Batman: Earth One

[Drz]

Batman: Earth One PREVIEW! In stores July 10th! Just 10 days away from the Dark Knight Rises:

BF = Buffzeed
GJ hns

BF: Well, let’s just to dive into these questions then now that you can! To start, for people who aren’t sure what the premise of Batman: Earth One is, what’s a quick summary?

GJ: Sure, the first Earth One book was a modern retelling of Superman’s origin and Batman: Earth One is a modern retelling of the beginning of Bruce Wayne and Batman and it’s a look at the man more than it is the mask.

For Gary and I we wanted to take a very human approach to these characters, Bruce Wayne and Alfred, and you’ll see a very different Gotham and a very, very different Alfred and a Bruce Wayne who is not quite the Batman that everyone knows. He’s not very good yet, he’s not a fighting machine. He’s just a guy who is seeking vengeance.



BF: Yeah, he’s also kind of a dick, which surprised me. You actually made the fact he had money make him a bit of an entitled brat as a child. And how it partially led to his parents shooting.

GJ: It’s hard, I think. It’s gotta be the single greatest regret in his life, is that moment. And I don’t think there’s one second it doesn’t haunt him and he hasn’t told anybody about it and that’s eaten him up inside since he was 10 years old.

BF: It was interesting how you showed the death’s of Bruce’s parents. The moment is so iconic, but as far as I know, no one has gone into the immediate aftermath of what happens when a 10 year old watches his parents get shot in the street. Did that grow organically while you were storytelling or did someone on the team have a moment where they said, “We should probably go into how that would be psychologically traumatizing to a child and warp their world view.”?

GJ: When Gary and I talked about the characters, when we first had the opportunity to do this story, the greatest thing about it was the format. We didn’t have a monthly deadline to worry about, we didn’t have any other Batman comics to worry about, this was really a stand alone story, a universe that we could create all our own. We could take characters and push them in directions they haven’t been pushed before because we thought it could make the story better. And in the end there were some things that were very true to the Batman stories and there are some things that are very different but the DNA of it is there. It looks familiar but emotionally I hope it resonates in a different way. And so when we talked about Bruce and what he would go through and what he would be like and what would happen, it really took the story in a different direction.

BF: It was much more realistic or darker than previous Batman arcs.

GJ: And I think more nuanced. It’s not so cut and dry. It’s not black and white. The space and the time allows us to delve deeper into these characters and the choices they make and motivations change and everyone changes as they experience and confront things and we wanted to show that.
BF: You guys introduced a new villain in this graphic novel, and I’m obviously not going to say who, but it’s a fairly awful serial killer. Do you plan to expand their story or origin in the future of Batman: Earth One and their role in Arkham’s mythos since it remained an opaque character throughout?

GJ: Yeah, in subsequent stories you will learn more about everybody. That’s all I can really say.



BF: You were talking earlier how all the characters are fundamentally who they are in Earth Zero but you’ve kind of shifted the dynamic. Alfred in particular seems to have undergone a sort of drastic re-imagining, which to me as I read just translated as, “OMG Alfred is a badass now!” For you, which character revamp is your favorite? Were there any you felt you should just leave alone?

GJ: Um, God they were all great. There was nobody in it that we felt we couldn’t change. Everyone has changed. My favorite? I really love Bruce and Alfred together. And the cops. The cops became much bigger than Gary and I ever thought. They just took on a life of their own.

BF: Gordon's struggle with his place in Gotham’s bureaucracy was just such a great subplot. It was so nuanced and well-written. (Editor’s Note: My fangirl is showing, how embarrassing.)

GJ: Thanks.

BF: Just to end on a light note, there’s a kind of a running joke about Batman’s cape, was that a nod to Pixar's The Incredibles and their whole “capes get superheroes killed” bit?

GJ: No no, not at all actually.
BF: Before we go, do you have anything you’d like to add?

GJ: Just that Gary Frank, my artist and partner in crime on this thing, is great. He allows me to slow it down and let the emotional reactions of the characters tell the story. I don’t need to do narration when I work with somebody as talented as Gary. I think he’s just a master storyteller and I really can’t wait for people to see this body of work he’s done with our inker Jon Sibal and our colorist Brad Anderson.

