Wonder Woman #2 - A Review

It has been an open but dirty secret of mine for years that I consider Greg Rucka to be highly overrated as a writer. Maybe I never worked past my assessment of his work on various Batman titles, but I've found all of his heroines to be the same one-note generic strong female protagonist. And I'll be damned if I can understand why his past run on Wonder Woman is so beloved compared to the likes of Gail Simone or Phil Jiminez.

So why am I reading this book? Purely because Nicola Scott is one of my favorite artists. It is for that reason and that reason alone that I threw down my 24 bits to pick up Wonder Woman #2. I wanted to see if an artist I love could make a writer I detest tolerable.


Alas, much as one cannot improve the smell of a cow pie by painting it, neither can Nicola Scott save such a lackluster and uninspired story. Rucka continues to plod along, retelling the tale of how Steve Trevor came to Themyscira without a single deviation from the classic text nor any innovation save the idea that Diana had at least one lesbian relationship before discovering boys and the idea that even life in a Utopian society will not stop the greatest of women from slut-shamming one another. Paradise Island indeed!

I suppose I can't blame Rucka for his take on Steve Trevor having the emotional range of a cardboard cut-out. It's not like Trevor was ever a memorable protagonist and the post-Crisis revamp of Wonder Woman did just fine without him as a love interest. Yet for all the New 52 got wrong, they did manage to give Trevor something of a personality and that's completely absent here.

Nicola Scott's artwork is beautiful, as expected. Yet what she's asked to draw is so lackluster and dull. Rucka's script tells us what is happening, allowing Scott no chance to show us the action - such as it is. The closest thing to an action sequence in this issue comes at the end, when Steve Trevor's transport crashes. Yet this scene is shown entirely from the perspective of Diana and her sisters spying the crash from a distance - not the soldiers inside as the crash occurs!

Bottom Line: As much as it pains me to not support one of my favorite artists, I cannot recommend the even-numbered issues of Wonder Woman in good conscience. Readers who want to read a good Wonder Woman comic would do well to check out Sensational Comics or the Wonder Woman '77 series.

Halloween Man #11 - A Review

When Solar City is in trouble, there's one hero who stands ready to defend it against any menace, no matter how weird - Halloween Man! A vampire victim turned monster by a semi-well-meaning necromancer, Solomon Hitch is half-man, half-monster and all hero. Aided by his super-scientist girlfriend, Dr. Lucy Chaplin, an occult bookstore owner and the son of a god with all the powers of a man-sized goat, Solomon fights a never-ending battle against the kinds of insanity no respectable superhero would touch with a ten foot pole. Someone has to.


Halloween Man has existed in one form or another for over 15 years.  This volume collects several classic Halloween Man tales along with some solo adventures starring Dr. Lucy Chaplin. But there's also four new stories, making this a must read for long-time fans of the series.

The artwork varies from story to story. Some of it sports a more horror-based aesthetic while other stories are delightfully light-hearted and cartoonish. Oddly, both extremes suit the scripts of Drew Edwards, which pay homage to both vintage horror and classic comics.


For fans of quirky heroes and weird tales, Halloween Man #11 would be a bargain at any price. But for the rest of Halloween Weekend 2015, it's available for a mere $1.99 on Comixology. That's 146 pages of shovel-smacking action!  Treat yourself and pick this book up.

Earth 2 #26 - A Review

It is a rare thing for a comic writer to recap the events of the previous issue in-story for the benefit of new readers in these days where dozens of websites can give you a synopsis of the on-going story-line of nearly any comic you can name.  It is rarer still for this action to be taken in a story's final chapter!  Yet Tom Taylor opens Earth 2 #26 with such a sequence.


Taylor has made Earth 2 his world, after inheriting the title from James Robinson.  Taylor plays the tapestry of the DC Universe like a virtuoso pianist, putting forth ideas that are uniquely brilliant yet obvious expansions on what has come before.  A good example of this is Taylor's method for using this world's Queen of Atlantis to stop a telepathic New God.

