The march to Earth 2: World’s End continues. That weekly series will only be about six month, but it still has its own compelling teaser puzzle image (spoilers here).
As such, the current battle for the soul of Earth 2 in the same named comic book series just became more important to DC Comics’ multiverse as Val Zod, destined to be Earth 2’s soon-to-be black Superman.
In Earth 2 #23, the battle between an evil Superman and his presumed dead heroic wife Lois Lane as Red Tornado reached creepy proportions with Ma and Pa Kent (spoilers here). We also saw Darkseid’s forces take on Earth 2’s “Wonders” including a brand new Batman (Bruce Wayne’s father Thomas Wayne who has super-powers and honors his dead son through his heroic action) from the previous Earth 2 #22 (spoilers here).
Earth 2 #24 had the in-comic reveal of Val-Zod’s true DC Comics New 52 true destiny (spoilers here). Earth 2 #25 carries right on from that impressive cliffhanger from last issue.
Spoilers and capsule review for Earth 2 #25 follow.
You have been warned!
While Earth 2’s new Batman features prominently on Earth 2 #25’s variant cover, the character is in the book, but hardly prominent. However, Aquawoman is featured as a major force in the book versus Darkseid’s hordes.
He also see how far the original Superman has fallen. His is Darkseid’s harbinger of doom on Earth 2. In the previous issue he realized Lois Lane, his wife, was the Red Tornado and took her to Smallville to see Ma and Pa Kent. In this issue we get some awkward family dynamics culminating with Pa Kent defying Darkseid in front on his son, who responds to that slight as so…
He kills his own dad! With Darkseid-like Omega beams; not his usual heat vision. WTF indeed!
This really firmly places the original Earth 2 Superman as an evil shell of his former self allowing Val Zod to accept and occupy what was once Clark Kent’s place as Superman on this alternate Earth. In fact Val Zod also learns what World’s End means and goes off to try to avert it.
Darkseid’s minion Bedlam summons the original Earth 2 Superman to his side from Smallville after captives Mister Miracle, Mister Terrific and Earth 2’s Terry Sloane complete their forced creation of an over-sized Mother Box-type super-contraption to suck Earth 2 towards Darkseid’s singular nook in the DC New 52 multiverse. Green Lantern Alan Scott tries to harness Earth 2, literally, to avoid the gigantic boom tube and at the same time we get the beginning of a battle we’ve been waiting several months for…
Superman vs. Superman! And its looks like Earth 2 #26 will leave only one standing?!
Earth 2 is on the top of read pile whenever it hits stands. The creative team is free to take risks in the series in a way DC Comics can’t with New 52 series set on Prime Earth. Those creative risks payoff for readers month in and month out.
Pick this series up!
9.5 out of 10.
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome.
