It has been hard to find many overarching themes between each issue of Earth 2: World’s End, with its storylines twisting and spiraling apart from one another. This week, there is the undeniable theme of family in Daniel Wilson’s story. What place does family have in the apocalypse, and how do our Wonders handle it when stress are forced upon their close familial bonds. It seems for certain that this series will only get darker before it gets better for any of these characters, and it is almost a sure thing that no family will be left intact. It’s a poignant theme for this time of year, when those of us with families both large and small hopefully put away our petty schisms to come together and remember those times that we hold most dear. Some do not have such a luxury.
Fire Pit Under Geneva: The Fire Pit Wonder Squad has found Superman – presumably the real Superman this time – and are still searching for Helena. It’s funny how only ten issues in, the Wonder Squad has come across like four different versions of Superman or signs that indicate that he was alive. That all makes the reveal of Clark one of the least surprising things in this book. His reunion with Lois and Kara is touching if short-lived, as another lost family member returns to the picture. Whatever Desaad had done to Helena must have worked, as she shows up claiming to be one of the Furies of Apokolips. She’s got these weird arm/wing things sprouting out of her back, and a fight breaks out between the former stars of Worlds’ Finest, with Kara promising to snap her out of whatever control Desaad holds over her. Now, unless Desaad really messed with Helena’s genetic make-up, this fight should take about 0.3 seconds before the Kryptonian can subdue the human in a fist fight, but we shall see just how far Desaad’s alterations have gone.
Chicago: Babs is dead. Like actually dead this time. After surviving all that crap from mobs in the refugee center to a damn meteor falling on her, Babs bit it at the end of a bullet. Obviously Dick is heartbroken, but one of the armed men holding the train out of Chicago makes things worse by pointing a gun at Dick. Constantine and his crew show up to wipe out the thugs and save Dick. Dick chooses to stay behind in Chicago even though a tidal wave is coming, caused by the destruction of the moon having an effect on the Great Lakes. He gives his son to Constantine, who finds that his powers aren’t working very well on Earth 2. They ride off with Dick unable to leave Babs behind. I get the grief and everything, but you have a kid, Dick. You’re just going to give your kid to some guy you saw minutes ago kill a whole gang of people with magic. Weird parenting choice…
Apokolips: We get more insight into the Court of Apokolips, where the Imperial Emperor – I mean, the aspect of Apokolips – does that pensive look while going “all according to plan.”
Mobius Chamber: More family drama in the Mobius Chamber, as Mr. Miracle finds Darkseid (spoiler alert, just look at the cover) meditating in some energy field. He plays the distraught son seeking answers from his father, yet receives nothing from the inert villain. Miracle grows angry with Darkseid when he gets no answers, and decides that the best way to deal with his father is to blow him up with Mr. Terrific’s u-Spheres (i-Phone). This destroys the field that Darkseid was sitting in, and instead of killing him shockingly frees him (again, look at the cover).
Shanghai: Things don’t look good for the Avatars of the Parliament of the Elements, who are still fighting off the three remaining Furies of the Apokolips. Sam and Grundy get smacked around pretty easily, with Alan trying his best to hold off the Furies. When the Furies start taking over the battle, another combatant shows up. The Avatar of the Blue, the beast that Aquawoman – remember her? – released in Atlantis arrives on the scene to fight.
Favorite Quote: “Name’s Constantine. I don’t like people who threaten kids.” – Constantine
Recommended If…
- You want a coherent theme in your story.
- You want some storylines closed from last issue.
- You like Darkseid. He doesn’t do much, but he’s a major highlight.
Overall: The story is coming together in a more solidified form, but the threads all seem too spread out to bring them together anytime soon. This was a definite improvement over the mean of this series, but I’m still waiting for everything to come together. With another few dozen issues to come, there is still plenty of time.
SCORE: 7.5/10