Such cleverness is sure to please old-school comic book fans but not half so much as Taylor's understanding of these characters, as they are viewed in a new light through the prism of another reality.  Though Jimmy Olsen may now be a hacktivist with built-in WiFi and Lois Lane an android, they are very much the same people we know and love on Earth One.  And Val-Zod - the new Superman of this world - is cut of the same heroic cloth of idealism that formed the core of The Silver Age Superman.


This issue shall be the last for artist Nicola Scott and she will be sorely missed.  For my money, Scott is one of the most consistently underrated artists to work at DC Comics in recent years.  Thankfully, though Scott will not be on Earth 2 anymore, her Twitter feed has promised that big things are in the works.  I look forward to seeing them.

Earth 2 #25 - A Review

Earth 2 #25 is the distillation of everything that makes up great superhero comics.  It is hope.  It is love.  It is idealism.  It is the eleventh-hour, million-to-one long-shot that just... might... work.  It is the kind of book where characters can say that they accidentally pushed a villain into infinity or that they are going to hold the entire Earth in place and you believe it.  You honestly believe it with all your heart.


What Tom Taylor, Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott have done with this title is truly magical.  This issue is perhaps the best of the series so far and I will eat my hat if it is not nominated for an Eisner or an Eagle or some manner of award for Best Single Issue.  If it has a flaw, it is that as the penultimate part of the current storyline it is not easily accessible to new readers.  As such, I advise those of you who have yet to read this series to start with Issue #0 and start catching-up.  You won't regret it.

Earth 2 #23 - A Review

I have no idea why Earth 2 isn't the most acclaimed title that DC Comics publishes right now.  It can't be because of the artwork.  Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott turn in Eisner-worthy pages every month.  Just look at this splash of Green Lantern below!


It can't be because of the writing.  Tom Taylor has an amazing grasp of the characters of the DC Universe but enough of a creative spirit to play with several classic concepts in ways that change the game while still remaining true to the heart of the characters' histories.  Consider how he has turned Lois Lane into the new Red Tornado and Jimmy Olsen into a living social network called Accountable yet the two characters are still largely unchanged despite their super-powers.  This issue sees them conspiring together to use their powers in tandem in a way that is reminiscent of the two working together as Superman's allies in other stories.


Earth 2 is a hidden treasure that deserves a wider audience.  The stories and characters are great.  The artwork is amazing.  And more than any other book DC Comics has published in recent memory, it lives up to the promise that the New 52 universe had to offer.

Earth 2 #22 - A Review

The cover of Earth 2 #22 is somewhat misleading.  Based on it, one might conclude this issue would feature Green Lantern fighting hordes of Parademons.  In truth, Green Lantern does appear briefly at the start of the issue but only to confirm that - despite all appearances to the contrary several months ago - he is still alive and well.


The main focus of this issue is on Lois Lane (restored to life in a robot body known as The Red Tornado) and the Kryptonian Val-Zod.  An agoraphobic raised in a space capsule and imprisoned underground, Val is an innocent who has just been exposed to the outside world for the first time and is only now beginning to show signs of the powers that Kryptonians display under Earth's yellow sun.  There is a magical sequence where Lois tries to teach Val how to fly which evokes memories of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder.  This sort of sequence is the bread and butter of writer Tom Taylor, who has made this book his own following James Robinson's departure from this title.


The artwork by Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott is as amazing as the story.  I've said repeatedly that The Scotts are one of the most underrated art teams in the business and I will stand by that statement.  It is a crime they have not been nominated for an Eisner for their work on this title.

Earth 2 #21 - A Review

"Five years ago on a parallel Earth, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman died defending their home from the forces of the dark planet Apokolips.  And a new group of heroes emerged - Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, Doctor Fate, Red Tornado and more.  With another war brewing, this new generation tries to avoid the destiny of their predecessors as the dangers of Apokolips return..."

The first page of Earth 2 #21 summaries the story so far with these words.  It is a good summary and captures the base concept of the book and the current state of the world quite well.  And yet this book is still largely inaccessible to new readers due to the sheer number of subplots this book contains. 


