The Return of Earth-2 - your wish list

[Mulett]

The new Justice Society of America title will be written by James Robinson (Starman, Superman: New Krypton) with art by Nicola Scott (Birds of Prey, Secret Six). Robinson and Scott will not be telling the tales of the JSA in the new DC Universe but on Earth-2.

James Robinson said that by having the Justice Society of America on Earth-2 gives him the opportunity to use some great characters that were previously dead or unavailable.

So, here’s the thing. The JSA is forever linked with WWII which ended 66 years ago. This would make many of the JSA members 80+ years of age - and (to be honest) their children (Jade, Fury, Silver Scarab etc) would realistically be in their 40s or 50s by now.

Here are some questions to think over:


Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

[Icefalcon]

The new Justice Society of America title will be written by James Robinson (Starman, Superman: New Krypton) with art by Nicola Scott (Birds of Prey, Secret Six). Robinson and Scott will not be telling the tales of the JSA in the new DC Universe but on Earth-2.

James Robinson said that by having the Justice Society of America on Earth-2 gives him the opportunity to use some great characters that were previously dead or unavailable.

So, here’s the thing. The JSA is forever linked with WWII which ended 66 years ago. This would make many of the JSA members 80+ years of age - and (to be honest) their children (Jade, Fury, Silver Scarab etc) would realistically be in their 40s or 50s by now.

Here are some questions to think over:


Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?


In order
No. I was good with the Ian Karkull no one in the JSA/ All-Stars ages sort of thing. Honestly it may not have made sense but it kept the characters history and still allowed them to be used.

Yes.I liked Earth 2 Superman etc being in the JSA. I doubt they'll do this but I'd like it anyway.

Yes.Mr Terrific is an awful title, let's have PG back as a proper hero.

Not so sure about this one. Annually may be a boit too often but crossovers now and again would be good.

Maybe. It depends if they are going to be used and in that case who would write them.

Absolutely! This will always get my vote I loved the All-Stars

[Shellhead]

I've been a fan of the JSA ever since I read my first JLA/JSA crossover, starting with JLA #100. One thing that I always appreciated about them was that the JSA folks were allowed to grow and change more than the mainstream Earth-1 heroes. They got older, had kids, retired, and even died in many cases.

My biggest wish for the new JSA is that James Robinson recovers from what ever happened to his writing ability while in Hollywood. He wrote same great stories in the '90s: The Golden Age mini and the Starman series. Everything that I've seen since his return has been disappointing.

Beyond that, I hope that there is some effort to make Earth-2 seem distinct from Earth-1. There are all kinds of possibilities, but my favorite was a fan suggestion here at CBR... have Earth-2 slightly out of sync in terms of timeflow, so that it's only the '70s there. But have their technology be somewhat comparable to modern DCU technology due to an earlier introduction of superhumans there.

It's funny that modern fans associate JSA so closely with WWII, when that was actually an awkward point in the past. DC writers had to lean on the idea of Hitler using the Spear of Destiny to negate superhuman powers in Europe, because otherwise the JSA would have easily won the war in a short time. This new version of the JSA doesn't need to be tied to that WWII legacy of fighting domestic saboteurs and spies, Robinson could go in a whole different direction.

To answer other questions... I'm neutral towards having Earth-2 versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, because they've been out of the DCU for so long. Bringing them back would at least allow the return of the classic Huntress and a non-convoluted version of Fury from Infinity Inc. I would like to see an Earth-2 Power Girl, because I hate the version currently appearing in Mister Terrific. I would definitely like to see a return to the JLA/JSA crossovers, and the return of other fun places from the old multiverse. However, I don't see the need for the All-Star Squadron anymore. WWII is less interesting to modern readers, and that old series was running on fumes after COIE anyway.

[The Lucky One]

The last question is, I think, the easiest one: a resounding "yes." I'm not a continuity expert, but I don't think anything in the All-Star Squadron run directly violates or contradicts anything major in the DCnU. Since it's such a well-remembered series, throw the older fans a bone and put it back in continuity.

That also dovetails with the fifth question, about restoring other earths. Personal preference, I'd rather they keep it relatively simple. All-Star Squadron already treated the Quality Comics characters as if they were always DC characters who migrated to Earth-X, so keep that story in continuity and just say they came back to Earth-2 at some point if you want to use them. Fawcett characters may be a little more difficult if DC plans on introducing Captain Marvel to the DCnU, and if Ted Kord or the Question exist(ed) in the DCnU continuity, the Charlton heroes might need to stay attached to the DCnU Earth-1.

I'm most divided on the first question. They HAVE to stay tied to WWII, that can't change. You could set the time period as being in the '60s or '70s so they're younger, but then you risk making the series less relevant, and it would require some complex hand-waving to do any JLA/JSA crossovers (like, say, the Earths don't exactly match up in time, so 2012 on Earth-1 = 1965 on Earth-2, or whatever). Bad idea. But at the same time, you end up with the same problem that was becoming more pressing pre-Flashpoint: the JSAers should all be senior citizens and even their children would either have to be born incredibly late, or themselves be middle-aged or older. And if you set the series in the 1940s, you can't do JLA/JSA crossovers and you lose the legacy characters like Stargirl, Cyclone, Rick Tyler, Jesse Quick, J.J. Thunder, etc. Tough call.

-D

[CaptCleghorn]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

No. Keep the JSA in WWII, but as I've said before, have them actively fight in it and make a superheroic contribution. Forget this spear of destiny stuff that kept the JSA from kicking Axis butt and show us a planet where superhumans help fight a war. The advent of superhumans in the public eye would definitely change the flow of history rendering Earth 2 markedly different than our Earth or the DCnU Earth. Assume it's kinda like 1984 or so and use a retro-future feel, just don't mention the year. A world with decades of metahuman influence then becomes a cautionary/inspirational example for the current crop of DCnU heroes.

Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Sure.

Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Earth 2. Earth 1 has the blonde chick, what's her name.

Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Meh, with the current inability of most writers to be able to create a story using fewer than six issues, the appeal of a BIG three part crossover is lost.

Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

I thought they were, but yes. Some of these concepts need to be used on their own worlds to be properly expressed. Freedom Fighters especially.

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

Depends on the appeal of a WWII book. I'd probably pass if it's nothing but 1942 ad nauseum.

[glennsim]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

To be specific, I think they should have been active in the later years of the war, let them be the ones to end it, and then get thrown forward in time Captain America style.


Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

I think you could have them, but change them enough so that they aren't the same people as Earth 1. So just as there would be a Flash on each Earth but with different real names, there would be a Superman on each Earth but while sharing the same super-name and basic powers they would have different real names and origins.


Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

I don't yet believe Power Girl lives on Earth-1, just a blonde named Karen Starr. So that said, I think you can have Power Girl who is some sort of relative of Superman living on Earth-2 but keep the Karen Starr name as the supporting character in Mr. Terrific, for whatever reason they chose to do that. That sorta depends on where they intend to go with the current Karen Starr and/or Mr. Terrific.


Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

They can have crossovers that take place annually in the real world, but shouldn't refer to them as "annual" in the dialogue, since that tends to make continuity fans crazy (sorta like counting Christmases).


Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

Possibly, if they have a good story to tell.

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

I think a Justice Society title with lots of guest-stars being the other mystery-men would be fine. Perhaps fewer of the "I'm just going to put on a funny costume and name and start fighting crime" guys and focus more on the guys with actual powers.

[Shellhead]

I also hope that Robinson doesn't get rid of all the good JSA legacy characters that have been introduced over the years, including the Infinity Inc members and newer ones like Jakeem Thunder, Stargirl, and Cyclone. For a while there, JSA was the most diverse superhero team ever, a real society of heroes and not just in name.

[vane0326]

Well...



Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
1. Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

No. None of them should come back BUT it would be very interesting if they were have the big 3 of earth-2 goes up against of earth-1 big 3

2. Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

I think she should. Then her first appearance in All-Star Comics #58 will be more popular to own one.

3. Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Most definitely!

4. Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

Yes. but NOT Earth-S. I think Captain Marvel should moved to Earth-2. As for for Earth-X that'll be interesting.


5. Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

Don't know about that one. If they do bring back All-Star Squadron my opinion would have to be all of Earth-1, Earth-2, Earth-X, and Earth-S to be one big team. The All-Star Squadron's were just Earth-2 heroes, They would need to change up a bit and have different time lines of the earth's I mentioned. That would be wild to read.

[CmdrJBond]

In terms of the JSA, I would like to have all the current characters from the last run available, but also every other character ever on Earth 2. Probably the appropriate time to hit the "reset" button on the characters is before the death of Selina Wayne, because at that point in time, all the classic heroes, villains, and everyone else was still in play.

The Ian Karkull fix worked just fine in the 1980s, when there was 35-40 years worth of separation between the WWII stories and the period right before Crisis on Infinite Earths, but I think at this point, it would be hard to maintain secret identities for these heroes if that were the excuse, unless everyone in America basically had their aging stalled for a few decades. I think now, if you maintain the WWII ties to the JSA, there has to be a better excuse as to why no one aged.

Originally, I might say you could revise the story from Flash #137 and have Vandal Savage capture the entire JSA (instead of just a few members) and their spouses, and keep them on ice for about 30 years, but I don't know that would fly anymore, because you'd lose out on the All-Star Squadron members, tons of great villains, and compromise a lot of secret IDs.

Maybe a better way to do it would be to modify Grant Morrison's story from Secret Origins #50, and have a JSA/All-Star reunion shortly following the wedding of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, held in Keystone, Gotham, Metropolis, Civic City, or where have you, and then put the entire city into suspended animation following an attack by the Injustice Society, rather than just Fiddler, Shade, and Thinker; then have the villains get caught in the time freeze, too. You might lose out on a few characters that way, but it would explain why most folks who started popping up in their heroic identities between 1938-1942 didn't have kids until the 1960s (originally), or nowadays, the 1980s or 90s.

Basically, this is the same solution used to bring the Marvel Family unchanged into the 1970s, more or less, but having a whole city or region in suspended animation also protects lots of secret identities, because more than just the heroes and villains would be affected. If Robinson did it this way, he could have all the heroes and their significant others on the map, only aging a little between the early 1950s and the 1980s or 90s, and you could place most everyone in a modern world. You'd have a little Captain America-esque time dislocation to deal with but you could still maintain Infinity, Inc. as 21 year olds or so, and the legacies wouldn't much be disturbed either, because the WWII legends of the JSA and All-Star Squadron would still be in place, too (for those heroes not directly related to the originals).

Power Girl can be in her spaceship for decades, and it really doesn't affect her first appearance, and the Seven Soldiers of Victory could be retrieved from wherever their fight with the Nebula Man sent them by the JSA at any time without aging, too. We'd lose some of the JLA team ups, perhaps, but this is the theory that preserves the largest share of both the Golden Age stories and the JSA-related tales from the 1970s and 80s, updated to now. This also provides a sliding scale DC can use for decades to explain how you can have connections with these characters to both eras.

Other than yanking the whole Golden Age crew forward a few decades, there's no reason that basically every other character couldn't exist as they were on "New Earth," and still have the entire compliment of Infinity, Inc. alive too. Charles McNider, Al Pratt, Rex Tyler, Johnny Chambers and Libby Lawrence, Ted Knight, Wesley Dodds, etc. can all be around in their late 40s or so and in semi-retirement, to allow Pieter Cross, Al Rothstein, Rick and Jesse Tyler, Jack Knight, Sandy Hawkins, and the rest to handle most of the load, Stargirl is easily fixed if Pat Dugan comes back to the present now, rather than the 1970s, Tomcat isn't a problem either, Johnny Thunder can be training Jakeem, and so on.

The only real players out of the "current" JSA who might be casualties under this scenario might be Michael Holt IF we only are allowed the new 52 version of Mr. Terrific and Cyclone if you don't thaw out Ma Hunkle soon enough to have a grandkid yet still let the original Red Tornado be believably alive.

[MajorHoy]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
= Definitely not! If the JSA's original members aren't tied to the end of the Great Depression / WWII, they then become like those bad modern-day movie remakes of classic 1960's TV shows: they're just lame and not the same!

Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
= I definitely hope they are . . . as well as Green Arrow, Speedy, and Aquaman.

Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
= Why can't there be an Earth-2 Power Girl and and Earth DCnU (they're not calling it Earth-1 anymore, are they?) counterpart?

Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
= Not right away, but I would hope eventually . . . maybe in the form of summer annuals (bigger books with slightly heftier price tags than a regular-size comic book)?

Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
= It's what I wish they'd do with Captain Marvel and the rest of the Marvel Family, so yes.

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?
= Hell, yes!

[paulski]

Have we heard any more details about this title lately?

[Still Don't Care]

I never really understand the need to separate the JSA and WWII. It works just fine for Captain America. It can work fine for them, too.

[Shellhead]

I never really understand the need to separate the JSA and WWII. It works just fine for Captain America. It can work fine for them, too.

Actually, there is a big difference. Captain America and his buddies in the Invaders actually fought in the war against the Axis and their superhuman allies. The Justice Society of America was such a large and powerful team that writers couldn't really show them actively fighting in the war, because they would have won quickly. Instead, the JSA was generally shown on the homefront, fighting spys and saboteurs and more conventional criminals, instead of fighting in the war. So this grand, glorious connection between the JSA and WWII that some fans perceive is actually fairly non-existent and also awkward to bring up.

[MajorHoy]

. . . the JSA was generally shown on the homefront, fighting spys and saboteurs and more conventional criminals, instead of fighting in the war. So this grand, glorious connection between the JSA and WWII that some fans perceive is actually fairly non-existent and also awkward to bring up.

The actual Golden Age stories for those characters sometimes had WWII-based situations.

