Earth-Two

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Earth-Two (also Earth 2) is a setting for stories (a "

Characters from DC Comics were originally suggestive of each existing in their own world, as superheroes never encountered each other. This was soon changed with alliances being formed between certain protagonists. Several publications, including All Star Comics (publishing tales of the Justice Society of America), Leading Comics and other comic books introduced a "shared universe" among several characters during the 1940s. By the 1950s, as the popularity of superheroes was waning, comics shifted to horror, westerns and war. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman were among the few DC continued to publish.

Beginning in the early 1960s, the popularity of superheroes began to grow. DC introduced more modern versions of its heroes. For example, Hawkman was an alien policeman instead of a reincarnated Egyptian prince. Older versions of DC characters were assigned to an "alternative reality" Earth that existed within its own fictional "universe" and could communicate with the Earth of the current, revised versions of those characters.

Alternative-reality Earths had been used in DC stories before, but were usually not referred to after that particular story. Most of these alternative Earths were usually so vastly different that no one would confuse that Earth and its history with the so-called real Earth. That would change when the existence of another reliable Earth was established in a story titled "Flash of Two Worlds"^[2] in which Barry Allen, the modern Flash later referred to as the Flash of Earth-One (the setting of the Silver Age stories) first travels to another Earth, accidentally vibrating at just the right speed to appear on Earth-Two, where he meets Jay Garrick, his Earth-Two counterpart. He claims Gardner Fox's dreams were tuned into Earth-Two, explaining their depiction as a fictional world in earlier Barry Allen stories.

Expanding the concept: revisiting 1940s superheroes

Superman was introduced in the 1930s and was the archetype for the modern superhero, and so is depicted in stories set on Earth-Two as the first major reliable costumed superhero on that world, discounting earlier part-time heroes and "mystery men" such as Doctor Occult (who first appeared in 1935). Most of the following costumed mystery men history is based on the Earth-Two Superman's initial appearance, where these previously independent operating heroes begin to reliably interact. In order to distinguish him from the later primary version of the character, this Superman was called "Kal-L", using the spelling of Superman's Kryptonian name in his early appearances. He was specifically introduced as an Earth-Two character in Justice League of America #73 (1969).^[3] Most superheroes from the Golden Age later followed this trend of operating publicly, while wearing distinctive costuming and interacting in a largely shared universe. The primary characters of Superman and Batman still largely worked independent of team environments.

In the 1970s, as the now annual team up between the

Infinity, Inc., a group made up of the children and heirs of the Justice Society, was introduced in All-Star Squadron #25 (September 1983).^[4] There was an eponymous comics series starring the group,^[5] which ran from March 1984 through June 1988.

Abandonment: Crisis on Infinite Earths

Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985–1986) was an effort by DC Comics to clean up their continuity, resulting in the multiple universes combining into one. Since then, a handful of characters originating from Earth-Two have consistently remained part of the merged Earth, including Power Girl, Jay Garrick, and Alan Scott. Superman and Lois Lane from Earth-Two (along with Superboy from Earth Prime, and Alexander Luthor Jr. from Earth-Three) were transported into a ghost-like "paradise dimension" tangential to the new universe.

Following the end of the known Multiverse, more alternate realities were discovered. Even though Earth-Three was destroyed in the

Kal-L, Lois Lane-Kent, Superboy-Prime, and Alexander Luthor Jr. returned during Infinite Crisis. Unknown to Kal-L, Luthor's plan was to resurrect the pre-Crisis Multiverse. He wanted to mix and match elements from each reality to create a "perfect world". The fallout of the conflict brought the short-lived return of an Earth-Two copy and the deaths of Kal-L, Lois Lane-Kent and Luthor Jr. of Earth-Two. It is unclear what happened to the aged Diana Trevor, the Earth-Two Wonder Woman, though she faded from her ghostly existence. Inexplicably, Earth-Two was the only returning world that was devoid of most people, except the Justice Society, Kal-L, and his wife Lois Kent. This world was a copy, new and recently manufactured by Alexander Luthor Jr. of pre-Crisis Earth-Three, instead of resurrected. This copy Earth-Two was recombined with the primary Earth to form the primary DC reality termed as "New Earth".^[6]

