Batman: Earth One, Volume 2

Batman: Earth One

by Geoff Johns (Writer), Gary Frank (Illustrator), Various (Illustrator)

The Riddler has arrived in Gotham and he’s terrorizing the city with his own twisted brand of anarchy. But why is he attacking now, and what is his endgame? The Riddler isn’t Batman’s only problem, as Killer Croc is on the streets and his violent crimes can’t be ignored. Meanwhile, the Dark Knight has trouble reconciling the increasingly conflicting ideologies of Alfred Pennyworth and James Gordon in this gripping re-imagining of the Batman mythology.
Writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank bring you Batman as you’ve never seen him before in this thrilling original graphic novel that continues their unique take on the Dark Knight.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Dc Comics, Fiction, Comic Book, Superheroes

158 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

Geoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.

His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.

Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

It's been a few years since the first volume of Batman: Earth One came out, so I was pretty excited when I saw this sucker. Finally!



For those of you who don't know, Earth One titles are re-imaginings of DC characters that do not take place in regular continuity. In other words, this is not our Batman. It's just a neat way for writers to take iconic characters and their origin stories, and put a different spin on things.
Sometimes the stories are very cool...sometimes they suck.
My opinion? This one was awesome!
It's not perfect, but I had a lot of fun reading it.

The main villain for volume two is the Riddler.
He's riddling away while blowing up various locations. Not the best re-imagining I've ever seen, but Johns does a decent job with the storyline.



Killer Croc was briefly introduced, as well. His story is pretty different considering he's just a misunderstood guy with a skin condition.
This isn't the first time I've seen Waylon portrayed as decent, but usually he's just more of a bad guy with a heart, not a blameless victim.
Without spoiling the story, I'll just say that the ending surprised me...

Two-Face's origin has been completely re-vamped.
Harvey & Jessica Dent are twins. Since their childhood, Harvey has always hated Bruce Wayne because of his family's ties with Arkham (Bruce's mother was an Arkham). He believes that insanity runs in Wayne's blood. The fact that Bruce and Jessica were something of an item when they were younger probably exacerbated his feelings. Flash forward to the present: Harvey is the District Attorney, and Jessica is now the mayor of Gotham City. When the Riddler starts mucking things up, she goes to her old friend Bruce for help in rebuilding the people's faith in the city. Harvey still doesn't like Bruce, but he defers to her wishes...
Spoilery shit goes very wrong.
And you see the beginnings of Two-Face start to emerge.
This was the best twist that I've seen in one of these Earth One titles, so far.



On a side note, Catwoman makes a cool cameo, but I don't want to spoil anything by telling where she shows up, or what she does.



Batman is still struggling to figure out how to be Batman, and he doesn't quite have all the cool moves down yet. But he's getting there.
And he's a hell of a lot better at it than he was in the first volume...



Alfred, Gordon, Bullock...they're all different from our guys, but I'm totally on board with the way they're being re-written. I really love that Bullock was the incorruptible cop when this started out!

If you're not open to What If stories, then cross this off your list, but if you usually like that sort of thing, I think you'll enjoy this one.
Also, I love this title, but I'm really hoping it doesn't take another 3 years for the next volume to come out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a digital copy to review.

Get this review and more at:

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy great sequel, Batman!


This is the second volume of the “Batman: Earth One” elseworlds comic book series.


Creative Team:

Writer: Geoff Johns

Illustrator: Gary Frank


FRIENDS, FOES OR BOTH?

Why the hell are you insisting on wearing that damn spandex anyway? You go out there without a gun against blokes with them – you should be wearing bloody body armor.

Do you know what body armor says about a guy? It says he needs body armor.

In case you aren’t familiarized with this title, this is a comic book about Batman, BUT set in a parallel dimension, different than the “current” DC Comics Batman titles. Here, Bruce Wayne is beginning his career as vigilante, where he was at first just interested in finding out the culprits for his parents’ murder, nothing else, but after a while, he realized how much Gotham City needed a dark knight to protect its citizens, not only from underworld criminals, but also corrupt city officials.

