Review: Earth 2 Vol. 4- The Dark Age

Quick Summary

Pros: The narrative from the previous volume is continued nicely. The story does a good job in building excitement for the future. The artwork looks great on just about every page.

Cons: The new Batman’s reveal was a bit disappointing.

Overall: After a shocking conclusion in the previous volume, this volume does a great job in continuing and even enhancing the overall narrative of the series. Our heroes are in a rough spot, yet their actions here are setting things up for a big showdown in the future. This volume is all rising action with only one moment of disappointment. Fans of the Earth 2 series are highly encouraged to continue reading here.

Story

The end of Earth 2 Vol. 3: Battle Cry (Review) kicked the overall narrative of the Earth 2 series into high gear. Now, Earth 2 Vol. 4: The Dark Age responds by introducing characters and story elements that are sure to help transition the series into its next major confrontation. This is a volume where rising action dominates and every choice feels as if it will have large ramifications in the future. The reveal in the final chapter won’t exactly appeal to everyone but it is still written well. Overall, this is a good volume and a great turning point for the series.

(spoilers start here)

The Dark Age starts with our heroes at their lowest point and spends about half of the narrative doubling down on the hopelessness of the situation. The new Superman is crazy, yet still extremely powerful, and is able to easily defeat any resistance he meets. The Wonders put up a valiant effort but are crushed anyway, leaving them in a worse position than when they started. Putting the characters in this position gives the series a perfect place to stage a tremendously satisfying comeback, which the rest of the narrative appears to be setting up.

It sets up such a situation through Batman’s story arc, which has him marshal forces to prepare for the threat Superman poses. This portion of the story is very interesting and sees the addition of several new characters, most of whom have plenty of potential in the future. The new Lois Lane/Red Tornado gives the story a unique connection with the past, the new Jimmy Olsen gives the story some humor, and the new Kryptonian is essentially pure untapped potential. I left this portion of the story tremendously excited to see where the series is heading and ready to read the next volume.

The volume concludes by revealing the origin and identity of Earth 2’s new Batman. We learn that this new Batman is Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas Wayne, who survived his shooting and began a crusade against the people who ruined his life. The origin is well told and has a convincing red herring that makes the reveal even more shocking.

However, this is one of the very few remixed origins I didn’t care for, which negatively impacted my enjoyment of the story. Setting Thomas Wayne as an absentee father is a tough premise to sell, especially when the story doesn’t give enough reason for him to leave Bruce behind. Yet this isn’t the main problem, as the reveal also fails to explain a number of the new Batman’s attributes, such as his proficiency in stealth, his incredible grasp of strategy, or his knowledge of the world’s secrets. The previous Batman trained for these abilities and the new Batman’s super-serum does not explain much outside his strength and speed. Hopefully, future volumes will justify this reveal but right now this Thomas Wayne just feels like a lesser version of the one from Flashpoint (Review).

(spoilers end here)

Art

Once again, the Earth 2 series manages to deliver another visually impressive volume. Nicola Scott and Robson Rocha’s penciles are full of detail and bring the world of Earth 2 to life. Of particular note are Scott’s full-page spreads, which are always beautiful and visually striking. In a collection with plenty of twists and more than a few unexpected reveals, these full-page spreads are the perfect way to transition readers into whatever new concept is being introduced. The Dark Age gives the Earth 2 series one more win in the art department.

Continuity

Earth 2 Vol. 4: The Dark Age continues the story from Earth 2 Vol. 3: Battle Cry (Review).

The story here continues in Earth 2 Vol. 5: The Kryptonian.