Post-52 version

At the end of the

This separation between the pre-Crisis Earth-Two and post-Crisis Earth-2 is formally established in Justice Society of America (vol. 3) Annual #1 (2008), with a story titled "Earth 2 Chapter One: Golden Age", in which the New Earth Power Girl arrives on post-Crisis Earth-2. Thinking that she has returned home to her long destroyed pre-Crisis Earth-Two. Power Girl crash lands and unconscious, on the closest parallel of the 52 Multiverse, the post-Crisis Earth-2, which appears similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-Two. She is found by the post-Crisis Earth-2 Huntress, who thinks she is her long-missing best friend, the Power Girl native to this world. In this new reality, the Justice Society of America has merged with Infinity, Inc. and is now known as Justice Society Infinity. Initially, Power Girl believes she has returned home, until the missing post-Crisis Earth-2 Power Girl reappears and declares that the other Power Girl is an impostor, and has caused the disappearance of the post-Crisis Earth-2 Superman. This turn of events results in the post-Crisis Earth-2 Power Girl and the Justice Society Infinity to go after the New Earth Power Girl.[9]^[10]

The Power Girl of New Earth recruits the post-Crisis Earth-2 Michael Holt, who is a physics professor and father and has never become a costumed hero, to help her return to her source Earth.

Jade are initially confused when they see each other, as the post-Crisis Earth-2 Jade's father, Alan Scott, is dead, and New Earth's Jade is dead as well. The JSI interrogate Power Girl for information on the post-Crisis Earth-2 Superman's whereabouts. The post-Crisis Earth-2 Power Girl assumes that the Superman the New Earth Power Girl said was dead was the post-Crisis Earth-2 Superman (rather than Kal-L who was killed by Superboy-Prime) and that the New Earth Power Girl had killed him. The Justice Society of New Earth arrives to stop her torture. Starman reveals that the re-creation of the Multiverse led to the creation of a Power Girl and Superman native to this new universe, post-Crisis Earth-2 and that the post-Crisis Earth-2 Superman is still alive. The Power Girl of New Earth then returns home along with her Justice Society but with no apology from her counterpart nor from the post-Crisis Earth-2 Huntress for their actions against her.^[13]

Earth 2 in "The New 52"

Earth 2
Cover of Earth 2 #1 (July 2012). Art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado and Rod Reis
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Ongoing
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	List Earth 2 July 2012 – May 2015 Earth 2: World's End December 2014 – June 2015 Earth 2: Society August 2015 – March 2017
No. of issues	List Earth 2: 35 (#1–32 plus issues numbered 0, 15.1, 15.2 and 2 Annuals) Earth 2: World's End: 26 Earth 2: Society: 22 (#1–22 and one Annual)
Creative team
Written by	List Earth 2 James Robinson Tom Taylor Daniel H. Wilson Earth 2: World's End Daniel Wilson Marguerite Bennett Mike Johnson Cullen Bunn Earth 2: Society Dan Abnett
Penciller(s)	List Earth 2 Nicola Scott Andy Smith Earth 2: World's End Jorge Jimenez Eddy Barrows Paolo Siqueira Tyler Kirkham Eduardo Pansica Jan Duursema Robson Rocha Jack Herbert Earth 2: Society Jorge Jimenez Federico Dallochio Angel Hernandez Bruno Redondo Vicente Cifuentes
Inker(s)	List Earth 2 Trevor Scott Ryan Winn Earth 2: World's End Danny Miki Eber Ferreira Earth 2: Society Juan Albarran
Colorist(s)	List Earth 2 Alex Sinclair Pete Pantazis Earth 2: Society Alejandro Sanchez David Calderon Rex Lokus
Editor(s)	List Earth 2 Mike Cotton Jeremy Bent Earth 2: Society Jim Chadwick Rob Levin

In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, the Earth-2 concept has been revived and is covered in two series; Worlds' Finest, which focuses on the adventures of the Huntress and Power Girl on New Earth written by Paul Levitz, and Earth 2, originally written by James Robinson and then by Tom Taylor,^[14] which features the formation of the Justice Society.^[15] James Robinson, the original writer of Earth 2, describes the new Earth 2 as a complete reboot of the concept, with superheroes only just now appearing, similar to the "young hero" concept for the New 52 continuity,^[16] and with revamped costume designs.