However, Bruce Wayne still is quite a rookie in the business of being “The Batman”, and he’s learning on the fly…

…realizing that he will need a better car, that he will need to learn about police crime scene procedures and developing detective skills,…

…but also, too many people is around him and his secret identity could be compromized in any moment.

In this second volume, Bruce Wayne’s personal war on crime is even fuller than in the previous one…

…The Riddler, Killer Croc, Harvey Dent, and other surprising chracters, have their own agendas…
…but don’t rush too soon about starting to throw batarangs…

…remember that this is Earth-One…

…and things don’t work out in the same way than the “original” Earth…

…therefore to distinguish a friend from a foe will demand risky leaps of faith…

…but the worse part?

Some characters can be both, friend and foe at the same time!!

Nothing more appropriate than the second volume to introduce such double jeopardies for the Caped Crusader!

[Will M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Gotham may have lost its king and queen, Bruce, but it could still have its prince."

It's been a while since I read Batman:Earth One, vol.1 and when I saw this featured in my local bookstore, I had to grab a copy. Vol.1 was amazing for me, and it also made my favorite-graphic-novels list. I'm glad that the second volume didn't disappoint, and that it was even better.

I normal hate retellings, but this reimagining of Batman was spot on. Nothing changed in terms of his attitude though, because he's still one arrogant little prick. I like dark characters, and Batman is always the number one dark character for me. Alfred on the other hand was a bit different from the usual. I liked the new Alfred, unlike my brother who told me that the original Alfred-the-butler was better. I liked both, but I didn't mind the change in attitude.

The artwork was amazing, just like the first volume. Vivid colors and the sketches were done remarkably. Not the best Batman costume, but it was good enough.

This is probably my favorite Batman story ever. I haven't read much, but this one is the best so far. The plot was consistent, and the villains were great. I used to watch Batman Forever a million times growing up. I loved The Riddler there, so it's no a shock that I was glad to read about Riddler. I'm quite disappointed that there wasn't much riddles, but I'm also elated that The Riddler was the main villain here.

I like how Johns kept portraying Batman as a symbol of hope for Gotham. Batman for me is beyond a guy in a costume. I also like how he made Batman a bit less intelligent than usual. Most of the other stuff I read/watched portrayed him as an omnipotent superhero. I don't see him like that, and I'm glad this reimagining changed that.

5/5 stars. One of my favorite graphic novels ever, and I can't wait for volume 3. Really hoping that it wouldn't take Geoff Johns a few years to finish it. As I said in one of my past reviews, Geoff Johns is my favorite graphic novel writer ever, and gladly he hasn't let me down so far.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was excellent. Mostly.

I liked this even better than the first volume. Batman is becoming more competent and has more tools at his disposal and friends in his corner. Gordon’s partner is becoming more and more disillusioned and there is a nice buddy dynamic developing between the two. We get some interesting flashbacks to Bruce’s childhood and learn about his relationship with the Dents. Alfred is as cool as in the first volume, which was great. And there’s also some nice banter, not only between Alfred and Bruce – others join in too. Sometimes it even becomes a bit meta. Everyone making fun of Batman’s spandex was funny.

And the main villain? Well, the Riddler was awesome in this. Until he wasn’t. For most of the book he was menacing and fun and super enjoyable to read about. But then the ending was just kinda lame. It’s unfortunate, because up until then I loved it.



Buddy read with The Streber for whom the Riddler is no match, apparently.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "real" world take on Batman. Geoff Johns has done it again. This series should be the basis of the next Batman trilogy. He's put on interesting twist on the Riddler and Two-Face. Gary Frank's art is phenomenal. I'm been a big fan of his since his early Marvel UK days.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Wayne is a new Batman who is making some mistakes but not when they count. This is a grittier take on Batman so the recurring characters are similar yet different.

Gorgeous artwork as well as paneling.

OVERALL GRADE: B plus to A minus

[Molly™☺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping from start to finish, Johns' run has really found its footing. The Riddler is the perfect villain to choose for this more grounded iteration of Gotham. With high stakes and unexpected twists and turns, this entry will keep you engaged with every turn of a page.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main DC universe is Earth-0, which is where most of DC’s comics take place - Earth-One is one of dozens of parallel universes within DC’s Multiverse where the characters you know and love are different. Earth-One’s Batman is much less accomplished than the regular Batman though this is an origin series so he’ll get there eventually!

Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Earth-One series is a bit like the classic Batman: Year One, as it focuses on the early days when Bruce Wayne decided to become Batman. We see him honing his skills (which are still very limited), developing his arsenal (he doesn’t even have the Batmobile), building up his list of contacts (Gordon doesn’t know what to make of him yet), and establishing himself as a force for good in Gotham City (Johns has the press doing the “is The Batman good or evil?” thing).

Following Mayor Cobblepot’s death in the first volume, Jessica Dent, District Attorney Harvey Dent’s twin sister (who only exists in the Earth-One universe), has stepped in as the new Mayor of Gotham. But a new threat has emerged - a man who kills with his riddles - and there’s talk of a killer crocodile-type creature lurking in the sewers. Incompetent Batman to the rescue!

How you read this book will depend on your experience with Batman. I’ve read more than my share of Batman over the years so a lot of this book didn’t interest me, but less experienced readers might enjoy this more as it takes things back to basics. It’s a fine contemporary Batman origin for new readers to jump onto.

The book suffers from following in the wake of Scott Snyder’s recent Batman: Zero Year story arc, the second half of which was an epic Riddler tale. Johns’ Riddler story in comparison is much less impressive because it’s so small scale and it’s the Riddler doing things we’ve seen him doing before - though I understand why it has to be this way as Batman isn’t nearly up to the task of taking out a major threat yet.

The other big problem is how uninspired the story is. Riddler putting up bombs around Gotham and sending out riddles - these are entry-level ideas for the character. A subway bombing - didn’t we just see that in Batman: Eternal? Not to mention the Chris Nolan flavour the script exudes. Also, I thought Earth-One was supposed to add some twists to the familiar characters yet the Riddler is essentially the same person he’s always been.

Because the main story is so thin, Johns pads it out with inconsequential subplots. Killer Croc is hiding out in the sewers because nobody understands him, Bullock’s drowning his sorrows because the job’s grinding down his idealism, Selina Kyle makes a cameo, and Bruce and Jessica talk about improving Gotham using Bruce’s resources.

A forced love story is finagled out of that last one (yup, Jessica’s another childhood sweetheart of Bruce’s!) but Jessica brings up a good point: Bruce’s billions could do much more for the city than his floundering as Batman ever could, especially given how ineffective he is (though he’s gotten better since the last book). Bruce literally seems to think chasing bad guys over rooftops and punching them is the be-all and end-all of Batman!

At one point he bumbles onto a crime scene, stomping over evidence and then tells Gordon that he’s the detective, not Batman. So we’re meant to believe that when Bruce decided to become Batman, he didn’t reckon that some detective skills might come in handy in capturing the crooks? He’s good at riddles except he comes off as very short-sighted and quite dim throughout - it’s blind luck he finds Riddler at the end, not because of his amateur sleuthing skills!

Alfred is by far the most changed character in Earth-One. Like Bruce, he’s become far stupider but he’s also incredibly impulsive and violent who, at one point, is actively encouraging Bruce to kill!

I do realise this is an alternate Gotham so it’s all meant to be different, and it is albeit in very slight ways; but I’d have hoped that the changes would make for, at the very least, an entertaining comic. The changes Johns has made don’t make for a better story but for quite a lacking Batman imitator that makes you wish you reading other Batman books instead.

I love Gary Frank’s artwork and there are several splash pages that are just awesome to look at, though they’re images we’ve seen before. A simple visual of Batman leaping off a building or Riddler’s ? burned onto the side of a building are amazing. Full credit to the supporting art team of Jon Sibal’s inks and Brad Anderson’s colours for bringing Frank’s pencils to vivid life.

If you’re a new Batman reader, you’ll probably get a lot more out of this than I did. For me, Earth-One is a weak origin that doesn’t do anything particularly special to recommend it and is a very ordinary Batman story to boot - my interest was gone for too many pages. For a better Batman origin AND a great Riddler story rolled up in one, check out Scott Snyder’s Zero Year; for the best Batman origin, it’s still Year One.

