Welcome to Earth One!

[KRIM]

What information are you looking for specifically?

I think I heard something about Batman Earth One coming out in either April or May next year.

I know the most recent news we got was the cover, but that was weeks ago. We haven't so much as gotten any pencils or sample pages from the book. Superman: Earth One vastly disappointed me, so it is a bit irksome to see that its sequel already has its first look and I'm still waiting for something meaty on Batman.

 

[Max Gaines]

I think I heard something about Batman Earth One coming out in either April or May next year.

May 8 according to Wikipedia.

 

[Number 6]

So, based off the whole reboot of DC, do you think Earth One is going to end up going like All Star? I noticed there's been no world of expanding the line for about a year now. I know the Superman: EO book is getting a sequel, but it seems to me that the relaunch has kind of taken the place of EO's concept of getting new readers with new takes on old character (at least in theory). I know Morrison referenced Flash and Wonder Woman EO ideas, but I think it was also talked about in a very past tense sort of way.

Not a huge loss, I guess. Superman kind of sucked, though I hold out some hope for Johns and Frank's Batman. Would have been interesting to see what people would have brought to some stuff, but I guess we're getting that with the New 52, at least somewhat.

 

[Drz]

Not at all, theres still a huge market for OGNs and Superman Earth One is closing to 100k sold copies. Batman Earth One comes in May 2012, and Superman 2 comes when DC wants to make a profit, they have no need to compete with themselves since Superman is selling so nicely.

 

[Number 6]

I wasn't really taking about the New 52 and EO 'competing', more an issue of relevance and how much time and money to put into something. The very fact that Superman was so successful is what makes me prompt the question, since it seems odd that the news surrounding it has gone pretty stagnant for roughly a year.

 

[The Squirrel]

Batman:EO is available to pre-order at Amazon for $15 right now.

 

[Number 6]

I remember Superman: EO jumped all the way down to $9.99 right before it came out on Amazon. Be neat if the same happened for Batman. Just saying, Amazon...just saying.

 

[Drz]

1st look at Batman: Earth One by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank:

And just a reminder: Geoff Johns' pitch is to show a rookie Batman (instead of Morrison's Bat-god) and focus alot on the Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth relationship, which this preview nicely focuses on. Comes this summer!

From DC Blog

2012 will bring the highly anticipated release of BATMAN: EARTH ONE, an original graphic novel retelling the Batman legend in a contemporary setting.

The collaboration between New York Times bestselling author Geoff Johns and critically acclaimed artist Gary Frank, BATMAN: EARTH ONE also marks the first original graphic novel for Johns – who is best known for his work on fan favorite ongoing series for DC Comics.

Together, they will present a new vision of Batman – a flawed and fallible hero who isn’t yet the master of Gotham City’s shadows.

“Gary and I are tackling BATMAN from the beginning, before he knows what he’s doing and with a very different ultimate goal in mind,” said Johns. “He’s never left Gotham. And our Gotham and the people in it are very gray. Our heroes unlikely. Our villains hidden. Our story is only beginning with volume one.”

“It’s essentially the first piece of the jigsaw,” said Frank. “He’s not the Batman people know, but he might be one day. He’s certainly not yet a superhero. The fun is to watch him piece the persona together drawing on his experiences and the influences of those around him and, at this stage, the idea of becoming a ‘superhero’ hasn’t even entered his head.”

 

[Dangerman]

Once again I say Earth One should have been the origin for the new 52.and just release the OGN for telling their origin's but let the ongoing issues tell what happens after the book.

Also why did Frank draw young Bruce to look like Reeve as well.

 

[CConn]

But Morrison's Action origin is like 7 billion times better than Superman EO.

 

[Batman]

But Morrison's Action origin is like 7 billion times better than Superman EO.

This.

I really like those panels from Batman: EO, though. It seems like Johns is going out of his way to make Alfred something of a protagonist, which is really interesting and opens up a whole level of possibilities for how Bruce's first trial-and-error moments can be perceived. For too long, Alfred's been stuck in a bubble of "Yes sir/well of course Master Bruce" and essentially offering less than he's capable of. This seems to present him as an actual character.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Eh, can't say I'm particularly interested in a younger Alfred. There's nothing wrong with the father/son dynamic we've seen between them for years, especially in stuff like "Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Fugitive." Giving Alfred more of a role doesn't necessarily have to mean making him 15 years younger and turning him into Sean Connery to me.

