Earth 2 #12

(w) James Robinson     (a) Nicola and Trevor Scott


** MILD SPOILERS AHEAD **


I really like Earth 2. It's a refreshing change of pace from the normal 'New 52', and James Robinson's uncanny character development has made this title one of the best DC publishes each month. Earth 2 isn't solely about the Justice Society, which gives Robinson the freedom to play around with his own , separate pocket of the multiverse. This series is about an alternate version of history where superheroes didn't become the norm, like on Earth 1 (the main 'New 52' universe).

For all it's good, Robinson's been dropping the ball, as of late, in terms of pacing. While the first seven issues moved at a deliberate and meaningful pace, these most recent ones felt overly decompressed. Then, with this month's Earth 2 #12, Robinson has gone the opposite direction and packed as much story as he could into this conclusion issue. I'm not saying this wasn't a good issue because it was a great issue. It's just that it was preceded by three mediocre issues. In a way, previous shortcomings now really highlight all the good things about Earth 2 #12.

Robinson's handling of the multiple plot lines in Earth 2 #12 show that he's got specific directions for each character; Green Lantern is still trying to uncover the mystery behind his fiance's death, and gets Hawkgirl to help out, a pairing I wouldn't have pegged a few months ago. Fortunately, Robinson's excellent interpersonal dialogue makes their working relationship feel more than just organic: it feels like it needed to happen.

Keeping Jay Garrick's mom around was a good decision. Having one element that's more grounded and relatable is arguably essential to superhero comics, yet the technique is employed far less than it should be. Superman has Lois Lane, Batman has Alfred, even Green Lantern Hal Jordan had Carol Ferris before she became a Star Sapphire. The point is, Mrs. Garrick gives these new superheroes perspective they may not have had yet.

One of the best aspects of Earth 2 is the how easy James Robinson makes creating a world look. This isn't just a team book -- this title is about an entire separate universe. The changes and differences between the main DCnU and Earth 2 are important because they are there and the moer Robinson shows us, the better this series becomes.

GRADE

8/10

Review: Earth 2 #9

(w) James Robinson  (p) Nicola Scott  (i) Trevor Scott

Before the series even began, James Robinson was giving interviews in which he explained how Earth 2 would be work as a series. He went into detail about how this wasn't just a Justice Society of America book, rather, that it was more about building a whole new world without the restrictions of the main DCnU. And so far, Earth 2 has been amazing -- Robinson is introducing new ideas, characters, and situations at a deliberate pace to make sure all the right narrative beats get hit. Plus, Doctor Fate!

Earth 2 #9 brings readers back to the 'main' story of the series after veering off for a month to focus on Steppenwolf and his protege, the Amazonian Fury. Alan Scott took off at the end of Earth 2 #7, so he gets no panel time this month. I know that sounds harsh, but Alan got the most character development throughout the first six issues of the series, so it's about time Robinson gave the same treatment Flash and Hawkgirl. Doctor Fate is the connecting element this month, as he starts the issue with Kendra Saunders (Hawkgirl) and ends it by assisting Jay Garrick (Flash) in escaping from the clutches of the World Army. The new Fate is Khalid Ben-Hassin, a reluctant recipient of powers who loses his grip on reality when he's forced to channel the spirit of Nabu and become Doctor Fate. Khalid's situation is unique in that using his powers causes a direct adverse reaction: temporary insanity. And while this is a good idea, Robinson doesn't go far enough in explaining what that's like and how it feels -- he could have easily thrown in some metaphors or symbolism to push the concept across all the better.

Nicola and Trevor Scott's artwork gets better every issue. Early on, they had difficulty producing real emotional nuance, but in recent months, the facial expressions have been better, and the body language has improved, as well. Khalid's reluctance to almost everything he does this issue is conveyed perfectly because that facial expression barely changes from panel to panel. 