[فؤاد · Rating 4 out of 5]

بر خلاف دنباله هایی که اثر اصلی رو خراب میکنن، این کمیک تونست به خوبی شأن کمیک اصلی رو حفظ کنه و حتی گاهی ارتقا بده. این دو کمیک رو (بتمن زمین نخست، جلد اول و دوم) برای شروع خوندن بتمن توصیه میکنم، هر چند شاید بهتر باشه بگم توصیه نمیکنم، چون حدس میزنم غالب خواننده های این ریویو اهل کمیک نیستن.
داستان اصلی خیلی خوب نیست. این کلاً خصوصیت "ریدلر"ه که هر جا حضور پیدا کنه، داستان رو خراب میکنه. هیچ خصوصیت شخصیتی جذابی نداره و کمابیش میشه گفت هیچ شخصیتی نداره. نمیدونم چرا بر خلاف خیلی از ضدقهرمان های ضعیف دیگه که به مرور زمان حذف شدن، این بدون هیچ تغییری هنوز هست. مخصوصاً جف جونز که از همه چیز آشنایی زدایی میکنه، هیچ تغییری در ریدلر نداده و هنوز یه شخصیت کارتونی نگهش داشته.
ولی داستان های فرعی، جبران این نقیصه رو میکنن. مخصوصاً داستان هایی که در ادامه ی کمیک قبل هستن (مثل رابطه ی گوردون و بولاک، یا دوقلوهای دنت) بسیار بسیار لذت بخشن و اصلاً به خاطر همون ها (و همچنین نقاشی های خوب) کمیک ارزش خوندن داره.
و بهترین بخش کمیک (که هنوز طعم شیرین لذتش زیر زبونمه) غافلگیری ایه که جف جونز با آشنایی زدایی از "دوچهره" ایجاد میکنه و همه ی تصورهای قبلی خواننده رو به هم میزنه.

و داستان یه جوری تموم شد که فکر کنم باید منتظر جلد سوم هم باشیم، هر چند نه به این زودی زود.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Received from Netgalley for review.)

I had really, really liked the first volume of Batman: Earth One. This volume wasn't quite as big of a hit for me. This may be because I'm kind of bored by this version of Bruce, and I don't even really like this version of Alfred. So the leads do nothing for me. It may have also been because I just read a much better Riddler story (Snyder's Zero Year) which made this one seem relatively run of the mill. And Earth One should be anything but run of the mill, right?

That isn't to say that it's all bad, or that there aren't clever touches. It was interesting to see Croc as a basically benign character (sort of reminds me of Grundy in Robinson's Starman, and more comics should remind me of Starman). Sure, he's a character that often has shades of grey, pun not intended, but it's even more pointed here. Also, there are huge changes to Two Face's origin, and I'm honestly excited to see how that will play out.

I have to think that I might have gotten more out of this book if I had read it before Zero Year. That version of Riddler made this one look positively small time. Then again, I still don't really like this Bruce, so maybe I would have been underwhelmed in any event. But will I still read more Earth One? I actually think I will.

[Sandee is Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow.


Like I said on my review of Volume 1, the way Batman: Earth One's story seems different, but at the core, is very similar to the original Batman story we all know.


Batman always had a darker undertone to his stories, and it's one of the things that drawn me to this read more of him. I like humor, but I'm always fascinated with darker stories; this one is definitely more darker than any other Superhero comic books I've read so far.


The Riddler made an appearance in this volume, and I have to say, I really liked him. He was menacing as the villain, but his motivations were unclear, at least for me. I know what he wants, but the question I ended up asking myself was "why?". Then there's also the case of "how" he managed to have gathered all those information that he has and how did he do the things he did.


I actually like Volume 2 more than the first one, because of the villain and you know the gravity of situation should Batman fail to stop the Riddler.


I think there's only two volumes for this series, which sucks in my opinion, and I definitely want more! I want to see more of this vulnerable Batman. I liked how he actually care about someone, while on others I've read, he only cares about putting criminals in jail. Again, this is all basing on what I've read and watched from the movies, so don't judge me right away for not knowing my Batman shit, because I would just definitely agree with you, I really don't know much about Batman - but I am trying to.


