The Earth One Series

The Earth One series is a retelling of some of the DCU greatest heroes and was introduced in 2010 before the start of the New 52. Instead of single issues, stories were told in volumes and had no set release date. While there didn't seem to be any concrete rules it was clear that this retelling was sort of a way of doing what people thought the New 52 would be: a total reboot and retelling of the stories for a 21st Century audience. The idea seems to be that these characters all have certain beats that need to be covered but exactly how doesn't always need to be the same as it has always been. What I want to do with this is kind of go over the three big Earth One titles that are out and point out where their strengths or weaknesses are. Currently there are only four Earth One titles out with Wonder Woman just now getting hers this past April. 

Superman

Superman was the first Earth One titles to be released and it featured Clark Kent arriving in Metropolis, essentially trying to figure out what to do with himself now that he's graduated. This is an interesting idea in itself because as far as most casual and new readers know, he just kind of works at the Daily Planet. This story shows us Clark not knowing he wants out of life, he doesn't really want to show himself to the world in all his glory but he still wants to do something meaningful. It's a rather realistic take on Clark's character and it is what I like best about this book. Strazynski really put the effort in to showing how human the character of Superman is. Some notable changes to the book is Clark's love interest in a girl named Lisa who serves as his only real friend in Metropolis. Another fun and rather creative look was the introduction of genius couple Alexander and Lex Luthor one of which will cement themselves as Superman's enemy in possible future titles. Of all the Earth One books, Superman's is the farthest ahead with three installments. If you are looking for a more serious and personal story about Clark Kent I would say this is as good you can get.

Batman

I'll admit I was looking forward to this not just because it was Batman but I also really enjoyed Superman's Earth One story and I heard Geoff Johns was writing it There isn't anyone who doesn't know Batman's origin story so this one was a bit tricky the more I thought about it.The usual beat for a Batman story is that his parents die in an alley and then he becomes Batman. The changes to the story are actually pretty interesting. There is no big travel around the world learning skills and it certainly isn't easy. This Batman is far from the World's Greatest Detective we come to know but he is smart. He isn't used to fighting multiple guys, doesn't have all his gadgets figured out, and has no experience jumping from roof to roof. The origin story is also a bit different with Bruce being both a Wayne on his father's side and an Arkham on the other it is rather interesting hearing people talk about how he has the best and worst of Gotham City. Bruce's parents are beacons of the cities strength with Thomas Wayne a soldier turned doctor now running for mayor with his wife Martha a leader in the crusade for the mentally ill. Fearing danger to his family because of his decision to run for mayor he calls in an army buddy, Alfred Pennyworth to be in charge of his security. Bruce's character is also a bit interesting in the beginning, his character is usually a very sensitive, smart, and happy child but this book lays him off as spoiled, more in line with how a rich kid might be. Bruce feels a bit more real and I think it at times is a bit more similar to the "The Batman" cartoon series.

In terms of side characters I think more is done here than in Superman. Gordon comes off as a cop who has already been beaten down by Gotham City and is just trying to keep his head as well as his daughters but by the end of it is inspired by Batman to be better. Harvey Bullock was a huge departure from the norm, transferring to Gotham with big ideals and then starts hitting the sauce at the end of his first taste of how messed up Gotham can be. This at times feels very much like Tim Burton's Batman but more fragile and I think it makes fro a stronger story. You don't really want to read this if you are looking for a professional Batman or a particularly unique Batman but if you wan to see a Batman legitimately settling into the role of Gotham City's protector and slowly meeting his rogue's gallery this is it.

Wonder Woman

So when "Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice" was announced and Wonder Woman was revaled to be in it, this book was pushed back a good while. When Gal Gadot was announced to be playing her the interviews for this book came out, mostly with the books writer the legendary Grant Morrison. Morrison wanted to bring the character away from the combat oriented role she had been put in in recent years by writers and focus more on her being an ambassador of peace and the Amazons being a perfect matriarchal utopia with science leagues ahead of that of "man's world". This was a bold statement and readers were looking for some of that and were tired of DC's handling of her in the main line like her being the daughter of Zeus. I often view this book as the weakest of the three and my third favorite of the four that are currently out. The problem is that with the other two books each volume felt like a complete story in itself, this one doesn't. Long story short, Diana meets Steve Trevor who crashes on her island and Diana takes it upon herself to get him home and learn about man's world. She sees that it is not a happy life for women and at the end of it finds herself on trial on her home for treason and at the end of it she is Wonder Woman.

The problem with this entire story is I just don't get it. It hits the beats with Diana leaving her perfect matriarchal utopia of sisterhood to find a gritty world of the patriarchy, full of sick women and the healthy women don't look healthy as she sees in her friend Beth. I get that Diana is supposed to be this feminist icon but it doesn't make sense to see only dying women in a hospital. This goes further back with Queen Hippolyta using her mirror to look at the outside world and see war and suffering and looking at it with contempt but no desire to change it. The entire thing feels like a poorly done one sided argument that gets worse when the women of man's world speak up for Diana and the Amazons chastise the character Beth for looking unhealty (short, a little heavy, but curvy). The problem is that the book never covers women's issues in any unique way. Nothing about the book adds anything to the story or character as Diana seems completely unaware of of anything other than man's world has problems and that she is the rape child of Hippolyta and Hercules (I guess being the consensual child of Zeus and Hippolyta didn't do it) and that her mother planned to use her as a weapon against' man's world doesn't help either. Maybe Morrison is trying to show us the problems of Diana's world by not having even her aware of it but nothing really feels earned. Other than the art I really can't recommend this to WW fans and I wouldn't recommend it to new fans. There is a story here and if someone wants to read it and enjoys it I wouldn't fault them. This isn't up to Morrison's standard (All-Star Superman and Batman R.I.P.) but there is potential here that I hope will make more sense in the second volume.

Worth the Read?

The Earth One series is a really fun adventure and shows how to really do a simple and tame reboot of characters. With new of Flash and Aquaman coming to this series I honestly can't say I haven't enjoyed everything I've read from this series. It isn't always perfect but the pluses definitely outweigh the negatives most of the time. I have may have been a bit negative about WW's book but I honestly couldn't put it down.It was a bit of an oddity at times but I did like the ideas for the most part. I would have to say the order I put them in is the order in which I would rate them. Superman's human element is something people have wanted for a long time and Batman's run here is almost like a marriage of Christopher Nolan, Bruce Timm, and Tim Burton attempting to coexist and we haven't even gotten to the Joker. I honestly expect Wonder Woman to get better in later volumes, whenever it gets out (seriously DC, get a better release schedule for this). Though I'd honestly put money on Flash and Aquaman getting their Earth One titles around the time at least the trailer for their respective movies come out. If you haven't read the Earth One books I'd say pick them up and if you have, feel free to comment on your favorite or least favorite title.