In Earth 2,

Red Tornado (an android with the consciousness of Lois Lane that was uploaded into it by Sam Lane and Robotman), a hyper-intelligent knowledge-assimilator known as Accountable (Jimmy Olsen), a new Batman (Thomas Wayne using Miraclo), a new version of Aquawoman (Marella), and a new Superman (Val-Zod

, a Kryptonian and a childhood friend of Power Girl's who had been imprisoned by Terry Sloan).

Towards the end of the series, Darkseid launches a second invasion of Earth, which is depicted in both Earth 2 and the weekly series Earth 2: World's End. Another weekly series,

Highfather made a deal with Darkseid that he would not interfere with Darkseid's plans for conquest so long as Darkseid only preyed upon one Earth of the Multiverse, which was Earth 2, explaining the recurrent tragedies faced by this world in comparison to others. In the end, Darkseid is successful, and the Earth is destroyed, and attempts to take Earth 2's refugees to Earth 0 are prevented by a time traveling Tim Drake in Futures End. Just as the world ends, several of the Wonders are sent to the planet Telos by Brainiac, where they confront their counterparts from various parallel worlds, both present and extinct, in the Convergence

miniseries. Over the course of the series, Batman dies and Dick Grayson, inspired by his Batman counterparts from other worlds, takes up the mantle from Thomas Wayne. Ultimately, the planet Telos is terraformed into a new Earth-like planet and sent to the Earth 2 dimension as a new home for its refugees.

The heroes' fraught attempts at forming a new society, rapidly augmented by Terry Sloan's technology, is depicted in the follow-on series Earth 2: Society (August 2015 – March 2017).[21] It also debuts versions of Hourman and Mist. The final arc of the series recreates Earth 2 again making it appear similar to their universe's first Earth through use of an Amazon artifact known as Pandora's Casket by Ultra-Humanite. This Earth has had no history of Wonders with Ultra-Humanite controlling the world behind the scenes. Following Ultra-Humanite's defeat, the Wonders becomes the world's new defenders and hopes that this Earth is the Earth they can protect.

At the end of Doomsday Clock #12 (December 2019), Doctor Manhattan reverses the actions that created the "New 52" universe, restoring Alan Scott and the Justice Society's original full histories as before "Flashpoint", and the original Earth-Two is explained as existing in the multiverse too.

Characters

Main article: List of Earth-Two characters

A number of characters, heroes and villains, had counterparts on both Earth-One and Two. Generally speaking, the older Earth-Two versions were phased out or incorporated into their younger, Earth-One versions following Crisis on Infinite Earths. Several others were rebooted almost entirely, with their new versions having nothing in common with the old ones. For instance, Jim Corrigan of Earth-Two was a murdered police detective who served as the human host for the Spectre, while his Earth-One counterpart was a Metropolis police officer who often assisted Daily Planet cub reporter Jimmy Olsen and superhero Black Lightning. Many characters would often travel from one Earth to the other and interact with its natives or even immigrate. For example, Larry Jordan, the first Air Wave and native of Earth-Two, traveled to Earth-One under yet-unexplained circumstances, married Helen (the second Air Wave) and raised a son, Hal (the third Air Wave).^[22]

Unique features

The history of Earth-Two is slightly different from both real world history and the history of other versions of Earth from DC Comics stories. For example in classic Earth-Two stories, by the 1970s, Quebec is shown to be an independent nation autonomous from Canada.^{[citation needed]} South Africa abolished apartheid sooner than in the real world.^{[citation needed]} The fictional countries of Dukalia, Luxor, Napkan, Nastonia, Oxnalia, Thornia and others existed on the Axis side in WW2 (though most of these disappeared when the US entered the war). Unlike other DC Comics depictions of Atlantis, the Atlantean countries of Poseidonis and Tritonis were ruled by a queen, not a king (along with its inhabitants displaying surface dweller features and no capacity for underwater survival, as the Atlantis continent had been raised).