To me, it seems like Geoff Johns might have been inspired by Brave & Bold's christmas episode where you learn that Batman's childish bratty behaviour lead to Thomas taking the family to see Zorro to cheer him up, which led to their deaths, thus Batman is carried by this huge guilt.

PS. Inbefore people hating on Geoff Johns for "ripping" off Tim Burton?

 

[shallbecomeabat]

Of course I already pre-ordered it, but I have to be honest here... I am pretty worried about this book. I don't get a great vibe from what I've seen so far. Not that the art isn't good, that I don't like the ideas Johns has presented in a few interviews, or anything like that.

Its more like I don't really trust Geoff to write a Batman I, as a mayor batfan, would enjoy. His writing suffered in the last few years and got progressively worse (really hated his JLA and particularly his Batman in that book).
To top it all off... he never seemed to really like the character that much, to be honest.
Viewed in that light, a lot of his ideas for the book sound more like a deconstruction of the Batman mythos and I don't know if I would enjoy that.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Drz]

Batman Earth One in stores Tomorrow!

 

[LykanKomics]

Picked up my copy earlier today not bad at all. A very different take on the dark knight but not so much where is it's changing the back story we know. Overall really liked it. Better then superman earth one but then again I'm a lil bias lol.

 

[Robin91939]

Just closed the book.

It was interesting.

Things I liked:

- I liked this version of Alfred. He's always been an ex-military man (or military medic) and this is taken to the Nth degree in this version. He isn't "yes, Master Wayne, no Master Wayne." He is a friend and ally. And really, we've seen Alfred [BLACKOUT]wielding a shotgun[/BLACKOUT] before -- but here he is just a tough guy. He's been through hell and came out the other side stronger. Interesting, as well, is how [BLACKOUT]he wants revenge and vengeance just as much as Bruce does for what happened to Bruce's parents[/BLACKOUT]. And to the reader's satisfaction,[BLACKOUT] the victory is just as much Alfred's as it is Bruce's.... maybe moreso.[/BLACKOUT]

- I always love a good incarnation of the [BLACKOUT]Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot[/BLACKOUT]. I was sad to see him [BLACKOUT]die[/BLACKOUT] so early in this series' run. But I liked seeing him as the [BLACKOUT]corrupt mayor of Gotham[/BLACKOUT]. I was worried they were going to fall prey and have [BLACKOUT]Cobblepot[/BLACKOUT] be responsible for the Wayne's murders [BLACKOUT]but they pull a twist at the end showing that it was just Gotham that killed the Waynes. Just the randomness of crime in this broken city.[/BLACKOUT]

- Gordon has a great arc. He goes from a beaten, broken shell of a man to the Gordon that we know and love. His wife [BLACKOUT]dies before the story takes place, and Gordon suspects that she was killed by the organized crime element in the city because he was a cop who wouldn't cooperate.[/BLACKOUT] Well, he cooperates now. Not for the money, but to protect the only person he has left in is life -- Barbara, his daughter (no mention of Jim Jr.). By story's end -- however -- he sees that a Gotham where those who are supposed to uphold law and order aren't honest isn't a Gotham that he wants Barbara to inherit. So he decides that he's had enough and he's going to do something about it -- it's a great moment in the book.

- Bullock. I wasn't sure I'd like him when we first meet him. Let it be known -- this is not the Bullock we all know. There is no cigar chomping, cynicism here. He is a bright-eyed, attention ****e from L.A. But Gotham has a way of changing people -- and Bullock's first weeks in Gotham get to him. From seeing that he is virtually alone in the city, [BLACKOUT]to the basement of murdered teenagers[/BLACKOUT] -- Bullock's innocence it lost. We last see him, [BLACKOUT]perhaps succumbing to some demons, asking a liquor store clerk for the strongest thing he has.[/BLACKOUT]

Cool things to see:

- [BLACKOUT]Harvey Dent[/BLACKOUT] in a flashback. We even see his face "appear" like [BLACKOUT]Two-face[/BLACKOUT] when [BLACKOUT]a young Bruce Wayne punches him in the cheek and his face scrunches on one side (albeit the wrong side).[/BLACKOUT] It was a nice nod. Also, a cool idea to give [BLACKOUT]Dent a twin sister[/BLACKOUT] who seems like she was Bruce's friend growing up (ala Rachel Dawes). She also seems like she will end up being the truly good one.

