#earth-prime

[balu8]

Jerry Ordway

Earth-Prime #4: Road Trip

by James Robinson/Paula Sevenbergen (W); Jerry Ordway (P/I); John Kalisz (C) and Tom Napolitano (L)

DC

[cantsayidont]

January to April 2004. Fans of MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN would likely enjoy this poignant 2004 miniseries by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen, about a young man named Clark Kent in a world very much like ours, where Superman is a familiar — and fictional — pop culture icon. Clark grows up the butt of many jokes, but when he's in high school, he discovers that he really does have powers like Superman's, something that has no precedent in his world outside of comic books.

If this premise sounds familiar, it's because it's a lot like the origin of the Earth-Prime Superboy, before he became a way for Geoff Johns to mock comics fans (and for DC to play out its institutional hostility toward Siegel and Shuster). In the pre-Crisis era, Earth-Prime, one of editor Julius Schwartz's little jokes, was supposed to be our world, where comics artists, writers, and editors transcribed the adventures of the real heroes of the other Earths. In the afterword to the trade paperback compilation of SECRET IDENTITY, Busiek admits that the similarities were wholly intentional, and that while he didn't mention it in his proposal (and DC didn't advertise it as such), this was essentially his extrapolation of that 1985 concept by Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan, and Al Williamson.

After moving to New York City in his '20s, this Clark becomes a reporter — though not for the Daily Planet — and meets a young woman named Lois Chaudhari. To my knowledge, this was the first time a counterpart of Lois Lane was presented as an Asian woman (although of course she's not precisely Lois Lane).

Throughout most of the story, Clark uses his powers only in secret, but he does make himself a Superman costume. Eventually, he feels compelled to come clean with Lois:

Like Busiek's ASTRO CITY, SECRET IDENTITY is a very introspective story, less interested in action (of which there's relatively little) than in emotion and small observations of life with superhuman abilities. If you're expecting bigger dramatic stakes, you may find the series underwhelming — there are no supervillains or alien invasions, just Clark's reflections on his life and family, from childhood to old age — and the fact that the story never reveals why Clark has powers may frustrate. However, its autumnal wistfulness is appealing if you're in the right frame of mind for it. Immonen's art is gorgeous, and I can't think of a better artist for this story, which straddles the line between a real-world environment and the "heroic realism" of the modern superhero genre.

Fourteen years later, Busiek tried to do a similar story with Batman, BATMAN: CREATURE OF THE NIGHT, with John Paul Leon, which doesn't work nearly as well, wallowing in some uncomfortable attitudes about mental illness and an inappropriate though deliberately ambiguous supernatural element. Leon's art is interesting, but the story leaves a sour taste, and it does not succeed (at all) in doing for Batman what SECRET IDENTITY does for Superman, which is disappointing.

[chernobog13]

When Nuclear Man was introduced to the CW's Arrowverse in Earth-Prime #2 (June, 2022). Art by Tom Grummett and Norm Rapmund, with colors by Hi-Fi Design.

[coversdaily]

EARTH-PRIME #2

[toaarcan]

Okay so DC’s actual writers are just straight-up clowning on Zack Snyder’s take on their universe now. You love to see it.

From Earth-Prime #2 by Adam Mallinger, Tom Grummett, Norm Rapmund, & Hi-Fi.

[superfandomcorp]

Earth-Prime crossover comic event...- Lena Luthor in batwoman of CW comic

[geekcavepodcast]

“Earth-Prime” Brings The CW’s DC Heroes to Comics

DC Comics has announced a new six-issue event set in the universe inhabited by DC Entertainment’s super hero TV shows. The comics will be cannon for the shows and are approved by the CW shows’ producers.

Earth-Prime #1 will feature The CW’s Batwoman. Ryan Wilder, aka Batwoman, has been running ragged trying to contain the new villains popping up all over Gotham City once the tech that created Batman’s rogues hit the streets. She will need help from an unexpected source, though, when Clayface’s mud binds itself to a high schooler. Plus, readers can follow how Luke Fox balances his being a super hero life and a boyfriend.

Earth-Prime #1 hails from series writers Natalie Abrams and Kelley Larson, cast member Camrus Johnson, and artist Clayton Henry. Cover art is by Kim Jacinto.

Earth-Prime #1 goes on sale on April 5, 2022.

Earth-Prime #2 follows the characters from The CW’s Superman & Lois. Clark and Lois’ first anniversary is coming up. Celebrating won’t be easy, though, when one person needs to save the world and the other has hard-hitting stories to cover. Also the comic will reveal the origins of the evil Superman from John Henry Irons’ world.

Earth-Prime #2 hails from series writers Adam Mallinger, Jai Jamison, and Andrew Wong and artists Tom Grummett and Norm Rapmund. Cover art is by Kim Jacinto.

Earth-Prime #2 goes on sale on April 19, 2022.

Later issues of Earth-Prime will spotlight DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, DC’s Stargirl, and The Flash. The sixth issue will then be a crossover event. All issues are written or co-written by creative talent from the shows and will also feature bonus material from the shows’ cast members. In addition to the main cover art, each issue will also feature photo variant covers based on the show being highlighted.

(Images via DC Comics - Kim Jacinto’s Covers of Earth-Prime #1 and Earth Prime #2)

[smashpages]

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