Last week DC Comics put out the first issues of their "Second Wave" books in the New 52. There was a number of books from the first wave of books that that had cancelled due to low sales or something (Not exactly sure what the reasons were & I'm too lazy to find out what they were). Among those second wave titles are there three titles: Earth 2, Worlds' Finest & Dial H. This posting will be about Earth 2 & Worlds' Finest since those 2 books are intertwined together. I may make a posting about Dial H, I might not.
When the New 52 was announced I was saddened that there was no Power Girl monthly book. Her series, pre-New 52, was a series that I had been enjoying. It was frequently a highlight of my monthly comic book reading. Another thing that made me sad was that The Justice Society of America (JSA) apparently didn't exist anymore, a team that I think held an important place in the history of the DC Comics Universe (DCU). The JSA were the 1st team, both in the DCU & in comic books in general. How the team was set up lead the way for every other team in comic books.
The only Pre-New 52 member of the JSA that seemed to "survive" the change was Michael Holt, Mister Terrific. In his self titled series, he was dating a woman named Karen Starr. Ms. Starr before the change over was the "secret identity" of Power Girl. Ms. Starr also bared a striking resemblance to Power Girl. So, among a number of New 52 titles I read (and enjoyed) the Mister Terrific title. All the while staying up to date on the news coming out regarding the New 52. I had started to formulate theories about how Power Girl could return. Which wouldn't have been all that hard. We did have Karen Starr after all! I had created an elaborate theory involving me reading in-between the lines of interviews, press releases, the comics themselves & my knowledge of Power Girl's own history. I wanted her to return!
I had pretty much thought that DC had written of the JSA & hadn't really thought about how to return them because I didn't see any of the members around. It was easily to give powers to someone who was there then to create a whole group of people out of thin air! But…. that's what happened… sort of.
The JSA were returning! They were returning to where they had been for portion of their publication history: Earth 2 (or Earth-2 as I had seen it listed in the past)! Some might have seen this as a risky move to reintroduce the DC Multiverse so soon after they went through a major change up to simplify everything. But I think it's a good thing. This is something they have been leading up to for awhile. Every since they reintroduced the multiverse in 2007 they had never really done much with it. There were a number of one off books that visited other worlds & promises of series that took on these other world but they never came to be. With Earth 2 we are finally getting what we've been promised.
Along with the return of the JSA was announced, it was announced that Power Girl would be coming back! And the she is Karen Starr who was appearing in the Mister Terrific comic book. She would be appearing in a series with Huntress, who had been appearing in a miniseries (which I have not read but plan on doing so). Both women are revealed to have come from Earth 2 (this fact seemed to piss off a few Huntress fans). Among the books that would be cancelled to make way for the second wave was Mister Terrific. In the last issue it did set up a a few events for both Earth 2 & Worlds' Finest (The book that Power Girl & Huntress would be appearing in).
Now that all the back story is out of the way, what did I think of the first issues of both series: One was good & would look forward to seeing where it went. One I wasn't all that impressed with & sort of wished it had a different focus.
First off, Earth 2. I wasn't sure if I'd like the series. Some of the costume designs I had seen I wasn't too hot on (That had become a trend I noticed with many of the New 52 costume redesigns) & for what I had read in a few interviews I wasn't sure I'd like this take on Earth 2 but was willing to give it a try. After reading the first issue, I kept comparing it to issue 1 of Justice League (the only issue I've read so far, another book I plan on reading more of). Both start five years ago & involve a parademons. Where as Justice League #1 was just Batman & Green Lantern bickering at each other while chasing one Parademon. Earth 2 #1 has an all out invasion of Parademons. We are thrown right into battle & over the course of the new few pages find out more about the world they inhabit then I did in the whole issue of Justice League #1.
SIDE NOTE: When I originally talked about Issue 1 of the Justice League last September I didn't talk about it all that kindly. I'm hoping that it got better as the issues went on.
