Earth 2 #18 - The Dark Age, Part 2

Earth 2 books always fly by for me. Maybe they're just brilliantly paced. But this issue was kick-ass! Loved the last page!

Alright so personal-theory time: look closely at Batman's wrist gadget. It's not red or black, so it's likely meant to be obvious and draw attention. I think it's a Miraclo injector and this Batman is the Rick or Rex Tyler of Earth 2. It doesn't explain the Joker thing, but I think it's a solid theory. Oh and there's no way it's Thomas. Bet my life, you can quote me on that.

Yeah, the Joker thing is a piece I can't really figure out. There have been years since the war on Earth 2 and the present in the story, so who knows what has happened. If it was Earth Prime, we can imagine it being Jason Todd that would kill the Joker, but we never really know. Robinson said he had ideas for the characters and who Batman was, but that the new writer may have different ideas and its up to them whether they will go with what he had planned.

If Brutaal is a brain-washed Superman, how is it that his heat vision is acting like Darkseid's omega blast/beams (able to change direction and go in zig zags) ? It's funny how there is just enough to throw people off a little and keep them guessing, but not enough to make any solid theories.

Examples:

Batman is really Thomas Wayne from Flashpoint- Doesn't explain his super strength and invulnerability. We also haven't seen this Batman use guns except in the last issue to kill The Joker.

Batman is really Superman- My personal theory (just a thought, not a serious theory), due to the powers he has shown so far, though he would be out of character as far as we know from him killing The Joker.

Brutaal is a brain-washed Superman- Doesn't explain the way his heat vision is different, but who knows what could have happened or how he was changed.

Batman is Jason Todd or Dick Grayson- Doesn't explain the powers still, but then again we don't know what has happened to either of them in this series as neither of them have shown. The Robin that Batman had was the daughter he shared with Selina Kyle in this universe and went off to Earth Prime and became The Huntress. Who knows if he would have even had other sidekicks if he had an actual child of his own by his side?

@allstarsuperman: I think it's bane. @laserlambert: I thought it was actually pretty good but you bring up a good point, i would love to see old characters, especially hour man (i have an autographed ish of doctor fate and hourman and i love it) and i would love to see more of Captain steel, i love his concept, and i'm dying to see who messed him up so bad in the pit, hopefully who/whatever it was makes an appearance soon.

@laserlambert: I thought it was actually pretty good but you bring up a good point, i would love to see old characters, especially hour man (i have an autographed ish of doctor fate and hourman and i love it) and i would love to see more of comander steele, i love his concept, and i'm dying to see who messed him up so bad in the pit, hopefully who/whatever it was makes an appearance soon.

I tried last issue, but didn't bother with this one, I really don't want another book starring the Big Three, and I especially don't want a corrupted Superman and an undead Lois.

My belief on who the new Batman is:( Just a theory but in case I am spoiling for some plot points:)

Man, I'm dying to know who this Batman really is. I was thinking Flashpoint Batman too. Maybe he somehow wound up on Earth 2 after Flashpoint. Entirely possible this being comic books and all.

@lamenoire: Yeah i dont the understand the hate. they spent this issue introducing new characters. nerds will complain about anything and everything

"I'm going to take a long shot and throw out a theory that perhaps Batman is really Superman in hiding, and maybe the evil Superman is a clone or something else. Long shot, but hey, sounds better than the Thomas Wayne from Flashpoint Universe theory and wouldn't be the first time Superman has taken on the mantle of Batman (at least in one of the Elseworlds stories he did)."

This is an interesting theory. It would certainly explain the seeming invulnerability and strength (even the color-coordinated costumes :) ). But it would also mean he's a Superman who isn't above killing (not unlike Brutaal). And it makes you wonder why Clark would be hell bent on offing the Joker. I agree this is a long shot. I think it's more likely that Brutaal is a brain-washed Supes.

Aquawoman is cool. Could she be the long lost seventh wonder from the zero issue who was too terrible to name-drop?

1. Why are people blaming the new writer for Batman and Superman in the series? Robinson introduced them before and had plans for them.

2. Doubt it's Thomas Wayne as this Batman appears to have invulnerability since he injured someone with his face when he was slapped and took a bullet to the head without a scratch. Plus there is the strength when he overpowered Red Tornado.

3. I wonder if this is even the same Superman since his heat vision seems to be acting like Darkseid's omega beams.

4. There are enough JSA members or re-imaginings to make people happy. Also this is a parallel world, there are bound to be some versions of Earth Prime characters.

I'm going to take a long shot and throw out a theory that perhaps Batman is really Superman in hiding, and maybe the evil Superman is a clone or something else. Long shot, but hey, sounds better than the Thomas Wayne from Flashpoint Universe theory and wouldn't be the first time Superman has taken on the mantle of Batman (at least in one of the Elseworlds stories he did).

@avengers_4everxx: it is called earth 2 since it is about a paralel earth called "earth 2"...

It is Robinson who planted the seed of the return of a villain superman and a new batman showing up. and since he left with a cliffanger Taylor has to play with these character

How earth 2 is becoming another Batman/Superman ???

And Taylor is actually using Mr Terrific, Sloan, Dodds, Khan, Judomaster... Robinson rarely did that

You speak as if that would be a bad thing. xD

this

My guess is Batman has a son named Thomas Wayne jr or that its Jim Gordon

I don't understand why everyone has to get so wrapped up in Batman and Superman showing up. They were originally part of the JSA pre-Crisis. Regardless, they are not in character of the Batman and Superman you see in every other title. This is not the Batman or Superman of Earth 1/Prime. They have totally different personalities/alter egos and costumes. If you just read the book and don't get so hung up on Batman and Superman being in the book, and how you can pick it apart to DC-hate, you might actually like it.

