Pop Culture Chronicles

Earth-Two Batman

I just had to buy the Earth-Two Batman a few weeks ago at my local comic shop. He is from DC Direct's All Star Comics with the Super Squad line---the fourth Reactivated series. I've actually had the Earth-Two Robin since 2005. I bought him at a comic shop while vacationing in Colorado. He is part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths action figures series, released on the 20th anniversary of the comic book series. Although from two different sets, these guys do look great together.   

While this is the "Golden Age" Dynamic Duo, these figures actually reflect the "Bronze Age" look of these characters. This is how they looked in the 70s. During these years, Robin fought alongside the JSA in their annual team-ups with the JLA. This version of Robin also appeared with the JSA in All Star Comics and Adventure Comics. He remained active into the early modern age in the original Infinity Inc. and with the Huntress in the back pages of Wonder Woman.

But how often did this version of Batman and Robin actually pair up during the Bronze Age? I can think of only one adventure they shared during that era. They appeared in Justice League of America 135-137.

For that matter, how often did the Earth-Two Batman appear during that era? His rare appearances include the following:

• There was a one panel cameo in Justice League of America 82 (1970), recently reprinted in the trade, Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 2.

• The above mentioned appearance with Robin in Justice League of America 135-137 (1976), recently reprinted in the trade, Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 4. 

• In 1977 Batman appeared in All Star Comics 66-68.

• Also in 1977, readers learned that the Earth-Two Batman and Catwoman had married, raising a daughter who grew up to be the crime fighting Huntress. These stories were told in All Star Comics 69 (Huntress' first appearance) and DC Super Stars 17 (telling of the Catwoman's death which inspired her daughter's crime fighting career). The DC Super Stars story was recently reprinted in the trade, The Huntress: Dark Knight Daughter.    

• The year 1979 saw the story of this Batman's death in Adventure Comics 461-463.

The Earth-Two Batman also made various "retroactive" appearances during the Bronze and Modern Age. Most of these were stories set in the 1940s during World War II.

- DC Special 29 - Origin of the JSA (1977)

-The Brave and the Bold 146 (1979) {Batman and the Unknown Soldier during WW II}

- Justice League of America 193 (1981)

- All Star Squadron 1-4, 24-26, 31-37, 41, 54, 59-60 (1981-1986)

- All Star Squadron Annual 2 (1983) and 3 (1984)

- The Brave and the Bold 182 (1982) {Dick Grayson's short stint as Batman}

- The Brave and the Bold 197 (1983) {Retroactive telling of events in 1950s leading to Batman & Catwoman's marriage} Reprinted in the trade, Greatest Stories, Volume 2: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told.

- America vs. The Justice Society of America (1985) Four part limited series in which Batman plays a vital role through flashbacks.

- Secret Origins 6 (1986) Retelling of Batman's origin.

- JSA 82 (2006) Retroactive tale of Earth-Two's Batman and Superman.

- JSA 85 (2006) Batman appears as a ghost.

It's possible I could have missed something, but these are the appearances I came up with in my comic and internet research. If you have anything to add, or any questions, feel free. 

I love Batman and especially the Golden Age Batman. Since his recent appearances in the pages of JSA and the announcement of a new Earth-2 in August, I'm hoping this guy will make a comeback. I've always liked the idea of Batman and Catwoman having a daughter who fights crime. It would be awesome if her parents could still be living on the rebooted Earth-2, perhaps serving as mentors. I'm not holding my breath, but with the return of the Earth-2 Robin and Huntress at least an Earth-Two Batman's legacy might continue.    

Favorite Earths, Part 3

I've been listing my favorite earths in the new DC multiverse. The next two are earths which could have had great potential. [Spoiler Warning for those who haven't read Countdown].

Earth 15 This earth debuted in Countdown # 30. The cover was the first thing that excited me. Here was a Batman looking very Bronze Age and a Wonder Woman looking a bit Golden or Silver Age. On this world of heroes realized, Jason Todd is Batman following the demise of Bruce Wayne. Donna Troy is Wonder Woman. The Atom is the 18-year-old Jessica Palmer. An interesting twist is that Zod is Superman and one of the good guys.

In issue 24, Superman Prime destroys this earth. Disappointed that it's not the perfect earth, he began his reign of terror by wiping out the Justice League of this world.

Earth 51 This earth debuted in Countdown # 19. On this earth Libby Lawrence-Chambers is President of the United States and Clark Kent's identity is out in the open. It's a near perfect world in which the newspaper makes no mention of crime, war, poverty, or disease.

