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Earth 2: World’s End #6 Starts to Get Its Act Together

Earth 2: World’s End #6 Starts to Get Its Act Together

Cover

Earth 2: World’s End #6

Written by Daniel H. Wilson, Marguerite Bennett, & Mike Johnson

Art by Jorge Jimenez, Tyler Kirkham & Joe Weems, Eddy Barrows & Eber Ferreira, Jan Duursema & Drew Geraci, Eduardo Pansica & Walden Wong, with Jaime Mendoza

Published by DC Comics

Another week means another issue of World’s End. While there is once again a block paragraph that makes up the writers’ credits, this is the first time World’s End shows the potential promised with issue one.

The numerous plotlines are much more balanced this time around, giving each character the proper amount of attention without taking up too many panels, the one exception being Queen Marella. The four Furies are stopped, at least for now, when Doctor Fate defeats Famine but senses that Jimmy Olsen is about to achieve a great power and abandons Hawkgirl and Flash, Marella makes a deal with some sleeping Lovecraftian monsters to exact vengeance for Atlantis, Green Lantern and Solomon Grundy begin the search for Avatars of the Earth in China, the Superman and Batman families search for Huntress, and Barbara Grayson begins her own police force.

The art this week is a great improvement. It’s difficult to tell if this is due to Drew Geraci and Walden Wong coming onboard or simply focusing time on plotlines that feature better artists. The worst is by far the opening pages in London with the Flash, Hawkgirl, and Doctor Fate. It’s a really painful style that’s difficult to look at. All the characters are like stretch dolls left out in the sun too long. That alongside really cartoonish expressions on Flash and Hawkgirl and the near absence of backgrounds makes this the worst art on the book. Thankfully it’s over within three pages. The art for the rest of the book is serviceable at least (save for the Barbara Grayson section) and is a nice change.

While World’s End continues to suffer from art problems, it starts making up for it in the writing. There are tidbits thrown in throughout that make this issue the best since #1. The best moment is the appearance of Earth 2’s Ted Grant, a.k.a. Wildcat. His design is great and he makes up for a lot of the otherwise pointless pages spent with the Graysons. Here’s hoping he gets to be a bigger player. The other big saving grace goes into spoiler territory with the resurrection of a long dead character from early in James Robinson’s run Earth 2. It’s nice to have this character back given the unfortunate context of his death. The last small highlight is of Thomas Wayne dealing with his addiction to the strength enhancer, Miraclo. Granted, he shows signs of addiction he hasn’t before, but Batman being pathetic is always fun.

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There’s no way to tell if World’s End is really getting its act together and being a proper sequel to Earth 2. However this issue was a great improvement. With more issues like this, World’s End could easily overcome its not so wonderful first weeks.

[wpchatai]