EARTH 2 #30

[ LET'S GO SHOPPING ] 

January is Flash-month at DC Comics. And like all good flashers, Mike Johnson, Andy Smith, and Ken Lashley decided to honour this event by running around the streets of Baghdad butt naked, whilst humming the theme tune to the Britney Spears classic, 'Hit Me Baby One More Time'. So go on. Join in. And show the world of Britney how to act like a right nut.

To QUOTE Elvis Presley: 'Whatever I will become will be what God has chosen for me'.

THE STORY:

Quite some time ago Alan Scott was chosen by a member of The Earths Parliament, with the intent of representing these elemental's in an up and coming world disaster. However, roughly around the same time the other members of this eco-bound group chose there representative's too.

The white contingent chose Alan's lover Sam to be his champion. The blue contingent chose Azathoth the sea monster to be his champion. Whilst the red contingent chose someone out of the Montez family to be his champion!

No. Not Alex Montez. Yolanda Montez. The feisty one. Who I'm sure can prove her worth with the rest of them. Fingers crossed.

A beginning.  

THE GOOD:

Even though this installment of Earth 2 initially reminded me of issue 28, mainly because they're both origin stories pertaining to four members of the same group, overall I thought this was a marked improvement of what came before.

The artwork was much more cleaner looking and better defined on the page. The basic story-line also gave off a very personal and spiritual vibe. And to top it all off, I did enjoy the idea behind it too. You know. The idea behind four people being chosen by The Earths Parliament to represent them in the future!

OK. So what that particular future means in real terms hasn't been divulged yet. Although I do have a sneaking suspicion we'll get to find out sooner or later. As let's face it. This series is going to end in a couple of months, eh?

Now out of the four stories I got the biggest kick out of reading two of them. Those two being the Sam origin story: because it would be intriguing to find out what happens when he and Alan finally come face to face. As well as the Yolanda Montez origin story: because many years ago she was once the hero called 'Wildcat'. No. It was after the original Ted Grant version.

And as for everything else, yeah, they were fine I suppose. Just fine. Nothing outstanding, mind you. And that's why...

THE BAD:

... I felt this story was a bit naff as well.

You see, once the basic idea behind this tale kicked in, and each of the sub-stories were then told, what next, eh? Ka-put! To be continued. Fingers crossed and hope for the best. Yadda-yadda-yadda. Almost as if the guidelines for writing this tale were, 'Fill in the space until next month, chaps! Preferably with something that will help us end this run'.

THE MUSIC:

I personally felt that the very heart of this story was about people joining together and making the world a better place. You know. For you and for me. For yoouuu and for meeee. For you and for meeeeeeeeeeeee. Take it away Mickey Jay....

THE COMPARISON:

Have you ever noticed how the 1946 Frank Capra film-classic, 'It's A Wonderful Life', is basically a revitalized adaptation of the 1843 Charles Dickens novel, 'A Christmas Carol'? Well, on a conceptual level they both tick a lot of boxes where their respective narratives are concerned. And essentially they relay a fairly moralistic tale of a man changing his outlook on life when a 'spirit guide' show's him an alternate past, present, and future.

And so, that is why I'm comparing this comic to 'It's A Wonderful Life', because at it's core it's an alternate version of the 'Multi-colored Lantern' origin story seen on Earth New.

THE CONCLUSION:

At the very end of this adventure one of those funny-faced elemental's says something fairly profound for the sake of closure. So just for fun -- ish -- can you guess what he / she / it / thing says out of the following eight options?

1. Excuse me. But can I go to the bathroom now, please?
2. 'The Game Of Life' is coming soon to an Iphone or Android device near you.
3. Who farted? As I can smell eggs!
4. Pick me. Pick me. I'm a stubborn plonka too.
5. May your champion prove worthy of the task before them.
6. I'm stupid. I'm ugly. I'm dumb. And I smell. Did I mention I'm stupid?
7. Look at it. Nobody is going to want to touch it now.
8. Suck my potatoes.

Nuff said.