And whether you accept the Spear of Destiny bit or not, the heroes of the JSA were shaped by the world that existed during WWII.

Taking that away from them and having them in, say, the 1960's peace-love-hippie days, would totally change the dynamic that inspired the JSA.

[The Lucky One]

I never really understand the need to separate the JSA and WWII. It works just fine for Captain America. It can work fine for them, too.

I don't want them to separate it, but it is a little harder than with Captain America. Cap's just one guy, so stick him in an ice floe and boom, you're done. Human Torch is an android, Namor doesn't age normally, you've accounted for the other major Invaders.

But the JSA/All-Star Squadron is a huge group, and they weren't in suspended animation (barring the Ragnorak years). It's not a "one man adjusting to life in the future" story, it's dozens of heroes who need to be kept young, plus their spouses too, plus they have legacies (Cap has no kids, nor does Namor or the Torch) which in turn means that they didn't have kids till very late in life.

Like I said, I do want them to stay tied to WWII, agreed. But logistically, it is a lot harder than it was with Cap. Not impossible, but harder. (Change the Ian Karkull battle to have included the entire extended All-Star Squadron rather than just the JSA; explain that constant proximity caused the chronal energy to be shared with their spouses/lovers; explain that when they realized they weren't aging, they all agreed to save kids until later in life; etc.).

-D

[md62]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s? Keep the WWII ties for the JSA. There are ways to have the whole group still be young today.
Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored? I would like this to happen...
Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1? E-2 Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again? Maybe in a few years.
Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too? YES!! The Marvel Family & other Fawcett heroes work best on their own earth.
Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron? Maybe as a mini series.

[Mulett]

I never really understand the need to separate the JSA and WWII. It works just fine for Captain America. It can work fine for them, too.

I think the issue is not so much the JSA's role in WWII but how old they are now if they continue to be linked with it. They didn't get to 'skip' the years between now and the end of the war. They lived all those decades and aged.

It is different for Captain America, because he was in suspended animation for decades - so it can always be implied that he was discovered 10 years (or so) ago. And the date that he was discovered in the ice can obviously drift forward in time, as it isn't directly linked to any major world event.

[md62]

I liked the concept of the JSA retiring in the early 50's due to the Congressional hearings. That would put them in their early 30's. You could have a mixture of exposure to "chronal energies" & the magics of Dr Fate & The Spectre slow their aging (plus their families). Then have them pulled into a battle in time with their families (all of them were at a reunion portrayed like it was in JLA: Year One) that would throw them into our present day. I also think it would be cool if time passed differently (slower) on Earth-2.

[MajorHoy]

But logistically, it is a lot harder than it was with Cap. Not impossible, but harder. (Change the Ian Karkull battle to have included the entire extended All-Star Squadron rather than just the JSA; explain that constant proximity caused the chronal energy to be shared with their spouses/lovers; explain that when they realized they weren't aging, they all agreed to save kids until later in life; etc.).

You can have only some of the original, Golden-Age JSA members still alive, even without that story back in All-Star Squadron Annual No. 3.

We've already (pre-DCnU) been told
* Jay's speed/vibrational powers have altered his aging
* Alan Scott's age has been effected by the Starheart
* Wildcat somehow gained nine lives

others could be included under these assumptions:
* Wonder Woman, whether it's Golden Age Diana or Hippoltya, could also age at a different rate than mere human mortals
* Doctor Fate (and Inza) could be kept magically younger by the powers of Nabu and living in their magical tower in Salem
* Spectre is dead, so his aging isn't really an issue
* Atom (Al Pratt) could have had his aging altered by all the nuclear / atomic radiation he absorbed that gave him added strength. (I know it would seem that radiation like that would be more likely to prematurely age a human body, but maybe he had a counter-effect by his various exposures?)
* Hawkman (and Hawkwoman) could have died sometime in the +/-1970's or 1980's and have been reincarnated again?
* you could also add in Robotman from the All-Star Squadron . . . his mechanical body can be replaced/upgraded as it ages. (Could also lead to interesting possibilities if it's suspected his brain might be suffering from dementia or some other age-related problems.)

[vane0326]

Instead of the usual JSA/JLA annual team up, how about an All-Star squadron bi-annual team up? That would bring...

JSA
JLA
Freedom Fighters
Marvel Family
Seven Soldiers of Victory

and No previous affiliation
Air Wave (Lawrence Jordan)
Amazing Man (Will Everett)
Aquaman (Arthur Curry) (Pre-Crisis only)
Blackhawk (Janos Prohaska)
Captain Triumph (Lance Gallant)
Commander Steel (Henry Heywood)
Dr. Occult (Richard Occult)
Firebrand (Danette Reilly)
Guardian (Jim Harper)
Hawkgirl (Shiera Sanders)
Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers)
Judomaster (Hadley "Rip" Jagger) (Post-Crisis only)
Liberty Belle (Libby Lawrence-Chambers)
Manhunter (Paul Kirk)
Mister America/Americommando (Tex Thompson)
Quicksilver
Robotman (Robert Crane/Paul Dennis)
Sandy the Golden Boy (Sanderson Hawkins)
Sargon the Sorcerer (John Sargent)
Tarantula (Johnathan Law)
Tiger (Tanaka) (Post-Crisis only)
TNT (Thomas N. Thomas)
Whip III (Rodney Gaynor)
Zatara (Giovanni Zatara)

[Hulk_Is]

I was excited for JSA, but with this writer at the helm, I'm passing.

[MajorHoy]

I was excited for JSA, but with this writer at the helm, I'm passing.

I'm definitely worried, but I can't say with 100% certainty that I'm definitely passing.

If it's available at my Barnes and Noble, if it looks good, if it gets good buzz, and if I haven't given up completely on DC Comics when it comes out, I might give it a shot.

[Silver_Leopard]

Red Tornado

Ma Hunkel and her granddaughter. The granddaughter as a matter of fact.

[Babylon23]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

No. I love the idea that these heroes date back to the war era. One of the things I loved about Infinity Inc. was that it showed the generational nature of these heroes and the fact that the original heroes did actually age. You can't really do that in the DCnu world but Earth-2 gives writers the opportunity to age characters, establish legacies and really play with the vast history of the pre-CoIE DCU.

Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Yes to Superman, Robin and Wonder Woman, but I'd prefer to see the Huntress taking her father's place, so I'd prefer it if Batman was dead.

Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Earth-2, where she has a greater presence and relevence. Plus she should really be on this team, possibly even leading them.

Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Not just yet. Give each book a couple of years to establish itself before jumping into crossovers. They'll happen eventually, but build up to it to make it something special.

Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

Multiversity will do that. For now it should work slowly. See how Multiversity and JSA go then look at expansion.

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

Only from an historical perspective. The Squadron was formed specifically to fight the Axis in WWII. They should be a part of Earth-2's history but not currently an active team.

[sethysquare]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
Yes, to the current time now 2011

Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
No

Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
I can live with either or

Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
No, please.

Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
Noooooooo!!!!!

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?
Perhaps not.