Through out the issue we see that Earth 2 might be similar to the world was had been introduced when the New 52 came into effect (Earth 1 if you will) but it is very different. Metropolis is in ruins. Many, many, many people are dead. I even though this is five years in the past, Superman, Batman Wonder Woman seem to have been super heroes for an unknown period of time (Until on Earth 1 where those 3 have only started their super hero careers five years ago). Along with this trio, we are introduced to Supergirl & a female Robin. Robin is also Batman's daughter. Of the costume designs presents so far: I quite like the designs for woman more then the men. Robin being the best design & Batman being the worst. 1 last thought about costumes: I like the design for Earth 2's Superman's costume better the costume design for the Superman of Earth 1.
About half way through you the issue you get the the first really major change. As the Internet is fond of saying: s**t just got real! Before I say what it is, let me invoke the words of River Song: SPOILERS! Our main characters, the ones we have been following the issue so far all die. Now the death of the Dark Knight does help "win the war". During that event, a portal of some kind opens up. Both Supergirl, Robin go into it & disappear.
Is Earth 2 now left with no heroes? No. This issue much like like the first couple of paragraphs of this posting was all just set up. In this issue were are introduced to Alan Scott, Jay Garrick & Sargent Al Pratt. They are civilian identities of JSA members Green Lantern, The Flash & the Atom but have not yet become super heroes yet. From what I saw in the issue, Alan Scott seemed to be channeling a bit of Tony Stark & Jay Garrick seemed to be a bit like two other DC Characters. When we first see him he is a bit like Wally West (one of the men who have he has shared the Flash mantle with but does not currently exist in the New 52) & when Jay receives his powers he is a bit like Hal Jordan (one of the Green Lanterns' of Earth 1). We don't see much of Sargent Al Pratt other then he is the head of a small army group protecting an atomic weapon of some kind. We last see him & his group being attacked by Parademons.
So… What did I think about the book? I thought it was a good first issue & I'm interested in seeing where it goes.
Now on to World' Finest. Or Huntress Worlds' Finest Power Girl, the cover has the names of the women on either side of the Worlds' Finest name but I think the title is just "Worlds' Finest" & I will call it that. This book follows the adventures of Robin (now Huntress) & Supergirl (now Power Girl) on Earth 1. It is told in the present & via a flashback to 5 years ago when they arrived on Earth 1.They have spent the last five years trying to find away back to their world. They have built up identities on Earth 1but that is only a way to means of acquiring a way to get back home. There are 2 art styles in the book: present day is drawn by George Perez where as the flashback as drawn by Kevin Maguire. Which I think it is an interesting idea. It is also an easy way to tell what is a flashback & what is not.
Since I talked about the costume designs with Earth 2, lets talk about the costume designs here in Worlds' Finest: I still think the Robin costume is the strongest costume in the comic. Not sure we'll see it all that much. The Huntress is basically the costume the character had Pre-New 52. The Supergirl costume is ok, kind of reminds me of something Supergirl might of worn in the 1970's. BUT… the Power Girl costume SUCKS! It just don't think it works as a costume. I think the think that really puts me off is the "symbol": I think they were going for a stylized P but it doesn't work. The upper chest portion of the costume just doesn't work (That is a part of her body that people are going to look at). It looks odd. They could have just given this Power Girl the costume she had Pre-New 52 (much like did with Huntress) & people would have been fine. But no: she & most everyone else needed a a costume change. I don't think Power Girl needs a "symbol" on her costume. She's never had on. In all the time that the character has been around she's never had a symbol on her costume. Why start now?
As a issue it's just set up & not interesting set up like in Earth 2: It just talking. I'm not sure I'd pick up issue #2, I might look at the collected 1st storyline when it comes out to see what's going on with these two. What I would have done with a book called "Worlds' Finest" is have a book that travels to different worlds in the Multiverse. Have it be like "Exiles", the Marvel Comics series or like old TV show "Sliders". If your going to hint at there being Worlds' (plural) then show us worlds. I think what they are hinting at the with the purl worlds thing is they are from Earth 2 & they are on Earth 1 so there are 2 worlds involved.
Well… that's my thoughts on the first issue of Earth 2 & Worlds' Finest. Until next time, Stay Jazzy everybody!
- Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment