Pop Culture Journalism Class Blog

DC Comics has a long history with alternate and parallel earths. When the company decided to reboot their universe last year in order to make their characters seem younger, there became an issue with World War II era comic heroes the Justice Society of America. DC’s answer is to put them in their own separate universe, and create a whole new mythology.

And boy, it did not disappoint.

“Earth 2” is the new adventures of the Justice Society, taking on a different Earth similar to the main universe and yet all the more different. About ten years ago, James Robinson, the man who made the Justice Society relevant for the first time since the 80’s, has crafted a brand new world that feels and looks similar to the Justice Society of old, and yet puts new twists to make it seem all the more fresh. The story opens with a war not so different than the one taking place in Geoff John’s “Justice League,” but with a sacrifice that sets this world in a new and exciting direction. After the war, we are introduced to our main players, familiar names but not so familiar places. The issue is a lot of set up, which obviously will pay off down the road, but I would have loved to seen some of the heroes in their alter egos more than the slow building civilian set-ups.

Rendering this world with great aplomb is Nicola Scott. “Earth 2” really gives Scott a big stage to shine. She does wonderful facial work, making characters seem more human then the drawn page usually can convey.

In one issue, “Earth 2” has skyrocketed to the top of my read pile. I’ll be looking forward to the continuing adventures, provided that Robinson can move the plot along faster than he did in issue one.