[MajorHoy]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
Yes, to the current time now 2011

I'm confused. Are you saying the JSA should be formed for the first time ever in present day, with no connection whatsoever to any past history?

Or do you just mean you want the stories to take place in the present and not be set in the past?

:confused:

[glennsim]

Yeah, that first question can be taken different ways, as worded.

It's actually two questions, I think:

1. Do you think the JSA should have been active during World War II?
1.5 Do you think the adventures DC publishes should take place during that period or during a later period, or even the modern period?

[Dangerman]

I just hope Power Girl is back soon. That's all I gotta say about that.

[MajorHoy]

1. Do you think the JSA should have been active during World War II?
1.5 Do you think the adventures DC publishes should take place during that period or during a later period, or even the modern period?

On that thought,

* 1.0: Still Hell, yes!

* 1.5: If it's a good story, I'm open to any of these possibilities.

[sethysquare]

I'm confused. Are you saying the JSA should be formed for the first time ever in present day, with no connection whatsoever to any past history?

Or do you just mean you want the stories to take place in the present and not be set in the past?

:confused:

I want the stories to be in the present 2011, I dont want it to be set in the world war 1 era. If they do it in the world war 1 era, I hope its only 1 or 2 arc, but after that they need to switch it back to present day.

Whether they should have a connection to past or not, It really depends on how they do it. If they've been around since World War II, chances are they're going to be really old and only the new JSA members do most of the work. If theyre deaged, the older members get to do more stuff, but then they lose their history. Its hard to say which will be better. As long as James writes the stories well, Im fine with either.

[Ramage]

yes--restore the big three

no flash forward--tie to the world war. Having them age and potentially die. Do a full history of the world with superheroes. Jus go full alternative universe. Unique opportunity. Do stories set in different eras

[Mulett]

They could always do a 'Captain America' and have the entire JSA thrown forward in time from 1945 and re-appear in modern-day Earth-2.

That would keep the WWII link and also solve the age issue for good.

[MajorHoy]

I want the stories to be in the present 2011, I dont want it to be set in the world war 1 era. If they do it in the world war 1 era, I hope its only 1 or 2 arc, but after that they need to switch it back to present day.


Now I'm more confused. The Justice Society of America wasn't around unti the early 1940's, the World War 2 era.

How did this become an issue of having them back in World War 1, which ended in 1918?!? :confused:

[Ray B.]

I'd prefer if the NEW JSA was the grandchildren of the originals maybe have some flashbacks of the originals.

Yes to an Earth 2 Powergirl but maybe not tye her to the JSA straight away.

[wildcat71]

I have full faith in James Robinson. Starman and The Golden Age were some of the best comics I have ever read. His Cry For Justice mini may not have been to everyone's taste (myself included) but I have to think a lot of that was DC's notorious story mandates. I think he has a love for the Justice Society and his heart will be into it. :smile:

[MajorHoy]

I have full faith in James Robinson. Starman and The Golden Age were some of the best comics I have ever read. His Cry For Justice mini may not have been to everyone's taste (myself included) but I have to think a lot of that was DC's notorious story mandates. I think he has a love for the Justice Society and his heart will be into it. :smile:

Starman and The Golden Age were basically 20th century work.

Did you read his pre-DCnU Justice League of America?!?

I'm worried. Veeeery worried.

[sethysquare]

Now I'm more confused. The Justice Society of America wasn't around unti the early 1940's, the World War 2 era.

How did this become an issue of having them back in World War 1, which ended in 1918?!? :confused:

I meant ww2. I have limited knowledge of the jsa.

[sethysquare]

Starman and The Golden Age were basically 20th century work.

Did you read his pre-DCnU Justice League of America?!?

I'm worried. Veeeery worried.

Yes but he also wrote starman and shade which were fantastic. Or so i heard. Plus nicola scott is drawing them. Im expecting something beautiful.

[sobek]

The new Justice Society of America title will be written by James Robinson (Starman, Superman: New Krypton) with art by Nicola Scott (Birds of Prey, Secret Six). Robinson and Scott will not be telling the tales of the JSA in the new DC Universe but on Earth-2.

James Robinson said that by having the Justice Society of America on Earth-2 gives him the opportunity to use some great characters that were previously dead or unavailable.

So, here’s the thing. The JSA is forever linked with WWII which ended 66 years ago. This would make many of the JSA members 80+ years of age - and (to be honest) their children (Jade, Fury, Silver Scarab etc) would realistically be in their 40s or 50s by now.

Here are some questions to think over:


Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?


1: No, the WW2 setting works the best for the original justice society,I wouldn't mind a modern age book, but it would have to feature the JSA's children and legacies, not the original members, for me to be interested.
2: Maybe, mostly because I want to see the original Huntress, Powergirl and Fury back. but I doubt DC will.
3: No, they should make a new Powergirl for Earth-2 (but only if theres a Earth-2 superman).
4: Yes.
5: Yes, yes and more yes, Dc's multiverse is great. I looks like this is happening anyway with Multiversity next year.
6: Yes.

[lambcrazy]

stroies should be from every period of time.. past,,present and future .. being concentrated on one time is not good and one must also write in the present time using on going issues.. it is the best ..

[glennsim]

I guess you could do it like John Byrne's Superman-Batman Generations books, where there is a long history of the characters and their children and grandchildren and so on, and the book jumps around each arc to tell stories from the different eras.

[md62]

I guess you could do it like John Byrne's Superman-Batman Generations books, where there is a long history of the characters and their children and grandchildren and so on, and the book jumps around each arc to tell stories from the different eras.

Loved this series. These books plus Byrne's JSA story in his WW run made me want him to have a shot at a JSA book.

[Mulett]

Loved this series. These books plus Byrne's JSA story in his WW run made me want him to have a shot at a JSA book.

I loved that whole story about Queen Hippolyta becoming Wonder Woman in the present day, and then travelling back to WWII and staying there for years to become the 'golden age' Wonder Woman. It was a great way to reintroduce Wonder Woman to the JSA.

It is a shame more wasn't made of it, outside of the Wonder Woman title. And now, of course, it never happened.

Still, with Earth-2 returning perhaps the Earth-2 Wonder Woman will too. And, who knows, she may even be the ORIGINAL Earth-2 Wonder Woman - last seen disappearing into the ether during the Final Crisis series.

It would be quite interesting to have one character in the DC universe who remembers everything.

[glennsim]

I loved that whole story about Queen Hippolyta becoming Wonder Woman in the present day, and then travelling back to WWII and staying there for years to become the 'golden age' Wonder Woman. It was a great way to reintroduce Wonder Woman to the JSA.

It is a shame more wasn't made of it, outside of the Wonder Woman title. And now, of course, it never happened.

Still, with Earth-2 returning perhaps the Earth-2 Wonder Woman will too. And, who knows, she may even be the ORIGINAL Earth-2 Wonder Woman - last seen disappearing into the ether during the Final Crisis series.