- Bruce not wanting to be called "crazy."

- A cameo by the [BLACKOUT]Riddler[/BLACKOUT] at the end, possibly setting up a "Volume II."

- [BLACKOUT]Lucius Fox[/BLACKOUT] as a young man.

- No true "Arkham Asylum" but there is a [BLACKOUT]"Crane Institute."[/BLACKOUT] Nice nod to [BLACKOUT]Scarecrow[/BLACKOUT].

Things I am on the fence about/interested in:

- Bruce telling [BLACKOUT]Lucius Fox[/BLACKOUT] he's Batman so soon.

- The Wayne/[BLACKOUT]Arkham[/BLACKOUT] connection. Clearly Johns has a history of Gotham in his head, and this will play a crucial role.

- [BLACKOUT]No longer is [/BLACKOUT]Martha Wayne's [BLACKOUT]maiden name Kane[/BLACKOUT]. Here, she is the last living decedent of the [BLACKOUT]Arkhams[/BLACKOUT]. Her mother [BLACKOUT]killed her father and then committed suicide in a mansion[/BLACKOUT], that can be assumed to become [BLACKOUT]Arkham Asylum[/BLACKOUT]. Martha, in a flashback, tells Bruce to "[BLACKOUT]never go in[/BLACKOUT]" that house. Because [BLACKOUT]bad things[/BLACKOUT] happened there. A young [BLACKOUT]Harvey Dent[/BLACKOUT] tells Bruce that all [BLACKOUT]Arkhams[/BLACKOUT] go [BLACKOUT]insane[/BLACKOUT] and one day Bruce will [BLACKOUT]go insane[/BLACKOUT], too. Just like his grandmother.

This is a very interesting idea and I'm anxious to see where Johns takes it. It could either go very well or horribly wrong. Time and another volume will tell.

Things that I didn't care for:

- The [BLACKOUT]"Birthday Boy" Killer[/BLACKOUT] was only "okay." An interesting gimmick for a [BLACKOUT]killer[/BLACKOUT], no doubt, but a little bit of a missed opportunity. A character like [BLACKOUT]Killer Croc[/BLACKOUT], done realistically [BLACKOUT]as a man with a skin condition[/BLACKOUT] who is a hulking brute and murderer, would have been not only scarier, but also another nod to the larger universe. Still -- this guy doesn't hurt the story -- he just doesn't add a terrible amount to it.

Overall, it was very good. The art is beautiful. Seeing Batman's eyes in the cowl really does make a difference.

Batman is by no means Batman in this story. This is very much a novice Batman. He is ill-trained, ill-prepared and sloppy. He is fueled only by rage, and even comes across as [BLACKOUT]silly and laughable[/BLACKOUT] to the villains he means to inspire fear in, at times. It's a very realistic Batman story -- something that I love. This is a Batman who bleeds, has no fancy [BLACKOUT]Batmobile[/BLACKOUT] and makes mistake. Very similar to [BLACKOUT]Batman: Year One[/BLACKOUT] and the best parts of [BLACKOUT]Batman Begins[/BLACKOUT], Batman: Earth One is a great start to a new era of Batman stories. They've laid a great base, teased a larger universe and established an interesting, human story.

I can't wait to Volume II.

-R

 

[socool]

My copy should be arriving sometime this week! Very excited. I only recently started reading these DC graphic novels, and, oh boy, the good ones really are good! I must have bought 6 or 7 of them in the past 2 months alone. They're all so well-written and fun with great art. This one seems to follow suit from what I've seen/read. Excited for it.

 

[CConn]

Just closed the book.

It was interesting.

