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

Earth 2 #11

(w) James Robinson     (a) Nicola Scott

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

April is DC's "WTF" month, which means each and every 'New 52' title gets a gatefold cover that reveals a shocking new twist and/or revelation. Some of these moments feel more natural than others. Earth 2 #11 features a gatefold cover with Mister Miracle of the New Gods, a character fans have been clamoring for in any universe since the relaunch. Unfortunately, Mister Miracle's appearance isn't really part of the story...at all.

This gimmick aside, Earth 2 #11 is another solid issue from James Robinson. This month, he spends the time to move around all the pieces he put into play last issue. The evil Wotan is still the real villain here, reluctant Khalid and his relationship with the spirit of Nabu is the real focal point of this story. Khalid has to get past his own insecurities to accept the destiny he's faced with. It's the conversation with Flash that knocks some sense into Khalid and shows him that even someone with no training, no understanding, and no experience can still stand up and face his enemies.

Like many obstacles in our life, Khalid's struggle to accept his destiny is only as difficult as he makes. The helm of Nabu has power undefined, so it's understandable if that scares Khalid a bit. The change in Earth 2 #11 has to do with the new Dr. Fate understanding that it's his own choice whether he let's Nabu's power corrupt him or give him the strength to conquer any evil. Pre-'New 52', Dr. Fate was a character more or less at war with his own weapon of choice. In this current incarnation, Khalid doesn't subconsciously battle Nabu's influence so much as he must work to stave off the insanity that potentially arises from extended exposure to such chaotic magical forces.

It's fun to see Mister Miracle and Big Barda show up for that one panel, and in the grand scheme of things, these two were bound to be introduced sooner or later. I bring this up again because DC's mandate to make every April cover some shocking revelation just doesn't work for every title, Earth 2 being one of them. It very much feels like Robinson was forced into jamming the New Gods connections into Earth 2 #11 that could have easily been in the next issue.

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

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+

(COMIC) 4-SENTENCE REVIEWS #3! [UPDATE]

Dial H #2
(Mieville, Santolouco)

While Dial H's first issue was a twisting maze of nigh-incomprehensible narrative descriptors stuck between amazing artwork by Mateus Santolouco, this second issue sees China Mieville beginning the obviously slow and gradual process of piecing together an actual plot that gives the dial reason beyond a few hours of novelty superpowers. Nelson is a generally unlikable character who seems to be getting more benevolent with each appearance; while his initial reasons for using the dial made him seem selfish, more and more, Nelson is using it to keep people (albeit, ones of his choosing) safe. The latter half of the issue serves to introduce new characters, most notably the Squid-  a metahuman who looks more like Killer Croc or the Lizard from the Marvel Universe - who kills Nelson's friend Darren, "because you told us not to," as the Squid tells Nelson (as Iron Snail) in a moment that begs the question how Nelson's relationship with the dial will begin to affect his real life. Dial H has only increased it's quality since last month and in on the path to being one of the most intricate and compelling comics in ages.

GRADE: A

Earth Two #2

(Robinson, Scott, Scott)

James Robinson is slowly - and beautifully, thanks to Nicola Scott's art - weaving his own world together in the pages of Earth 2. This month we see the genesis of Jay Garrick's super-speed, a gift from the dying god Hermes, as well as the oh-so-controversial revelation that Alan Scott is now a gay man! Robinson also brings Mister Terrific to Earth Two by way of quantum tunneling as seen in the final issue of Mister Terrific, a move that is both exciting and mysterious, considering he was attacked as soon as he arrived. Robinson has done a fantastic job - in two short issues - of really giving readers a sense that this Earth is different without being overtly unique, and it's just going to get better next month with the birth of Green Lantern!