Tom Taylor excels at getting into the heads of his characters and giving them all good moments to showcase their personalities.  The best scene in the issue - for my money - depicts World Army Commander Khan's anguish as he contemplates the deaths of the soldiers under his command  and the sheer scope of this war being fought across space and time.  It is all well written but there's no real sense of momentum to the main story.  One hero seems to die but little is made of it.  And the subplot involving Project Beyond is resolved as quickly as it is introduced.


Thankfully, while this is an off-issue for Taylor, the artwork is as great as ever.  Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott are one of the most consistently underrated creative teams in the business today.  I have no idea why their work on this title hasn't been nominated for an Eisner.

Legends of Red Sonja #3 - A Review

Legends of Red Sonja continues to be one of the best bargains for your comics-buying dollar.  This third issue offers up a trio of stories, all dealing with the theme of vengeance.  The first story details the background of another member of  The Grey Riders - a mercenary band devoted toward hunting down and killing the heroine Red Sonja for one reason or another.


This story by Leah Moore is fairly standard stuff but it is still entertaining, centering upon Sonja as she is forced to save another adventurer from his own stupidity.  The artwork by Tula Lotay has a rough and dirty look to it that suits a story set in a necromancer's lair filled with zombies.

The second story is reportedly the first fiction published by Earth 2 artist Nicola Scott.  This story tells the tale of a witch with a grudge of her own against Red Sonja - one that makes her all too happy to deliver aid unto The Grey Riders.  Scott proves to be as skillful a writer as she is an artist.  And as in the previous chapter, Doug Holgate's artwork - while not the sort of style one usually sees in a sword and sorcery title- is appropriate to the story at hand.  


The third and final chapter of this issue is probably the best of a good bunch.  Written by Rhianna Pratchett (writer of the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot) this amusing story gives us yet another origin story for Red Sonja's famous chainmail bikini.  Gerd - the armorer who tells the tale - is a real hoot and I hope she shows up again in the regular Red Sonja title.  The artwork by Naniiebim has an aspect that puts me in the mind of medieval woodcuts.  This seems appropriate for a story that is light on action but high on humor.




Bottom Line: If you're a Red Sonja fan, you'll love this book.  If you aren't a Red Sonja fan, this book will make you into one!

Earth 2 #18 - A Review

Tom Taylor hit the ground running with Earth 2 last month and - much like The Flash - he hasn't stopped for a moment since.  Half of this issue centers around a running battle between The Flash and Superman, who has been revealed as being alive and well but - unfortunately - now in the thrall of Darkseid.  The other half of the issue centers upon a new Batman and his efforts to free a number of metahuman captives who have been held in stasis by The World Army for several years. 


Tom Taylor was the perfect choice to take over this series after James Robinson's departure.  As fans of Injustice: Gods Among Us can vouch, Taylor is incredibly skilled at taking the base concept of a character and finding new things to do with them.  It's hard to say which concepts in this issue came directly from Taylor and how many of them may have been bequeathed to him from Robinson's playbook  In the end, it doesn't matter.  All of these ideas grab the reader immediately and I can't wait to see more of Aquawoman, the new Red Tornado (i.e. Lois Lane's personality in a robot body) and Accountable - a teenage Jimmy Olsen who has the power to control the flow of electronic information..



The artwork of Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott continues to wow me.  I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite artist but Nicola Scott is easily one of my top-five and probably the most criminally underrated artist working today.  How she and Trevor Scott haven't gotten an Eisner nomination for their work on this book is beyond me.

If you're a DC Comics fan who rues the New 52, there's a home for you on Earth 2.  Despite the dark setting, there is a sense of hope and creativity in this series that most recent DC Comics books lack.  All this and a good story and good artwork too!

Earth 2 #17 - A Review

When it was announced that James Robinson would be leaving Earth 2 after its' 16th issue, there was some concern among fans of the book.  Robinson is widely regarded as the best writer in the business when it comes to the heroes of the Golden Age and the only person capable of revisiting and reviving these characters in a way that was exciting and new while still being respectful of the core concepts.  It would be a difficult task for any writer to follow after Robinson and build upon what he had started.

