Review: Earth 2 Society Annual #1

DC Comics
Review: Earth 2 Society Annual #1
By Philip Schweier
August 31, 2016 - 05:42

DC Comics
Writer(s): Dan Abnett
Penciller(s): Bruno Redondo and Diogenes Neves
Inker(s): Juan Albarran and Ruy Rose
Colourist(s): Rex Lokus
Letterer(s): Travis Lanham
Cover Artist(s): Bruno Redondo and Alejandro Sanchez

I enjoy a story that takes an established premise and turns it on its ear. Alternate dimensions, altered futures, that sort of thing. The new incarnation of the DCU’s Earth 2 is more than just the DCU of the 1940s. It’s a completely altered reality, but with some familiar faces.

The Earth 2 Society Annual #1 is set between Earth 2 #15 and #16, in which two stories parallel one another. Dick Grayson (the current Batman) has left the field of battle to repair his bat-suit, which also serves as an exo-skeleton. Also on the field of battle is his son, John Grayson, in the thrall of the Utra-Humanite. Both Dick and John believed the other to be dead, but with knowledge to the contrary, the two are reunited back at the Batcave.

MEANWHILE… the Huntress has stepped in to take Batman’s place in battle against Grief, another foe the Ultra-Humanite’s minions. As she goes toe-to-toe against the super-powered soldier, Dick praises her in glowing terms, describing a soldier who perhaps should be that world’s leader of the bat-franchise of crime-fighting. John Grayson is perhaps destined to fulfill the sidekick role for Earth 2’s Batman. As Robin? Well, we’ll see.

Rather than the grand and glorious storylines of old, the annual is merely and interlude in the overall story. I didn’t get it at first, but I kind of like the idea of allowing the story to continue within the normal run of a comic, rather than reach the boiling point in the annual. As for the future of Earth 2, it bodes well for our heroes, I hope – if they can get past the Ultra-Humanite. As for how many of the original Golden Age characters will survive remains to be seen. But I look forward to finding out.