Spoiler

Things I liked:

- I liked this version of Alfred. He's always been an ex-military man (or military medic) and this is taken to the Nth degree in this version. He isn't "yes, Master Wayne, no Master Wayne." He is a friend and ally. And really, we've seen Alfred [BLACKOUT]wielding a shotgun[/BLACKOUT] before -- but here he is just a tough guy. He's been through hell and came out the other side stronger. Interesting, as well, is how [BLACKOUT]he wants revenge and vengeance just as much as Bruce does for what happened to Bruce's parents[/BLACKOUT]. And to the reader's satisfaction,[BLACKOUT] the victory is just as much Alfred's as it is Bruce's.... maybe moreso.[/BLACKOUT]

- I always love a good incarnation of the [BLACKOUT]Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot[/BLACKOUT]. I was sad to see him [BLACKOUT]die[/BLACKOUT] so early in this series' run. But I liked seeing him as the [BLACKOUT]corrupt mayor of Gotham[/BLACKOUT]. I was worried they were going to fall prey and have [BLACKOUT]Cobblepot[/BLACKOUT] be responsible for the Wayne's murders [BLACKOUT]but they pull a twist at the end showing that it was just Gotham that killed the Waynes. Just the randomness of crime in this broken city.[/BLACKOUT]

- Gordon has a great arc. He goes from a beaten, broken shell of a man to the Gordon that we know and love. His wife [BLACKOUT]dies before the story takes place, and Gordon suspects that she was killed by the organized crime element in the city because he was a cop who wouldn't cooperate.[/BLACKOUT] Well, he cooperates now. Not for the money, but to protect the only person he has left in is life -- Barbara, his daughter (no mention of Jim Jr.). By story's end -- however -- he sees that a Gotham where those who are supposed to uphold law and order aren't honest isn't a Gotham that he wants Barbara to inherit. So he decides that he's had enough and he's going to do something about it -- it's a great moment in the book.

- Bullock. I wasn't sure I'd like him when we first meet him. Let it be known -- this is not the Bullock we all know. There is no cigar chomping, cynicism here. He is a bright-eyed, attention ****e from L.A. But Gotham has a way of changing people -- and Bullock's first weeks in Gotham get to him. From seeing that he is virtually alone in the city, [BLACKOUT]to the basement of murdered teenagers[/BLACKOUT] -- Bullock's innocence it lost. We last see him, [BLACKOUT]perhaps succumbing to some demons, asking a liquor store clerk for the strongest thing he has.[/BLACKOUT]

Cool things to see:

- [BLACKOUT]Harvey Dent[/BLACKOUT] in a flashback. We even see his face "appear" like [BLACKOUT]Two-face[/BLACKOUT] when [BLACKOUT]a young Bruce Wayne punches him in the cheek and his face scrunches on one side (albeit the wrong side).[/BLACKOUT] It was a nice nod. Also, a cool idea to give [BLACKOUT]Dent a twin sister[/BLACKOUT] who seems like she was Bruce's friend growing up (ala Rachel Dawes). She also seems like she will end up being the truly good one.

- Bruce not wanting to be called "crazy."

- A cameo by the [BLACKOUT]Riddler[/BLACKOUT] at the end, possibly setting up a "Volume II."

- [BLACKOUT]Lucius Fox[/BLACKOUT] as a young man.

- No true "Arkham Asylum" but there is a [BLACKOUT]"Crane Institute."[/BLACKOUT] Nice nod to [BLACKOUT]Scarecrow[/BLACKOUT].

Things I am on the fence about/interested in:

- Bruce telling [BLACKOUT]Lucius Fox[/BLACKOUT] he's Batman so soon.

- The Wayne/[BLACKOUT]Arkham[/BLACKOUT] connection. Clearly Johns has a history of Gotham in his head, and this will play a crucial role.

- [BLACKOUT]No longer is [/BLACKOUT]Martha Wayne's [BLACKOUT]maiden name Kane[/BLACKOUT]. Here, she is the last living decedent of the [BLACKOUT]Arkhams[/BLACKOUT]. Her mother [BLACKOUT]killed her father and then committed suicide in a mansion[/BLACKOUT], that can be assumed to become [BLACKOUT]Arkham Asylum[/BLACKOUT]. Martha, in a flashback, tells Bruce to "[BLACKOUT]never go in[/BLACKOUT]" that house. Because [BLACKOUT]bad things[/BLACKOUT] happened there. A young [BLACKOUT]Harvey Dent[/BLACKOUT] tells Bruce that all [BLACKOUT]Arkhams[/BLACKOUT] go [BLACKOUT]insane[/BLACKOUT] and one day Bruce will [BLACKOUT]go insane[/BLACKOUT], too. Just like his grandmother.

This is a very interesting idea and I'm anxious to see where Johns takes it. It could either go very well or horribly wrong. Time and another volume will tell.

