JLA: Earth 2 (2000)

JLA: Earth 2 by Frank Quietly

"Earth Two" (96 pages)

Credits

Character Appearances

Featuring

Villains

  • Anti-matter Brainiac (a 12th-level transorganic syntellect; caretaker of Ultraman’s fortress;first appearance; next appears in Adventures of Superman #603 (June 2002))
  • Crime Syndicate of America (first modern appearance) - Johnny Quick (identity unrevealed; next appears in JLA Secret Files 2004 (Nov 2004)), Owlman (Thomas Wayne; anti-matter doppelganger of Bruce Wayne’s never born brother; next appears in Adventures of Superman #604 (July 2002)), Power Ring II (identity unrevealed; next appears in JLA Secret Files 2004 (Nov 2004)), Superwoman (Lois Lane; anti-matter doppelganger of the Daily Planet reporter; married to Ultraman while carrying-on with Owlman; next appears in Adventures of Superman #604 (July 2002)), and Ultraman (Clark Kent; anti-matter doppelganger of the Kent’s never born natural human son who was turned into a superman by an alien experiment; next appears in Adventures of Superman #603 (June 2002))

Guest Stars

  • Alexander Luthor (the heroic anti-matter doppelganger of Lex Luthor; that Earth’s greatest hero)

Other Characters

  • Admiral Raraq (behind-the-scenes; aboard the Atlantean Submarine Destroyer )
  • Ethan & his wife (the first people Alexander Luthor meets in the Matter Universe)
  • Miss Teschmacher (Lex Luthor’s secretary; first and only appearance; named after the character from Superman)
  • US President, staff, and citizens of Washington DC (menaced by the Crime Syndicate)
  • Volthoom (spirit of Tibetian monk that inhabits Power Ring’s cursed ring)
  • Anti-Matter Duplicates - Amerikan President &, staff (menaced by the Justice League), Boss Gordon (the corrupt head of the anti-matter Gotham City), Cat Grant (works for their Daily Planet), Jimmy Olsen (Superwoman’s Snitch; Lois Lane’s plaything; works for their Daily Planet), Police Commissioner Wayne (Thomas Wayne, Owlman’s father and a doppelganger of Bruce Wayne’s father), and Ultra-Titanus (one of Ultraman’s genetic experiments; a duplicate of Titano)

Cameoes

  • Lex Luthor (behind-the-scenes; imprisoned by Alexander Luthor)
  • Statues in the Panopticon (possible predicessors to the CSA) - Doctor Noon (probably a Doctor Mid-nite analogue), Space Man (possibly an Adam Strange analogue), and White Cat (probably a Black Canary analogue)

Groups and Henchmen

Story Details

Locations

  • Matter Universe Earth - grpAnti-Matter Universe Earth

Continuity

This story introduces and establishes the Crime Syndicate and the milieu of the anti-matter Earth - the basic parallel of Ultraman’s origin, the others then appearing, forming the CSA and dominating their Earth. Amerika has been constantly hostile to the beleaguered British colonies. After they received support from the Justice League London was obliterated by a nuclear attack. A statue of Hitler is seen outside of the Houses of Parliament suggesting he was the leader of an unsuccessful stand against the Syndicates in the 1940s. Superman can “read” an aeroplane’s flight recorder with his supervision. Alexander Luthor calls the matter-Earth “Earth 2”. Bruce Wayne would have had a younger brother called Thomas - what happened to him or why he wasn’t born hasn’t been revealed.

References

“Crisis On Earth-Three” (Justice League of America (vol. 1) #29-30 (Aug — Sept 1964)) - the first appearance of the Crime Syndicate as part of the annual Silver Age JLA/JSA team-ups

Comments

The Crime Syndicate are a “mirror universe” version of the Justice League - Ultraman (Superman), Superwoman (Wonder Woman), Power Ring (Green Lantern), Johnny Quick (Flash II), and Owlman (Batman). Originally the CSA were from the pre-Crisis Earth-Three where they were a mirror of the classic Justice League (Justice League of America (vol. 1) #29-30 (Aug — Sept 1964)). Their Alex Luthor appeared a few years later when he teamed up with the Earth-One and Earth-Two Supermen to defeated Ultraman, the Earth-One Lex Luthor, and the Earth-Two Alexi Luthor (DC Comics Presents #1 (0000)). Earth-Three and the original Crime Syndicate were wiped from existence in the pages of Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (April 1985), but Alex Luthor’s son Alexander Luthor II survived and played an important part in both Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis.

The inter-dimensional nature of the CSA stories left a significant question mark over their relevance to the post-Crisis on Infinite Earth’s chronology. Their history was “patched” by Mark Waid in Justice League Quarterly #8 (Summer 1992) who introduced a second generation CSA to fight the Justice League International. Their origin was retconned so that they were now from the anti-matter universe of Qward. The new group masqueraded as a version of the Conglomerate.

