Earth 2 #19 Review

The team gains an unlikely member while Dark Superman continues his path of destruction.


While Superman carries on Darkseid's grand design for Earth, the new Batman prepares for extraction.

Nicola Scott continues doing great work on the pencils. Tom is weaving many new threads while resolving some of those Robinson left hanging.

While the plot does get convulated,  there are many interesting aspects that arise from this issue.

SPOILERS FOLLOW......................

Dark Superman carries Jay Garrick the Flash, Terry Sloan and Micheal Holt in-front the White House, where another of the terrors, Bedlam, is present. While the other leads Parademons against Earth, Dark Superman demolishes the White House. Dr Fate has become unhinged since his helmet got cracked and Red Arrow is left all alone to fend off the Parademons.

Elsewhere, beneath the Arkham Base, the new Batman prepares to leave with the Atlantean queen (who isn't Mera) while a Red Tornado Lois, Major Soto and Jimmy Olsen give him company. Olsen alerts Batman that there is another alien kept locked at Arkham on Terry Sloan's instruction.

Lois scans the area and locates two people beneath them. The Atlantean Queen cracks a hole through the floor and after getting blasted by a cannon (and proclaiming her name Marella of Atlantis), she is able to use the water in their bodies to stop the soldiers (blood-bending anyone?).

One of them willingly opens the locked door, and they find a calm boy inside. But as soon as Batman approaches him, he gets sick. Taking out a piece of Kryptonite, Batman deduces the boy is Kryptonian, like Superman.

Getting outside after blindfolding Olsen (so that he doesn't watch the massacre outside and store it forever with his photogenic memory, leaving him scarred forever), Batman sends Lois off with the boy to the Batcave while Hawkgirl arrives to extract Marella, Soto and Batman.

Elsewhere, a glimmer of green shines through the rubble.

Green Lantern?

There were many interesting points to ponder. First, Terry Sloan found another Kryptonian and kept him willingly in seclusion. This was a thread in Robinson's run and the reveal was intriguing. Next, we learn Jimmy Olsen was kept in cryo for learning this fact. Again, Marella was imprisoned after Atlantis was destroyed (so this world's Arthur Curry is most probably dead). Finally, this Batman knows of the Batcave and we are to get answers in Earth 2 Annual #2 (finally!).

SPOILERS END........................

With some intriguing threads set up, the plot felt overloaded a little this week but in a good way.

The great art complements Tom's writing, especially with the detailing. Hopefully once we put some side plots behind us, we will be able to concentrate on Batman's team taking on the Terrors.

So, I give it 8.5 out of 10

+Some threads resolved
+Great visuals
+Some good side plots set up

-Issue feels a little overloaded