Earth 2 #13 Review

Tags

Apokolips War, Apokorats, Batman, Booth Rapmund, Captain Steel, Commander Khan, DC Comics, Dezi Sienty, Earth 2, Hawkgirl, James Robinson, Jim Lockhart, Pete Pantazis, Red Torpedo, Rob Hunter, The New 52, Yildiray Cinar

Earth 2 #13

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers

As the World Army prepares to go to war with Steppenwolf in Dherain, we rejoin Commander Khan on the Sentinel as he confers with his superiors and explains his reasons for sending Captain Steel to investigate the strange reports coming from the fire pit in Rio De Janeiro. The fire pits were created by Terry Sloan during the war, using Apokolips science from Steppenwolf‘s base, and they have continued to burn around the world ever since. While the pit in Rio is fiery and hot, it is no longer radioactive. After years of being dormant the pit has suddenly become active, in the last week people have gone missing, and a figure has been seen in the flames.

Khan is confident that the unique properties of Captain Steel’s metal body will allow him to enter the fire pit safely and ascertain the cause of the strange activity. When Captain Steel arrives in Rio he is greeted by the inventor Jim Lockhart, who is responsible for developing vehicles for the World Army to use in special missions. Lockhart has now completed the Red Torpedo, a small craft with a tough outer shell that Captain Steel will use to travel into the fiery core of the pit.

The people of Rio watch and wait as Captain Steel boards the Red Torpedo and descends into the fire pit. Meanwhile in China, where Hawkgirl is trying to find out why Green Lanterns partner Sam was murdered, she is attacked in the graveyard where Sam is buried by a group of assassins riding genetically enhanced Apokorats. She manages to fend off some of her attacker, blasting them from their mounts, when the new Batman arrives to dispatch another rider with an explosive Batarang. The mysterious Batman informs Hawkgirl that Kanto the Assassin of Apokolips is involved, instructing her to follow the trail to Kanto, before vanishing in a cloud of red smoke. Hawkgirl is left stunned by this new Batman’s sudden appearance; neither can she begin to understand how Sam became involved with Apokolips Battle Tech, or why he was killed for it.

Back in Rio the fire pit is raging as something begins to emerge. Commander Khan desperately asks Lockhart to report what is happening, they are expecting the torpedo to return, but Lockhart can only watch in horror as a burning figure emerges from the flames and shambles towards him.

The new subplot introduced in last weeks annual, about the investigation into the fire pits Sloan created during the Apokolips War, quickly becomes the focal point in Earth 2 #13 as we finally get a chance to see Captain Steel in action. Earth 2 #13 is another fine example of how richly detailed James Robinson’s alternative world has become, as he skilfully integrates Captain Steels origin into the plot, while revealing several key aspects about the World Army and their operations. We learn how American citizen Hank Heywood JR, a native Filipino, was born with a congenital defect that made his bones crumble. His father was a scientist, who used his genius to create a form of metal which he then infused with his sons DNA, before injecting it into Hank’s body.

The metal bonded with Hank JR’s skeleton, before replacing his limbs, and even some of his internal organs. The procedure saved his life, giving him super strength and the ability to control any machinery by will power alone. Heywood then contacted the World Army about his discovery, intending to help them create an army of Captain Steels. The Apokolips forces discovered Heywood’s plan and attacked before he could reveal his secrets. His son fought valiantly against the Parademon horde, but he couldn’t stop them all. His father killed himself to prevent Steppenwolf from obtaining his research data, sacrificing himself to keep his secrets safe, and afterwards Hank JR went on to join the World Army – becoming its first new wonder.

For fans of the golden age character Commander Steel, or the more recent Citizen Steel, it would seem that James Robinson has worked his magic again to update the character and his origin for a new generation of readers to enjoy. Captain Steel also takes a steely approach to his duty as a member of the World Army, he is very abrupt and just wants to get the job done, and seems to have little time or inclination to discuss his mission with Lockhart. The introduction to Captain Steel has been perfectly handled by James Robinson, the inclusion of Jim Lockhart is also an added bonus, striking just the right balance between the past and updating it for the New 52 version of Earth 2.

We also learn details of the Red Files, secret projects initiated by the World Army after the Apokolips War to form contingency plans and deterrents against any future threats. These projects all contain the word red in their code names: the Red Tornado was one of the first, then there is the Red Arrow who has apparently been working secretly in the field for years, and the inventor Jim Lockhart is the man who built Red Torpedo.

The new Batman also returns in Earth 2 #13 after making his debut in last weeks annual. He arrives to help Hawkgirl when she is attacked in the graveyard. Although I think she would have been more than capable of handling the Apokorats herself, it sets up a nice scene between her and Batman, who then suddenly disappears in a cloud of red mist. One aspect here that I do find a little irritating is the fact that Hawkgirl’s name has suddenly been changed from Kendra to Shiera. No reason given to explain this change, hopefully it’s just a mistake, but it is a little worrying and highly inconsistent with what we have come to expect from this series.

