Pop Culture Chronicles

Favorite Earths, Part 1

DC Comics has now cataloged a number of the 52 universes in the new multiverse. Here are my favorite multiple earth concepts due to their retro potential:

Earth-2 The original Earth-Two was my favorite earth of all. It was home of the original Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and other big guns who began their careers in the late 30s/early 40s. In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths multiverse, Earth-Two was populated by these older versions of popular DC icons. Their proteges included a graying Robin, the Huntress (daughter of Batman and Catwoman), Power Girl (Superman's Kryptonian cousin), and the orginal Infinity Inc.

The post-52 Earth-2 will be explored in Justice Society of America Annual 1  due this August. This earth will be similar, but not a perfect recreation, of the original Earth-Two. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm hoping that more mature versions of Batman and Superman can exist on this world, without having died and without having been retconned out of existence.

On a recent comic shop visit, I was excited to see some Batman and Superman Justice Society action figures as they appeared in the 70's All-Star Comics and Adventure Comics. This is a part of DC Direct's Reactivated action figures series. Previous collections in the series have included Super Friends and Kingdom Come versions of popular characters. The JSA figures make up the Reactivated series' Super Squad collection.

I'm hoping that these new JSA figures, which also include Hawkman and Wonder Woman, is a good omen--like a pointing toward a reactivation of these characters in comics. The Superman is graying-around-the-temples and the Batman looks like he did as a semi-retired super hero, while as Bruce Wayne he served as Gotham Police Commissioner. Earth-Two's Batman was killed in action in Adventure Comics #462, but I'm hoping that the Batman on this new Earth-2 might still be living.

Again, I'm not holding my breath. But at the very least it appears that Robin will be alive and well and that Huntress will be Batman's offspring. How Power Girl will fit in remains to be seen. This Earth-2 will resemble her former adopted home, but it's not an exact replica. Interesting.             

My Pull List

Sorry I've been away so long. I'll try not to let it happen again. Life has simply got in the way of my blogging, but now I'm back! My About Page is clear that I'm a nostalgia buff and what I collect reflects that.

DC Titles 

All-Star Superman This twelve issue limited series is a great reimagining of the Superman myth. It's reminiscent of the Silver Age stories I grew up reading, coupled with today's more sophisticated story-telling. I hear that this version of Superman may continue beyond twelve issues. If so, I wonder who the artist will be. I can't imagine this title without Frank Quitely.

Since I'm actually a die hard Batman fan, I did collect All-Star Batman and Robin but I quit because..well..it was just stupid.

Countdown to Final Crisis This 51-issue weekly title has been an overall disappointment, but I kept collecting it in hopes that something significant would happen. I was hoping for a more thorough exploration of the new multiverse, but it seems that the earths with any potential were destroyed. The Kamandi origin has been the most interesting thing so far, even if it is a downer. Oh well, one more issue to go. I'm hoping that DC Universe: Zero and the Final Crisis series will be more satisfying. In the meantime, I'll probably have 51 issues for sale.

Justice Society of America  As I've said before, I've been a fan of the JSA since the annual JLA/JSA crossovers. Then All-Star Comics was revived in the 70s. In the 80s it was All-Star Squadron. In 1999 the JSA got their own title and now we have the current title. The JSA has never disappointed me. The Golden Age connection is appealing to a nostalgia buff like me.

Dynamite Entertainment

Project Superpowers  I'm down to this one title from Dynamite which is a revival of obscure Golden Age heroes. Right up my alley. My review is here.

I did collect The Lone Ranger, which likewise appealed to my sense of nostalgia. But this is definitely not my grandmother's Lone Ranger. I was okay with that at first, but after the first story arc I've decided to save my money. This comic just doesn't reflect the traditional values of the original character. So I'm a fuddy duddy. It's also an awfully long time between issues. Hi yo, Silver, Away.

I read the first two issues of Zorro, which excited me at first. But I feel like the origin is being dragged out for too long, has been a little silly in some places, and we haven't been seeing enough of Zorro in full regalia. The 3.50 cover price is also a turn off. I'm not made of money.

Marvel Comics

The Twelve This twelve issue limited series is the only Marvel I read, but I think it's the best comic on the market---bar none. See my review for more details. As with Justice Society of America and Project Superpowers, this one also revives and celebrates Golden Age heroes. My kind of stuff.