I've been pretty hard on the Earth 2 series so far, so I'll cut it some slack this time around.That's mostly because it features (if only for the briefest of moments) two of my favorite DC characters.
This story is aimed at reintroducing the character Dr. Fate, a Golden Age creation who has managed to survive through the years.
A large reason for that is the costume design. It begins with the cool golden helmet that covers his face completely and includes an arcane amulet (long before Marvel's master magician featured a similar device) and a golden cape.
It was a unique design that made the character stand out from the usual superhero getup. As a result, I liked the character immediately when I first saw him in a 1960s crossover between the Justice Society and the Justice League.
So I'm glad to see his return, even if his mortal identity has changed (which I'm not crazy about, but I'll give writer James Robinson the benefit of the doubt - for now).
The issue also includes the return of another character - one of Jack Kirby's greatest creations for DC - though he only appears in a single panel, and on the "shocking" foldout cover.
So it's a solid issue, with some surprises and characters acting heroically (especially another old favorite, The Flash). Add the excellent art by Nicola and Trevor Scott and you've got a strong issue that's much more along the lines of what I was hoping to see with this series.
Here's hoping for more of this and less of the first 10 issues.
Grade: B+
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2 comments:
I stopped giving Robinson the benefit of the doubt some time ago.
Hi Chuck, I've liked Dr. Fate since I first saw him in a issue of Roy Thomas's All-Star Squadron. My grandmother had given me a few one summer while I was visiting. I remember being surprised by how cool his "new" full face helmet was when I eventually saw it! ha!
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