Thankfully, DC Comics did have a writer with a fair bit of experience in building upon the basic skeletons set up by other people.  This writer also had a fair bit of experience in revamping and revising classic characters in unique ways.  This writer is Australian Tom Taylor - author of the year's surprise hit series Injustice: Gods Among Us - and he is well on the way to making Earth 2 his own.   


Taylor takes over the series in medias res, starting with the surprise revelation at the end of the last issue that Superman - presumed dead in the battle with the planet Apokolips some five years earlier - was alive and had been brainwashed into becoming a living weapon of destruction in the service of Darkseid.  Most of this issue deals with the remnants of The World Army and a new group of Wonders (this Earth's name for superheroes) trying to cope with this disaster and the unveiling of a new Red Tornado, whose origins are truly surprising in these days when Previews spoils so much months in advance.

Taylor sticks with Robinson's original characterizations and this book is a wonderful jumping-on point for those readers who have yet to give this series a shot.  Taylor's take on the mysterious new Batman is of particular interest.  The same is true of Jay Garrick's Flash - a nice guy who appears to be toughening up in the heat of battle.    


One thing that has not changed about this book is its' incredible artwork.  Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott are one of the most underrated creative teams in comic books today.  Indeed, I would say that they are the best artist/inker team anywhere and this book showcases why that is so.

Bottom Line - Read this book, if you are not already doing so.

Earth 2 #16 - A Review

This issue is James Robinson's last and he elected to go out with a bang.  The battle between the World Army and our fledgling team of Wonders versus the Apokoliptian forces of Steppenwolf proves to be as epic as anything we could have expected.  And yet, Robinson concludes the issue with a shocking twist that I don't think anyone could have anticipated.  I regret only that we shall never see how Robinson might have built upon such magnificence. 


Thankfully, we'll still have the equally excellent artwork of Nicola Scott to look forward to in the months to come.  Scott is one of the most underrated artists working today, in my humble opinion.  Her work on Earth 2 thus far has been some of her best and this issue continues to build upon her already amazing oeuvre. 


The only flaw with this issue is that it's not easily accessible to new readers.  That's to be expected, given that it is the final chapter of a long arc.  Presumably Tom Taylor's first issue will prove a more friendly first issue for those who have yet to check out what's going on in DC Comics' other new universe.

Earth 2 #15 - A Review

For all the hype Trinity War, Forever Evil and Batman: Year Zero have received, I think the only story DC Comics is telling right now worthy of the name epic is being told in the pages of Earth 2.  The vast collection of New 52 titles read like disparate stories forced together unnaturally into a shared universe.  Earth 2 is different, making the reader believe they are being given a glimpse into a vibrant, preexisting world.





This month's issue may seem like a collection of unrelated super-powered battles on the surface but writer James Robinson gives the material a depth rarely seen these days.  The plot of the issue deals with four separate groups of heroes combating a second invasion by the super-powered villains of Apokolips but Robinson's subplots and complex characterization make the action all the richer.  Robinson is one of the few writers I think who could balance such huge story concepts as the romance between Mister Miracle and Big Barda, the revelation that Gotham City is now a savage land roamed by dinosaurs and a battle with Wonder Woman's brainwashed daughter all together in a single scene.


Nicola Scott is similarly underrated.  Her character designs for every character in this series have been gorgeous and unique, conveying the basic idea for some long-established characters while still remaining true to the basic concept   Big Barda's armor, for instance, looks more like real armor than ever before yet the basic form of Jack Kirby's design remains intact.

Earth 2 is one of DC Comics best-hidden treasures.  It's a great read if you like dynamic stories full of action and the artwork is always excellent.  However, what will keep you coming back month after month is the relationships between the characters and the sensation you are truly peeking into another complex universe.

Red Sonja #1 - A Review

That Red Sonja #1 should be as excellent as it is should surprise no one. How could it be anything but with the talent behind it? Gail Simone - the most fearsome and dangerous redhead in the real world of comics - weaves a tale worthy of The Nemedian Chronicles and Walter Geovani - no stranger to depicting the adventures of the She-Devil With A Sword - proves equally epic in his pencils and inks. 