In addition, masked crimefighters are introduced decades earlier than in other universes later identified within DC Comics, and these participated in such historic conflicts as World War II.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt founded both the Justice Society of America and the All-Star Squadron

. Other events taking place decades earlier include the destruction of Krypton and the advent of advanced technology such as interstellar transportation and time travel.

Thousands of years ago, the

magic

from their universe, sending it to Earth-Two. This resulted in a predominance of magic and a weakening of scientific laws within Earth-Two's universe.

Variants

Because Earth-Two as presented did not match up with the actual comics of DC's Golden Age, other alternative Earths were used to explain the discrepancies.

Earth-Two-A (also known as Alternate Earth-Two) was where Clark Kent worked for the Daily Planet under editor Parry White in the 1940s and 1950s (on regular Earth-Two Kent worked for the Daily Star, his editor was George Taylor, and Perry White was a reporter).[23]

Earth-Two-B (also Earth-Forty-Six) is a world referenced but not described in the Crisis on Infinite Earths: Absolute Edition.

Earth-E (Earth-216) is the world where the Super-Sons adventures happened and was used to explain 1950s Batman and Superman stories that didn't fit with either Earth-One or Earth-Two history. Mark Gruenwald assigned it to the 1951–1960 period of those books.^[24]

In other media

Television

• A variation of Earth-2 appears in the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman live-action series episode "Tempus Anyone?" Time-traveling author H.G. Wells takes Earth-1 Lois Lane to a parallel universe version of Metropolis that has Clark Kent, but no Superman. While inspiring this alternate Kent to become the Superman of his world, Lane discovers her counterpart had died years earlier and also encounters James Olsen, owner of the Daily Planet; mayoral candidate Perry White; and Kent's fiancé Lana Lang, who kept him from using his powers. While Earth-2 Kent became Superman, he sacrificed his civilian identity in the process. In the episode "Lois and Clarks", Earth-2 Kent came to Earth-1 following an encounter with the time-traveling sociopath Tempus, who trapped Earth-1 Superman in a time loop.
• A variation of Earth-2 appears in the
  Luthorcorp
  while Clark destroyed the box.
• A variation of Earth-2 appears in live-action media set in the Arrowverse:
  • Central City
    that allowed passage between the two worlds, though only by speedsters or through technological means. This universe was the home of Harry and Jessie Wells, the evil speedster Zoom, and Black Siren (Laurel Lance's doppleganger).
  • Earth-2 also appears in the Arrow episode "Starling City". Oliver Queen visits Earth-2 to retrieve Dwarf Star particles for the Monitor. He succeeds before Earth-2 is destroyed by an anti-matter wave sent by the Anti-Monitor, though Black Siren managed to escape with him.
  • Following the multiverse's destruction and rebirth during the events of "Crisis on Infinite Earths", a new Earth-2 was created in place of the original in which the live-action series Stargirl takes place.

Film

• A variation of Earth-Two appears in Justice Society: World War II after the Flash time travels to WWII-era Germany meeting the newly-formed Justice Society.
• Walter Hamada confirmed in August 2020 during
  Gotham City Police Department, and a show centered on the film's version of Penguin portrayed by Colin Farrell.^[26][27][28]

Video games

• An Earth 2 skin pack was released as
  Jay Garrick, Kendra Saunders
  , and New 52 Grundy.
• A pre-order skin pack for Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Knight includes two Earth-2 skins for Batman, one based on Earth-2 Batman's New 52 appearance and the other depicting the Flashpoint Batman.^[29][30]