The opening pages of Earth 2 #9 reveal that this new story arc is called "The Tower of Fate", implying we'll be getting at least three issues to flesh out Khalid's new gig as the hand of destiny. James Robinson is building up his version of the Justice Society very slowly, though he's mentioned that the team proper won't be together until the title's second year, which is approaching rather quickly. It will be interesting to see how Robinson puts all the pieces together in coming months, especially since a little over half of the classic roster of the JSA works for the World Army and is actively hunting the rest of the new Wonders.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: EARTH 2 #7

(w) James Robinson
(p) Yildiray Cinar
(i) Trevor Scott

Earth 2 #7 is many things: it's a transitional issue between story arcs, it sets the stage for the series going forward, and it's an introduction to a small array of new characters. While "The Gathering" did a fine job of using a new global crisis to bring about a new age of wonders, the narrative was very plot-driven, which meant we didn't get a lot of deep characterization for Earth 2's Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, or Atom. Really, we didn't even get a clear image of Grundy beyond it's psychopathic need to destroy all life. But that's part of the nature of the beast when it comes to origin stories for widely recognized teams such as the (still not officially called in the 'New 52') Justice Society. Geoff Johns barely pulled off "Origin" over on Justice League. But now that we're out of the shadow of the first storyline, Robinson relaxes a bit and takes a little more time fleshing out an engaging narrative with elements that will seemingly affect the future for years to come.

Let's talk about new characters because, and I won't even lie about this, I want to see as many members of the JSA as possible. Robinson's got an entire series and parallel universe at his fingertips -- let's see an extended roster. Signs point to this happening in Earth 2 #7 with the true introduction to Wesley Dodds, a.k.a. Sandman, as well as the pre-operational version of now female-designed Red Tornado android. Michael Holt, Earth 1's Mister Terrific, also makes his aggressive return as the evil Sloan's brainwashed security guard. I couldn't stop reading this issue. The more Sloan walked and talked with General Khan of the World Army, the more intrigued I became by both men. Sure, they've each been around for a few issues now, but, like the Wonders, they've yet to be characterized beyond their function in a war or military crisis.

Before Earth 2 even began, Robinson stated his intentions to draw out the members of the JSA gradually, introducing them little by little before eventually leading into a full-scale team around the second year of the book. Again, it looks as if things are on track for this to happen as Hawkgirl, whose name we now know to be the slightly altered Kendra Munoz- Saunders, begins to wear away at Alan Scott's natural tendencies to work alone. Kendra and Jay Garrick (the Greek god Mercury-powered Flash) are both intent on building a new team of Wonders, and that's going to lead to a lot of recruitment and additions to the new Justice Society. I know that all seems obvious, I just never really imagined that I'd get to see the formation of the JSA from the ground up. 

James Robinson is seriously making the stuff of legends here, with believable, relatable characters and world building that's slowly becoming on-par with the entirety of Earth 1. Whether you like the costume redesigns or not, Robinson has done a deft job re-imagining these Golden Age heroes for a new generation.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: EARTH 2 #6

(w) James Robinson
(p) Nicola Scott
(i) Trevor Scott

Earth 2 #6 completes the first arc from James Robinson, as well as cements the series as one of my favorites from DC's 'New 52'. It's taken seven months (counting September's "Issue Zero"), but we finally get to see the conclusion of "The Gathering", as the TPB will be named upon it's release, and it's pretty awesome. Robinson has been doing a lot of heavy lifting in this premier arc -- introducing a whole new parallel Earth, re-imagining fan favorite characters for a modern age, and crafting a story that unites both of these ideas into a cohesive narrative that's better than a lot of the 'Earth 1' titles.

This issue is titled "End Times" for good reason. Of course, we have the main problem going down in Washington D.C. with Grundy -- avatar of death -- laying waste to the four new wonders -- Green Lantern Alan Scott, Flash Jay Garrick, Hawkgirl Kendra Saunders, and Atom Al Pratt -- while simultaneously sapping the life-force from the ground and destroying every major city around the globe. Over at the World Army headquarters, past turncoat Terry Sloan (see Earth 2 #0, true believers!) has been given executive power to deal with the Grundy situation, so he's launched nuclear warheads at the Capital. Add to that Green Lantern's astral journey into the Grey, leaving his body vulnerable to attack, and all in all, it's a bad time for everyone but Grundy.

At the end of Earth 2 #5, Alan Scott had entered the void of the Grey and was immediately taken psychological prisoner by a construct of his dead fiance, Sam, who died at the end of Earth 2 #1. While Alan's resistance to the Grey's influence might seem rushed and/or lacking, the speed at which he comes to his senses says a lot more about Alan Scott as a character than it does about the narrative flow -- the sequence isn't quick because Robinson didn't write it well, it moves fast because Alan Scott is a smart man who has the added power of the Green at his literal fingertips. It's the same reason "You honestly thought my sadness at my lover's death would be the opiate of my defeat?" doesn't sound so awkward because it's coming from an intelligent man who -- as evidenced by this sequence, amongst many others -- carefully chooses his words before speaking.

