50/50: My "New 52" Earth-2-leftovers view

I tried the Huntress/Power Girl series because of a few

extenuating circumstances; the tremendous art team, my love

for Paul Levitz, and the fact that I thought it was only

a mini-series!

But I do have to say that I was very pleased with my

purchase. It's an old-fashioned comic, in every best

sense of the word. Infused with solid, beautiful art

that fits the story, engaging dialogue, a sense of fun

and adventure (I promise you newbies--those are not

4-letter words!) and, best of all--though they have

been tweaked--these are the characters I grew to

love in the 1970s, in spirit and essence if not in fact.

It's not the first time (by far) that DC has attempted

to recreate the prior magic of this earth or these

relationships within the confines of their ever-changing,

ever-convoluted multiverse and editorial direction.

I tried the Earth 2 series for an equal number

of draws; I love the work of James Robinson

and Nicola Scott, I love the Earth 2 concept, and I was

intrigued by how the whole Alan Scott sexuality

angle played out.

BUT, I was also obviously under some severe

misunderstandings, because I believed when the

company said this title marked "the return of Earth 2"

that in fact they meant it, and not that they were being

disingenuous.

See, 'Earth 2' to me represents a very specific

Earth with my favorite heroes of childhood, which had

a history of some 46 years (and even then some or

much of the continuity and characters survived!)

Also, a really cool sci-fi TV show...but I digress.

I do not think of "kinda sorta the old concept,

completely recycled though with basically code names

remaining. Really, just 'another' earth."

No slight against the creative team, and maybe I'll give it

another try in a year or two when the team gets assembled,

 but I'm outtie on Earth  2. It wasn't the old friends I hoped for.

It wasn't a return to greatness.

It feels like just one more bait and switch from

a company I have grown to expect not much else from.

So, a half-and-half even split on these two titles.

They're only the second and third titles I've tried from DC's

new venture, and I doubt there'll be a whole

lot of interest in testing the waters further.

What's done is done, and a false promise

doesn't fill the bill.

***

INFINITY, INC.

(All artwork featured is by Jerry Ordway & Mike Machlan.)



(The team from Who's Who in DC Comics)

I was always a fanatic about DC Comics and Earth 2 in particular.
The JSA were a real favorite of mine, perhaps for the nostalgia--the sense
of history, longevity, originality, familiarity to the team.
Growing up in the 1970s, reprints of the Golden Age greats were
plentiful, and it was as if I had read about them all along.
(The All Star Squad and Power Girl were some of my
favorite characters!)

So when DC had Roy Thomas join together all the offspring
of the original JSA (the first time such an idea was done, I
believe,) I was ecstatic. This was a prime time to be collecting.
Between having the JSA active again in the present,
the excitement of new characters (especially kids a teen
could relate to,) and the tremendous art team, it was a
definite highlight of my comic reading experience!

(teaser from DC Sampler)

There was a lot to digest with such a huge cast and so much

history to play with, and this was back in the day when comics

(in particular Roy Thomas ones) were chock-full of dialogue

and a multitude of panels and story. You got your money's worth.

It was magical; You started with Jerry Ordway, and then some

Don Newton 'fill-in" issues, to be followed by Todd McFarlane

who--at the time--had a new and fun look that fit the book well!

I loved those crazy panel and page designs! (Later, there would be

phenomenal Michael Bair issues.)

(Specialty shop promo poster)

Alas, like most good things, it wasn't meant to last.

With pending changes due to DC's ridiculous and unnecessary "Crisis"

(which erased the Multiverse and decades of history and uniqueness,)

Infinity was one of the hardest hit books.

Everything Earth 2 was affected by the mess of Crisis, and the book

had to upend stories and characters to fit all the revisions in.

To be fair, Roy & Dann did a phenomenal job of making lemonade out

of lemons, but in the end you were still left with a bitter taste.

Infinity, Inc. ended up being one of those teams whose characters

and memory got a continual shaft, with deaths and limbo and

bad handling following the inevitable cancellation.

But I will always have great memories of all the issues

that gave me happiness those years ago. DC can't take

my memories!

As long as the back issues exist, the revisions and

editorial dictates of a corporation mean nothing to me.

R.I.P. Syl, Karen, Dick, Helena, Lyta, Hank, Yolanda,

Todd, Rick, Beth, Albert, Norda, Hector, Jennie-Lynn, & Bones!
You'll always be Infinitors to me!

Thanks to Roy, Dann, Jerry, Mike, Todd, and all the rest for

a stellar run and a lot of good memories.

 

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