DC Comics has announced that beginning in 2010, the company will release a series of graphic novels that are a new continuity on a new Earth.
Starting next year, DC Comics will unveil SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE and BATMAN: EARTH ONE, two graphic novels spotlighting the most powerful heroes of the DC Universe, with their first years and earliest moments retold in a standalone, original graphic novel format, on a new earth with an all-new continuity.
That means we do get to see J. Michael Straczynski and artist Shane Davis retell Superman’s origin story and the life of Clark Kent in Smallville. We’ll also get to see Geoff Johns and Gary Frank take on Batman’s origin in Batman: Earth One.
In a statement on The Source, Straczynski said, “What I’m trying to do is to dig in to the character and look at him through modern eyes. If you were to create the Superman story today, for the first time, but keep intact all that works, what would it look like?â€
“It is monumental for us as comic readers to see Superman birthed for the first time,†Davis said. “It’s a privilege to realize that you’re the artist that gets to draw it, better yet having the luxury to do it in an original graphic novel. This is going to be epic!â€
So it looks like the multiverse has some positives in that we get to see Batman from First Wave, Batman from DCU proper, and now Batman from Earth One.
25 Comments
More origin stories!?! Is this the comic book version of Hollywood’s fixation with remaking old (and not so old) movies?
as much as i’m tired of reading origin stories, batman and superman stories, JMS is writing one, i’ll get them for sure.
DC’s Ultimate line. *yawn*
I’d say less Ultimates, more Mythos.
Well here’s hoping that this version wont be as much of a dysfunctional jerkoff a the Ultimates or All-Star Batman.
Straight-to-graphic novel new continuity?
I think this is a splendid idea, moreso if they’re done in a more book-like format (higher page count and sized more like novels than comics) – which may happen eventually in a re-release anyway. I think that the format could free up the creators to make something that reads better than a trade of individual issues.
I also like that Batman costume, which captures the general look of the movie Batman costumes while remaining four-color friendly.
At this point I will read anything DC which isn’t bathed in obscure and or uninteresting continuity.
I’m in the same boat. I’d be more likely to pick these books up rather than try and start getting any of the major DC titles, major event mini or tie-ins to the latest major event mini.
Is Superman: Secret Origin going to be finished before this comes out? While it seems out of continuity, it seems pretty redundant to do another freaking origin tale!
Although the creative teams look super nice.
I don’t have any doubts this is going to be great and all, but I personally am tired of the origin story, or the year one story. I know the story, I know the origins, I don’t need to read another interpretation of the origin.
I hope this launches a whole new comic line honestly. I think the mainstream DC universe is kind of stale. I’d love to see DC’s Ultimate universe. I’d love it even more if they promised to conclude the story after about 4 or 5 years as well.
Can we get a Legion of Superheroes graphic novel out of this? Between the hero histories and super future friends podcast, I have returned to the Legion.
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2009/comics/column09/johns5.JPG Holy shit Alfred!
I’m getting a Sam Elliot sort of vibe. Just me?
No, not just you. That Alfred is DEFINITELY inspired on some level by Elliot.
I see a buffed Malcom McDowell here.
I love, Love, LOVE this costume! The pants look so much better than the trunks-over-tights design. I noticed this improvement with the new Legion uniforms–glad to see it works in the 21st century as well.
Can we get Gary Franks to update the entire DCU costume department?
Hey, it’s DC’s version of Ultimate Marvel. Sounds good, let’s hope they can up with original stories and not just retelling with a twist.
Looking forward for this, JMS has been wanting to write Superman for a while now.
Johns on Batman? Hopefully its gonna be the shit! Anyways, Hope that these things won’t be another “All-Star” (Not that I’d mind another All-Star Superman, but I could do without Miller’s God-Damn Batman)So…this is the Superman Straczynski would do…Supes:Origins is already there so what’s the point for a paralleled one? Well it’s Straczynski so it can be good. [img]http://i45.tinypic.com/oiszky.jpg[/img]Furthermore…Batman: Earth One comes from scribe Geoff Johns! Now that’s something that I’m looking forward to. Hey, he’ll make a Bad@ss Alfred!Is it me, or has Alfred morphed into Kremlin from Ex Machina?
I’m confused… Earth One? What earth is normal continuity set on?
Why didn’t they just revamp the All-Star line or come up with a new name. Cos Earth One just makes me think of standard continuity… and neither Batman or Superman look particularly different from the standard versions….
I’m confused… Earth One? What earth is normal continuity set on?
Why didn’t they just revamp the All-Star line or come up with a new name. Cos Earth One just makes me think of standard continuity… and neither Batman or Superman look particularly different from the standard versions….
The name in use since about Final Crisis has been “New Earth,” I believe. Not everybody works with it as well. Add in the complications of the Grant Morrison graphic novel “Earth 2,” featuring the characters from Earth-3, and we have the makings of an episode of Perfect Strangers.
Normal continuity is called New Earth.
Which I think is a rather clever way of doing it…leaving “Earth One” open so that the comics in that universe can sound important and self-sufficient instead of the knockoff-ishness inherent in calling it “Earth Two” or similar.
I will be intrigued to see how they streamline the universe for this – the DC Universe really could use some streamlining, considering the legions of characters added every time DC bought out a competitor’s heroes.
I will be intrigued to see how they streamline the universe for this – the DC Universe really could use some streamlining, considering the legions of characters added every time DC bought out a competitor’s heroes.
This notice makes me simultaneously interested and saddened. “Streamlining continuity” always seems to work out to mean “pushing what we know.” My sad expectation is that this series will feature revampings of the original JLA (minus J’onn Jonzz, whom nobody wants to bother to write, it seems) with all-new all-different badass characters to fill out a universe.
Y’know how you make another Batman? You work with something different, you put care into it, and you actually write something that’s NOT BATMAN. Hell, even Wolverine was once just a genetically-engineered wolverine once.
Screw this…work on making what you have relevant. Don’t go on another damn tangent. Sigh…
All I have to contribute on this matter is: meh.
I agree with all those saying “enough with the origin retells, already”, as well as the comment posted by Dave…. Though to go on a little tangent, I enjoyed the “Tangent” comics because those were new versions of old names… THAT’s what I want out of my “reinterpreted heroes”. Gimme a Flash made of light instead of a Flash who can run fast — THAT kind of thing. Don’t just make it so now the guy who shot the Waynes was a terrorist carrying a semi-automatic, instead of a gangster with a pistol.
Amen to that, brother. I love Batman… but damn!