It would be quite interesting to have one character in the DC universe who remembers everything.

I liked the general idea, but I didn't like the notion of Wonder Woman saying "Hey, you can't kill Hitler, that will change history! That would be bad! That said, now I'm going to change history by staying here in the past for a while." :)

[Mulett]

I just like the idea, still, of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman operating in the war years.

[NeonZ]

We're getting Batman Beyond back, with its own alternate future for the DC Universe, including its own old Bruce and Superman, so I guess that kind of raises the chances of Earth-2 getting its own Superman, Batman and Wonder woman too, especially if they're just backstory for Huntress and Powergirl, and aren't active in the present day.

[RobAlloyIV]

I want the stories to be well written and the art fantastic.

[deadboy80]

I would love to see Batman, Robin and wonderwoman. I wouldn't mind if it took place during WWII, or at a later date. So long as it was Earth 2 alone. No mention of Earth. 1 or any other damn thing at least for a while.

[glennsim]

I want the stories to be well written and the art fantastic.

I think that's kindof a given.

[MajorHoy]

I think that's kindof a given.

But what exactly does "well written" mean these days?

Tastes around here seem to wildly vary.

[Ghost Shark]

I'd be perfectly happy if the new JSA series picked up right where THE GOLDEN AGE left off, or at least their stories continued on from that point onward.

[MajorHoy]

I'd be perfectly happy if the new JSA series picked up right where THE GOLDEN AGE left off, or at least their stories continued on from that point onward.

So you want the new Justice Society series to continue an Elseworlds fantasy? :confused:

[paulski]

I would love to see Batman, Robin and wonderwoman. I wouldn't mind if it took place during WWII, or at a later date. So long as it was Earth 2 alone. No mention of Earth. 1 or any other damn thing at least for a while.

I must admit, reading All-Star Comics #69-72 in the 1970's and seeing that Huntress was the daughter of Earth-2 Batman was one of the coolest things ever. So I agree with you. :cool:

[MajorHoy]

I must admit, reading All-Star Comics #69-72 in the 1970's and seeing that Huntress was the daughter of Earth-2 Batman was one of the coolest things ever. So I agree with you. :cool:

Don't forget Huntress was Catwoman's daughter, too. I loved the idea of Bruce and Selina getting together and getting married, even if Selina did eventually die. (Then again, Bruce did, too.)

[Ben D]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
I'd like them to be in the 2010's

Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
Maybe, but they shouldn't be the central characters.

Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
YES. I think all the characters who were ever members of the JSA (Mr Terrific, Star Girl, Cyclone, etc) should be in Earth 2. It would be an interesting experience.

Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
Yep.

Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
I seem to be in the minority, but I actually loved the combined Earths idea. My main answer is no, but if it can be done well than go for it.

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?
Yep. It actually seemed to me that the entire last volume of the JSA was more or less an All-Star Squadron type of book.

[zilch]

Ideally, i would like to see the series take off right after the point Crisis would have occurred, only with the JSA not moving into limbo, possibly having the two teams merge, a la JSInfinity.

Then moving ahead to the present day with the surviving JSA and II members training the new kids; Stargirl, Cyclone and the others from JSA All-Stars.

[Mulett]

I think the JSA would have worked better, post Crisis on Infinite Earths, if Captain Marvel (Shazam) had been moved back to the war years to take Superman's place, and more had been made of The Fury.

As it is, I'm assuming the Marvel family is back on Earth-S and won't be mixing with the JSA again, anytime soon.

[glennsim]

I think the JSA would have worked better, post Crisis on Infinite Earths, if Captain Marvel (Shazam) had been moved back to the war years to take Superman's place, and more had been made of The Fury.

As it is, I'm assuming the Marvel family is back on Earth-S and won't be mixing with the JSA again, anytime soon.

I agree. I actually think they should have created some new characters like an Earth-2 Ultra-man, and "Dark Knight" and "Amazon" and whatnot and have them literally do all of the stuff that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. did. Not necessarily that the solo adventures had to take place, but fill the roles within the JSA and as parents/relatives for Power Girl, Fury, Huntress, etc. Then the whole thing is just seamless. You'd still have some background changes to Power Girl et al, but you'd be able to keep most of it.

[mistergoodman]

So, here’s the thing. The JSA is forever linked with WWII which ended 66 years ago. This would make many of the JSA members 80+ years of age - and (to be honest) their children (Jade, Fury, Silver Scarab etc) would realistically be in their 40s or 50s by now.


The JSA would mostly be 90+ years of age (assuming they were only around 20 in 1940). And their kids would be in their 60s, assuming the team had kids while in their twenties, which was the norm back then. Just imagine them jumping off rooftops and punching out badguys. (And the clock just keeps ticking.) Their grandkids would be in their 30s and 40s.


Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

Well, I've got zippo interest in a book set entirely in WWII, for what that's worth. And the cool thing about the JSA to me as I grew up was that they aged, so they're a lot less interesting to me if they don't. The "golden age heroes get transported forward in time" thing seems pretty stale to me too (though I miss the Zinda Blake version of Lady Blackhawk).

Really, I'm a lot more intersted in seeing Courtney Whitmore and Jakeem Williams again than I am Sylvester Pemberton, Jr. and Johnny Thunder. I'm fine with flashbacks to the past though.



Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

If they're old, I don't mind. Otherwise they're not that different than their Earth 1 counterparts and take the spotlight away from the characters unique to the JSA.



Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

I don't know that moving to Earth 2 is necessarily a good career move for her. If she ever wants her own book again she should likely stay on the main DC Earth.


Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

Sure, why not? I imagine they'll make even less appearances than Earth 2 did in recent years though.



Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

Probably not. There wasn't a lot of interest in that team when it came out a few decades ago. I don't think today's generation is more interested in WWII than mine was.

[glennsim]

I think it's a tough call, and the "Generations" format might be best. WWII isn't all that fascinating to younger readers right now, but if you just focus on the younger members, you might as well just create it as a team on the regular Earth. There's got to be something about this concept to distinguish it from the other books.

The mix of old and young can be such a thing (since the regular DCNu has much less of an age span now), but you've got to really make it interesting.

[JamesVenhaus]

1) Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

Keep it in WWII. Loved what MArvel did with the Capt. America movie, and it shows that fans will accept stories from a bygone era.

2) Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Since the new 52 is intent on gathering new readers, havign 2 Supermen, two batmen, etc, would be confusing. Stick to Dr. mid-Night, Sandman, and other characters who don't have a parellel on Earth-1

3) Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Depends on what orgin you go with. I've always thoght she was redundant to Supergil post-Crisis.

4)Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Could be TONS of fun.

5) Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

I'd say no. Again, too cofusing to the new reader. Keep them in Earth-1

6) Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

Sure.

[gwydion]

1) Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

Origin in WWII, but set in the here and now for current stories.

2) Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Sure, why not? Batman's death was part of the old continuity, (and wasn't very satisfying in any event, with some out of the blue character wiping the floor with the JSA and then killing him. Superman is needed for Power Girl's story. Wonder Woman was somewhat underused in the later Bronze Age All-Star Comics run, and she should get some more ink here. They are after all alternatives to the main DCnU characters, and should be treated like Marvel's Ultimate's line-up---as a separate line with different characters.

3) Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Absolutely back to Earth 2! Though she should be allowed to cross over whenever a story merits it. No one above the age of five should be confused by two separate sets of characters these days---and they aren't, witness Marvel with its Ultimates.

4)Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

After a year or so of establishing stories for each.

5) Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

I'd say not. Too many Earths risk diluting the concept too much. Put the characters with other Earth origins on either the DCnU Earth or on Earth 2---most likely the latter, since they've already poached a number of classic Earth 2 characters for the DCnU, and Earth 2 didn't have as many heroes in the first place.

6) Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

I'd launch an entire Earth 2 line, with JSA, Power Girl, Huntress, All-Star Comics, (as a sort of Showcase for Earth 2), All-Star Squadron, Infinity Inc., and perhaps others like an Earth 2 Wonder Woman title, (Sensation Comics), a Batman title, (LODK or Shadow of the Bat), a Superman title, (Mas of Steel or Adventures of Superman), and perhaps something like a SSOV mini, or a World's Finest Batman/Superman title, and even a Dr. Fate title.

[the4thpip]

I would like to see the adult Insect Queen, Lana Lang from the Earth 2 "Mr & Mrs Superman" series in Superman Family. She had an awesome costume.

[Mulett]

I think it would be interesting if it was suggested that the Earth-2 Wonder Woman was the orginal pre-crisis WW, who is the one person in the new DCU to remember everything.

We last saw her in Final Crisis and I think it would be sort of cool to have one link right the way back to the 1DC comics of the late 30s/early 40s.

[Jody Garland]

I've always thought it would be cool to have Dan Garrett (Note the spelling) on Earth-2 as his original Fox Features Syndicate self, sans Scarab and with super vitamins. He'd play off of Rex Tyler quite well.

[Ghost Shark]

So you want the new Justice Society series to continue an Elseworlds fantasy? :confused:

It was originally supposed to be canon, as per an old interview with James Robinson. It was made an Elseworlds by editorial edict. He referenced some of the happenings in it in his Starman series. Unless you want Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman back in their continuity, it works quite well as a part of their history.

[Ed Love]

It was originally supposed to be canon, as per an old interview with James Robinson. It was made an Elseworlds by editorial edict. He referenced some of the happenings in it in his Starman series. Unless you want Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman back in their continuity, it works quite well as a part of their history.

Think Editorial made the right decision. With the various character assassinations (Tarantula as an alcoholic abuser, Mr. Terrific using strong arm tactics to establish a business, Robotman as a sociopathic murderer, Johnny Thunder willing to betray his team-mates, Hourman as an action addict, Starman's mental breakdown, Green Lantern only spurred to action due to a villain's sacrifice, etc), the various actual character deaths, retconning Roy Thomas retcons, and the otherwise huge plot hole of not addressing the lack of Dr. Fate, Spectre, Zatarra at the big fight at the end, as an in-continuity story, there's quite a few contradictions and a lot of mean-spirited pettiness to it that damages way too many of the characters. Making it an Elseworld's gives Robinson almost a clean slate to work with and you have a half-way entertaining "What-If".

"The Golden Age" is a chief reason why I'm not especially looking forward to James Robinson being in charge of Earth 2.

[MajorHoy]

I agree. I actually think they should have created some new characters like an Earth-2 Ultra-man, and "Dark Knight" and "Amazon" and whatnot and have them literally do all of the stuff that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. did. Not necessarily that the solo adventures had to take place, but fill the roles within the JSA and as parents/relatives for Power Girl, Fury, Huntress, etc. Then the whole thing is just seamless. You'd still have some background changes to Power Girl et al, but you'd be able to keep most of it.

But . . . they did have post-CoIE counterparts to those Golden Age heroes (Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow) who were removed from continuity.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/5184/swaa.jpg

Axis America!

[super52man]

The only thing I want is solos for Alan and Jay.

[Talisman]

I want to see a return of Earth 2 Huntress and Power Girl. I also want to see all the rest of the All-Star Squadron.

[Superboy Sr]

I would love Earth 2 to come back right this minute plus add Power Girl, Wally West, and Donna Troy to Earth 2 with these three forming a new Infinity Inc.

[HardKore]

I just want some news, so I can decide whether I am completely done with new superhero comics or not.

[glennsim]

But . . . they did have post-CoIE counterparts to those Golden Age heroes (Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow) who were removed from continuity.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/5184/swaa.jpg

Axis America!

Actually closer to what I'm suggesting than the actual Young All-Stars were, but the whole "being evil Nazis" thing still separates them from my concept :)

[KarateXplosion]

I really hope Ted Kord is on Earth 2.

[MajorHoy]

I really hope Ted Kord is on Earth 2.

Why? He wasn't a Golden Age character, and would be more appropriate on the Charlton-Universe Earth. (Is that Earth-4 maybe?)

[vampiric_cannibal]

1) Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

Why move the JSA, when you could move WW2? Alternate universe, etc. Keep the continuity stable.

2) Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

I get enough of them on Earth-1, so probably not. Maybe Robin. I think he was still there, though.

3) Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Both.

4)Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Annual is quite frequent, particularly when an arc is 6 issues, so that would be 3 months at the least if there are 2 titles, but it could work. Should it? Maybe, depending on how good the story is. Crossovers for crossovers sake are bad in general.

5) Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

As few as possible, it is best to keep it all in the same continuity. Earth-2 is an exception because frankly, the characters would be badly used on Earth 1 if Mr Terrific is anything to go by.

6) Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

The who?

Other notes, I would dig a Stargirl solo.

[batmanjones]

Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

Sounds good to me.

Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Absolutely.

Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Return to Earth-2 and rejoin the Super Squad.

Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

I wish they happened every day.

Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

I don't care.

Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

If someone has a great story to tell about them I guess, but I'm not particularly missing them.

My wish list mainly consists of the return of characters that have been gone far too long. I want basically every Earth-2 character that ever died to un-die. But mostly I want E-2 Robin and Helena Wayne back. I want E-2 Batman back too. This is part of the real fun of the crossovers, seeing different versions of the same character interact. And since Batman and Robin have always been my favorites I was very bummed when the E-2 versions went away.

[sobek]

Does anyone else want to see DC start incorporating other golden age public domain characters in to Earth-2? I think it would be great to see Fighting Yank, Daredevil, Black cat, Green Lama, etc interacting with the stars of the DC universe.
Creators should be allowed free reign with the characters, changing them as they wish, most of the public domain characters are pretty bland and 2-D, good creators could make them into amazing characters.