The CSA characters were left on the sidelines for a number of years until Grant Morrison described his plans for the CSA characters.

We’re doing the JLA hardcover, which is still waiting in the wings. It’s going to be a 100-pager drawn by Frank Quitely. He’s amazing. It’s the JLA versus the Crime Syndicate story that I’ve been taking about since I started writing JLA. I expect it’ll be out around Christmas 1999. It’ll be different from the usual JLA. I can do a bit more detail, do a bit more that I couldn’t maybe do in the regular book. Maybe a bit more sophisticated, a bit more adult. Not to alienate the kids, but I do think I might be able to look at areas I don’t get to in the [regular] book, like secret identities and things.

I’ve created all-new origins and back-grounds for the Crime Syndicate. I wanted to get in there and reason how they function on their world. I’m kind of treating it as a mirror-universe type story like the old “Star Trek” one where they meet Mr. Spock with a beard. So this is kind of like their world coming into the orbit of our world, and the Justice League have to get them back into their own mirror universe without a disaster.

Morrison talked about his plans for Earth 2 from the start of his work on the regular JLA book in 1997, but it didn’t appear until the end of his run in 2000. It reboots the entire CSA concept and supersedes all previous appearances of the Syndicate. It keeps the concept from 1992 of the anti-matter universe, but no reference is ever made to that encounter. The League has knowledge of the anti-matter universe from Green Lantern’s altercations with the Qwardians, but the CSA have no knowledge of the JLA suggesting that this is indeed their first meeting.

Bits and pieces

The title of the story is a reference to Earth-Two - the original home of the Justice Society - the first named parallel Earth encountered by the pre-Crisis League.

The CSA’s headquarters is called the Panopticon after a type of prison building. Wikipedia’s PanopticonW entry describes the concept of its design “is to allow an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners without the prisoners being able to tell if they are being observed or not, thus conveying a ‘sentiment of an invisible omniscience.’” Panopticon is also the name of the parliament building of the Timelords from the Doctor Who universe and is also the name for the world’s largest Doctor Who convention.

Synopsis

Using equipment from Ultraman’s flying fortress the anti-matter Alexander Luthor traverses the dimensional barrier between his anti-matter universe and the matter universe. Coincident with his arrival two aeroplanes swap places across the dimensional divide. The Justice League intercept the aircraft from the other universe and discover that everybody aboard is dead. They quickly deduce that it was not from their own universe and eventually find the anti-matter Luthor posing as his evil matter self. He explains that he has come to the League’s world to recruit them to help him defeat the Crime Syndicate of Amerika - the League’s evil duplicates and rulers of the anti-matter Earth. The League vote to help Luthor, but Batman insists that Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter remain behind to keep watch.

On the anti-matter Earth the League move quickly to take over Ultraman’s flying fortress and to trap the Crime Syndicate within the Panopticon - their own lunar fortress. The unopposed Leaguers spread out to help the Syndicate’s victims. Batman makes contract with Gotham’s Police Commissioner - a doppelganger of his dead father - and saves his life from an assassination attempt by Boss Gordon. Superman poses as Lt Clark Kent to lure Superwoman, an anti-matter version of Lois Lane, into custody. The League also begin dismantling privately held nuclear weapons launchers and supply aid to Amerika’s embattled enemies.

Meanwhile in the Panopticon, Owlman makes the connection with the swapped aeroplanes - it appears that anything that traverses the dimensional membrane causes its duplicate to automatically take the reverse journey 24 hours later. The CSA then escapes to the matter Earth by using the same effect. They launch a massive attack on Washington DC, but are easily defeated by the Martian Manhunter and Aquaman. As Luthor discovers that the CSA are missing the heroes and villains begin to understand the metaphysical differences between their universes. In the positive-matter universe “good” always wins and the League is always triumphant; in the anti-matter universe “evil” always wins and the Syndicate is always triumphant. Neither team can win while in the other’s universe.

The Flash and Luthor hurriedly work to restore the League to their own universe. They conclude that some third party has deliberately conspired to neutralise both supergroups by tricking them into switching universes. The 24-hour effect on the transference device was just a smoke screen planted deep within the technology. It’s then that the anti-matter Brainiac - an alien 12th-level organic synthillect who had been enslaved by Ultraman - identifies itself. It wanted to neutralise both groups and then use the weakened dimensional barrier to smash the two Earths together - the resulting matter/anti-matter annihilation would have powered his evolution and ascension as an nth level intellect. The League realise that they’ve no chance of defeating Brainiac under that universe’s metaphysical laws so they reluctantly switch places with the Syndicate. Ultraman brutally suppresses Brainiac and saves both Earths.

Review

The Earth 2 hardcover has to be the high-point of Grant Morrison’s time as Justice League writer. I’ve always been fascinated by world building and how Morrison manages to give such depth to his settings whilst only giving you the back story in sound-bite sized chucks spread throughout the adventure. Here he manages to quickly establish a complex and rich setting without you ever feeling like you’re stuck in exposition.