Then again, I was probably never going to buy this anyway, so my opinion's basically moot.

 

[CConn]

I'm proba ly going to buy it because Frank's art is amazing, and I'll be hopeful that Johns' delivers on the concept of a hybrid of classic Batman with the modern sensibilities of a retold origin.

And then, of course, Johns will crush my hopes, leaving me feeling hollow and disgruntled.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Frank is definitely awesome, but I don't think his style suits Batman. It'll look good but be otherwise unremarkable, I'm guessing. Those pages seem to confirm it.

 

[RoughNTumble]

at least his batman doesn't look like michael keaton or something

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Whose Batman looks like Michael Keaton?

 

[CConn]

I think his style fits really well as a bridge between the comics, and like Nolan's Batman.

 

[RoughNTumble]

Whose Batman looks like Michael Keaton?

Frank's superman looks like reeve, but in a creepy way

I'm glad he didn't do anything like that with batman

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Oh, yeah. But people from Frank's generation equate Superman with Reeve a lot more than they do Batman with Keaton, so that's not too surprising. Personally, I don't appreciate having my comic characters look like any actors. Inspiration is one thing, but outright copying a likeness just irritates me.

I think his style fits really well as a bridge between the comics, and like Nolan's Batman.

I could see that, but I think you could say the same of pretty much any other photorealistic artist's style.

 

[CConn]

Not necessarily.

Would Greg Land "draw" a Nolaneque Batman? No.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

If he happened to have a magazine with a picture of Nolan's Batman in it nearby, maybe.

 

[Young Superman]

Great art. I like the Earth One Batsuit, except for the fact that they used the grey and blue color scheme, instead of the grey and black one.

 

[Drz]

Superman Earth One Volume 2 gets some info too!

One of the most critically acclaimed original graphic novels of the last few years, SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE will be getting a highly anticipated sequel in 2012. Considered by some to be “Superman for the TWILIGHT crowd,” the original was a standalone story which re-examined the early mythology of the classic character. SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE – VOLUME TWO continues the fresh take on the youthful struggles of Krypton’s superpowered survivor.

Featuring the return of the fan favorite creative team of J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis, SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE – VOLUME TWO features an even greater threat.

“The overwhelming success of volume one of SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE – 37 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list for graphic novels – meant we had to ensure that Volume Two was even better,” said Straczynski. “We couldn’t just rest on our laurels. (And does anyone actually rest on laurels? Are there gatherings of laurel-resters? If so, why haven’t I been invited? These are the questions that keep me up at night while the rest of the world dreams.) Thematically, if Volume One was about Clark figuring out where he belongs, then Volume Two is about Superman trying to figure out where he belongs in all this, even as the world does the same at their end. How far can he push his power before he becomes something other than what he intended to become? In the midst of all this Clark gets his first apartment, becoming entangled with a beautiful woman next door, Lois starts trying to figure out what it is about Clark that doesn’t add up, and a new and terrifyingly strong version of the Parasite is born from what was previously a serial killer…and now Superman has to confront someone who is not only as strong as he is, but can drain his power completely. In the aftermath of one of the massive battles that threatens to tear apart Metropolis, Clark for the first time feels what it’s like to be normal, to be mortal, to be vulnerable…to be us. In the end, Volume Two is about power: its use and abuse, and its place in the world, to be used for good or for evil.”

“Working on VOLUME TWO gave me a chance to re-create one of Superman’s villains, the Parasite,” said Davis. “In doing so, I decided to develop the character in stages as the fights progress throughout the book. There are three stages of evolution: going from frail to the strongest villain Superman has ever faced. EARTH ONE Parasite is one of the most complicated and disgustingly beautiful characters I have ever designed! I came at VOLUME TWO in more of a movie sense, choreographing the fight scenes differently from one another, adding a little more muscle to Superman this time around as he is a practicing superhero, while drawing the “Geek” Clark Kent, who loves a sweater! I always kept the old in mind while bringing in the new. SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE – VOLUME TWO is the book of 2012, so save those pennies!”

 

[RoughNTumble]

sounds pretty grimdark, bro

I'm excited to see JMS take his powers away, seems like a fresh idea

 

[Man-of-Tomorrow]

As long as Shane Davis is a part of Superman Earth One, so am I!