Praise must also be paid to the tremendous team of artists, whose work graces the covers of this issue.  Thank goodness the digital edition gives you all of their work!  With a line-up including Nicola Scott, Amanda Conner, Colleen Doran, Jenny Frison, Fiona Staples and Stephanie Buscema, I'll be hard pressed to pick which cover to buy in the store.


After an unexpected opening which I dare not spoil, we open on familiar territory.  Bandits with more desperation than sense attempt to rob a heroically hungover Sonja - an act Sonja is willing to tolerate provided they don't do anything stupid and leave her to sleep it off.  After the inevitable conclusion is played out, Sonja answers the summons of the only king she holds any respect for and the tale begins in earnest.

Those familiar with Simone's previous work will find much to enjoy here.  The action scenes are well-paced  and Simone injects plenty of her wicked humor into the dialogue.  This may stun those fans of Red Sonja who are used to more serious tales but Simone knows - like Robert E. Howard said of Conan - that Sonja's life is one of gigantic melancholies AND gigantic mirth.  Yet there is drama as well and we see that Sonja is not the blood-thirsty man-hater so many characterize her as in her treatment of one of the bandits -a plague-stricken soldier forced into thievery to survive.   


I've praised Walter Geovani's depiction of Red Sonja in the past and I suspect I will continue to do so for many issues yet to come.  His Sonja is beautiful yet looks every inch the warrior rather than a Sports Illustrated cover girl who just happens to be carrying a sword.  More importantly, Geovani is an amazing visual storyteller and the action of the issue flows naturally from panel to panel without any confusion whatsoever.


If you've never read a Red Sonja comic before, now is the time to rectify that mistake.  With this issue, Simone and Geovani have crafted the perfect starting point.  A world of adventure is waiting. Will you heed its' call?

Earth 2 #14 - A Review

Earth 2 #14 is largely set-up for the long-awaited confrontation between the new generation of Wonders and the forces of Apokolips that have been lying dormant for five years.  Naturally they come into conflict with their superhuman rivals in the World Army but this issue does give us the first glimpse of a larger team forming from both groups of superhumans.  We also get our first good look at one of the World Army's "Red" soldiers - a mysterious archer called The Red Arrow. 



This series has become a bittersweet read for me.  Oh, it's as grand as ever - don't get me wrong.  But knowing that we're coming closer and closer to James Robinson's final issue does cast an aura of melancholy over the whole affair, though I'm sure Tom Taylor will prove capable of filling Robinson's shoes.


Thankfully, the art of Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott is bright enough to rid me of any ennui I might feel in the wake of Robinson's departure.  The vivid detail of Nicola Scott's pencils brings each panel to life, showcasing her artistic versatility as we see her use subtle stylistic differences to depict how The Flash fights compared to how Green Lantern or Doctor Fate does it.  The effect used to blur The Flash's panels while showcasing his speed is particularly effective. 

Earth 2 #12 - A Review

Perhaps I'm biased, but at this point I think Earth 2 may be the strongest title to come out of DC Comics New 52 wave.  Amid a number of series that promised us a whole new world, Earth 2 delivered both literally and figuratively.  The series has progressed at a leisurely pace but I think that has been to its' benefit.  James Robinson took an equally lengthy time in establishing the cast of Starman nearly two decades ago and few will deny that series was well worth the wait.


Consider this issue, which is dominated by one long action scene.  This is uncharacteristic for Robinson's stories in general but it proves a potent payoff after several months of setting up the new Doctor Fate and adding further development to this world's versions of The Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl.  Robinson's characters are real people who just happen to have unusual powers - a surprisingly rare thing in most American superhero comics, where the focus on introducing a character sometimes falls on powers and abilities instead of personalities.  Here, our heroes are still finding their footing and learning their limits and Robinson does a masterful job of revealing our hero's souls as they experiment with their new found gifts.  He also unites several of the series' subplots - such as the revelation that the disaster which turned Alan Scott into the Green Lantern was meant to kill his boyfriend and not him.