And what a setting Earth 2 is - a dark mirror universe of bright-pantomime moustache-twirling devilishly-vamp evil. This Crime Syndicate is the Rocky Horror Picture Show version of the Justice League. It’s that which allows you to love the bad boys, to delight in Owlman’s sneakiness or Ultraman’s kitten barbeques, without the unsettling feeling that could arise if portions of the setting were taken to their logical conclusion.

The breakout character from this story has to be Owlman. There is something about dark versions of the Batman that works so well and this is Morrison’s second attempt after the hit-and-miss Prometheus. The idea that he’s Bruce Wayne’s younger brother gives him a tragic hook that makes him the most developed member of the CSA. What fascinates me is whatever happened to Thomas in the matter-universe?

My next favourite character would be Ultraman. You get the feeling that somewhere out there is a dark Bonnie and Clyde like mini-series waiting to be told about the Owlman-Superwoman-Ultraman triangle - perhaps they could get Warren Ellis to tell it.

The art for this story is unbeatable. Frank Quitely is an amazing artist and is one of the slickest designers working in comics. His heavyset and world-worn characters work well for the anti-matter universe. Their sneers and cruelty really stands out visually. I wasn’t so sure about his Leaguers, but the style really does grow on you. I suppose my favourite sequences are Aquaman’s “Gutless moron” takedown of Power Ring and Owlman’s discovery of the Wayne’s grave.

I’m writing this five years after I originally bought Earth 2 and it really does stand up well to repeated readings. It’s a nice tight JLA story that could have taken place at almost anytime during Morrison’s time on JLA. You don’t need to know anything beyond a casual knowledge of the DCU or the JLA to enjoy it. This is definitely the first story that new or returning readers should be directed towards.

(10/10)

Quotes

Lex Luthor: “How very charming. I’ve just reversed across the matter/antimatter membrane in a homemade ship and this is my reception? My dear country cousin, you are human….I am Luthor. Now….where can I find the super-people around here?”

Flash: “I just checked everybody for I.D. Starters: A dollar bill with the face of Benedict Arnold where George Washington should be. Anybody else hearing that little ‘X-Files’ whistle on this one?”

Lex Luthor: “I’d like you to cancel all of the appointments in my diary. But tell the President I love him very much.”

Lex Luthor: “I feel a brain wave or two coming in, and I intend to surf.”

Martian Manhunter: “Can you see the unusal modifications at every eight angstrom in his DNA? He also has several sophisticated telepathic locks protecting his thoughts and——”
Lex Luthor: “I’m not a lab rat. The Justice League. God below.”

Ultraman: “They insult me within earshot, they know what to expect. Big Brother is watching you.”

Lex Luthor: “On my world, there’s me! Heroism is a dirty word. I risked everything to reach this universe. Don’t send me back to that hell with just platitudes! Have you no idea what it is to be alone against a world of shadows?”

Green Lantern: “I mean, every superhero’s got to make at least one trip to the antimatter universe, right?”

Superman: “Alone against a world of evil, Batman. I’ve made my decision.”

Ultraman: “Hoist the Jolly Roger high….and prepare to board.”

Owlman: “What was that pirate drivel?”

Power Ring: “I’m trying to take a leak here and you sound like a drain.”

Wonder Woman: “Evil isn’t the reflection of good, Batman. Good is the reflection of good.”

Ultraman: “‘Justice?’ This is a coup!”

Batman: “….People should be more careful with guns.”

Owlman: “And call me ‘smartass’ again, I’ll cut your speed powder with horse laxative. You’ll be the fastest skid mark alive.”

Ultraman: “There is justice after all. A whole new world stretched out and screaming. Start with terror. Always soften them up with fear. Look at that! Look at it all burning down!”

Martian Manhunter: “We are from different species.”
Superwoman: “I’ll try anything once. Ask anyone.”
Martian Manhunter: “I am a Martian telepath: My people were shapechangers and we learned to see what lies beneath outer appearance. I do not find what I see in you….attractive.”

Flash: “I only need key words, Doctor Luthor. I’m thinking at 70 thousand miles per hour.”

Wonder Woman: “We failed them. We failed Luthor.”
Batman: “Only because our methods can’t succeed in this world. It’s a law of nature; everything we do is ordained to fail. Even good deeds go bad here, Diana.”

Wonder Woman: “I keep thinking about Luthor. Alone, doomed to fail. I don’t know if I could have the strength and conviction to lose so relentlessly. Do I try too hard sometimes?”
Batman: “No one tries too hard to make the world better, Diana. You can never shout too loudly in the name of freedom. That’s what I hear, anyway.”
Superman: “A note of idealism, Batman? From you?”
Batman: “Your super-hearing must be failing. Just saying I’ve noticed something about people who try to change the world….The world turns around and changes them right back.”

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