Grundy's defeat is really of little concern because we always knew the new wonders would have to walk away victorious. Of course, we technically know this about any given villain in any given arc of any given comic book, but there are different kinds of defeat when it comes to massive, Earth-threatening enemies such as these. Some, in the case of Angel in Rick Remender's Uncanny X-Force, lead to bigger consequences, while others, such as Grundy's defeat here, aren't meant to alter much else. The Grey is all but nullified, and the world is being healed by Green Lantern's light. Things pretty much go back to normal aside from the fact that there's a new avatar of the Green, a man endowed with the speed of Mercury, and a girl with hawk wings just out and about.

Flash attempts to solidify their team relationship before Alan Scott abruptly puts an end to that nonsense. You see, Green Lantern is bigger and badder than any of those other mutha's, so why would he hang around with them? He doesn't. Alan leaves Flash and Hawkgirl in the dust to figure out what their next move is. It's a gangsta move.

Seriously, though, Earth 2 #6 is one of the best issues of the series to date. While that's not a huge catalog of issues with which to compare, it's still an a success. In interviews, Robinson has stated that the series is titled purposefully so that he would be free to build his second Earth without being forced to focus exclusively on the forming Justice Society. Sure, most of it will be about them, but the potential for world-building is huge. Earth 2 #6 points to how much Robinson is committed to those ideals going forward. It's a fantastic issue.

GRADE

8.5/10

LEAGUES BEYOND, VOL. 1 (OCT 3-9, 2012)

It's 'Leagues Beyond', where we take a look at the Justice League-related titles offered each week by DC Comics as part of their 'New 52'. Along with the flagship Justice League, 'Leagues Beyond' will cover titles such as The Flash, Earth 2, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman.

Earth 2 #5
(W) James Robinson
(P) Nicola Scott
(I) Trevor Scott

World's Finest #5
(W) Paul Levitz
(P) George Perez, Jerry Ordway, and Wes Craig
(I) Scott Koblish, Jerry Ordway, Serge LaPointe

It's fitting that the first entry of 'Leagues Beyond' not be about the Justice League proper at all. The two titles released this week, Earth 2 #5 and World's Finest #5, are lumped in with Justice League family titles because they really have nowhere else to go. If DC were to add more grouping categories, these two would basically have their own Earth 2 family. Of course, James Robinson's Earth 2 looks at that dimension directly, currently following the formation of the Justice Society, while Paul Levitz's World's Finest finds Power Girl (Supergirl) and Huntress (Robin) stranded on Earth 1, better known as the 'New 52' universe. This month, Earth 2 #5 starts down the dramatic road towards the conclusion of it's first arc, while World's Finest #5 starts a new arc (maybe?) that feels directionless.

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Since it debuted, Earth 2 has been one of my consistently favorite titles from DC. James Robinson has really taken the time to make this parallel universe something special and different, with a whole new set of rules. It's genius because Robinson doesn't have to follow any of the DCnU continuity or current going-ons unless he wants to. Sure, there's going to be the inevitable crossover, but that's years down the road. For now, the 'new wonders' of Earth 2 band together for the first time this month to take on Grundy, the harbinger of death...literally.

There's really no other way to put it: Earth 2 is just awesome. Everyone wanted the Justice Society to come back, and James Robinson is doing so in such an astounding way. This issue introduces the "Sandmen", a covert infiltration squad used for high-level extractions and the such by the World Army, with a mention of the team leader, Wesley Dodds! It's like getting a special present each time I open up a new issue. 

The fight with Grundy takes a turn for the worse when the Atom - a.k.a. Al Pratt - gets overrun by the Grey, speeding up the death of all plant life on Earth and thereby the end of humanity (no plants = no oxygen). The entire scene is a tool to put Earth 2 in context, as well. The news reporters following the battle continue call these heroes 'wonders', a term I find fascinating considering the more mystical approach to superpowers Robinson is taking with Earth 2. Also, in last months "Issue Zero", we were introduced to Earth 2's Mister Terrific, Terry Sloan, a man who betrayed the Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in an effort to explore the multiverse. Speed up to the present, and he's been hired by the planet's leaders to advise the World Army in the Grundy crisis. Finally, we get to see just how these new wonders work together. Even under these most stressful of conditions, Robinson finds ways to explore relationships in a way that advances the story without sacrificing quality.

The first arc of Earth 2 comes to a close next month as the Justice Society hopefully manages to take down Grundy. Otherwise, this is going to be a very short-lived series.