GRADE: A

Action Comics #10
(Morrison, Morales, Bryant)

Grant Morrison's deconstruction of Superman throughout the first arc of Action Comics is about to be rivaled by his second arc that looks to tell the tale of the 'Death of Clark Kent'! While being tracked by a master hunter, Clark is dealing with the repercussions from his expose on Glen Glenmorgan, namely being offered work at the Daily Planet, a position Kent long held in the old-DCU. Morrison takes this chance to really shake things up and masterminds the martyrdom of Clark Kent to a bomb-carrying man at the end of his rope out for revenge against the Daily Star. The 'New 52' has given writers the chance to really change things up for a pantheon of characters, and while most are content to give them new origins and (somewhat) new villains, Morrison is looking to reinterpret every facet of Superman - from his origins and early years, to his alter ego(s?), and even to his personality and clout within the Justice League (an element that used to be untouchable).

GRADE: B+

Justice League International #10

(Jurgens, Lopresti, Ryan)

As Dan Jurgens and Aaron Lopresti's Justice League International winds down to it's announced cancellation after a twelfth issue and an Annual, it gives readers perspective on the events unfolding within the pages of this tenth issue. The villain Breakdown gathers his posse of super-thugs to unleash his righteous plan to destroy modern society in an effort to make civilization more equal for the poor people around the world. Jurgens takes half the issue - before the JLI faces off against Breakdown - to show the team members during their 'off time'; Guy Gardner visits Ice in the hospital, while Batwing goes to Vixen's bedside, and August General in Iron gives O.M.A.C. a much-needed moral boost concerning the blue dude's irreversible condition to lead the rest of his life as a living weapon. It really is unfortunate that JLI is ending after September; with a sold roster of interesting characters that encounter more grounded problems than those of the Justice League proper, Justice League International could have been a launching platform for new characters, a home for those in limbo (like O.M.A.C.) and much, much more.

GRADE: A

World's Finest #2
(Levitz, Perez)

Paul Levitz has done a great job - not unlike James Robinson with Earth 2 - fleshing out both Karen Starr and Helena Wayne as best friends who developed a friendship deeper than most when they became the only two people from their dimension living in the Prime timeline. Their relationship is really the focal point of the series, and Levitz conveys that through their casualness with each other and how they protect one another, not only in battle, but also in life. This first arc's villain, Hakkou, is obviously one of Darkseid's parademons from Earth 2 that's developed a higher intelligence, but Levitz is smartly letting this fact evolve naturally instead of forcing it like, say, Scott Lobdell. While World's Finest #1 somewhat floundered a bit for me, this month's issue is really turning the adventures of Power Girl and Huntress into one of my favorite titles.

GRADE: A-

(COMIC) EARTH 2 #1

STORY: James Robinson
ART: Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott


Here it is! The first review from "The Endless Reel" covering DC's 'New 52: Second Wave'! I wanted to start things off with James Robinson and Nicola Scott's Earth 2 #1. Fans have been clamoring for the Justice Society since DC the 'New 52' relaunch came with no mention of the heroes of yesteryear (except for Mister Terrific). Obviously, DC has answered those fans with a series built around not only the Justice Society, but about an entire parallel universe.

Earth 2 #1 kicks things off spectacularly with a brief history of the Apokolips War - a conflict similar to the one faced by the Justice League of the 'primary' Earth, except the Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman from Earth 2 sacrifice themselves to end the war and save the planet. The first five pages alone depict the three pillars of DC against an unending army of Parademons. It's actually quite incredible that Robinson is able to make Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all likable and emotional investment-worthy within the span of 20 pages. It's sad that these three main characters won't be around going forward, but it means we get to see that much more of Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and the the rest of the JSA.

Earth 2 also sets up another Second Wave series being debuted this week, World's Finest, starring Power Girl and Huntress, a.k.a. Supergirl and Robin of Earth 2. Batman's task involved infecting Apokolyptian technology with a virus from within one of their communication spires. After the virus caused all the alien technology to start malfunctioning, Supergirl and Robin take off after Steppenwolf (the leader of Apokolips, as far as we know) through an unstable boom tube.

The final pages of the issue are dedicated to giving readers a bit of the retooled backstories for both Alan Scott, who is the owner and CEO of G.B.C. Media, and Jay Garrick, a recent college graduate with no plans for the future and a girlfriend who dumps him for a better life. Already, it's quite obvious that the Justice Society is going to be a parallel to the Justice League instead of their forefathers.

GRADE:

A