Earth-2 #2 Review! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Cover to Earth-2 #2 by Ivan Reis

So...wow. I already read this issue and I can't pick my jaw up off the floor from that cliffhanger. Let me just say this even before we get into things: GO BUY THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW. ITS WORTH THE $2.99. Even if you didn't get the first issue of the series for whatever reason, go buy this issue right now. Like shut down your computer and buy it this very moment. 1,000% worth it. Believe me. But anyway... I must warn you that I am so hyped up about this issue that there will be a fair amount of spoilers coming, so don't read this if you are planning on buying this issue in the foreseeable future. So...yeah. Below this line, the spoilers begin!

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Summary

• Michael Holt, aka Mister Terrific, appears on a street in NYC and realizes he isn't in Kansas anymore. Kansas being Earth-1, of course
• Some guy named Terry Sloan (who, it turns out, was the original Mr. Terrific in the old continuity at least...) addresses him as "Mr. Holt" even though he's in his Mr. Terrific get-up and just arrived there
• Mr. Sloan says he's going to have to take down Mr. Terrific for things that he is going to do
• Michael goes on the offensive and attacks but Sloan turns the attack right around on him, knocking Michael out(!!!)
• Mercury and Jay Garrick are talking about how Mercury is the last of the Gods and that he is dying
• Merc warns Jay that a new threat is coming, but Jay tells him all the heroes of Earth are dead (as seen in #1)
• Jay insists that if they get Merc to a hospital soon, they can save him from death, but Merc decides to shoot him with some lightning(!!), turning him into the Flash
• The World Army shows up
• Flash runs
• We see Alan Scott, still over in China, with his boyfriend Sam
• Back in New York, Jay is walking around secretively, as Merc had told him to not trust anyone
• Jay starts running around and he comes across a couple getting attacked by some crazy rats and saves them
• He runs off right after and begins using his powers to a higher extent, but then he stops in Poland
• Hawkgirl appears
• Back to Alan and Sam, they're on a train going to some cabin in the woods
• Alan proposes that Sam come and live in the U.S. with him (since he apparently lives in China) and that they get married
• The train blows up with a green glow inside the explosion

Thoughts

I can't believe how much I'm enjoying this series. I re-read the first issue right before I started reading this one and I enjoyed it just as much as I did last month and this issue was just as much up to those standards. At first, Jay's design seemed kind of forced but as the issue progressed, Nicola Scott's Jay Garrick became a lot more fluid and interesting, but at the same time it might just be because I've never seen the suit in action before. My only real problem with this issue is that they have seemingly "fridged" Sam so early into the series. I can't believe that. Maybe the green glow was Alan lighting up and protecting himself and his boyfriend. I'm really glad that Mister Terrific is going to be in this series, and not in his own. While his old series wasn't good, he can potentially make new fans and have his old fans come over to Earth-2. Overall, I give this issue a 10/10, just like last month.

Is It Really the "New 52" Anymore?

I mean I know that we're still less than a year in from when Justice League #1 came out...but is the concept of the New 52 still all that...new? Sure, it's a semi-catchy title for people to remember, but honestly how are these series "new" anymore? I mean besides the second-wave titles, none of the series are brand-new anymore. So maybe it's time to put the slogan "DC Comics-The New 52" to rest?

Its just some random thoughts, so don't take it too seriously. But it's something to consider...

And the New Gay Character is...ALAN SCOTT!

(Cover to Earth-2 #2 by Ivan Reis)

It's official, folks! DC has announced that Alan Scott, the Green Lantern featured in Earth-2 will be the new gay super-hero. My three favorite non-blog comic websites, Comic Book Resources, Comic Vine, and Newsarama have already gotten interviews with James Robinson (writer of Earth-2) posted on their website. 

The series, written by James Robinson and penciled by Nicola Scott, has put out one issue out thusfar and came as part of the New 52's "Second Wave" of titles. I really enjoyed the first issue, even gave it a 10/10 in my review so I'm really excited for the second issue to come out ANYWAY even without this announcement. 