The Ray Palmer (a.k.a. The Atom) of New Earth (the post-crisis earth) has traveled to this earth and taken the place of his deceased doppelganger on this world. Here Palmer found a home, and presumably a future, with Jean Loring, this earth's version of his ex-wife. Ray Palmer had found happiness.

Palmer attends a Christmas Eve party in issue 18 where his circle of friends include Ralph Dibny (a.k.a. Elongated Man) and his wife, Sue, and Barry Allen (a.k.a. The Flash) and his true love, Iris. All are alive and well. Until issue 17 where all Palmer's friends are wiped out. So here's a rundown of how things go for Earth 51:

Issue 16 - Monarch and his army take this unsuspecting and unprepared world by surprise. The Monitor of this world tries desperately to save it. The Batman of this earth never retired with the rest of the League after they obliterated crime, but he hung out in a "Bat Bunker" where he waited for the other shoe to drop.

Issue 15 - This is where we learn that that the JLA had declared war on criminals and wiped out all the rogues. They had also once met a JSA from another earth (from which earth?--I wonder).

Issue 13 - Superman Prime damages Monarch's armor, releasing quantum energy that wipes out earth 51 and its entire universe. And yet, a green plant survives. Where there is life there is hope.

Issue 7 - The Challengers had been transported to another earth by a Monitor. But which earth is it? They assume it was their own until they realize that either this isn't their earth or they've been erased from existence.

Issue 6 - Here is the outbreak of the chaos-producing morticoccus virus on Earth 51. The Green Lantern of this world goes into deep space unknowingly spreading the virus throughout the galaxy.

Issue 5 - The Challengers escape through a boom tube. Narrator Buddy Blank and his grandson take refuge in the Command D bunker where he had worked on the defunct Brother Eye project.  Meanwhile, world leaders suspect one another of the havoc that has been unleashed and so resort to nuclear weapons. It seems obvious that Blank's grandson will be Kamandi, Last Boy on Earth.

Issue 4 - This issue seems to indicate that this world was a reconstituted Earth 51.

Issue 1 - Brother eye transforms Blank into Omac. Two universes are said to have perished under the watch of Nix Uotan, Monitor of Earth 51.

Okay, so like many other fans, I'm scratching my head wondering what the point was of this whole Countdown series. I can't tell that too much has changed apart from a new Kamandi origin and learning that the Challengers will now monitor the Monitors. Whatever. (Check out this review from Snell).

But the whole point of this post is my lament of the demise of a couple of earths that had great retro and storytelling potential. Earth 15 was retro in a Bronze Age sort of way. And on both Earths 15 and 51, some heroes had their dreams realized. Palmer finally found happiness.

But along comes Superman Prime destroying both these worlds in his search for the perfect earth. Is there no such thing as a happy ending in the DC Universe? Why wasn't Palmer allowed happiness with his wife and friends? Why couldn't Todd and Troy of Earth 15 continue to fill the shoes of their predecessors?

I recall the good ol' days with happy endings and the good guys always won. So I lamented right along with Superman and Lois of Earth Two and Superboy (can we call him that?) Prime in Infinite Crisis when they mourned over what the singular Modern Age universe had become. Grit, grisly violence, death, corruption, and so fourth; heroes dying and being maimed. The Modern Age was a complete loss of innocence for the DC Universe.

I at first thought that Superman Prime, in his search for the perfect earth, was a parody of us nostalgists who long for a return to the good ol' days. But Mark Engblom at Comic Coverage, in a post titled August Can't Get Here Soon Enough has identified Superman Prime a parody of fan boy entitlement.

This is evidenced by Prime's disgust for the multiple earths concept in Countdown 23. So I guess all fans boys are fair game and not just those who long for a return to days of old which includes a return of the multiverse.

Okay, this is long, but I hope it makes sense. My question now is "What's next?" Well, next is Final Crisis, in which we're told that evil wins. Oh, great! Just what a retro guy like me wants to hear.

So will I be on board? Of course. I've followed the DC Universe saga this long, so why not see where it goes? And this promises to be the FINAL Crisis. I can't say I'm sorry. Earth shattering changes are okay every twenty years, but enough is enough! And I, for one, will be royally peeved if any more of my favorite earths get destroyed. Long live the multiverse!                

Favorite Earths, Part 2

I'll continue to list the parallel earth's of DC Comics' new multiverse that I feel have some real potential. In a previous post, I covered Earth 2. Here are some others I can't wait to know more about:

Earth 5 This will be home to the Fawcett characters including the Shazam family. In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths multiverse, the Marvels lived on Earth S to which Earth 5 will bear resemblance. I wonder about Earth 5. Will it still be the World War II era on this earth? If it's a contemporary earth, then will the Marvel family have begun their careers in this generation or will they be World War II survivors who were awakened in modern times after years in suspended animation? Will the Mary Marvel of this earth wear red, black, or white?