Nicola Scott is a wonder of an artist.  Most of the artwork in this issue is made up of two-page spreads which, for once, merit the larger canvas.  Despite this, Scott's fine eye for detail still shines through even in the smaller panels.  These details are expertly emphasized by inker Trevor Scott.

Earth 2 is one of DC Comics best written and best drawn comic books.  This issue is not a good one to jump on with, but I highly advise new readers jump on with the next issue.  Better yet, pick up the first story collection or grab the earlier issues on-line.  This series is a must read for all fans of superhero stories in specific and comics in general. 

Earth 2 #11 - A Review

There are many points of interest in Earth 2 #9 and James Robinson - no stranger to involved storylines - does a masterful job of balancing them all.  The lion's share of the issue is focused upon the creation of a new Doctor Fate - a revelation I have no trouble spoiling given that this issue's cover reveals that fact and they have been building to this moment for several issues now.  Yet amid this momentous occasion, Robinson manages to sneak in even more story, such as a full background for the mysterious mage Wotan and the appearance of two more Jack Kirby creations I'm surprised we have not seen sooner in the New 52. 


Nicola Scott's artwork is as fine as ever.  Indeed, fine is too small a word for Scott's prowess.  Detailed without being obscuring, Nicola Scott's pencils are enhanced by the equally skillful inks of Trevor Scott.  I'd be hard pressed to pick the best looking book on the market, but Earth 2 would easily make my personal Top 5.


I wish all the New 52 series showed the care and craft that seems to have gone into the creation and definition of Earth 2.  The stories are action-packed with engaging characters.  The artwork is crisp and beautiful.  This is a book every fan of the comics medium should be reading!

Earth 2 #10 - A Review

Despite continuing an increasingly involved storyline, Earth 2 #10 is a good jumping-on point for new readers.  I love James Robinson's work but he's better known for his sprawling epics and finely detailed scripts than his accessibility.  Yet this issue begins with a flashback illustrating events that were mentioned before but not shown in detail and a pompous new villain explaining the current state of affairs to half of our confused heroes and, by proxy, the reader. 


Robinson's main plot evokes the memory of H.P. Lovecraft, with ancient, powerful beings playing sport with humanity and magical artifacts best left untouched.  Like many of Robinson's revisions of the classic concepts behind the original Justice Society of America characters, this idea leaves the larger character concept intact while putting a twist on it that will make the character interesting to long-time readers while still respecting DC Comics' rich past.  Such is the case with the new Dr. Fate - a mild-mannered archeologist who has become the unwitting recipient of a magical helm that offers great power and great madness to the one who wears it.

We see something of this in the B-Plot as well.  More, we see Robinson's uncanny ability to develop a complex character in a short span of time.  The scene where Alan Scott makes peace with his boyfriend's father is short but no less touching for that brevity.  Too, the revelation that the violent attack which triggered Scott's transformation into The Green Lantern was aimed at his boyfriend promises to add to the drama of the upcoming issues. 


I've spoken before at length of my love for Nicola Scott's artwork.  This issue is now my Exhibit A in the case for why Scott is perhaps the most underrated artist working in the industry today.  There are few artists who could manage the level of detail and scale required to depict The Tower of Fate but Scott manages the task with style.  This image moves past being simply Escheresque or simply surreal, suggesting an actual depth and solidity that boggles the mind as we rebel against the impossibility of what we see. 


If you haven't picked up Earth 2 yet, now is a fine time to start.  The artwork is amazing in its' scope.  The writing is similarly detailed yet the stories remain simple enough to be accessible to new readers.  And the whole thing is basically a gigantic love-letter to the characters and stories that got DC Comics - and indeed, superhero comics as a genre - started.  It's awesome stuff and I can't recommend it enough.   

Earth 2 #9 - A Review

Earth 2 #9 brings Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott back to provide more of the same wonderful art we've come to expect on this title.  I've been a brazen Nicola Scott fanboy since her brief but enjoyable run on Birds of Prey and she's been one of the few artists I've actively followed since then.  Her work here is up to her usual standards and Trevor Scott's inks are also true to form.