With the news that James Robinson has decided to leave DC and move on from Earth 2 after issue #16, there has been intense speculation about his reasons for leaving. He will be greatly missed by fans of the series, the dedication and attention to detail that Robinson has invested in establishing the characters of Earth 2 has been remarkable, and whoever takes over from him will have a lot to live up to. I just hope that Hawkgirl’s name change isn’t a sign that things are already starting to unravel, as it would be a great shame to see the essence of what has made Earth 2 so enjoyable become diluted by a series of bland concepts and uninspired storylines.

The art for this issue of Earth 2 is handled by Yildiray Cinar, his brilliant pencils are nicely complemented by Rob Hunter’s inks, and together with color by Pete Pantazis and some great lettering by Dezi Sienty this issue really seems to jump off the page. Earth 2 #13’s dramatic cover, with Captain Steel swathed in flames, is provided by Booth Rapmund. Its a really eye catching cover, with Captain Steel battling his way through fire, and gives a sense of just how powerful this character is. As this issue races towards its shocking conclusion, a new threat is discovered within the crimson flames of the fire pit, one so powerful that it could destroy the entire planet.

Although I was a little disappointed that the cliff-hanger from last weeks annual wasn’t resolved, I do like how Robinson is maintaining the mystery surrounding the new Batman, who indecently has no trouble disappearing back into the shadows. Earth 2 #13 is a densely plotted issue, full of great character moments, and Robinson keeps you on the edge of your seat right up until the final page.

Earth 2 Issue #7 Review

Tags

Alan Scott, Apokolips War, Colonel Dodds, Commander Khan, DC Comics, Earth 2, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, James Robinson, Mr Terrfic, Terry Sloan, The Flash, The New 52, The Sandmen, Trevor Scott, Yildiray Cinar

Earth 2 Issue #7

Review by Paul Bowler

In the aftermath of Solomon Grundy’s defeat Alan Scott’s global media empire GBC is covering every aspect of recent events as news reports begin to emerge about the new wonders of Earth 2 and the heroic part they played in saving the world. Although the headlines state that Alan Scott was not one of the victims of the train crash in China, the claims that he is fine and well are far from the truth.

Alan Scott is consumed with grief over Sam’s death, smashing up his penthouse in a furious rage, before Hawkgirl arrives on the balcony with a renewed request for him to join with her and the Flash to work together as a team. When he refuses Kendra attacks him, forcing him to put on his power ring again, but before he can retaliate she vanishes.

This issue really throws the spotlight on Hawkgirl

While Alan Scott ponders his future, over in The World Army Central HQ in Tokyo, Commander Khan is summoned to a meeting before the members of The World Army Council. Khan is aghast when the Council appoint Terry Sloan to be the new Head of The World Army Science Directive. He may be forced to work with Terry Sloan for now, but having secretly uncovered one of Sloan’s secret bases in Paris, Khan has sent Colonel Dodds and his Sandmen to investigate the building where they find a lab guarded by Sloan’s brainwashed prisoner from Earth 1 – Mr Terrific. After subduing Mr Terrific and trashing the lab, Colonel Dodds reports back to Khan with his findings.

Although Khan and Dodd are uncertain why Terry Sloan captured Mr Terrific when he mysteriously appeared in Manhattan, they are sure he is the key to Sloan’s plan. Yet as they covertly decide to deprogram Mr Terrific it may already be too late, Terry Sloan has quickly gained the trust of The World Army Council, and soon all the secrets of The World Army and its facilities will be his to govern and implement as he sees fit.

James Robinson seamlessly shifts the tone of Earth 2 from the all-out-action against Solomon Grundy with a somewhat reflective 7^th issue that not only deals with the global recovery in the wake of recent events, but also sees the heroes of Earth 2 gradually coming to terms with the implications their new powers will have on their lives. Robinson addresses the reasons behind Green Lantern’s arrogant dismissal of The Flash’s idea of banding together to form a new team of wonders, revealing how a grief stricken Alan Scott cannot even bear to look at his power ring, let alone consider using it to help form a new team of superheroes. Having trashed his penthouse in a furious rage, Alan is surprised to get a visit from Hawkgirl who once again tries to persuade him to join her and Flash as part of a new team.