Will Earth 5 see a revival of other Fawcett characters including Mr. Scarlet and Pinky, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, and Ibis the invincible? (all of whom teamed up with the JLA, JSA, and Marvel family in Justice League of America 135-137). We'll see.

Earth 10 This would be home of the Quality characters including the original Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady, Doll Man, the Human Bomb, Black Condor, and the Ray. In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths multiverse, these Freedom Fighters lived on Earth X where the Nazis won World War II. Just how similar will Earth 10 be to Earth X?

Earth 19 Home of the Batman of an earlier century. The character was introduced in the one shot Elseworlds tale Gotham by Gaslight.

Earth 21 This will be the New Frontier version of the DC Universe. In Darwyn Cooke's series, the DC heroes still exist in the Silver Age. In the Justice League: New Frontier Special, it is the early 1960s.

So if the heroes of Earth 21 ever meet their dopplegangers on New Earth or Earth 2, will Earth 21 still be back in the 60s or will we see a more contemporary Earth 21 in which the heroes of that Earth have aged?

Earth 22 Alex Ross' Kingdom Come version of the DC Universe, where at least some of the heroes resembled their Earth Two Golden Age counterparts. Has this earth really been destroyed, as reported in Justice Society of America # 11? At least we know Superman survives.

Earth 40 Home of the JSA who were spies during World War II in The Liberty Files and its sequel The Unholy Three. This earth's versions of Batman, Hourman, Dr, Midnite, and the Flash are respectively known as the Bat, the Clock, the Owl, and Mercury. We also have versions of Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Mr. Terrific.

The same question I asked about other earths applies here. If these heroes ever meet their modern dopplegangers will we learn that Earth 40 still exists in a bygone era or does it now exist in the 21st century?

Of course other earths interest me, but I list these for their connections to the Golden or Silver Age, or some other bygone era. These earths especially interest me because I am so retro ( I reuse this phrase at the suggestion of Stephen in a comment on my last post).            

3 Questions About Comics and Me

I am honored to have been tagged by Stephen. This means that at least someone is reading this blog. So here are my answers to the three questions:

1) What was the first comic you remember reading?

The first one I actually remember reading (and not just looking at the pictures) was Wonder Woman 215. Having searched the racks in vain at Piggly Wiggly, all the Batman titles were sold out. But thumbing through this Wonder Woman issue I discovered that Batman had a cameo, as did several members of the JLA.

This was during a run in which a different member of the JLA was special guest star each issue. This time Aquaman had a major role. More heroes for the money seemed like a good deal. So I bought it and read it numerous times. The plot was pretty sophisticated for a fourth grader.

2) What was the first comic that made you realize that you might be in this for the long haul?

That would be Batman 263, published a few months after the Wonder Woman issue mentioned above. This was another Piggly Wiggly purchase. One evening at the supermarket my two younger sisters and I begged our parents to spring for a comic for each of us (though they had gone up to a whopping 25 cents). I remember that one sister (the middle child) chose an issue of Shazam with a talking frog on the cover. I don't remember what our youngest sibling chose--probably some Archie or funny animal comic.

We rode home in the back of our family Oldsmobile trying to read our comics by the glow of the street lights. Those were the days when comic book heroes spent one page ads selling Hostess cupcakes, fruit pies, and twinkies.

I was introduced to Batman via television before I could read. This issue had the Riddler who I recognized from the TV series. I immediately concluded that the comics had become far more sophisticated than the campy TV show. But Robin was absent, which I was not happy about. Well, this issue led to semi-regular purchases of Batman, Detective Comics, and Justice League of America. From there I kept branching out.

3) If you had to make a snap decision to take one comic or comic run to a desert island, what would it be? Don't think too hard!

It would be the Elseworlds limited series, now collected as a trade paperback, called JSA: The Golden Age. Earlier printings are merely called The Golden Age. I picked up the trade while vacationing in a rainy Albuquerque. I had been out of the comics scene for a while. Not caring to commit to any regular titles, I'd occasionally pick up a one shot or a trade.

The Golden Age appealed to me because I am so retro. The cover pictured many of the heroes I had grown to love reading Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron. The Golden Age might even be better. I was engrossed in this book and could not put it down. Not having read it in seven years, I think I'll read it again.

Here is the part where I'm supposed to tag five people. But I can't even think of five other bloggers who I know read this blog. The ones I do know about, I have not seen respond to tags. But if you have a blog, and you're reading this, consider yourself tagged. If you do a post on this, please comment here so I'll know you did.