DC Comics has, throughout its entirety elevated towards playing with the Multiverse concept as part of their larger storytelling. With the option of exploring iconic superheroes like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and many others from a range of realities, one of the franchises has been through the Earth One graphic novel series. Given the massive history behind DC’s ever-growing universe, the Earth One series was an inspired idea to allow new fans to discover these characters in a more modernized take. The initiative, which launched in 2010, was spearheaded by the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight with J. Michael Straczynski’s Superman: Earth One and Geoff Johns’ Batman: Earth One.
Straczynski completed a trilogy for the last son of Krypton while Johns delivering two graphic novels about Gotham City’s famous detective. Depicted as rookies who began their journeys; this version of Clark and Bruce got to have their origin story told with a sense of reality to them. Not long after, Diana Prince got the Earth One treatment through two installments by Grant Morrison. As the franchise was slowly expanding, Jeff Lemire re-imagined the Teen Titans that got to have their adventures in two stories.
But things took a slower direction following Teen Titans: Earth One Volume 2’s release. While the overall reception for the respective character’s series was positive, Earth One has easily fallen off many readers’ radar. The series got a soft relaunch in 2018 with the release of Green Lantern: Earth One, with a second volume set to release on June 9 of this year. Despite a solid success, DC has been vague about future plans for Earth One. Even though it seems like there’s the intention to keep that universe going, Earth One is an ambitious series that is in massive need of embracing, both by readers and DC Comics.
The Earth One Heres Who Have Come So Far
Despite Superman being the only character to have finished a three-part story, the other series have come a long way for the respective titular character. In the case of the strange visitor from another planet, Clark had an overarching transition from being an uncertain young adult to getting closer to being the icon the world knows him as. In the trilogy, Straczynski explored this version of Kal-El as a hero-in-training while building a relationship with the world as a whole. With Johns’ take on Bruce Wayne and Morrison’s iteration of Diana Prince, the two icons have progressed similarly.
With Batman, the story has followed a young Caped Crusader whose version is a more flawed one compared to the various iterations in past stories. For Diana, her series has focused heavily on the hero’s battle with the larger politics of Themyscira as well as Man’s world. Throughout the Teen Titans series, the re-imagined take incorporates modernized takes on the youngsters as well as the Doom Patrol and Deathstroke. The two books take a lot of familiarity from the Teen Titans mythology while doing their own spin that left the door open for follow-ups.
While the trinity had their origin stories updated, Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko’s first Green Lantern story is where the re-imagining goes to a new level. Volume 1 depicts the Green Lantern Corps in a refreshing story where the iconic peacekeeping space force has almost been extinguished by the Manhunters. It’s through Hal, now portrayed as an ex-pilot-turned-astronaut, when he discovers the ring where complex mythology begins.
What's Next For DC's Earth One
Currently, the definitive thing that is coming from Earth One is the sequel to Green Lantern. From the limited details that have come out, Hal’s second story will have him cross paths with John Stewart. Per the synopsis, the duo must come together to rescue the “last Green Lantern Guardian from an evil force,” following the tease in volume 1. In a late 2019 interview with CBR, Johns confirmed that a third Batman: Earth One story was getting finished up by him and artist Gary Frank. But no definitive release date has currently been set for the third installment.
Despite no announcements for a third Wonder Woman: Earth One book, Morrison seemingly has plans for what a follow-up would look like. The character that has, interestingly enough, not been a focus is the Man of Tomorrow. Even though Straczynski finished a trilogy, this version of Superman has been put in circumstances where a sequel trilogy would have an endless amount of potential. In an interview with Newsarama back in 2015, the writer stated that DC would let him write as many stories as he wanted until he was done. Given the lack of suggestions about a follow-up, it’s safe to say that DC has chosen to leave Earth One’s Man of Steel off to the side for now.
What Earth One Comics Were Supposed To Come
Despite Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern haven gotten their shots, Earth One has plenty of iconic heroes to explore in this setting. The Flash and Aquaman were, in 2015 revealed to be the next set of heroes to be getting the Earth One treatment, with Straczynski tackling the Scarlet Speedster and Francis Manapul taking on the King of Atlantis. With promises of fresh and different takes on the two Justice Leaguers, updates were slim to none as delays and lack of contracts prevented the books from happening.
Whether or not they have been completely scrapped or simply delayed has yet to be determined. With Morrison’s suggestions for Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 3 and Johns supposedly having completed Batman: Earth One Vol.3, the line-up is at its slimmest currently. After Green Lantern: Earth One Vol. 2 releases in June, only DC knows what they have lined up next as the public hasn’t gotten any further set promises.
How To Embrace Earth One Best
While each character has its ups and downs in their respective series, what the Earth One franchise manages to do, book after book is to play with positive risky storytelling. How would someone like Bruce do as a vigilante if they began their journey today? What would a Man of Steel story look like with someone like Alexandra Luthor rather than Alexander "Lex" Luthor as his greatest opponent? Whether it’s Superman or the Teen Titans, either writer(s) who have taken on said character, have been open to experimenting with the titular character to add refreshing layers. While DC has a history of doing Elseworlds versions of their characters, the Earth One series is one of the takes where readers can come in with little to no previous background with said heroes or villains.
Given the heavy emphasis on modernizing/updating certain character’s origin stories or mythologies, it allows readers to have an easier introduction. Additionally, it’s one of the series that is very appropriate for most ages, with universal stories and tones that the Superman: Earth One book approached, as for an example. With the number of characters that DC has in their universe, there are plenty of heroes and villains that could benefit from getting the Earth One spin. Despite the fact that the books haven’t focused heavily on them existing in the same continuity, that’s a story that this series, if allowed to, can eventually embrace. Another strong component that Earth One benefits compared to the main canon is getting to follow these characters in their early stages. Having a franchise of books explore them in that regard wouldn’t conflict with the main universe in the long run.
Given that the Rebirth-universe follows the characters long into their careers, Earth One can do something fresh and also establish new elements to the various heroes and villains they choose to explore. Whether they build-up to these young versions of the DC icons becoming the Justice League, this is a franchise worthy of continuing to be expanded upon. What would a DC Universe look like if the world's greatest heroes didn't choose to unite as an allegiance? What other flaws exist underneath that reader of the regular canon don't see explored? Earth One began solidly and is still on a good path following Green Lantern: Earth One Vol. 1. But in the long run, DC has to begin to make definitive calls on where this series is going. Past the upcoming sequel in June, only time will tell what lies beyond that for the Earth One universe.