Things that I didn't care for:

- The [BLACKOUT]"Birthday Boy" Killer[/BLACKOUT] was only "okay." An interesting gimmick for a [BLACKOUT]killer[/BLACKOUT], no doubt, but a little bit of a missed opportunity. A character like [BLACKOUT]Killer Croc[/BLACKOUT], done realistically [BLACKOUT]as a man with a skin condition[/BLACKOUT] who is a hulking brute and murderer, would have been not only scarier, but also another nod to the larger universe. Still -- this guy doesn't hurt the story -- he just doesn't add a terrible amount to it.

Overall, it was very good. The art is beautiful. Seeing Batman's eyes in the cowl really does make a difference.

Batman is by no means Batman in this story. This is very much a novice Batman. He is ill-trained, ill-prepared and sloppy. He is fueled only by rage, and even comes across as [BLACKOUT]silly and laughable[/BLACKOUT] to the villains he means to inspire fear in, at times. It's a very realistic Batman story -- something that I love. This is a Batman who bleeds, has no fancy [BLACKOUT]Batmobile[/BLACKOUT] and makes mistake. Very similar to [BLACKOUT]Batman: Year One[/BLACKOUT] and the best parts of [BLACKOUT]Batman Begins[/BLACKOUT], Batman: Earth One is a great start to a new era of Batman stories. They've laid a great base, teased a larger universe and established an interesting, human story

I can't wait to Volume II.

-R

I feel as though I've just been briefed by the CIA.

 

[Cain]

My copy should be arriving sometime this week! Very excited. I only recently started reading these DC graphic novels, and, oh boy, the good ones really are good! I must have bought 6 or 7 of them in the past 2 months alone. They're all so well-written and fun with great art. This one seems to follow suit from what I've seen/read. Excited for it.

Actually if you compare this to Superman: Earth One it comes across as a much weaker read. Mostly though because the Superman one at least tried to develop it's main character a bit. Batman/Bruce doesn't really go anywhere in terms of progression at all. It's more like Gotham City: Earth One.

 

[socool]

Actually if you compare this to Superman: Earth One it comes across as a much weaker read. Mostly though because the Superman one at least tried to develop it's main character a bit. Batman/Bruce doesn't really go anywhere in terms of progression at all. It's more like Gotham City: Earth One.

That's...odd. I heard that Superman: Earth One was horrid. That's why I never picked it up...

 

[CConn]

Superman: Earth One wasn't horrid.

It was just absolutely pointless and read like about 500 other, better, Superman stories.

Oh, and it was short. Very short.

 

[Cain]

That's...odd. I heard that Superman: Earth One was horrid. That's why I never picked it up...

I think that's a vast overstatement. There have been many worse Superman stories many even in canon. Like CConn said though it comes across somewhat tired because it explores themes that other Superman stories have handled way better.

But it's still a better read than the Batman one cause in the end at least you could say "I could see why a kid in today's world would want to use those powers to become the best athlete or scientist before even considering being a hero".

Bruce's actions in Earth One by comparison don't really make any sense especially from a modern standpoint (which is the point of Earth One in the first place) and there is no real growth on his part from act 1 to act 3 either like there is with Kal/Clark.

With that said both books are disappointments because they don't really live up to their narrative potential. They're not horrible but just ok reads that are no great shakes but contain some cool moments. Not really worth investing in unless you're a true die hard or just a real newbie to the medium because you find better stories with both characters elsewhere in the same comic shops right now. Though they both do contain some very pretty pictures.

 

[Roose Bolton]

His actions made sense.

Spoiler

Batman isn't a hero in this, and he has no intention to be – that's clear from the very first scene. His motivation here is the belief that his parents were murdered by their rival Mayoral candidate and he seeks to avenge them.He's little more than a boy, but that's the point. Only through uncovering the truth and realising the impact he has on the city when the media mistake him for an altruistic vigilante who opposes Gotham's corruption does he understand the power and potential of what Batman can achieve.

 

[Cain]

A modern man with Bruce Wayne's resources would not use playing dress up as a means for revenge. The first Nolan movie at least was sensible in that regard the guy goes and gets a gun to take care of business himself. That or he hires people to do the job. I think he fell into the Batman thing too quickly without any of it having any real precedent like in the mainstream continuity. It's disappointing that Johns didn't play around with that.