There was many speculations as to what hero will have their sexual orientation changed. And James Robinson said that it was his decision, since he wasn't going to be allowed to use Obsidian or Jade (which was learned in the CBR interview) he decided to change Alan's orientation and apparently Didio just went along with it. Which, for once, I have to thank Dan Didio. YES, readers, I AM THANKING DAN DIDIO! I have to say that I'm not a fan of him and I've expressed that several times over the last year or so. Don't worry, fans, I'm not losing my mind, but I am thankful for this decision. While I'm sure that many people will be thinking and maybe even saying "Ugh, why Alan Scott? Why not some new character?" I have to say that it gains more attention and it doesn't seem unnatural that Alan Scott would be gay. I really hope that I get the chance to speak with James Robinson and/or Nicola Scott sometime soon (as I have in the past with Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth). 

Most Viewed Posts in May 2012

It's that time of month again, folks! The time when we get to see which of my posts were the most-viewed over the last 31 days. Oh and one more thing, I know this is a rather small goal, but I managed to break 1,000 views this month for the first time ever. I really thank you all for reading this! I know that I'm probably not getting anywhere near what X-Man & JT are getting over at their blog, but then again they've been at this for longer. So thanks for those of you who have been reading from the beginning and welcome to any new readers! But anyway, back to business...
This month the most viewed post was my interview with Brett Booth from right after Teen Titans Annual was released. Click the link here!
The second-most viewed post, coming in a not-so-close second place is the review of the Teen Titans Annual. You can read that here!
The third-most viewed post, which came in just two views behind the review of the Annual issue, is my interview with Scott Lobdell, which came in the same day as my interview with Brett Booth! Check that out here!
The next most viewed was the preview for Superboy #9, which was part of "the Culling" crossover. You can read that, even though the issue is already out, here!
The fifth-most viewed came again from the Teen Titans Annual and was the preview of the issue. You can check out that right here!

The Runner-Ups:
This month's runner-ups come in the forms of the Green Lantern #9 preview, Batman #9 review, my thoughts on the teased "Trinity War" event, The Confirmed Cast of Earth-2, & the Earth-2 #1 Review! Those are all links so click 'em up and read 'em if you want!

In any case, I'll be back in the coming weeks with a few interesting announcements about the blog and we'll get some interesting changes around here. I hope you guys are as excited as I am for the comics coming out this month and in the coming months! In any event, I'll see you again in a month for the most-viewed of June 2012. 

What Will DC Do to Celebrate the "New 52"s One Year Marker?

Note: Okay I totally typed this up last week on Friday I think but I never got around to finishing it. I decided that I won't edit it to make it current, but instead I'd just type this out. So...here we go!
Can you guys believe that in a week from yesterday we will be at exactly one year since DC announced the New 52? I certainly can't. And you know that DC would never miss on the chance of announcing something big on the one year anniversary of their "New 52" announcement! So what could they be announcing?

The Identity of the Gay Super-Hero
Sure, it's not as big as relaunching your entire line of comics, but since many people have already taken an interest in it, maybe it's time for them to announce who the character will be. It's possible that they will, in fact, announce this on that day but it's very unlikely that it will be DC's only announcement on the 31st of May.

5-Week August
The significance of August in 2011 was huge, despite the fact that many people didn't pay much attention to it. Not only did it mark the ending of the "old" DC Universe, but it marked the beginning of the "New 52" Universe. This August there are also 5 weeks, just like there were last year. And just like last year, DC is taking advantage of it and releasing several "Annual" issues on that date. Will they also announce something else to come on that day next week? Quite possibly.

New Justice League Book?
When the "main" League continuously denied Green Arrow membership to the League, Steve Trevor approached Ollie and offered him to join another team...could this be the book that replaces Justice League International? Quite possibly, I think, because they could even offer membership to several of the JLI members in #12 or in the Annual. I would not be surprised at all if Geoff Johns slipped in a scene where Steve Trevor invites Booster or any number of the JLI squad to join his secret team.

"Zero Issue" Event!
The biggest rumor going around the internet is that there will be a "Zero Issue" event. The rumor is that in September, each DC ongoing series will take a break from everything and tell a one-off story that gives the history of what happened with the character before the "New 52" series began. So, for example, in Justice League we might find out how Green Lantern and Flash met, or how Steve Trevor and Wonder Woman met, or Batman keeping an eye on all of the soon-to-be Leaguers (except Cyborg, of course since his origin WAS in Justice League's first 6 issues). It'd be an interesting idea and maybe we could also get a new hint to the new storylines coming up and such.

Thoughts? I really hope it's the last option. That'd make me very, very happy. Gimme your thoughts and opinions down below!! And keep your eyes out on May 31st (which is TOMORROW!!!) for news of what is to come at the end of August and throughout September.