Final words on this is that, I really do like this and I hope there's more. Geoff Johns, I'll be stalking you, and that goes for you too, Gary Frank.


If you guys know other good Batman stuff I should read, please comment them down below

[RG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this retelling of Batman. The ridler is at the centre of the story and is a pretty cool villain. The art is perfect just like Vol 1. I hope Vol 3 comes out soon.

[Marcos GM · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ESP/ENG]

¿Eres un loco enmascarado que busca legitimarse de algún modo? ¿O un justiciero altruista dispuesto a asumir la carga de proteger Gotham después de verla enfangada en corrupción? ¿Eres ambas cosas? ¿Ninguna?

Siguiendo con este universo donde quedó el anterior volumen 1, este Batman ha conseguido cambiar un poco las cosas en la ciudad de Gotham, aunque no está ni mucho menos cerca de haber arreglado la situación. En este volumen 2 habrá nuevas tramas, algunas políticas con lo que será la aparición de Bruce Wayne en sociedad y lo que él puede hacer por la ciudad, otras criminales (en Gotham siempre hay de esto) y la parte más importante es la aparición de Enigma, en un juego macabro contra Batman. O quizá sea otra cosa. Tampoco diré más sobre esto, al fin y al cabo la gracia es descubrirlo leyendo el cómic. Solo diré que los cambios que hay aquí me funcionan bastante bien, aunque tengo mis más y mis menos con cierto personaje gatuno que por lo que he podido ver en siguientes números, no me gusta del todo su nuevo aspecto.

En cuanto al arte, es totalmente continuista con lo anterior. Gary Frank está muy bien, y va haciendo nuevos trajes de Batman según los va necesitando el personaje. La pega más grande que puedo tener es el diseño final del traje, no me termina de entrar bien por el ojo, me gusta más cualquiera de los otros. Para comparativa, imagen aquí:



El final es prometedor con lo que está por venir, a ver si puedo leerlo a no mucho tardar.


🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇


Now are you a madman wearing a mask parading about for validation of some kind? Or are you a selfless vigilante taking on the burden of protecting Gotham after watching it wallow in its corruption and dirt? Are you both? Neither?

Continuing with this universe where the previous Volume 1 left off, this Batman has managed to shake things up a bit in Gotham City, although he's nowhere near fixing the situation. In this second volume, there will be new plots, some political, with Bruce Wayne's emergence into society and what he can do for the city; others criminal (there's always that in Gotham), and the most important part is the appearance of the Riddler, in a macabre game against Batman. Or maybe it's something else. I won't say more about this either; after all, the fun is finding out by reading the comic. I'll just say that the changes here work pretty well for me, although I have my differences with a certain cat character whose new look, from what I've seen in subsequent issues, I don't entirely like.

As for the art, it's completely consistent with the previous one. Gary Frank is very good, and he creates new Batman suits as the character needs them. The biggest gripe I have is the final design of the suit; it doesn't quite catch my eye; I like any of the others better. For comparison, see image here:



The ending is promising for what's to come. I'll see if I can read it soon.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK I've waited for a long while to get this...NetGalley hosed me, and said no. So then the library waiting list beckoned...and thankfully, there's no crusty boogers or Catwoman pages stuck together...

This follows up on the very enjoyable ...mmmumbling geoff johns grumbly begrudging admission of decent book written...Earth One Vol. 1.

Anne has a good review up which I find myself strongly agreeing with.

Bruce here, like in the Snyder Zero/Dark Year books, has Bats in the early days getting used to things and developing.

Lots of differences here, biggest of which? Alfred isn't the voice of reason, but the voice of violence. He's no slouch, and check out what he did at the end of the last volume...!

Other major change? Harvey Dent is a twin! and hates Bruce Wayne, who was in love with his other half, Jessica!

Bruce is also descended from the Arkhams on his mother's side, not the Kanes! So that explains a bit of the crazy.

Killer Croc has been used to the very best possible way I can imagine here, and Bruce is still human enough in the early days to approach it in a better way.

Lucius Fox has a team of tech dudes making crazy shit for Bats (we see the BMW like car not be good enough, hence the need for a Batmoblie).