He went from being a bratty and impatient young boy to becoming a bratty and impatient young man. There was no change outside of the physical. This is what I mean by him not going anywhere. Gordon went from a cowardly but honest man to stand up and fearless guy by the end, Bullock goes from a cocky and secure cop to a broken man by the end.

 

[Drz]

But Batman does realize at the end what potential Batman has thru Alfred's guidance and their relationship will simply go more up hill now. Batman may have barely gone anywhere compared to the other characters, but that is because this was his story about resolving the case of the Wayne family murders, his obsession with vengeance was on his way for him to grow at all.

I liked it quite alot. However obviously you can just as well recommend other books, but this one works out just fine too. I'm far more cautiously optimistic where the Batman Earth One franchise is heading, and with now both Superman (2 volumes soon) and Batman out, i hope 2013 or atleast 2014 could finally provide us Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and so forward.

Earth One is a series of graphic novels set for their very own continuity and marketed for the hardcore & casuals alike with the premise of receiving one good story per volume, which also follows as an ongoing series. The page count is 144 of storytelling, no extras or anything, just one big story told.

For me, this is the story of Gotham City and its inhabitants, mainly Bruce Wayne & his relation with Alfred, James Gordon’s and Harvey Bullock’s partnership. It’s about family, loyalty and team work in a harsh corrupt city where no hope seems to exist at all. Batman’s a total novice, having spent his entire life in Gotham City, no international journeys for this bratty snob, while Alfred having taught him protection and keeping up the shape, as this Alfred is much more reflected by his marine past, than the mainstream Alfred ever has been. Likewise, James Gordon’s life is a train wreck and like I’ve mentioned Batman hasn’t done any international soul searching journey and trained with the ninjas, so we’re looking at a very novice Batman who is nothing more than about vengeance.

Gary Frank’s storytelling is top notch; the amount of facial expressions found in the book speaks for itself and shows the emotional struggles and joys these characters face over the course of the story, thus the ending with its happy and sad endings is all the more empowering. The action sequences are mostly good, but if feel the two page spreads are unnecessary in this book’s format of storytelling, not to mention people have seen much more stunning double page spreads than what this book has to offer for action sequences.

What I found most interesting are the changes to the Batman mythos that the book represents, because their totally new takes on some classic Batman tropes, some more familiar, some far more unique and interestingly thought out. Geoff Johns has found interesting potential with the Wayne family legacy, much like he did with Flashpoint’s Batman. However there are some blatant inspirations by Batman Begins, the most significant being Lucius Fox’s role as making the gadgets for Batman, however this Lucius seems to be either the same age or perhaps even younger than Bruce, so again, there are some twists to the mythos.

Overall, this is a book that builds up Batman’s and Gotham’s mythos while offering the story of Batman searching for the truth behind the Wayne family murders, we’re they murdered by the Mayor of Gotham or was it just a random mugging by Gotham’s very evil?

Rating: 93/100 - I’m recommending this to everyone from hardcore Bat-fanatics to the random trade pack purchasers. You get a solid world building setting of Gotham City, while craving for the next chapter after finishing this one.

 

[Team Andino]

This is the first comic I've read in years and I felt like a kid again, picking up on the nice little touches here and there. Plus an interesting fresh start to a character I love so much that's not clouded by past tales or hokey gimmicks. It seems to nicely take inspirations from different forms of Batman media while still having a fresh sense of itself. I really look forward to what comes next.

 

[Lord]

Found it very meh, the same as Superman. Earth One still has to surprise me, hope Morrison can make his Wonder Woman Earth One.

 

[CConn]

His WW story is going to be an Earth One thing?

I was hoping he could have it be much larger than that.

 

[Roose Bolton]

It was either his Wonder Woman or Flash that was set in Earth One.

 

[Daybreak_st]

I think that's a vast overstatement. There have been many worse Superman stories many even in canon. Like CConn said though it comes across somewhat tired because it explores themes that other Superman stories have handled way better.

But it's still a better read than the Batman one cause in the end at least you could say "I could see why a kid in today's world would want to use those powers to become the best athlete or scientist before even considering being a hero".

