the watcher
Well-Known Member
Yep, that pretty much sums up what I thought.
Earth One
- Thread starter ProjectX2
- Start date
Yep, that pretty much sums up what I thought.
moonmaster
Without him, all of you would be lost souls roamin
I really can't get enthused about this.
I mean, if it were three or four years ago this would have been a dream come true but as of 2009 this is remarkably unappealing. For one thing, what happened to the Ultimate Universe might have ruined that approach for me, but I think it goes beyond that. It's been almost ten years since Marvel created the Ultimate line. As in a decade. There's something about the idea of reimagining characters and giving them snazzy new costumes with lots of new seams and pouches that just feels terribly outdated. There was a time when this kind of thing would have been very exciting but it feels like DC slept on doing their answer to the Ultimate line for way too long and now it's just kind of pointless. I've already seen some kind of 'Ultimate Superman' conceptualized a dozen times and Christopher Nolan has basically given us two excellent films of 'Ultimate Batman'. In fact, it's pretty much inevitable that Earth One Batman will just feel like the comic adaptation of the movies.
When I think of what's fresh and interesting in superhero comics in the last couple of years what I think of isn't the 'Ultimate' approach, it's actually sort of the opposite: Grant Morrison's work on Batman and All-Star Superman, Rucka and JHWIII's Detective Comics. Stuff that plays more off of the colorful, kinetic nature of superhero comics instead of clumsily trying to make them believable and 'gritty'. Earth One just doesn't look as interesting.
I mean, if it were three or four years ago this would have been a dream come true but as of 2009 this is remarkably unappealing. For one thing, what happened to the Ultimate Universe might have ruined that approach for me, but I think it goes beyond that. It's been almost ten years since Marvel created the Ultimate line. As in a decade. There's something about the idea of reimagining characters and giving them snazzy new costumes with lots of new seams and pouches that just feels terribly outdated. There was a time when this kind of thing would have been very exciting but it feels like DC slept on doing their answer to the Ultimate line for way too long and now it's just kind of pointless. I've already seen some kind of 'Ultimate Superman' conceptualized a dozen times and Christopher Nolan has basically given us two excellent films of 'Ultimate Batman'. In fact, it's pretty much inevitable that Earth One Batman will just feel like the comic adaptation of the movies.
When I think of what's fresh and interesting in superhero comics in the last couple of years what I think of isn't the 'Ultimate' approach, it's actually sort of the opposite: Grant Morrison's work on Batman and All-Star Superman, Rucka and JHWIII's Detective Comics. Stuff that plays more off of the colorful, kinetic nature of superhero comics instead of clumsily trying to make them believable and 'gritty'. Earth One just doesn't look as interesting.
Very much so, and I love that they are going with the OGN format. Don't force a monthly if you don't have the goods to deliver one.
I saw one place say that this seems to be more in line with what they wanted to do with the All Star line than what they actually did. Which is cool. And I also like that they have the framework of an "Earth One" in place, unlike the Ultimate Universe which really has no tie-in to the mainstream MU.
I don't think it's fair to be too apprehensive about this based on the shortcomings of the Ultimate line. Marvel did a horrible job of plotting out the universe and making the books make sense in context with one another, and I don't think it's fair to assume DC will do the same.
Zombipanda
My Boom-Boom's mostly gay
I am so in lust with you right now.
Really? I think the All-Star line as it was is far more interesting than this. Leading to the point...
E said:
I think his point is, how many "iconic" stories do we need? We've seen the origins of Batman and Superman in about every medium imaginable. While it will be an interesting venue for new readers outside comic book circles, I just can't find myself being interested. I agree with moonmaster. The best books have been the ones that take the long and twisted histories of the characters and play with that. I think Batman and Superman are more interesting characters fully formed, and their origins are mostly interesting in the context of how it reflects back on these whole cloth guys in the middle of their careers.
The other thing is, it sounds like this will be more grounded. I think the strength of the DC characters is they aren't grounded. They have this weird, topsy-turvy universe that dips and weaves between superheroes, horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. DC is interesting because of the baggage, not despite it.
SSJmole
Face-Punching As Foreign Policy
two a year? is that 2 superman and 2 batman or 1 of each? Also thank you.
McCheese
Well-Known Member
I think it was two each and you're welcome.
SSJmole
Face-Punching As Foreign Policy
Ah cool 2 a years not too bad. It gives us a comic , then 4 months to nitpick , ***** and complain (this site does enjoy that) 2 months of speculation and hype, Comic. It's the ideal way
But seriously I prefer that in some ways. Ultimate spider-man i stopped buying at one point as buying every tpb I got behind so much I couldn't be bothered to catch up. This time i gut behind it'll be easier to catch up and keep intrest.
Something tells me that (at least, in the case of Superman) these won't be origin stories. They'll reboot stuff, certainly, but I have a hard time seeing Jor-El arguing with the science council, on Krypton. My guess is that there'll be a similar approach to Morrison's idea of just having two panels for the origin ("Doomed scientists," "Kindly Couple,") and then jumping straight into the action.
Batman's origin has only been properly told a couple of times in most media. It's never been directly shown in animation, despite what people think and it's been twenty years since it's been shown with any gravitas in comics. There's no reason why they couldn't make an epic out of that.
EDIT: "Return to Smallville and experience the journey of Earth's greatest adopted son, as he grows from boy to Superman in SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE by J. Michael Straczynski and artist Shane Davis."
I am wrong.