STORY: A
ART: B+

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"Rebirth", the first arc of World's Finest, was a big letdown. The entire story revolved around Power Girl and Huntress investigating a villain called Hakkou who the girls believed came from Earth 2. In the end, Karen and Helena manage to kill the radioactive behemoth, but that's about it - no explanations as to his origin, no revelations about Earth 2, no character development to been truly perceived. Unfortunately, this trend continues with World's Finest #5, an issue that I can't discern as to whether it's a stand-alone issue or the start of a new arc. I really thought the two-story system would be finished now that "Rebirth" is over, but Levitz seems intent on making his issues as fractured as possible, meaning that the present-day story barely gets any attention, and therefore not much substance. 


This month, Karen is trying to replicate Hakkou's energy signature, but doesn't have the necessary equipment. She decides to take a trip to the CERN under Switzerland to see an experiment take place that could lead to information on different universes. And because she's there, some robot assassin thing comes after her through a wormhole...I guess. It really feels like Levitz is just phoning it in with these random villains and Power Girl's clothes repeatedly being torn to shreds.

Huntress' story is similarly lazy, as Helena attends a 'Take Back the Night' rally at which a psychopathic misogynist is trying to murder women with a sniper rifle. Huntress jumps into action and stops him before he hurts anyone. That's it. The sequence is supposed to show that, unlike Karen, Helena cares for the people of this world and has a desire to be a part of it, as there doesn't seem to be a way back to their Earth. Instead, it's just preachy and boring.

STORY: C
ART: C (Not a fan of George Perez's work - it always looks sloppy and dated to me)

EARTH 2 #4

STORY: James Robinson
ART: Nicola and Trevor Scott

Months before it's debut, James Robinson explained how Earth 2 wasn't just going to be a Justice Society book, how it's title was deliberate in how he wanted to create a whole new world, not just another team series. With fans bursting at the seams for 'New 52' versions of their favorite JSA team members, Robinson could have simply taken the easy route and put the Justice Society together in a similar fashion to how Geoff Johns did so over on Justice League. In that case, Johns needed to quickly establish the team in order to keep up with this new universe's continuity. Luckily, Robinson has a bit more breathing room which allows him to move Earth 2 at a more deliberate pace.

Earth 2 #4 is the first major 'wonders' encounter since Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman sacrificed themselves to defeat an Apokolyptan invasion five years prior (see Earth 2 #1). Solomon Grundy - Earth 2's avatar of the Grey, a facsimile of the Rot over in Animal Man and Swamp Thing -  is rampaging through Washington D.C. and killing everything in his path while demanding to face the Jade Knight. As this Earth's avatar of the Green, Alan Scott feels Grundy's power, knowing it's something he must face. Similarly, Hawkgirl's heightened senses show her that the decay suddenly upon her and Jay Garrick at the end of last issue is coming from America (they're in Poland, remember?) By issue's middle, Hawkgirl and Flash are facing off against Grundy, who seems none too pleased that Green Lantern hasn't shown up.

Many, many critics feel that Green Lantern and Solomon Grundy's connections to the Green and the Rot Grey are too similar to the Jeff Lemire and Scott Snyder's work with these concepts over in the regular old DCU. In their perspective, Robinson is retreading ground and Lemire and Snyder are covering amply. What these journalists fail to see is how important the Red/Green/Rot connections are to each world. As it stands, DC is looking to make this 'New 52' universe inarguably cohesive, a task it stands to accomplish if it can keep writers reigned in when it comes to rewriting history or resurrecting characters, as well as making sure that the events in one book can affect those in another. So while Earth 2 is technically set in another universe, it's the closest parallel dimension to 'New Earth', which allows for the high possibility that they share common elements. The best part is that Robinson is taking already amazing story elements and twisting them just enough to make Earth 2 unique.

Also, AL PRATT!

Yes, the Atom (Smasher) makes his hardened military 'New 52' debut. While little is actually revealed in the way of expository explanation, a glimpse into the recent past shows a young Pratt unable to control his powers being taken in by the government. Flash back to Al Pratt the human weapon. After the Apokolyps invasion and the end of the Age of Wonders, the world's governments created an international army to make sure Earth would be ready if any alien threat were to come after the planet again. One of these countermeasures apparently includes recruiting Wonders. By the time Pratt is air-dropped into the hot zone, Green Lantern is putting the smack down on the regenerative Grundy who is more amused by Scott's actions than threatened.