Bullock is a full blown alcoholic here, but Gordon is as true a partner as he could hope for. We also see the start of Gordon and Bats trusting each other, even against Alfred's wishes. Bats is even a horrible detective here, ruining evidence as Gordon rolls his eyes...

Harvey is a dickhead here, but still fighting corruption...and Sal Maroni is a target....

The major baddie? Riddler, but this time, far more lethal. For a moment, I thought his ruthlessness was going to push Bats over the edge.

I could go into more, but I won't Suffice to say, Papa Johns crust isn't the only good thing going on here! I'm happy the way it's gone, it's believable and I love the world building. I hope this series continues.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second volume in Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Batman: Earth One graphic novel series is just as great as the first. It's grounded and cinematic, taking the inspired reboot they introduced in the first volume and expanding even more on the world. The book further explores the character of James Gordon, and his relationship with both Gotham's new Dark Knight as well as his partner Bullock, and a fascinating new look at Harvey Dent/Two-Face. And of course we get more of a look at Bruce Wayne and his further exploits wearing a bat costume and fighting crime. I love to see that he's still even more wet behind the ears than we've ever seen him in any origin story; he's not the most skilled fighter yet, he's not even a very good detective yet, and he's constantly fucking up.

But we know that it's his determination that makes him the hero we all know him to be. Sadly, I'm not a big fan of the way they portrayed the Riddler here. The thing that makes The Riddler interesting is that he's a villain that plays fair, but this one is just a greedy asshole. But, keep an eye out for some awesome little cameos, hinting at things to come!

[Jesse A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent volume of this series by Geoff Johns. Takes everything we know about Batman and tweaks it just enough to make it new and exciting. Outstanding book.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Shut up, man. Don't say his name. They say he'll show up if you say his name . . . the Batman's real!" -- scared, nameless rooftop thug in the opening scene

The tweaking / updating / alternate universe (take your pick) of the legendary crime-fighter's origin continues in Volume 2. This time the Riddler - presented here as having almost Joker-like disturbing levels of homicidal mania - is terrorizing what at first appears to be random folks in Gotham City. Our rookie Dark Knight - who is still lacking the standard Batmobile, Batcave, etc. - jumps into action while also getting tangled in Dent family drama (Harvey, presented here as an antagonist, has a kind sister considering a mayoral run) and encountering the mysterious sewer-dwelling Killer Croc.

One aspect I didn't much care for the was the portrayal of Alfred. While I understand he was supposed to be completely different in terms of temperament it was often just too abrasive for me.

Lastly, there were some twisty plot maneuvers (including a 'reveal' of featured character's actual identity on the last page which made me smile) that were worthy of a screenplay by Rod Serling.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series!

[Sud666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vol 2 of Earth One was just as good as Volume 1.

Earth One is an alternative universe, similar to the "normal" DC setting but with some differences. Vol 2 takes place 6 months after the events of volume one. The Riddler has come to Gotham and a still "new at this stuff" Batman is on the hunt. Bear in mind this is not the experienced Batman of later times. This Batman is not a very good detective and still doesn't have a lot of the toys from the Batmobile to even the Batcave.

Along with the Riddler, we are introduced to Harvey Dent who is an asshole DA and his sister who is mayor. I shan't spoil it but while at the end of this story, you will still see the "birth" of Two-Face it isn't the way it is in the normal universe.

This issue also did a very interesting job with the characters of Gordon, Bullock and Croc. Perhaps my only complaint, more of a quibble really, is Alfred. I find this garrulous and hard-nosed version to be a bit off putting. Still, it is a very small thing in the scope of what is an exellent story.

Geoff Johns' Batman Earth One is damn good. A different take on the story. The artwork is also very good. The final villian introduced at the end was also pretty well done..but no spoilers. If you are a Batman fan you will like this alternative universe. Time for me to hunt down Vol 3.

[Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johns has done it again. While Bats has evolved from inept, he is amateur at best while battling the Riddler and seeking answers to Mayor Jessica Dent's citywide corruption conspiracy. I must say I am so impressed with the retelling of these characters, particularly the tragic humanity of Killer Croc and the magical realism twist of Two-Face. (Believe me, it's not what you would expect.) The Riddler character seemed to fall a little flat for me, especially compared to Snyder's Zero Year, but his plot largely served as a means for Bats to grow stronger and braver and smarter, especially to realize the almost Jokeresque nihilism of the Riddler. Overall I was highly impressed and enjoyed seeing a brightness between Bruce and Alfred that is scarcely found elsewhere. The mysteries continue...I hope.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This... was.... AWESOME!!!!! So I was not the biggest fan of vol 1, but this volume is so good! I think my main issue was batman constantly being beat up up thugs, but this volume he beats up everyone so its cool! So this takes place 6 months after Vol 1(even though with us its been 3 years lol) and batman is continuing his war on crime! This volume for villains we have Killer Croc and The Riddler. Riddler is a psychopath, Croc on the other hand was quite well done! This volume also plants the seeds for the villains for the next volume! Overall this was amazing, much better then the first volume, and i can't wait for the next volume!

[Campo Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I really like this whole Earth One deal it's a really fresh look at characters we thought we knew. So far I have not been disappointed yet, good job DC 6 for 6.

Ok so review time, my expectations are always automatically raised when I see the name Geoff Johns on the cover and he did not disappoint. I love the way they try to force the realism of this story down your throat, and I don't mean that sarcastically I being for realsie. This book makes me feel like batman is so human and makes me worry for his well being, I really feel like he can die. I like the whole struggling with the Bruce Wayne side of things. I love how psycho they made the Riddler come off and i like the Catwoman hint / cameo. As far as the whole new Two face origin.. I guess im pretty cool with it, i can see where they are trying to go with it. Another plus was that the art in this book is friggin amazeballs it has a really realistic feel that goes well with the tone of the book, also the writing in this book is very good, as I expected it to be. This book is a solid four out of five.
why not a five you ask ?....
Simple
The Batman on Earth One Comes off very stupid/rookie at times when asking for advice or for Jim Gordon to teach him forensics. ???? . You're the god damn Batman are you kidding? And jeez Harvey Dent is an annoying little dick I really wanted Bruce to just hit him. bad. lol.
SPOILER ALERT. Why the hell does he become friends with Killer Croc (Killer??? I think not) I just don't understand that whole part, also why and how does everyone seem to know he's batman? lol. maybe he should listen to Alfred more often.

Anywho Read this book, if you like batman it's a must. can't see you being disappointed

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, let's get a few of these out of the way:





My point being that when I quickly realized that The Riddler was going to be this volume's Big Bad I had some serious misgivings based on where they have gone with the character in the past.

So imagine my delight when I discovered that Johns has put together the single best Riddler story I've ever read, with a solid guest star from good ole Killer Croc.



I won't give away too much, but the volume carries on in its "What if Batman were real?" vein of only-somewhat-heightened-reality. The Bat deepens his relationship with Detective Gordon, at one point pretty miuch straight up asking him to teach him how to examine a crime-scene, which I found a very refreshing departure from the character's usual omniscience showing poor Jim up at his own job with gadgets and whatnot.

Also, it ends of a "reveal" that you'll probably see a mile coming due to the art style employed, but still one that holds a lot of promise for vol 3.

Will The Joker show up in the final volume? Part of me hopes not, as some of the second-tier Bat-Villains are getting a great run out here, and obviously the "Two_Face" plotline still has some legs in it as well...

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a great volume and continues the story of Riddler coming to town and doing his villainous activities and murder, we find the secret history of Gotham, the five families and how they are connected and have Batman go against him and see how truly dangerous he is and some more stuff. There is an interesting story with Killer Croc too and Johns makes him a relatable character or redeeming somewhat and especially towards the end when the climax happens and when everyone is trapped, its Batman vs Riddler in a game of riddle and chase and who will win? It also sets up future characters like Two-face and Catwoman but another good statement piece for Gordon and Bullock.

I like how Johns is able to tell this story of not just Batman but others around him and enrich this Gotham he is creating and the tension of the mad city it is. The art is so good and Gary gets better actually and then the whole revelation in the end just wow! Good stuff!

