“Batman: Earth One Volume Two” is a thrilling alternate reality Bat-tale that is an improvement over the first volume, which didn’t feel as much of a cohesive whole as this one does from beginning to end. Writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank flesh out a Gotham City brimming with familiar characters and takes them into thrilling and unexpected directions. As the title suggests, this isn’t your usual Dark Knight but a reimagining that allows for freedom to tell one’s own personal interpretation of Batman and his world without the confines of continuity.
Written by Geoff Johns
Illustrated Gary FrankIt’s here – the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller and critically acclaimed BATMAN: EARTH ONE by the superstar creative team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank! While Gotham City is plunged into terror by an enigmatic anarchist and killer calling himself The Riddler, the Dark Knight must reconcile the increasingly conflicting ideologies of Detective Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne’s head of security, Alfred Pennyworth. But there are many more mysteries lurking within Gotham City, including the secret agenda of Harvey Dent and the bizarre creature prowling the sewers – Killer Croc!
In “Batman: Earth One Volume Two”, Johns has crafted a story populated with characters that feel as if they have been created and molded by him and Frank. He takes the classic Batman characters and tropes and is able to tweak and transform them in such a way that is free of any gimmickry or alterations just for the sake of change. The Batman of this tale is still the superhero newbie of the first volume, yet grows in unexpected and grin-inducing ways. Relationships are an important part of Bat-lore and Johns captures the various unique voices of these classic characters and is able to create bonds between them in a way that feels earned and very natural.
The book is fast-paced and has a heightened sense of realism that is evident in both story and art. Although this works to Frank’s superb strengths, Johns must be lauded for juggling so much while realistically depicting the birth of the world’s greatest detective. The way Bruce Wayne begins to blossom into the hero we all know from past adventures is inventive as we get to see him frustrated and reacting in a human way while becoming inspired by individuals both expected and unexpected. Here is a man that reacts to situations, fights, and detects in a way befitting someone who is residing within a swirl of chaos. The visceral nature of story and art underscores that realism while surprising us with genuine, and not cheap, thrills.
The unexpected story beats are the most refreshing aspect of the script. We all know the Riddler is the big bad of this book, yet Johns’ further rejiggering of characters includes people such as Alfred Pennyworth (who was a badass in the previous volume as well), Harvey Dent, Harvey Bullock, James Gordon, and the introductions of two very familiar rogues. One of these introductions is a welcome addition to the series and a hint of this character’s continued involvement with the main players is rife with further possibilities of even more humor and pathos in future volumes. Johns takes the familiar, makes it his own, and succeeds in making it retain that familiarity.
Frank also adds excitement to the familiar. Both Johns and Frank have a history of doing great things together and this book is no exception. The seeming simplicity of Frank’s art matches the realism of the story and the journey of a man who dresses up as a bat to defend his city. There are many tools that Frank utilizes in his artistic belt in order to convey that realism. His art has a cinematic quality when it comes to his panel usage and dramatic splash pages. Every scene, whether physically threatening or simply an intimate tete-e-tete , is close-up and in our faces. This is a powerful artistic decision, with Frank shining a spotlight (or Bat-signal, if you will) on every scene with an intensity that highlights characters’ actions and reactions in a tumultuous Gotham City.
Continued belowBody language is expressed beautifully in Frank’s art, with an inelegant and unrefined quality in his character’s movement and reactions that brings the fantastical down to earth. Fights, whether involving Batman and a hoodlum or Gordon and a room full of menacing men, are visceral and more intense because of their imperfections. These battles are personal and waged in order to simply stay alive. Whether characters are in a bare-knuckle brawl or bellowing at each other, Frank expresses the high stakes each encounter carries for all involved.
One aspect of Frank’s art that could be classified as one of his trademarks is the highly expressive nature of his characters’ eyes. This ability is put on haunting display throughout “Batman: Earth One Volume Two”. The encounter in the sewer is one such scene. Both Batman and his antagonist express such vivid emotions, from wide venomous eyes to ones that are filled with utter despair. When Batman witnesses an explosion, Frank fills the page with just the Caped Crusader’s face and the disbelief and horror emanates heartbreakingly from his face. Here is a truly compassionate and pained hero.
That particular scene with the explosion is even more powerful because of Brad Anderson’s colors. The muted and “realistic” colors are potent choices that mesh with the tone of Johns’ and Frank’s work. The fire appears scalding and the reflection of the inferno on Batman’s face intensifies his emotional reaction. Like Frank, Anderson’s creative decisions are meant to enhance a world that could actually be real (or as real as a place such as Gotham could ever be).
Jon Sibal’s inks enhance Frank’s art as well. The creases in tired and worn out faces more prominently pop off the page because of the combination of Frank’s use of extreme close-ups and Sibal’s deep rich inking. From Batman to Gordon to the antagonist who will not be named, these are characters whose lives are ruled by lack of sleep and the relentless stress caused by harmful forces both seen and unseen.
“Batman: Earth One Volume Two” is an exciting next chapter in a planned series by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. The flow of this story is more natural and tells a more complete story than the previous volume. If volume one was more of a set-up, this one fleshes the characters out in a much deeper and revelatory way. Johns and Frank take Batman and many of his rich supporting characters to create what feels like a creator-owned book. They definitely feel unrestrained in their storytelling, which is the best way to create something that feels truly fresh.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – This is solid storytelling on every level. From the writing, to art, to inks, and to colors, “Batman: Earth One Volume Two” is an example of each part making a nearly perfect whole.