While I'm a fan of James Robinson's Earth 2 thus far, it was definitely time for a flashy battle to showcase the characters he'd been building up for three issues so far. And yes, it's a little far-fetched that two characters simply 'felt' the evil of Grundy and therefore were able to find him, but the means of getting to a massive fight in Washington D.C. between Solomon Grundy and Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, and the Atom are completely justifiable. Plus, a few panels near the end hint at Hawkgirl's (Kendra's?!?!?) connection to Al Pratt and the agency he works for. Earth 2 just gets better and better each month! Even my complaints about Nicola and Trevor Scott's art last issue have been resolved - the lines are cleaner, the faces are bust better, and the that first panel where Alan uppercuts Grundy is astounding.

Robinson recently promised Wildcat coming soon to the pages of Earth 2, along with Doctor Fate and a slew of others. In such a unique position, Robinson is doing everything he can to make the heroes of Earth 2 just as epic and amazing as their New Earth counterparts. In most ways, he's succeeding (I'm looking at you, Hal Jordan).

GRADE

A

EARTH 2 #3

STORY: James Robinson
ART: Nicola and Trevor Scott

Whoa. That was honestly my first reaction at the end of Earth 2 #3. While the first two issues dealt mostly in grander exposition while dipping into character introductions, this month has James Robinson pulling out all the stops to reveal more about how Earth 2 operates, how it's similar and different from the main DC universe, and to give more character development, no matter how corny it gets.

If I have any complaints about Earth 2 thus far, it would have to be the stiff dialogue. I'm still on the fence deciding if Robinson is intentionally putting a cheeky spin on the writing to mirror the style of the original 1940s comics more closely, or if he's just stumbling in these early issues that are so chock-full of plot to bring readers up to speed that it's proving difficult to pen more in-depth narrative. More than likely, it's a bit of both - Robinson has built up Earth 2 into this crazy awesome big new world that has so much to explore that he wants to give readers as much as he can, which is not a bad thing. The only reason it flops a little is due to it's quick pace. It's a common misstep that mars a lot of good ideas in the very early stages: writers rushing through an origin to get to bigger and more in-depth arcs. That's all well and good for these creators who have their characters planned and rounded out in their heads, but it can be frustrating for readers who want to see a more realistic approach to how a person comes to grips with gaining unwieldy power.

Let's start off with the Flash and Hawkgirl. That's right - Hawkgirl makes her official debut as a messenger for the new superhero still learning how to control his super speed. Throughout their conversation, Hawkgirl (we don't yet know what her real name is, she makes an effort to point out) drops hints about future events; Dr. Fate is explicitly brought up, she mentions that Jay needs to be better trained, and that she had a somewhat unusual past year - a point I'm hoping Robinson will revisit in the future. This meeting is pretty light on actual plot development, focusing more on broader ideas that will be playing a role in the future of the series. While there's nothing wrong with that technique, this whole section feels very dry and set-up.

The rest of the issue is dedicated to the origins of Earth 2's Green Lantern, an undertaking that probably should have been stretched out over a few issues, but nonetheless gets the job done and gives Alan Scott something to think about for the future. As Alan wakes up, he is confronted by a talking green light that begins spouting nonsense about the guardian of Earth and the such. Alan takes the logical route at first - believing the head trauma is causing him to hallucinate - but very quickly has an about-face and accepts the unknown. Alan Scott has traditionally been a very straight-laced character, so it's a little odd to see Robinson apparently throw out the old and give us a totally new Alan Scott that seems to have the psychological strength of a seasoned CIA agent.

The third main point Robinson brings to Earth 2 is the idea that Green Lantern's power comes from the energy of the Earth, similar to Swamp Thing. The connection is made even more explicit with the introduction of the Grey, Earth 2's equivalent of the Rot that's currently plaguing both Swampy and Animal Man in the main DCnU. This revelation is an excellent example of how dedicated DC has become to creating a shared world, even crossing into other universes.

Nicola and Trevor Scott's art this week is a bit mixed. The Flash/Hawkgirl panels are fantastic, while the Green Lantern pages look like Alan is wearing Hollywood makeup and talking to a green screen, which I don't even know how they could pull off. Overall, I'm still very invested in Earth 2. Green Lantern, Flash, and Hawkgirl are enough to entice me to keep reading, and the promise of the Atom and more of Earth 2's (Solomon?) Grundy is too much to resist. Robinson gets a 'pass' this month on the character dialogue simply because the first two issues were so good, this may just be a hiccup.

GRADE

C+