Pop Culture Chronicles

Not Your Father's Earth-2

When I picked up the first issue of Earth-2, it was not what I had been anticipating. I've waited about 27 years for a return of Earth-2 to the DC multiverse. It kind of happened in Justice Society of America, vol, 3, Annual 1. But now that the post-52 multiverse has been replaced by the post-Flashpoint multiverse, Earth-2 is no longer recognizable. I had hoped for an Earth-2 with a similar backstory to the one I had read about in the annual JLA/JSA team-ups in the 70s, and in All-Star Squadron, and in the original Infinity, Inc. But no such luck. Here are some notable differences between the post-Flashpoint Earth-2 and the original:

1) There is no longer a Golden Age (at least that I am aware of). There was no JSA fighting criminals and Nazis during World War II. No All-Star Squadron either.

2) The JSA members are much younger on the current Earth-2. I have no problem with that since the original members had become old men in tights. But I still long for the Golden Age era JSA & All-Star Squadron stories. I guess those days are gone forever.

3) The Huntress was Robin and Power Girl was Supergirl on Earth-2. I have no problem with this and so far I am enjoying Worlds' Finest. What I don't like is that the Earth-2 Batman is dead again. I was hoping to see a father-daughter relationship between Bruce and Helena Wayne explored. I guess this version of Helena is destined to be an orphan. Too bad.

4) The Big Three (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman) are not part of the new JSA, though they were honorary members in the 1940s who subsequently showed up for an occasional JLA/JSA team-up in the 70s. I'd love to see the JSA with the Big Three.

5) Green Lantern is a homosexual. That was the last straw for me. I am sick of feeling that I'm the target of politically correct propaganda every time I pick up a comic. Everywhere you turn the agenda is shoved in your face. I removed Earth-2 from my pull list and did not buy the infamous second issue in which two guys are kissing each other on the lips and discussing a romantic getaway. This would never have happened in my day. DC's efforts to be all inclusive are succeeding in driving away more conservative readers.

Having been a near-lifelong fan, I suppose I am done with the Justice Society. I suppose that all good things must come to an end. All forms of media have now crossed the rubicon abandoning the wholesomeness that once existed. But at least I don't have to support them. And I still have the back issues of my favorite super-hero team. Long live the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths JSA. They'll be missed.  

Great News for Retro Fans!

The return of Earth-2's Power Girl and the Huntress is some of the best pop culture news I've heard in a long time. The first four issues of JSA: Classified in 2005 explored the questions of Power Girl's true origin. This story arc, wonderfully executed by Geoff Johns, Amanda Connner, and Jimmy Palmiotti, served as prelude to the events of Infinite Crisis which began that same year. It was later revealed, in the final issue of 52, that the crisis had indeed led to the birth of a new multiverse. 

In Infinite Crisis, also penned by Johns, we learned that Power Girl was the lone survivor of the former multivere's Earth-Two, not to mention the last daughter of that universe's Krypton. Having been best friends with Earth-Two's Huntress, Helena Wayne, Power Girl's suppressed memories leads her to seek out the post-crisis (on infinite Earths) Huntress, Helena Bertinelli, who provides no answers regarding Power Girl's origin.

In Justice Society of America, volume 3, Annual 1, Power Girl goes to Earth-2 where she unites with the Huntress of that world (Helena Wayne). But in this post-Infinite Crisis, Post-52 world, another Power Girl already exists on Earth-2, leaving our Power Girl again displaced. 

Well now the DC universe has experienced yet another reboot resulting from Flashpoint. In this altered reality both Power Girl and the Huntress (Helena Wayne) have always been residents of Earth-2, but they are now stranded on DC's mainline earth (whether that be New Earth, Earth-1, or whatever they're calling it these days). While in this predicament, the duo's adventures will now be told in a new volume of Worlds' Finest, slated to appear in May. Notice the apostrophe after the "s" likely in acknowledgment of the Multiverse. The writer of this series is Paul Levitz, creator of the Huntress for the JSA revival in All-Star Comics back in the late 70s.

Huntress was originally the daughter of Earth-2's Batman and Catwoman, but the post-crisis Huntress was Helena Bertinelli, daughter of an Italian mob boss. The post-Flashpoint, new 52 universe combines the best of both worlds for the Huntress. Bertinelli is an alias of Helena Wayne. The Italian mob connection is present in Levitz's current Huntress limited series where she is in Italy under the assumed name of Bertinelli. She fights those who traffic in weapons and human beings. A couple of occasions revealed her fondness for cats, perhaps a nod to her being the Earth-2 Catwoman's daughter.

The Huntress, whether in the Wayne or Bertinelli incarnations, has always been firmly situated in the Batman family as either daughter or crime fighting protege. So it's fitting that this Batman family member will be paired with Superman family member, Power Girl, in the upcoming Worlds' Finest. The original World's Finest Comics regularly teamed Superman with Batman.

Adding to the excitement is another comic called Earth-2, also premiering in May and starring a rebooted Justice Society. Also, I hear that Grant Morrison will be writing a future series called Multiversity. I've been waiting over 20 years for Earth-2 to once again play a major part in DC comics. I'm excited.      