[Eddie B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good sequel to another very good Batman origin story.
We've seen Mayor Oswald Cobblepot in volume 1. We've seen a vicious Riddler in volume 2. We're going to see Selina Kyle in volume three. But she can't - or ca't! - be the main villain. I couldn't help but notice a graffiti on the subway train. A "Jack Nap..."???

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume features the Riddler as the main villain with some interesting takes on Killer Croc and Two Face. As always, grumpy Alfred is a lot of fun to read as well. Without giving any spoilers, let's just say that the Bat family is starting to look very different from what we usually expect. Well worth a read.

[K | aworldinpages · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this even more, possibly due to all the riddles!

[Blindzider · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd Read Review:
Volume 3 has just been released and I'm going through the entire series again.
I stand by my original review. This volume is more about developing Bruce's brain. In Volume 1 he's just a blunt instrument of vengeance, but in Vol 2 he realizes he has to be more. He's already decided he's going to be Batman, but on this Earth, this is the moment where both the World's Greatest Detective is born and the philanthropist Bruce Wayne.

There's something really unique about this version of Two-Face, putting it truly on the horror side. I really like it and it adds a layer of difficulty for Bruce. The moment it happens is a little bit more realistic than the original origin. One thing I don't like about Johns changing Two-Face to a woman: It just leads right to the thought of "she's a Two-Face B*&@#!" In this case I guess she is but the world doesn't need more misogynists.

As stated before, the Riddler is a bigger threat. I also really like the tattoo on his face.

Another Bat villain is introduced, but down-playing their villainy. The third "villain" is also introduced via a surprise/trick revealed at the end of the book.

Artistically, Frank's art is phenomenal. The opening pages are basically the same as in Vol. 1, with Batman chasing down a criminal. In Vol. 1 he makes mistakes, but in Vol. 2 he doesn't. Visually, you can see he's improved and added more skills to his arsenal. Expertly done.

Original Review:
I have to admit I really did enjoy this. It continues the modern take on the origin of Batman, still set firmly in "Year One" territory without referencing the original. I tried to accept this version as a different take much the same way a movie or TV show would change things slightly.

The biggest changes are the villains, their motivations, and their relationship with Bruce/Batman. Many times when a beloved story is changed, the changes are too obvious, just making things the opposite just to be different. Here, there's motivation for the changes, making for more twists and different dynamics.

In this volume, the Riddler is much more malevolent than he is typically portrayed and the origin of Two-Face is much, much more complicated for Bruce, yet at the same time still the same. You see two other classics from the rogues gallery but I'll leave those for when you read it.

Once again, Gary Frank's art really shines, if possible it actually seemed better than the first volume. Now that I've overcome my reaction to retelling Year One, I'll probably go back and reread Vol 1 of this series and give it another chance.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one a while ago, so I was a bit rusty. After reading over the synopsis on Wikipedia, I realized how much happened in this book. I think this will appeal to readers who like the Batman (and even Suicide Squad) movies and the tv show Gotham. It shows Bruce earlier on in his crime fighting career where he makes more mistakes and forms some critical alliances. Like Gotham it shows the city at its worst and how it seems to draw corruption like a bee to a flower.

This volume is full of characters who are integral to the Batman universe and in some cool cameos. Readers who love Batman will appreciate picking out those characters. Bullock is very different from how he's presented in other Batman stories. He's young and fit, although an alcoholic. I liked that this story explores Gordon's relationship with Bullock. It might take some liberties with storylines, but since it's Earth One, that's fine.

I was glad my library had this book. It's a nice way to go back and time and to see Batman start his crime-fighting career, as he becomes the hero I know and love.

[Marquise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars for a decent Batman story, with artwork that was really good.

The novel did make me feel that none of the main characters were quite like those I knew and was used to from canon; and at first I was afraid that the author would twist the "official" version of the murder of Bruce’s parents to be like in the Tim Burton film, but fortunately he didn’t, and the resolution to the mystery of the Waynes' death was mostly satisfying, with a few quibbles.

Oh, this also presented the funniest version of how Bruce met Selina Kyle! I still laugh at recalling that scene and, I suspect, will still be laughing at it for a long time to come.