Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Earth 2 #21

   I've heard several people recently saying that DC's "New 52" has been a failure - and I'm inclined to agree.

   One by one, I've been dropping DC titles - even ones that I've been buying for decades, like Green Lantern.

   The latest casualty (in more ways than one) is Earth 2.

   I like the original concept of an alternate Earth so much (with alternate versions of beloved heroes) that I've held onto this title for almost two years, even though it has been almost entirely a sad, pale copy of the delightful Justice Society comic that I enjoyed so much "Pre-52."

  But this series is just depressing and sad. It has resurrected Superman as Darkseid's right-hand man, a mass murderer on a mind-boggling scale.

   In this issue alone he kills hundreds of people without a twinge of remorse. Yes, this isn't "our" Superman - but it's just too over the top in its desire to shock the reader.

   I also don't appreciate the gore - on the second page a hero has his arm brutally severed.

   Look, the artwork by Nicola Scott is quite good - she's very talented, and I hope to see her working on a comic I can enjoy someday. Writer Tom Taylor also has talent - the stories are well constructed and there are some interesting twists to enjoy.

   But it's all just too bleak, too grim and totally void of the kind of friendship, joy, romance, humor or heroic adventures that I would hope to see in a comic starring the world's first super-team.

   It's going to take a heck of a turnaround to bring this comic back to that level - and I won't be here to see it.

   The same is true for most of the "New 52" titles I've read (and I admit I don't read them all) - they substitute shock for story, gore for humor and grim engines of destruction for heroes I can enjoy.

   Not interested.

   One can only hope DC will eventually come to its senses and un-reboot the line back to what it was before. But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting.

Grade: C

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