Kendra attacks Alan Scott, forcing him to put on the power ring again

This issue really throws the spotlight on Hawkgirl as she talks to Alan on the balcony of his penthouse: even going so far as to reveal her full name, Kendra Munoz-Saunders, one time Archaeologist turned Tomb Robber, whose skills brought her to the attention of The World Army where on a subsequent mission she acquired her wings. Feeling trapped and persecuted by society, Kendra tried to distance herself from The World Army, however, fighting alongside the new wonders in Washington against Grundy – as well as the prophecy that an even greater threat is coming – has made her realize that Earth 2 needs its heroes now more than ever. As if to illustrate her point, she forces him face up to his grief by demonstrating how vulnerable he is. Kendra fires her crossbow when Green Lantern turns his back on her, shattering a photograph of Sam which enrages Alan enough to instinctively draw the power ring to him, but as he turns to face her Hawkgirl is gone.

Confrontations come thick and fast this issue, the air positively crackles with tension as the scene shifts to Commander Khan and Terry Sloan at The World Army HQ in Japan where Sloan has been placed in charge of The World Army Science Directive. While Khan does little to hide his disgust of what he describes as the “obscenity” of Sloan’s placement, he agrees to work with him in principle – at least for now. Having dispatched Colonel Dodds and his elite squad of Sandmen to break into Sloan’s secret lab in Paris, Khan is intrigued when Dodds reports how they discovered a deranged prisoner from Earth 1- Mr Terrific – and brought him in for questioning. We still have no real clue about how Mr Terrific fits into Sloan’s schemes but it will be interesting to see how James Robinson develops the fearful symmetry between these two hyper-intellects.

As well as a welcome return of Colonel Dodds and the Sandmen Earth 2 #7 continues to entice us with snippets of dialogue that offer the promise of even more wonders to come. It is clear that The World Army has vast resources at its disposal. After the horrors of the Apokolips War the World Army Council has been working on a number of top secret programmes in a bid to research and replicate a new age of wonders. Khan realizes just how dangerous it is to allow Sloan access to this data, but is powerless to prevent the Council giving Sloan free reign to initiate his own interpretation of The Wonders Protocol and Project: Biohive. While we are teased with another mention of Captain Steel regular readers are rewarded by the appearance of The Red Tornado! Terry Sloan has decided to transfer the feminine robot still under construction to the Wonders Imitative Facility in Portland. Here’s hoping it won’t be long before we get to see this new Red Tornado in action.

Hawkgirl tries to persuade Alan to help form a new team of wonders

This issue features the debut of guest artist Yildiray Cinar (The Fury of Firestorm the Nuclear Men; Teen Titans) as he joins Earth 2 for issues #7-8. This will also be Cinar’s debut collaboration with James Robinson. Fan favourite Yildiray Cinar is a perfect choice to illustrate Earth 2, his dynamic flair leaps from every scene and is perfectly complemented by Trevor Scott’s inks. Although Earth 2 #7 is comparatively light on super powered action, Cinar and Scott lavishly depict the global recovery from The Rot, allowing the characters and their conflicts time to play out against the stunning backdrops of high tech military instillations and panoramic city skylines. The focus on quieter moments of reflection is tempered by the conspiracy and betrayal beginning to form at the very heart of The World Army. Earth 2 continues to astound and impress on all levels, with the imminent return of Steppenwolf and the introduction of this parallel worlds last Amazon, I have a feeling that we have only just begun to scratch the surface of all the wondrous characters and storylines Earth 2 has to offer.

The Fury of Firestorm #0 Review

Tags

DC Comics, Firestorm, Joe Harris, The Fury of Firestorm The Nuclear Men, The New 52, Yildiray Cinar, Zero Month

The Fury of Firestorm The Nuclear Men #0

Review by Paul Bowler

So far DC’s Zero Month has given us some intriguing prequel stories, offering an insight into the formative years of The New 52. The Fury of Firestorm The Nuclear Men #0 has taken a different approach, using the opportunity provided by Zero Month to act as fitting coda for the current storyline, whilst paving the way for a band new beginning for Firestorm.

A year ago High School students Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch were attacked by terrorists and transformed in a freak accident by Professor Martin Stein’s Firestorm Protocols, the powers of Firestorm was divided between them, with physics student Jason acquiring the ability to transmute matter, while the football team’s star quarterback Ronnie became able to throw nuclear bolts of flaming energy.  Together the two Firestorm’s were able to merge into one giant being, Fury, but found this ferocious creature almost impossible to control. Ronnie and Jason where then taken in by Zithertech, the mysterious company responsible for enforcing the Firestorm Protocols, but after being unable to settle their differences Ronnie decided to leave – and was quickly captured and tortured before falling under the corrupting influence of the Russian Firestorm Pozhar.

