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Book Review of JLA: Earth 2

JLA: Earth 2
Barbllm avatar reviewed on + 241 more book reviews


Grant Morrison presents his own dark spin on the concept of the multiverse in this well-regarded volume. Parallel worlds have been part of DC Comics for decades; the story "Crisis on Earth Three" from the early 1960s introduced the Crime Syndicate.

Alexander Luthor, the lone hero of the antimatter universe, opens a portal to Earth-1 and summons the Justice League to his home where the Crime Syndicate rule by totalitarianism over a beaten and angry populace. Each hero has his or her counterpart: Superman/Ultraman, Wonder Woman/Superwoman, Flash/Johnny Quick, Green Lantern/Power Ring, and Batman/Owlman.

Grant Morrison, who's been compared to Alan Moore, gifts the antimatter heroes with snark, wit, and more maturity than expected. And while our Earth-1 heroes do what they can to stop the Syndicate, another villain has been working behind the scenes to ensure that he--above all others--will win the day. I didn't get into Frank Quitely's art here, as the heroes all appear somewhat squat and shorter than usual. However, there's no denying his talent. Highly recommended, along with the DC animated movie.