The Batman design is really growing on me, although I wish it was a lot darker. The yellow symbol works well for the design. I also wish Bruce looked different to his mainstream counterpart. Maybe give him dark brown hair and different coloured eyes, instead of making him just look like Superman in a bad mood.
Batman's origin has only been properly told a couple of times in most media. It's never been directly shown in animation, despite what people think and it's been twenty years since it's been shown with any gravitas in comics. There's no reason why they couldn't make an epic out of that.
EDIT: "Return to Smallville and experience the journey of Earth's greatest adopted son, as he grows from boy to Superman in SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE by J. Michael Straczynski and artist Shane Davis."
I am wrong.
The Batman design is really growing on me, although I wish it was a lot darker. The yellow symbol works well for the design. I also wish Bruce looked different to his mainstream counterpart. Maybe give him dark brown hair and different coloured eyes, instead of making him just look like Superman in a bad mood.
SSJmole
Face-Punching As Foreign Policy
I just thought of something. If if this is llike Ultimate universe in that it is a restart of sorts. Will both groups come together after a few for Earth One's finest?
I ask as if it's done right seeing the two meet for the first time again and seeing their differences could be great as well as hopefully create some funny moments. Of course they not do an Earth One's finest but it's nice to think about.
I ask as if it's done right seeing the two meet for the first time again and seeing their differences could be great as well as hopefully create some funny moments. Of course they not do an Earth One's finest but it's nice to think about.
But there haven't even been any news of what the stories will be, much less any stories released...
Who cares as long as they are good?
Captain Canuck
The poster formerly known as captaincanuck65
Question: Isn't the regular DCU Earth 1?
Or am I missing something?
Or am I missing something?
ProjectX2
Don't expect me to take you with me when I go to s
That is Earth-0: New Earth.
Though I don't think Earth One has anything to do with the multiverse as there already is an Earth-1 populated by Silver age characters. I think Earth One is just the title they're going to use.
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Captain Canuck
The poster formerly known as captaincanuck65
oh, okay
wasn't it earth-1 before Infinite Crisis and the silver-aged characters were from earth-2?
wasn't it earth-1 before Infinite Crisis and the silver-aged characters were from earth-2?
Planet-man
Well-Known Member
Ironic that DC's attempt to "ultimize" their characters i.e. shuffle off the decades of horrifically addled multi-dimensions and continuities has the fans immediately - and rightfully - arguing over how this is going to fit into all that.
They should never have bothered with this "Earth-#" business since the original Crisis, least of all here. "DC Icons" or something would've been fine.
They should never have bothered with this "Earth-#" business since the original Crisis, least of all here. "DC Icons" or something would've been fine.
Zombipanda
My Boom-Boom's mostly gay
"Good" is in the eye of the beholder. I'm just saying, the premise doesn't sound very appealing to me.
Friday
Well-Known Member
Have we seen that earth yet? I've seen Earth 2 with the golden age characters, Earth 0 with the current guys, Earth Prime... I can't remember ever seeing Earth 1. When did it show up?
Yeah, I agree "Superman: Earth One" isn't a very iconic title, although "DC Icons" sounds a bit too much like 'All-Star' and they probably want to distance themselves from that in terms of what this story is going to be.
The main difference between this and All-Star is that it is in theory going to function as a cohesive DC Universe in itself (whereas All-Star Batman and Superman were pretty self-contained and didn't neccessarily crossover with one another).
My suggestion would be to just completely take away the DC Logo altogether and proclaim the universe populated by these incarnations of Batman and Superman to have some other name. That's what they did originally for the Ultimate Universe.
Really happy this is going to happen, in spite of its immediate flaws.
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SSJmole
Face-Punching As Foreign Policy
Sorry if commented but i just noticed something or it might just be me but this picture :
Before even recently in comics superman always looked like Christopher Reeve but this in my eyes looks like to me Tom Welling facially. It might just be me but do you think it was done purposely? As it's superman as if it was written today and like it or hate it smallville is the modern live action superman. Maybe it's just me but even if i don't like smallville any more i thought it was cool.
Of course others may not see it.
Before even recently in comics superman always looked like Christopher Reeve but this in my eyes looks like to me Tom Welling facially. It might just be me but do you think it was done purposely? As it's superman as if it was written today and like it or hate it smallville is the modern live action superman. Maybe it's just me but even if i don't like smallville any more i thought it was cool.
Of course others may not see it.
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Sorry if commented but i just noticed something or it might just be me but this picture :
Before even recently in comics superman always looked like Christopher Reeve but this in my eyes looks like to me Tom Welling facially. It might just be me but do you think it was done purposely? As it's superman as if it was written today and like it or hate it smallville is the modern live action superman. Maybe it's just me but even if i don't like smallville any more i thought it was cool.
Of course others may not see it.
I can totally see that. Interesting.
Zombipanda
My Boom-Boom's mostly gay
Sorry if commented but i just noticed something or it might just be me but this picture :
Before even recently in comics superman always looked like Christopher Reeve but this in my eyes looks like to me Tom Welling facially. It might just be me but do you think it was done purposely? As it's superman as if it was written today and like it or hate it smallville is the modern live action superman. Maybe it's just me but even if i don't like smallville any more i thought it was cool.
Of course others may not see it.
I can see the similarity to a degree, but I think you're putting too much stock in it. I think the similarity comes from the fact that they're focusing on a younger, fresher, leaner Clark as opposed to the big, corn-fed Reeves influence people are used to. I don't think it's a direct attempt to channel Welling. It's just drawing from a similar vision.
Then again, it's certainly possible, if they're looking to draw in more of a casual audience.