Bruce's actions in Earth One by comparison don't really make any sense especially from a modern standpoint (which is the point of Earth One in the first place) and there is no real growth on his part from act 1 to act 3 either like there is with Kal/Clark.

With that said both books are disappointments because they don't really live up to their narrative potential. They're not horrible but just ok reads that are no great shakes but contain some cool moments. Not really worth investing in unless you're a true die hard or just a real newbie to the medium because you find better stories with both characters elsewhere in the same comic shops right now. Though they both do contain some very pretty pictures.

Thank you. You're the only person in this forum to make any logical sense. Earth One Superman was indeed better than Batman. My thoughts:

Found the characters underdeveloped and the plot to be unnecessarily disturbing with the serial killer. Not in a “oh that was amazing way” but in a way that makes you sick to your stomach. Additionally this just feels so unnecessary as a whole. Between Batman Year One and Batman Begins this territory has been handled before and much better, with richer character development and environment. This story and it’s characters simply weren’t that interesting.



Superman Earth One was much better, if for nothing else it’s timing. It came at a time when mainstream Superman was entirely ineffective. Between the Destruction of New Krypton and Grounded we had a Superman that was a failure and uninteresting to read about, and Clark Kent hadn’t received much page time for the last few years thanks to those story arc. Superman Earth One gave us something fresh and exciting. And it arrived before the company wide reboot which effectively negates the purpose of Earth One if you think about it. So while I’ll welcomed Superman Earth One despite it's flaws, I have no interest in this version of Batman as there are about a dozen more worthwhile versions of him out there to look at. Nothing sets this one up on it’s own merit.



Back on topic. what worked in BAtman Begins and for me in Amazing was the characterization. The protagonist is a fully fleshed out character. I’m not expected to care about him just b/c I know he’ll become a hero, I’m given insight into who he is to the point of wanting to care about him. That wasn’t done well in Batman Earth 1. While Alfred and Bullock were interesting, Bruce wasn’t. To be quite honest an unskilled Batman would die. Simple as that. Batman year one and Begins both showed his learning curve, that he started out making mistakes but they handled it much better than this in that they show his arc and his potential. This story just wasn’t that good overall.


On the site I posted the above someone asked if this was an appropriate gift for an 11 yr old, and that they were concerned b/c most of the new 52 seemed targeted to an older audience. Here's my reply:


No it’s not appropriate for an 11 year old. It’s definitely inline with the rest of DC 52. If features a serial killer who targets teenage girls. Whatever he does is off screen but the implications are gruesome. Near the end one character falls into a hidden area full of the corpses the killer’s victims. Definitely not for children.


Overall all the things I think that draw kids to Batman are missing from this title. No fancy gadgets, no Batmobile or other cool vehicle, he’s a descent fighter but nothing spectacular, no exciting villains just disturbing ones. If you want to get something for you nephew you might want to look elsewhere.


Which again brings me to who is this target to? What new readers are going to be interested in this? Certainly not kids who are coming off of animated series. And comparing this to the Nolan films just shows how poorly it's handled in comparison. Who is this aimed at?

 

[Drz]

It was either his Wonder Woman or Flash that was set in Earth One.

Flash.

 

[Mike_D202]

Batman Earth One in stores Tomorrow!

Spoiler

Ugh...I don't think I like that. It's too..."in your face"-ish? I liked the idea of having them walk through a back alley because the movie that Bruce wanted to see ended and a random mugger decided to mug them. He had no idea they were rich, he was a desperate criminal looking to make a quick buck. That's what makes these characters so interesting, the most villainous of all the villains: the common criminal. No real motive, they just want to steal/hurt people for they're own selfish needs and run away like cowards afterwards. It's because of petty crimes that escalate into murder is what drives the heroes to do what they do, prevent actions like that happening to anyone ever again.

 

[EML420]

Is this worth picking up I still havent dont own Batman Year One( Ive read it but a long time ago) and ive heard this is quite similar to that?

 

[Drz]

It's similiar to the idea that this is Batman's 1st year, but thats it.

 

[DrMylesOBoogie]

That's...odd. I heard that Superman: Earth One was horrid. That's why I never picked it up...

Yea it's garbage. Total waste of money.

 

[The Squirrel]

Superman: Earth One was pretty good. For those of us who are not comic snobs.