Rorgg in Art Adams’ cover. Spidey meets the Devil Dinosaur in McGuinness’ variant, and Bill Sienkiewicz has the Totally Awesome Hulk fight against Magog. Sara Pichelli’s cover rounds them out with the Jane Foster Thor battling the Stone Men.

Monsters Unleashed is coming in 2017 from the creative team of writer Cullen Bunn and series artists Steve McNiven, Greg Land, Leinil Yu, Salvador Larroca and Adam Kubert, and will release in five installments over the course of three months. You can see all five of the new Monsters Unleashed variants in our gallery below.

Images: DC Comics / Marvel Comics / Jack Chick / Terry Moore / Image Comics