Books: Batman: Earth One

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Batman: Earth One
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Gary Frank
2012




Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/


There's a blog called The Hurting that's pretty good ("Some of us don't have enough energy for all this guilt and shame"). Recently I was flicking through it's old posts (like you do) when I came across the following:

The Batman of Earth 7

Note: This is taken from an authentic dream I had recently. Don't ask me to explain, because I cannot.

The Batman of Earth 7 had the same kind of Batcave that all the other Batmen do: a hole in the ground filled with bats, stalagtites and standing water. There's the obligatory giant penny and various other trophies. But there are telling differences: a close examination of a newspaper photo of the Joker reveals that the Joker of Earth 7 is a black man wearing white face. There are pictures of Batman riding at the head of a horse cavalry, backed by a vanguard of white-hooded Klansmen. In a place of honor sits a photo of Batman shaking hands with President Woodrow Wilson."

That's how it starts. Really I recommend you read the whole thing [1]. It's pretty funny - but (more importantly) it made me realise something. Namely - even tho Batman's been kicking around for (what?) thousands (?) of years now: it's still possible to find a new spin and use the whole Bat-mythos to say interesting things about this, that, the human condition - i mean: whatever - stuff (you know). In the same way that most of theatre seems to be people reinterpreting Shakespeare (Macbeth! Set on a nuclear submarine! The Merchant of Venice! Set in the Gaza Strip! Hamlet! Set on a million years in the past! etc) [2] it seems that most comics just recycle the same old core concepts (Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four yadda yadda yadda). I mean - obviously - that doesn't have to be a bad thing [3]: but man - when the most you have to offer is (for all intents and purposes): what if we retold Batman's origin story: only this time: you could see his eyes through his mask?!  then: well - I'm not going to write nice things about it that's for sure.

So: Batman: Earth One is Batman told from the start again only this time - well: his costume is slightly different: people don't look exactly how you remember: and everyone is morally compromised and blah blah blah. The description that popped into my head when I read it - is - it's like taking a bath in dirty water. Like: if three people used it before you got there: and there's hairs floating around and stuff. So: no - not something that I would really recommend to anyone.

I mean: looking for someone sort of bright-side I guess I could say that Gary Frank's artwork has this kinda sub-Chris Weston thing going on... And yeah - ok: there's a low-grade kick to be had from seeing familiar characters in ever-so-slightly unfamiliar roles (and the general philosophy seemed to be: ok let's take this well-loved character and make them worse and more despondent somehow): but - really - I guess what it comes down to is this: if you want an exciting re-telling of the start of Batman's career as a professional crime-fighter then - well - Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli told pretty much exactly the same story all the way back in 1988 and they told it with a lot more class, style and imagination: and I mean: even if comparing the two is like putting The Godfather up against a made-for-tv piece of garbage: at least you get what I mean - right?

So: yeah - don't waste your time.

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[1] Which you can get to here.

[2] Although that's said by someone who has no real interest in seeing people act on stage: so maybe I'm wrong. Whatever. (At this point I'd really like to link that bit in the Simpsons where Homer heckles the animals at the zoo (“I've seen plays that were more exciting than this. Honest to God, plays!") or that bit in Peep Show where Mark and Jeremy go to the theatre ("If this was on television, no one would be watching." "Oh God. We aren't we watching television?" "I can't believe coming here cost more than a film." "I've got Heat on DVD at home. We're watching this, when for less money, we could be watching Robert De Niro AND Al Pacino.") - but neither seem to be up on youtube: BOOOOOOO!!).

[3] See my long-standing love for Marvel's Ultimate Universe books for a good example of this (just stroll down the right hand side until you get to the "U"s). 

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Links: The Comics Journal Review.

Further reading: Batman: Year One, Batman: Year 100, Batman: All Star Batman and Robin, Green Lantern: Secret Origin, Superman: Birthright.

All comments welcome.