This issue also sees James Robinson introducing another revised hero into the world of Earth 2.  This time the hero in the spotlight is Dr. Fate - the most powerful magician in the world.  Seemingly drawing inspiration from Geoff Johns' and David Goyer's portrayal of the character in JSA, Robinson has revived the idea of the Helm of Nabu - one of the mystic artifacts that bestows The Power of Fate - possessing a host rather than being wielded.  The helm's current possessor - or possesse, as the case may be - is an Arabic man named Khalid, who has some past connection with Hawkgirl.


The main thrust of the issue concerns Khalid trying to keep an eye on Jay Garrick, as the newly dubbed Flash heads home to tell his mother about his new-found powers.  Naturally the World Army is laying in wait and it falls to Khalid to try and help without losing his mind or tapping into the power that has chosen him.  The action here is well paced and Khalid is an immediately sympathetic character.  The issue-ending cliffhanger is guaranteed to bring you back next month. 

Earth 2 #6 - A Review

Earth 2 continues to impress as James Robinson explores a whole new world while still paying tribute to the classic Golden Age character concepts that gave birth to the DC Universe.  While some of the details and costumes may have changed, the heart of these characters remains untouched  Green Lantern (a.k.a. Alan Scott) proves a prime example of this. 

Much has been made of this version of Alan Scott's homosexuality and how the source of his power has changed from a generic magic ring/lantern to a spiritual connection with the life force of The Earth itself.  This issue further expands upon these changes, revealing an entirely new weakness for Green Lantern far and away from his original inability to protect himself against wooden weapons.  Yet for all that, little has changed and Green Lantern remains a strong-willed, courageous hero who wields the power of creation itself as a weapon.  The way in which he defeats the avatar of decay known as Grundy is a clever nod to how the original Green Lantern once bested Solomon Grundy. 


Plot wise, Robinson does add some interesting wrinkles as our heroes achieve their first major victory against a global threat.  For instance, Robinson lampshades the trope that insists that all the heroes who join in common cause against a menace must immediately become fast friends and join together as a team.  Green Lantern arrogantly insists he doesn't need any help - this despite Hawkgirl saving his life rather directly and The Flash playing a major role in covering crowd control during the crisis.  This gives long-time readers like myself something else to be surprised by.


As always, Nicola Scott's artwork is excellent.  I've been a fan of her work since she partnered with Gail Simone on Birds of Prey and Earth 2 provides us with more of the clear pencil-work and colorful character design we saw before.  Hopefully she's here to stay on this title for a while. 

Earth 2 #5 - A Review

Earth 2 #5 continues the action from the previous issue, with the being called Grundy continuing to drain the life force from the Earth itself while combating a group of Wonders (i.e. superheroes) never before seen by the public. We see the fight between these heroes - Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkgirl and The Atom - play out over most of the issue.  At the same time, we are introduced to The World Army - the organization which has taken over much of the world's defenses in the wake of the invasion by Apokolips which killed or displaced most of this Earth's Wonders.  Our P.O.V. character for most of these sequences is Commander Kahn, head of SENTINEL.  SENTINEL, as we are informed, is the branch of the World Army in charge of intelligence and organizing their own group of covert Wonders. 


James Robinson's script provides a lot of action but also manages a surprising amount of subtle characterization.  At first Commander Kahn seems little more than Nick Fury in a turban but - after confronting a government adviser who Kahn has personal reasons for wanting to see dead - we see that he is hardly the standard career military man and that he holds certain principals higher than obeying orders.  Sadly, we get no such introduction to The Sandman (one of my favorite Golden Age heroes) though we do get to see several Sandmen in action and see that Wesley Dodds is their leader.  I can't wait to see how that plays out!


Nicola Scott's artwork is, as always, a wonder unto itself.  Few artists can manage this level of detail without their line work threatening to obscure the picture.  Such is the miracle that is Nicola Scott.  Inker Trevor Scott proves wise enough to emphasize the original lines with a light touch.  And colorist Alex Sinclar's palette perfectly highlights each scene. 

I love this book but I can't recommend this issue to new readers.  Try and find the first few issues or wait for the upcoming collected edition.  You'll be glad you did.