Notes

1. New Fun Comics #6,^[1]
   October 1935

References

1. ^ Mougin, Lou; Waid, Mark (1986). The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index. DC Comics. p. 2.
2. ^ Fox, Gardner (w), Infantino, Carmine (p), Giella, Joe (i). "Flash of Two Worlds!" The Flash, no. 123 (September 1961).
3. ^ O'Neil, Denny (w), Dillin, Dick (p), Greene, Sid (i). "Star Light, Star Bright—Death Star I See Tonight" Justice League of America, no. 73 (August 1969).
4. Nuklon
   .
5. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 207: "Written by DC's Golden Age guru Roy Thomas and drawn by Jerry Ordway, Infinity, Inc. was released in DC's new deluxe format on bright Baxter paper."
6. ISBN 1-4012-0959-9
   .
7. ^ Johns, Geoff; Morrison, Grant; Rucka, Greg; Waid, Mark (w), Giffen, Keith; Barrows, Eddy; Batista, Chris; Justiniano; McKone, Mike; Olliffe, Patrick; Robertson, Darick (p), Geraci, Drew; Lanning, Andy; Ramos, Rodney; Robertson, Darick; Wong, Walden (i). "A Year in the Life" 52, no. 52 (May 2, 2007).
8. ^ Brady, Matt (May 8, 2007). "The 52 Exit Interviews: Grant Morrison". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007.
9. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (June 23, 2008). "Jerry Ordway – Traveling Back to DC's Earth 2". Newsarama. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013.
10. ^ Johns, Geoff (w), Ordway, Jerry (p), Wiacek, Bob (i). "Earth 2, Chapter One: Golden Age" Justice Society of America (vol. 3) Annual, no. 1 (September 2008).
11. ^ Johns, Geoff; Ross, Alex (w), Eaglesham, Dale; Ordway, Jerry (p), Gray, Mick; Justice, Kris; Massengill, Nathan; Ordway, Jerry (i). "One World, under Gog, Part III: War Lords" Justice Society of America, vol. 3, no. 18 (October 2008).
12. ^ Johns, Geoff; Ross, Alex (w), Eaglesham, Dale; Ordway, Jerry (p), Massengill, Nathan; Ordway, Jerry (i). "One World, Under Gog, Part IV: Out of Place" Justice Society of America, vol. 3, no. 19 (November 2008).
13. ^ Johns, Geoff; Ross, Alex (w), Eaglesham, Dale; Ordway, Jerry (p), Massengill, Nathan; Wiacek, Bob (i). "Earth Bound" Justice Society of America, vol. 3, no. 20 (December 2008).
14. ^ Earth 2 at the Grand Comics Database
15. ^ Kushins, Josh (January 12, 2012). "DC Comics in 2012–-Introducing the "Second Wave" of DC Comics The New 52". The Source. DC Comics. Archived from the original on January 15, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
16. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (March 5, 2012). "James Robinson Describes the New 52's Earth 2". Newsarama. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013.
17. ^ Robinson, James (w), Scott, Nicola (p), Scott, Trevor (i). "The Price of Victory" Earth 2, no. 1 (July 2012).
18. ^ Levitz, Paul (w), Pérez, George; Maguire, Kevin (p), Koblish, Scott (i). "Rebirth" Worlds' Finest, no. 1 (July 2012).
19. ^ Moore, Matt (June 1, 2012). "Green Lantern relaunched as brave, mighty and gay". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012.
20. ^ Gerding, Stephen (May 17, 2013). "James Robinson Exits Earth 2, Leaves DC Comics". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
21. ^ Earth 2: Society at the Grand Comics Database
22. ^ Rozakis, Bob (w), Saviuk, Alex (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Whatever Happened to the Original Air Wave?" DC Comics Presents, no. 40 (December 1981).
23. ^ The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index, no. 1 (March 1986).
24. ^ Gruenwald, Mark (1977). "In Search of the Super-Sons Tangent". Omniverse: The Journal of Fictional Reality (1). Alternity Enterprises.
25. ^ Damore, Meagan (November 10, 2015). ""The Flash" Introduces Earth-2's Green Arrow, New Obstacle for Barry". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
26. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2021-10-20.
27. ^ "HBO Max is making a Gotham City police series with the director of 'The Batman'". TechCrunch. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
28. ^ White, Peter (2021-09-13). "'The Batman' Spinoff Series Centered On The Penguin In The Works At HBO Max". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
29. ^ Corriea, Alexa Ray (August 7, 2013). "Batman: Arkham Origins skin pack adds alternate timeline costumes". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
30. ^ Begley, Chris (September 26, 2013). "Batman: Arkham Origins season pass announced, new DLC and skins revealed". Batman-News.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2013.

External links

• Markstein, Don (2010). "Earth-One, Earth-Two, Crisis on Infinite Earths". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
• Earth 2 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Earth 2 at Mike's Amazing World of Comics