Power Girl # 1: A Review

A character created by Gerry Conway for the 1970s All-Star Comics, Power Girl's character has  undergone further developments over the last decade in Geoff Johns' JSA and Justice Society of America. Power Girl is the lone survivor of the original Earth-Two and of its universe's Krypton. She is cousin to the Golden Age Superman. 

While the art in this first issue of her own ongoing series is just slightly "cartoony" for my taste, Amanda Conner does a great job with Power Girl, especially on page 1, which is a splash page. In this issue, Power Girl is rebuilding a secret identity and a career. What's next? A love interest? That could be cool. A full blown life apart from the super hero gig is what most JSAers (and a host of other heroes) are missing these days. I'm glad to see that Karen Starr's private life will be developed. 

Also, Power Girl battles an arch enemy of the JSA. What he wants from her is...her body in exchange for the life of a major U. S. city.  (Just read the book). What a cliffhanger! I'll be sticking around for a while. 

What I would like to see: Since DC has been raising the dead quite a bit these days (Barry Allen, Bart Allen, Conner Kent, Jason Todd, etc..And is Barbara Gordon going to walk again? Will Superboy-Prime be reformed?) It seems that a lot of the wrongs of the DC universe are being righted---so many of the events that the original Earth-Two's Superman and Lois and Earth-Prime's Superboy were so upset about are changing back to the way they were. Soooo, why not bring the Earth-Two Superman back--or maybe at least the Justice Society Infinity of the new Earth-2 could track down their missing Superman. Either way I'd love to see a resurrection of a Golden Age Superman.

I'd also like to see Power Girl return to the post-Infinite Crisis Earth-2. We'll see what is in store for us.   

Current Pull List (11/08)

Here is what I'm collecting and reading these days:

Marvel

Age of the Sentry Now this is just a fun comic! Set in the Silver Age with plenty of Silver Age spoofing. Hilarious, but great adventure for all ages. Watchdog is a great spoof of the super-hero pets like Krypto and Ace the Bat-hound.

Avengers/Invaders (Alex Ross co-plotting and covers) Nostalgia, time travel, and Alex Ross. What's not to like?

The Twelve The strength of this book is character development as obscure Golden Age heroes are re-introduced. The art is great too. This 12-parter is over half way to conclusion.  

Dynamite  

Project Super Powers (Alex Ross co-plotting and covers) The seven-issue first volume has concluded and I was going to check out after that. This series was just too chaotic and overcrowded. Unlike The Twelve  there wasn't much character development. Too many characters were coming out of the woodwork (or the urn) at once. The redeeming thing about this book was the Alex Ross "class photo" style character drawings in the back pages of most issues. I am undecided as to whether I'll collect volume 2, but my sheer love of the Golden Age keeps me coming back. Dynamite is creating a whole new superhero universe from public domain characters.  

Black Terror (Alex Ross co-plotting and some covers) I was prepared for disappointment after the fiasco that was Project Super Powers. Black Terror seemed very one-dimensional in that series. But if this book is any indication, it appears that the Super Powers spin-offs are going to be a lot bigger on character development. After one issue I'm beginning to care about the character. It helps that his background was developed and I am now more sympathetic with his plight to find Tim, his missing partner. I chose the Greg Land cover which I thought was awesome. 

It's clear now that the Project Super Powers universe is not our universe, but a world in which the "Super Powers" of nations have become corrupt and tyrannical (at least I don't think this is our universe) and so the heroes with super powers have been self-appointed to provide checks and balances. Interesting premise, but it would also have been interesting to see these Golden Age heroes in a setting more similar to ours, as Marvel has done with The Twelve. I can't wait for Masquerade and Death-Defying Devil to have their own books. 

DC

Justice Society of America (Alex Ross co-plotting and covers) This is the only ongoing title I am seriously collecting. The others are mostly limited series. If I only read one comic, this would be it. 

Now if Power Girl is not the Power Girl of the Earth-2 in the new multiverse, but the Power Girl of a now dead universe, there could be hope that the missing Earth-2 Superman could be found alive. Wouldn't that be cool. And I still wonder if there is hope of seeing a Golden Age Batman sometime. Did I pick up a hint in issue 20 or was it just my own wishful thinking?  

Final Crisis I really don't like this book, but I'm following it to see what, if any, sweeping changes come over the DC universe. Besides, I've got all the other crisis limited series so I'll complete the collection. But this one cannot hold a candle to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths which was far more intriguing, although I didn't like the outcome. 

This particular series shares the darker tone, grittier edge, bloodier violence and profane language (although often expressed as @#*#!%) of many of today's comics. This is also typical Grant Morrison, whose writing I enjoyed in All-Star Superman, but that's about it. His stuff is usually just too "out there" for me. You don't know what's going on until the end, if you even know then. Nor has much been revealed about the multiverse to this point. 

Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds Perhaps the only redeeming tie-in to Final Crisis, with original crisis artist George Perez and the best-current-writer-in-the- business, Geoff Johns. Some of the usual things I don't like about today's comics are present in this book as well, but the story, art, and multiversal storyline are excellent. 

