Batman: Earth One #2

Writer: Geoff Johns Artist: Gary Frank Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: May 6, 2015 Cover Price: $24.99 Critic Reviews: 11 User Reviews: 27
7.1Critic Rating
9.0User Rating

It's here - the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller and critically acclaimed BATMAN: EARTH ONE by the superstar creative team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank! While Gotham City is plunged into terror by an enigmatic anarchist and killer calling himself The Riddler, the Dark Knight must reconcile the increasingly conflicting ideologies of Detective Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne's head of security, Alfred Pennyworth. But there are many more mysteries lurking within Gotham City, including the secret agenda of Harvey Dent and the bizarre creature prowling the sewers - Killer Croc!

  • 9.4
    Major Spoilers - Wayne Hall May 7, 2015

    An excellent follow-up by two great creators! Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Dark Knight News - Eric Joseph May 12, 2015

    Anyone who prides themselves a Batfan is well advised to spend a small amount of your hard earned cash on this instant Bat-classic. Trust me, it's worth every two-headed coin. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Multiversity Comics - Keith Dooley May 14, 2015

    "Batman: Earth One Volume Two" is an exciting next chapter in a planned series by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. The flow of this story is more natural and tells a more complete story than the previous volume. If volume one was more of a set-up, this one fleshes the characters out in a much deeper and revelatory way. Johns and Frank take Batman and many of his rich supporting characters to create what feels like a creator-owned book. They definitely feel unrestrained in their storytelling, which is the best way to create something that feels truly fresh. Read Full Review

  • 8.7
    IGN - Jesse Schedeen May 6, 2015

    Batman: Earth One Vol. 2 is a showcase for the potential this graphic novel imprint still holds. It's not simply about streamlining the character, but making his world more reflective of our own and tracing Bruce Wayne's long, painful road towards truly becoming the Dark Knight. Geoff Johns' writing is adept at fleshing out that journey, while Gary Frank brings this Gotham City to life like only he can. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Comicosity - Matt Santori May 6, 2015

    Another great addition to the Earth One universe, establishing the youth and inexperience of these heroes in a way we havent seen on the comic page in decades, Batman: Earth One Volume 2 is a definite buy for any fan of the Dark Knight, but particularly a good one for the uninitiated when paired with Volume 1. He may not represent the monolith that we know him to be today, but this Batman is aggressively human, and is a great place to start if you want to see a Dark Knight built from the ground up. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Comic Book Resources - Doug Zawisza May 6, 2015

    "Batman: Earth One" Volume 2 introduces a homicidal Riddler, increases the body count in Gotham City and expands the breadth of the universe being built in the "Earth One" series. Johns, Frank and crew aren't simply retelling the origins of Gotham City's most famous residents; they're asking "What if?" and "What would happen?" throughout, tweaking circumstance and setting just enough to make this story feel new without totally abandoning the Batman mythology. This Batman relies on his fists to get the job done but is learning that other methods might be just as effective, and it's fun to learn alongside him. Read Full Review

  • 6.5
    Batman-News - Terry Miles, Jr. May 6, 2015

    The book definitely improves on the foundation that was established in the first volume. It's fun spotting the differences between this world and the main continuity. Seeing the trial and errors of Batman was intriguing. I really enjoyed the small scenes with Lucius Fox. It's definitely worth a read, just a little difficult standing up against more interesting Batmans in the Multiverse. Read Full Review

  • 6.5
    SnapPow.com - John McCubbin May 9, 2015

    Having thoroughly enjoyed the first volume, I wanted nothing more than to fall in love with this one. Unfortunately it proves to be very much a mixed bag, as though the plot is good, it's brought to a sudden climax, with some poor character development. It does on the other hand do enough to make me return for a third volume, but makes me less hopeful in Earth One's future. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Den Of Geek! - John Saavedra May 6, 2015

    I don't much enjoy the realism of these Batman stories, never teetering away from the serious. Instead, this story embraces what makes Batman so sad and angry. And that's all well and fine. He's a tortured badass. But at least have some fun with it while you're at it. Read Full Review

  • 4.0
    Doom Rocket - Jarrod Jones May 7, 2015

    Nothing comes together in this brisk, easily forgettable tale. History has proven that Batman will always bounce back, but in a format that's providing only diminishing returns, one can only hope that DC's Convergence has put the kibosh on this sordid tale. Because as far as Earth One is concerned, the risk of revisiting it " to say nothing of the price " is too damn high. Read Full Review

  • 4.0
    Newsarama - David Pepose May 18, 2015

    In a lot of ways, it makes sense for DC Comics to keep coming back to the origin of Batman - it was that same origin that redefined the company's fortunes, and perhaps its telling that they would come back again and again, hoping to strike gold the same way they did in 1986. Unfortunately, Batman: Earth One, Vol. 2 isn't going to have that same kind of instant magnetism. Those who are interested in reading more Batman stories after the mega-popular Christopher Nolan movies are going to wonder who this bumbler in a bat-suit is, and diehard fans aren't going to buy this low-tension storyline when they have Scott Snyder or the Arkham City games to electrify them. The sad thing is, Johns and Frank might be one of DC Comics' best teams - but it just so happens that their styles are not the right fit for DC's biggest icon. Read Full Review

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