Professor Stein’s Firestorm Protocols have also been adapted and sold to other governments around the world, allowing them to create their own Firestorms. Terrorist organizations have also stolen the technology to spawn Rogue Firestoms from the protocols, using them as the living weapons of mass destruction. Pozhar is secretly behind the Rogue threat; the Russian Firestorm tricks Ronnie to take control of his powers – forcing them to become the monstrous Scorn. Armed with the uncompromised formula created by the disembodied conciseness of Professor Stein, Jason races to rescue Ronnie – teaming up with his fellow Firestorm’s, Firehawk, Hurricane, and Rakshasi for a long and terrifying battle with Scorn. During the conflict, the Firestorm Protocols are rescinded by the Director of Zithertech, stripping the global network of Firestorms of their tremendous powers and killing them in the process – all except Ronnie and Jason. In a last ditch attempt to save his friend, Jason prepares to uses the canister of uncompromised Firestorm Protocols, and with Firehawk’s help, they destroy Pozhar, sacrificing their own powers in the process.

Firestorm #0 opens with Jason and Ronnie as they adjust to having a normal life back in High School. Ronnie is enjoying his newfound freedom, spending time with his friends, while hoping to forget his life as a superhero so he will be able to commit to a college football program. Jason, on the other hand, is beginning to miss the powers he once had, but when a science experiment has some unexpected results, he realizes the Firestorm Protocols might not be dormant after all. When Jason tells Ronnie that he thinks their powers could be returning, Ronnie wants nothing more to do with his life as Firestorm, and tells Jason he should forget about it and do the same.

But their lives as Firestorm are far from over. When the High Schools football game is attacked by the Zitherteck prototype Helix – who they believed to be dead – Ronnie and Jason are suddenly and inexplicably transformed into a merged Firestorm! It seems that Ronnie is now the physical aspect of Firestorm while Jason has become an ethereal part of his mind – providing his scientific advice and transmutation skills telepathically – leaving Ronnie to harness the raw power of their combined Firestorm Protocols.

Helix has been drawn to the football game by Ronnie and Jason’s latent energy signatures, but he didn’t expect to see them merge and become a new Firestorm. Still reeling from his sudden transformation into Firestorm, Ronnie is quickly overpowered by the lumbering Helix. Trapped in Helix’s deadly stranglehold, Jason quickly helps formulate a plan – transmuting the Nitrogen and Oxygen in the air, along with other trace element, to form a solid sphere around Helix that cuts off his oxygen supply and quickly shrinks and deconstructs the behemoth. Firestorm then flies into orbit where Helix’s atomised remains explode, sending the newly whole and complete Firestorm cashing back to Earth. Ronnie and Jason later regain consciousness on a hillside, having reverted back to their individual human forms. Together they realize that the Firestorm Protocols are now their shared responsibility; and that their lives are once again inexorably entwined as Firestorm The Nuclear Man.

Firestorm returned in September 2011 as part of The New 52 reboot of the DC Universe, co-written by Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver. Unfortunately Gail Simone left the title only a few months later, she was then replaced by Joe Harris, but not long after his appointment Van Sciver also left Firestorm. These creative changes in the writing team didn’t initially help the title achieve a real sense of consistency, at least until Harris began to draw together the various storylines that had already been established to form a more coherent plot, one which would steer the title towards a thrilling finale that involved the entire global network of Firestorms.

Yildiray Cinar‘s artwork on Firestorm has also been outstanding, creating a distinctive look for Ronnie and Jason as Firestorm, each with their own unique abilities, as well as the colourful supporting cast of international Firestorm operatives from around the world. Firestorm is a real powerhouse of a character, and has some tremendous abilities. Yildiray Cinar’s art has really captured the furious essence of his nuclear powers, and at times Firestorm almost seems to explode from the page!

This Zero issue of Firestorm sees Joe Harris and Yildiray Cinar at the end of their run on Firestorm, with a story that throws Ronnie and Jason together again as Firestorm – literally this time – to restore the original concept of Firestorm which will be familiar to long term fans of the character. Joe Harris confidently helps usher in this new direction for Firestorm, making this a perfect jumping on point for new readers as well as enticing people back who didn’t enjoy the initial direction the series took. Firestorm #0 also allows Yildiray Cinar the chance to realize a new and more definitive version of the Firestorm costume, melding the red and gold outfits that Ronnie and Jason have worn into one that more closely resembles the original Firestorm costume.

The Fury of Firestorm The Nuclear Men will be taking a whole new direction this October when Dan Jurgens takes over as the new writer / artist for the series. Jurgens was involved last year with The New 52’s reboot of Green Arrow and Justice League International, issue #13 of Firestorm will effectively relaunch the series, beginning a new chapter set in the everyday High School lives of Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch  as they learn to work together again as Firestorm. We can expect to see plenty old and new villains for Firestorm to deal with, as well as a guest appearance from Captain Atom.

Editors Rachel Gluckstern and Ricky Purden join Dan Jurgens, along with inker Ray McCarthy and colourist Brian Miller as part of the new direction that will spin out from the pages of the excellent Firestorm #0, and with the exciting new chapter about to begin in Firestorm #13, there has never been a better time to revisit the adventures of Firestorm The Nuclear Man.