A few things I'll note about my pull list: 

1) Alex Ross is connected with four of the titles I collect as co-plotter and cover artist. I am a huge fan of this man who provided the art for Marvels and Kingdom Come. He brought a new brand of realism to comics.         

2) Justice Society of America remains my only ongoing title. With limited series I can make shorter commitments. With the exception of JSA I may start waiting for the trades. 

3) Seven of the eight titles I'm currently reading have a large dose of Golden or Silver Age nostalgia. Another hint of my dissatisfaction with the direction of modern comics. But I'm not called Dr. Retro for nothing.          

Justice Society of America Annual 1

This book has been out for at least a couple of weeks. Those who read this blog might be interested to know what I thought because I'm so retro and this story brings back Earth-2.  

First I'll comment on the art. It was great to have Jerry Ordway back from the original Infinity Inc. Wiacek's inks over Ordway's pencils made a good combination. The Earth-2 Huntress and Robin look just as they should. But Powergirl just doesn't look quite right to me. I guess I've grown accustomed to her Eaglesham/ Von Grawbadger look in the JSA mags where her facial expressions match her assertive attitude (I hope that makes sense). But in this story Powergirl just looked a little mousy to me. The JSA pinup was awesome. Another great "class photo" shot. The Alex Ross cover is beyond awesome.  

Some characters who are deceased on New Earth still have living dopplegangers on this revised Earth-2. They include Jade, Dr. Midnight (Beth Chapel), Wildcat II (Yolanda Montez), the Star-Spangled Kid, and the original Atom (Al Pratt). Jim Corrigan and Kent Nelson are still the Spectre and Dr. Fate. Now if all these folks can still be alive, then why not the Golden Age Batman?!?!?! Bring him back! Throw his remains in the Lazarus Pit or something! 

The Fury and Hector Hall are still active on Earth-2 after the apparent "physical" deaths of their New Earth counterparts in JSA# 80 (a subplot which ran now and then beginning in issue 74). I'm assuming that on Earth-2 the Fury is still Lyta Trevor, daughter of the original Wonder Woman. 

Of course after the "attempt" of Crisis on Infinite Earths to make the DC Universe tidier and more manageable, the Golden Age Wonder Woman was retconned out of existence and a Golden Age Fury was created to be the mother of the modern Fury. But sometime between Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis, DC decided that a Golden Age Wonder Woman was a good idea after all. So on New Earth she is now Hippolyta, mother of the current Wonder Woman. Is that all clear as mud? 

And on the revised Earth-2 Hector has never been Dr. Fate, but is still the Silver Scarab. And of course, in this altered reality, Robin and Huntress never died in the Crisis. So here the Earth-2 Justice Society is known as Justice Society Infinity, a conglomeration of members from both the original JSA and the original Infinity Inc. 

Some questions: 

1) Justice Society Infinity has had experience with parallel worlds before. Which parallel worlds? 

2) Now who is it that Helena Wayne has been in love with her entire life? Is it Dick Grayson?

3) Is the Powergirl whose been hanging out with the JSA on New Earth indeed the Powergirl of Earth-2 or the lone survivor of a deceased Earth-Two? Does the appearance of yet another Powergirl indicate that the revised Earth-2 has had its own Powergirl all along? And if that's true, could this revised Earth-2's Superman and Lois still be alive? 

This very important book is the culmination of over twenty years of DC history. It's also been at least three years in the making, picking up some threads from Infinite Crisis, JSA Classified, and the other JSA titles. I cannot wait to see the story continue in the pages of Justice Society of America.       

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.             

Superman in the Justice Society of America

I, for one, am thrilled that the Kingdom Come Superman has become a part of the JSA. I recently finished issues 10 and 11 and it seems like the old days. The JSA has an older, wiser, graying-around-the-temples Superman.

It's like back when I was reading the annual JLA/JSA crossovers, the revived All-Star Comics of the 70s, and the original Infinity Inc. Things seem right with the world when the JSA has a Superman. This might be as close as we get to having a Golden Age Superman around.

The Eaglesham/Jose art team are certainly doing him justice. This is exactly how a mature man of steel ought to be drawn. And they're doing a great job with Power Girl too--another Kryptonian survivor, albeit of another Krypton.

Will Power Girl and the Kingdom Come Superman manage to be like family? Can it be that this Superman's earth has really been destroyed? What a double tragedy losing both his planet or origin and his adopted planet. Power Girl can certainly relate having survived the loss of her Krypton as well as her adopted earth, the original Earth-Two. The Kingdom Come Superman reminds her of her own late Kryptonian cousin.

So what is the future for these two? We did learn in the final issues of 52 that there is an Earth 2 in the new multiverse, similar to the pre-crisis Earth-Two. And this new Earth 2's Superman and Power Girl are missing.

The newer Earth 2 is similar to the original, even with its own JSA whose roster includes Robin and the Huntress. In Justice Society of America #11, while on the cosmic treadmill, the two Flashes caught a glimpse of Robin and the Huntress. Was this Dick Grayson and Helena Wayne? Could Power Girl and the Kingdom Come Superman possibly find their place on the new Earth 2? I wonder.