It’s no secret that we here on Multiversity Comics love our Grant Morrison. More often than not, we find his books the most challenging, the most engaging, and more importantly, the most fun. And when he’s paired with an artist like Frank Quitely, well something special happens where the sum is greater than its parts. And the perfect example of that is JLA: Earth 2.
This book starts out like many of the inter-universal DC arcs start out, someone from a different Earth seeking help from the DC Earth we all know and love. The twist is, however, that this time, it’s a familiar face you might not expect. It’s Luthor. And he’s asking Superman for help. He even appears in a way similar to our Superman’s origins, lading in a corn field. It’s a trippy sight for sure.
WHOA. Superman and Lex are on the same side? Is this some sort of backwards reality? That’s exactly what it is. This Lex came from a world where he is the lone good guy in a world filled with villains. Everything is backwards, from The British Colonies seceding from the United States of Amerika, all the way down to their hearts beating on the right side of their chests. Their word for “good” is our word for “evil.” There is no JLA, instead, their counterparts are part of a team that is run very similarly to the mafia, and they are called The CSA; The Crime Syndicate of Amerika. After he discovered a matter universe to counter his anti-matter home, he named our Earth…”Earth 2.”
At first, the Justice League, being the pious examples of all that is right in the 
world; jump at the chance to help another world in jeopardy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be The Justice League. They would be…The League of People with Superpowers That Don’t Really Care. And that would be a lame acronym. At first they’re successful, easily dispatching their doppelgangers. The entire CSA: from the petty and vindictive Ultraman, to the rather slutty Superwoman, to the cunning Owlman, are trapped in their watchtower while the JLA tries to reform Earth 1 in their own image. But eventually the scales are evened, and the CSA are magically transported to Earth 2. And they materialize eager to conquer another world much like the last one. But to no avail.
As it turns out, the JLA are having similar problems. But it’s not their fault. Physics works differently there. In the DC Earth 2, good always prevails. But on Earth 1, evil does. It’s a sad truth that the two worlds work entirely differently, and no matter how they want to change it, it won’t ever happen. As it turns out, both teams are being manipulated by an unknown force, and when it’s revealed, it hits you like a ton of bricks.
The writing, as I said earlier, is beautiful. It’s darkly funny, and just a blast to read. Morrison can structure a complex premise in a way where it can be understood, and even enjoyed. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a JLA book (or a team book in general) as much as I did JLA: Earth 2. The characterization is spot on, and the pacing never drags. It’s an absolute blast. Morrison made a complex character driven arc feel as fun as any silly silver age book. And the artwork showcases Frank Quitely on a level that is hard to match. Sometimes it can be hard for a book to present the speed of The Flash, the pure energy of Green Lantern, and the darkness of Batman, but he does it so well here. And not only that, he does it twice, with two different teams of superpowers. Check out the evil Johnny Quick and tell me you me you can’t just feel him almost running off the page. I mean, you probably could, but I’d probably call you a liar.
In closing, I can’t really stress enough how much you should be reading this book. It’s one of the quintessential DCU books that’s made of pure heart, even when Ultraman is melting justice’s face with his heat-vision. And with the newest DC Animated Movie “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” hitting stores in a few months, it couldn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with the characters that helped inspire the upcoming DVD release.