I have no problem with people preferring a particular era in a group's history but let's keep our facts straight. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are all golden age characters who were either full or honorary members of the original WW2 Justice Society and/or All-Star Squadron. Their place in the JSA was written out of continuity at the same time that Earth 2 was eliminated from the DC Cosmos during the Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985). On the reformed earth after Crisis, they only came into being in the silver age, leaving the JSA as a group that never featured the trinity... but the source material from 1941 to 1985 held the trinity to be actual, true characters of Earth 2, including their supporting cast and villains (although there were some differences, obviously). Putting aside the contemporary cynical trend to view anything as a cash-grab, there is nothing uncanonical about the reintroduction of the trinity. It might even be considered a return to form after a deviant history (I say that having loved the post Crisis stories of the USA).

I hope that those who have a problem with this will at least make their judgments on the basis of story. If they prefer the post-COIE take on the team in the end, that's fine. But at least let's keep our comic book history in mind.

Why the f*** is this even called Earth 2 anymore when it isn't even about the actual f-ing heroes of earth 2? If I wanted to read about Batman and Superman I would buy Superman/Batman(or not since it's a steaming pile of garbage). I started this book to read about Alan and Jay and Hawkgirl and the Atom and the f***ing JSA. I am so angry James didn't get to tell the epic story he was obviously setting up because editorial would rather have one of their little b**** boys writing the book and shoving in Superman and Batman wherever they can even if it doesn't make any sense instead of an author who was actually brave and talented enough to write a successful book without the Trinity in it. I'm probably only giving this to the end of Taylor's first run at the most before I drop it, and DC along with it. Then I can funnel all my money into Marvel, because they actually respect their creators, their readers, and they're own goddamn history. I can't wait to start reading All New Invaders and Fantastic Four. Screw you DC. What's next? You going to turn Alan Scott straight again? I'm done.

For that one I'll just pull the obvious trump card and say "Comic books". But it's a fair point.

Another issue is that this Batman is apparantly Super human. He stopped punch from Red Tornado and took a bullet to the head. I don't remeber the cowl being strong enough to tank bullets from a few feet away. I don't see how this is flashpoint Thomas or the one we know at least.

@psycho_soldier: Not the Thomas of that Earth certainly, no. He must be dead, or Bruce wouldn't have been Bats at all. I believe, though as mentioned by someone else, Taylor could be changing the plans, that it was implied that this is in fact the Thomas Wayne from the Flashpoint timeline, notice the similar costume motif and behavior. That's somewhat backed up by his reaction to someone mentioning Bruce.

The question then becomes how he survived the merging of all the splintered timelines and made it to Earth 2. But hey, Superman is an insane god of destruction right now when he was allegedly dead on Earth 2, so Bats is hardly the only big question mark right now.

I'm a couple of issues behind in reading Earth 2, but I can honestly say I hate that there is a Batman and Superman on Earth 2, and now we have a Joker and a Jimmy Olsen? And of course we can't forget about Lois Lane being Red Tornado. This is turning into another Batman / Superman book. I guess we can forget about Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, Starman, Wildcat and the other true heroes of Earth 2.

Hmm, might have to start reading this again...

Aquawoman? are they joking? Do they expect human beings to say that name out loud? and Jimmy Olsen? give me a break. So much for introducing characters like Doctor Mid-Nite, Spectre, Hourman, Wildcat, or Johnny Thunder, you know --- characters actually associated with Earth 2.

@vaizd:

I am not sure it is still true.

Robinson confirmed it was the original plan. but since Batman say he was a madman and a criminal in the last issue I have some doubt Taylor kept that idea....

@psycho_soldier
This batman can be surprised a Red Tornado is on a first name basis with the original one

HOLY CRAP THIS NEW BATMAN IS A BOSS!

I don't think it's Thomas, Bruce was already 30/40 in this Earth how old would that make him?

There's a possibility that this Batman is Jason Todd or even a character with no connection to Bruce as he seems surprised when Lois says that name, he is from Gotham as he knows about the Joker and his doings he could also have been a victim of him

Earth 2 needs to expand to another book

we need a list with the names of the villains in the cryochambers, the same goes for Argus Circus

Do we see Alan Scott in this issue or is he still MIA?

@vaizd: @rubear: really... That so obivous.. lame....

cool, it'll be the first thing I read this week

that's a little disapointing

@allstarsuperman said:

Yes, that was really cool fight. You definetly must to read it.

I mean, if you really want to know, it was accidentally revealed a while ago. (Hint: Mouse over the spoiler block in my earlier post if you want to divulge the info for yourself.)

@allstarsuperman Ehhhhhhhhhhh...

@cavemold said:

We will see who this Batman is in annual... ;)

I cant wait to read this! please tell me Jay and Evil Supes had a cool fight?

i bought this to see who the batman was and no answer ... Ugh. Ill pass on this. Batman and more superman. Meh.

so far I'm actually enjoying Taylor's run more than Robinson's

Oh man. I love that last two pages or so. Immediately setting the precedent that this is not a Batman to be futzed with.

Though, Flashpoint made that point pretty clear as well, and it seems like all signs are pointing to this Thomas Wayne and that Thomas Wayne being the same Thomas Wayne. Can't wait to see how that's explained.

And now that the no duplicate characters rule is gone, wonder how long it'll be before we see Earth 2 cross over with Earth Prime, since we now know the multiverse still exists. Crisis in the New 52.