The battle is on with Steppenwolf and his forces. Can even the new Wonders of Earth 2 stand against this threat? Things aren’t looking so good for our heroes, as James Robinson pens his last issue of Earth 2. This issue has more action than all the previous issues combined…and the reveal at the end is a HUGE shocker!
LIGHT SPOILERS ONLY
Earth 2’s new Wonders are taking the fight to Steppenwolf…but things aren’t looking so great for our heroes. Just how powerful are the forces from Apokolips? The answer appears to be all too clear in the latest issue of Earth 2!
MILD SPOILERS AHEAD
This issue starts with Jay Garrick trying to remember just what hit him…and the rest of his team. Brutaal, the Beguiler and Bedlam have proven to be more than a match for the Flash, Green Lantern, the Atom and Doctor Fate. The fact that everyone is still alive is amazing…and a bit puzzling. Meanwhile, we get updates on Hawkgirl’s investigation into Sam’s death and Mr. Miracle and Barda’s fight against Fury…and things are simply not going our heroes’ way today. In the end, one more Wonder makes an appearance…but who is this new Wonder fighting for?
We still have James Robinson (for now) on this title – with another excellent story. Nicola and Trevor Scott on pencils/inks and Pete Pantazis on colors give us excellent artwork throughout – the battle scenes are outstanding in this action-packed issue. I can anticipate some concerns as to how easily our heroes are beaten down…but this story is far from over, and I’m looking forward to how this is resolved as the arc moves ahead. Earth 2 remains one of my favorites titles in the New 52 – and this story is no exception.
This issue of Earth 2 is action packed with plenty of drama on many levels, and we have the opportunity to learn a lot of lessons here. Enthusiasm and early success can lead to just a bit of impulsive decision-making…and even great intentions can lead you into trouble. The new Wonders of Earth 2 are taking the battle straight to Steppenwolf…but is that the best plan? We get the first part of that answer here, in issue #14.
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD!
This issue of Earth 2 reveals more about the first “new wonder” of the World Army…and it isn’t who you think. Nope, not Atom…but Captain Steel! This New 52 Captain Steel has an excellent and tragic origin story, one that gives him the opportunity to truly shine. You won’t see Jay this issue, nor will you follow-up on the cliffhanger from the Annual with Scott and Barda…but it is a story well worth reading, and it expands the wonderful new Earth 2 that James Robinson has imagined for his fans.
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD! PLEASE READ THE ISSUE BEFORE GOING FURTHER!
The heroes of Earth 2 are growing in number, with appearances by Captain Steel, Mister Miracle and Barda…and a mysterious new Batman! This Annual does a great job of setting the table for stories to come…if only we could get a little more from James Robinson on this excellent title.
Okay, let’s get this out of the way first…here is the transcript of everything Jay Garrick did in this issue.
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Don’t worry, he wasn’t the only person who didn’t show up in the Annual, as Doctor Fate was nowhere to be seen and Hawkgirl appeared only briefly. Even so, this was an excellent issue and presents events that will soon affect the life of our favorite Earth 2 speedster, so let’s move forward with the review.
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD! Continue reading
As most fans are aware by now, James Robinson has announced in a series of Tweets that he is leaving Earth 2 and DC Comics. This marks the beginning of some uncertain times for Jay, Alan, Kendra, Khalid, Al and company. This has been a consistently excellent series, one near the top of my pull list for some time. The fact that it has done so well is testament to Robinson’s talent as a creator, and he will be sorely missed. There is certainly time for DC to try to make this right, as they previously have done wih Gail Simone on Batgirl…but just in case this is a good time to say a few words about James Robinson’s excellent run on Earth 2.
Earth 2 has been both a critical and sales success, with Robinson taking on one of the most difficult and controversial changes in the New 52 – the complete redesign of the Justice Society. Robinson took the Golden Age Heroes who for years had literally been the elder statespersons of the DC Universe and made them young again, placing them on a parallel Earth for the first time since before the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths in the 1980s. In doing so, he revamped both the look and origin stories for characters long cherished by DC fans, with many fans (including myself) waiting for the results with skeptical eyes. What we got was something truly special, and something that has been one of the great success stories of DC’s lineup.
Jay Garrick in particular had caused some early concern. The initial drawings released to the public didn’t cast the new uniform in the best light, and while the first issue allayed that concern with a very interesting new look it also cast Jay as a bit of a slacker who couldn’t keep his life together. Yet, over the issues so far we have seen Jay grow as both a person and as a hero. Jay Garrick didn’t ask for his powers, but he didn’t shirk the responsibility that came with them. And, he is still growing and becoming both a true hero and a leader. Jay as the everyman hero has become a great character in this series.
Even the change that generated the most news in the mainstream media, revamping Alan Scott as gay, was handled expertly by Robinson. We find an Alan Scott who is noble, brave, truly heroic, and a strong leader who happens to be gay. It is one part of who he is, not merely a stunt to generate controversy or sales. In remaking these characters, Robinson has taken the best of their Golden Age and Silver Age qualities and reshaped them to fit the sensibilities and realities of today.
I could go on and on about the characters created for this series, from the great Hawkgirl to the wonderful new Doctor Fate, to the new Al Pratt and the new Mr. Terrific (who doesn’t seem so interested in “fair play” at the moment, if you are following the storyline). This is a series that I didn’t want to like, didn’t want to believe in…yet James Robinson won me (and a lot of other fans) over with his excellent storylines and characterization. He has proven that writing matters, that good writing can make most any character compelling, and that a good story is always worth reading.
I’m still holding out hope that something can be resolved a la Gail Simone and her return to Batgirl. If not, DC will have the very difficult task of finding someone who can effectively continue James Robinson’s excellent vision for this team and this series. Jay Garrick and company have lost an excellent friend…and so has the DC Universe. Wherever you go, Mr. Robinson, we will anxiously await your next work. Thanks for a great ride with Earth 2!