They could also use them as fill ins for the big 3 on Earth-2, with Black Terror replacing Batman, Doc Strange replacing Superman, and Miss Masque replacing Wonder woman (not a similar character I know). Other JLA characters without Earth-2 versions could be filled in for, like The Arrow (centaur comics) for Green Arrow or The Shark (also centaur comics) for Aquaman. Of course creators should be allowed to turn into interesting and unique characters who are more than just 2-D versions of their more famous Earth-1 counterparts.

With the relative success and attention (I think) of Project Superpowers maybe now is a good time.

[MajorHoy]

I think DC has a rich enough history of it's own characters (including those from Quality Comics and Fawcett it's already made use of) that it doesn't really need to add other obscure/less successful Golden Age characters from still other publishers.

[KevinTBrown]

1) Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

WWII for sure.* (More on that in a bit.)

2) Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

In a way, yes. I say have Iron Munro, Fury, and Flying Fox return and be the counterparts.

3) Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Karen Starr is currently on new Earth and I do not believe she has super powers. And, yes, Power Girl should return on Earth-2.

4)Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Yes.

5) Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

Also, Yes.

6) Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

No. Keep is JSA for now and let them get re-established.



*Now then, back to what I said for #1. I think the story should begin during WWII, perhaps for 3 or 4 issues. Show them being firmly established as the heroes of the time. However, to get them to the present, have a battle with Per Degaton go horribly wrong and "push them forward" to "now" with no way back.

They're still young. Still from WWII. And now they're having to re-learn their world. Which is where Power Girl, et al, come in.

[sobek]

I think DC has a rich enough history of it's own characters (including those from Quality Comics and Fawcett it's already made use of) that it doesn't really need to add other obscure/less successful Golden Age characters from still other publishers.

Yeah I suppose so, but I think creators should be allowed to use public domain characters if they want to or have a story they want to tell about a certain PD character in the DCU.

[MajorHoy]

. . . *Now then, back to what I said for #1. I think the story should begin during WWII, perhaps for 3 or 4 issues. Show them being firmly established as the heroes of the time. However, to get them to the present, have a battle with Per Degaton go horribly wrong and "push them forward" to "now" with no way back.

They're still young. Still from WWII. And now they're having to re-learn their world. Which is where Power Girl, et al, come in.

So . . . Justice Society Lost? :confused:

[glennsim]

So . . . Justice Society Lost? :confused:

Whatever gets us to "today" without having to have characters waiting until they are 70 to have kids...

[KevinTBrown]

Whatever gets us to "today" without having to have characters waiting until they are 70 to have kids...

Bingo. :smile:

[MajorHoy]

Yeah I suppose so, but I think creators should be allowed to use public domain characters if they want to or have a story they want to tell about a certain PD character in the DCU.

But with all the characters DC has created / bought over the years, why can't a writer use those characters instead of resorting to a public domain character who couldn't survive in their original series and who may already be showing up in another publisher's titles?!?

Cameo / guest appearances may be one thing, but if a writer feels he's being creatively held prisoner because DC doesn't want him using another publisher's ancient failed character in a DC comic book, maybe that writer should be working elsewhere? :confused:

[CaptCleghorn]

*Now then, back to what I said for #1. I think the story should begin during WWII, perhaps for 3 or 4 issues. Show them being firmly established as the heroes of the time. However, to get them to the present, have a battle with Per Degaton go horribly wrong and "push them forward" to "now" with no way back.

They're still young. Still from WWII. And now they're having to re-learn their world. Which is where Power Girl, et al, come in.

I agree to a point. Start in WWII, but instead of that Spear of Destiny keeping the JSA from actively fighting, let the JSA fight in Europe and the Pacific. Make superhero battles a major portion of the fighting and have the JSA aided allies win in a dramatically different fashion.

History changes, and superheroics change science and turn Earth 2 into a different world like Watchmen did, but with more change.

With history warped, why be tied to keeping the current Earth 2 year at 2011, make it sometime in the 70s or 80s but keep the actual date hidden. We'd have older heroes at retirement age, some powered heroes still active, and the JSA old enough to have raised the young adult next generation we've seen in Infinity, Inc and the younger heroes seen in the latest version of the JSA.

Earth 2 becomes, as I've said before, both a visionary and cautionary tale for the current DCnU. One of the aspects of the old pre-crisis DCU I liked was how the Earth One heroes looked to the Earth Two heroes as possible futures for them. Let's get that back, but with bigger stakes as it's now planetary history that's different, not just the time frame for super-powered heroes appearing.

[MajorHoy]

I agree to a point. Start in WWII, but instead of that Spear of Destiny keeping the JSA from actively fighting, let the JSA fight in Europe and the Pacific. Make superhero battles a major portion of the fighting and have the JSA aided allies win in a dramatically different fashion.

History changes, and superheroics change science and turn Earth 2 into a different world like Watchmen did, but with more change.

But with the current Earth-DCnU so bright shiny and happy =cough!=, do we need another downer Earth?

Let Earth-2 be the way it use to be: a Golden Age Earth where people had a nobler class of heroes in the past . . . a Greatest Generation superhero legacy that didn't wind up creating some Uber-Utopia that looks nothing like our current "real world".

Save that for another Earth somewhere in the Multiverse. I want my old Earth-2 back, but let it deal with modern situations not too dissimilar from the Real World.

[sethysquare]

Basically like Marvel's ultimate line, with about 3-4 books in its line. Was initially against it, cos I felt like Earth One is there as the ultimates line, but whatevs. I like to see everyone revamped and looking young and pretty.

[CaptCleghorn]

But with the current Earth-DCnU so bright shiny and happy =cough!=, do we need another downer Earth?

Let Earth-2 be the way it use to be: a Golden Age Earth where people had a nobler class of heroes in the past . . . a Greatest Generation superhero legacy that didn't wind up creating some Uber-Utopia that looks nothing like our current "real world".

Save that for another Earth somewhere in the Multiverse. I want my old Earth-2 back, but let it deal with modern situations not too dissimilar from the Real World.

If we go with this, the question is "what's the point?". If we have decades of super-heroics and not much changes at all, can they really mean anything? If we see DCnU earth with the current folks in charge and political situations, and then see Earth 2 with an additional half century of superheroics where the JSA and company haven't really accomplished a thing, what's the thing for Earth 2? The DCnU folks look at E2 and see decades of villain fighting to keep the status quo.

Make it different, make it special.

[MajorHoy]

Make it different, make it special.

I want them to make it special. I want to get back something the way it use to be! :mad:

[CaptCleghorn]

I want them to make it special. I want to get back something the way it use to be! :mad:

I fully understand and appreciate your wants here. I'm not in agreement, but we're talking favorite flavor territory here.

I am hoping that DC is getting a handle on how people feel and will make the new Earth 2 different than the current Jim Lee designed DCnU.

My one non-negotiable demand is that something on Earth 2 is named after Roy Thomas. We have Finger this and that in Batman, the JSA stuff needs to notice Roy in this way.

Hear that DC? NON-NEGOTIABLE!

