The story begins five years ago as the Earth is in the midst of a war against Apokolips. With all hope apparently lost, the Trinity of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman concoct a plan straight out of INDEPENDENCE DAY. The plan is for Batman to plant a virus in one of several beacon towers that supply information and energy to the Parademons of Apokolips. The idea is that the virus will spread from one tower to the next, effectively shutting down the enemy. So one final assault above Metropolis is made upon the towers. Along with these three are Batman’s daughter Helena (this world’s Robin) and Superman’s cousin Kara(this world’s Supergirl). Over in New Guinea, the army is waiting with a nuke mounted on a tank. The Sergeant running the crew is a diminutive man named Pratt…Al Pratt. Clever readers know that the original Atom was Al Pratt.
The god Mercury arrives and tells Diana that the gods are all dead or dying. No sooner does he depart than Steppenwolf arrives and skewers Wonder Woman. Parademons attacks Superman and he explodes over the skies of Metropolis. Batman gets inside the beacon and set off the device, which kills him in the process, much to the dismay of his daughter. Kara arrives and the two women enter this glowing light they assume is a Boom Tube. The Tube transports them into WORLD’S FINEST #1.
We flash to the present and Alan Scott, owner and CEO of G.B.C. is working on a documentary on the events of five years ago. In Lansing, Michigan, Jay Garrick’s girlfriend Joan is leaving town and leaving him behind. And apparently it’s not a good breakup. She says she is destined for bigger things and he is not. So Jay, just 21, ends up on a hillside drinking beer and pondering the fact that he has no future when a flash of light followed by a crash landing. Jay investigate and there is the god Mercury sitting in a crater and telling the young man the Earth needs a hero.
Thus ends issue #1 of EARTH 2, the book that proves the multiverse DOES exist in the NEW 52. James Robinson does a wonderful job of giving us alternate versions of our classic heroes. Batman, much like his Earth 1(Earth Prime…what the heck do we call the current Earth?) counterpart, wears this weird looking battlesuit while Wonder Woman has a helmet but sports the old school skirt. And Superman? He doesn’t have his tights on the outside but it is much closer to the classic image than the Kryptonian battlesuit version does. The introductions of Jay Garrick, Alan Scott and Al Pratt, along with Helena Wayne and Kara/Supergirl (as opposed to Power Girl Kara) were very cool! But what should be interesting in the months to come is where these characters end up. We already have learned that Alan Scott will be revealed to be gay which means his son Obsidian doesn’t exist in Earth 2(well…he could but…). And Jay Garrick’s wife was Joan. Now, unless there is another Joan introduced or this one comes to her senses and returns to him, then his history and future alter radically from pre-NEW 52 continuity.
From an art stance, we get the dynamic duo or Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott handling the duties. Their combined work is very reminiscent of George Perez in his prime. Line work is tight, proportions are…well, PROPORTIONED. It’s an exciting looking comic and there is a lot of action in it. In the months to come, I can only assume we’ll see more of the once and future Justice Society and the supporting players who make up what is the first DC Universe. Well done to all: this book is one of my new favorite DC titles.
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