[Mr Prince]

1. Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

While I'd love to see it set in a period (eg the TV show Mad Men) and deal with the issues of the time more realistically, it would have to be done REALLY well and I'm not sure if it would limit or help the title in the long haul. I'd be okay with Earth 2 being the same modern age as Earth 1, just with different sets of heroes.

The JSA the same ages as Earth-1 Batman and Wonder Woman, etc. with Infinity Inc the ages of Nightwing, Batgirl, Titans, etc. All Star Squadron, Freedom Fighters, Seven Soldiers as their JSA's contemporaries as well.

Cut the WWII ties if you can't set make a compelling period comic and focus on their powers, relationships and not so much their origins.

2. Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Yes. Make them different than Earth 1, or explore them differently. Key to me in this universe is to have characters like Helena Wayne or Lyta Trevor exist and give me something I'm not getting in the Earth 1 books.

The focus of the book doesn't have to be about them and I'm also willing to accept characters like Flying Fox, Fury and Iron Munroe as substitutes.

3. Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

I'm not thinking of Karen Starr of Earth-1 as Power Girl, so I definitely would like to see her as the Earth 2 version of Supergirl again. She's an awesome character when portrayed well and I've missed her in the relaunch.

4. Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Eventually. Not right away. Explore the Earth 2 universe for a while.

5. Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

I'd like to see the Shazam characters revamped for Earth 1.

6. Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

To me the All Star Squadron, Freedom Fighters, JSA, Seven Soldiers of Victory and JSA should all be the main characters in the Earth 2 universe.

[sobek]

Basically like Marvel's ultimate line, with about 3-4 books in its line. Was initially against it, cos I felt like Earth One is there as the ultimates line, but whatevs. I like to see everyone revamped and looking young and pretty.

Earth-2 isn't supposed to be a ultimate like universe, its the universe inhabited by DC's golden age characters and their children, its not supposed to be anything like the Ultimate universe and it never was.

If you want to read about a DC style ultimate universe go read Earth-1

[gwydion]

Earth-2 isn't supposed to be a ultimate like universe, its the universe inhabited by DC's golden age characters and their children, its not supposed to be anything like the Ultimate universe and it never was.

If you want to read about a DC style ultimate universe go read Earth-1

I don't think he meant literally like the Ultimate's line; simply that the Earth 2 line should be like Ultimates in that it represents a different take on characters appearing in the main DCnU. That take wouldn't be like the Ultimates IMO, since Earth-Two traditionally hasn't been, and as you say, the main DCnU reflects them somewhat better. But it would have a different feel than the main DCnU, in much the same way that Ultimates has a different feel than the main Marvel line.

Thus offering the Earth 2 line, (and hopefully there's going to be a lot more there than just a single JSA title), as an alternative to the DCnU.

[HardKore]

I think the most important thing is that Superman is the first superhero and made his début in 1938 with the other heroes following after, if you want to set the series in the past or have some of the heroes jump forward in time is another thing but Superman has to have first appeared in 1938.

I think doing anything else just isn't Earth 2.

[althechi]

Would it be too confusing for the two worlds to be slightly "out-of-sync", time-wise? I.e. Earth-2 will always be behind Earth-1 by a certain amount of years, so that we get to see both iterations of heroes in their prime (or slightly older for Earth-2). It'd be interesting to see how the latter reacts to changes in the modern world while the former sees its own history, however changed, play out.

[MajorHoy]

I don't think he meant literally like the Ultimate's line; simply that the Earth 2 line should be like Ultimates in that it represents a different take on characters appearing in the main DCnU. That take wouldn't be like the Ultimates IMO, since Earth-Two traditionally hasn't been, and as you say, the main DCnU reflects them somewhat better. But it would have a different feel than the main DCnU, in much the same way that Ultimates has a different feel than the main Marvel line.

But the Ultimates line (I thought) was more like an alternate version of the main Marvel Universe Earth.

Earth-2 has typically felt to me more like a companion Earth, where there were some heroes similar to those that were on what was then Earth-1, but started from a different time period.

By the way, have the Ultimate Marvel line characters ever met the primary Marvel Universe characters?

[gwydion]

But the Ultimates line (I thought) was more like an alternate version of the main Marvel Universe Earth.

Earth-2 has typically felt to me more like a companion Earth, where there were some heroes similar to those that were on what was then Earth-1, but started from a different time period.

By the way, have the Ultimate Marvel line characters ever met the primary Marvel Universe characters?

As to that last, I don't know. As far as comparing Earth 2 to the Ultimates, I at least mean that there's a somewhat different feel to Earth 2 as opposed to DCnU Earth---and historically there was a different feel to Earth-Two compared to Earth-One. That's really all I mean. The exact differences are of course unique to DC.

Earth-Two historically has had some characters that were essentially versions of those on Earth-One; like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and even the differently named and costumed Power Girl.

Then they've also had characters without counterparts; like Plas, or Robotman, or Nuklon, or Jade, or Wildcat.

So I'd tend to concentrate on how Earth 2 feels as compared to the heroes involved. Which is to say IMO, a bit less dark overall, with brighter heroes and villains who maybe aren't all as dire as those on the DCnU Earth. And perhaps the world itself could be different in design and other ways, (as historically it was with various details familiar to every Earth 2 fan). I'd see the sort of retro-future styling that you'd see back in the 50s when they'd imagine what the future would look like, and with perhaps even more advanced tech than the DCnU. Or maybe go another way, and play up Earth 2's historically greater attraction the the magical side of things, (though with the Dark line that doesn't seem as if it would work now).

Basically, I'd like to see Robinson and Scott choose some way to make it all feel like a different reading experience than when you read JLA. for example.

[secretasianboy]

1) Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?
Hmmm... i'll trust whatever James Robinson has planned.


2) Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?
Yeah but not in the lead roles. They already get enough starring time in New Earth.

3) Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?
Yeah i think she works better if she's not in a world with Supergirl.

4)Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?
Hell yeah! Giant sized issues Every year!

5) Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?
Sure but wait a year or two first.

6) Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?
Why not

[MajorHoy]

Earth-Two historically has had some characters that were essentially versions of those on Earth-One; like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and even the differently named and costumed Power Girl.

You seem to have that a bit backwards. The characters on Earth-2 were the Golden Age characters, and their stories were the ones that DC originally printed in the 1940's.

They came before the characters of the Silver Age . . . even Barry Allen (Flash) was shown reading a comic book with the Golden Age Flash (Jay) in Barry's original appearance (back in Showcase), and took his costumed-identity name from that "comic book" character, who Barry later found out really existed on another Earth.

So it's more proper to say Earth-One historically has had some characters that were essentially versions of those on Earth-Two, since the Earth-Two Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow & Speedy were essentially the ones from past stories that were no longer part of Silver Age DC continuity.

[gwydion]

You seem to have that a bit backwards. The characters on Earth-2 were the Golden Age characters, and their stories were the ones that DC originally printed in the 1940's.

They came before the characters of the Silver Age . . . even Barry Allen (Flash) was shown reading a comic book with the Golden Age Flash (Jay) in Barry's original appearance (back in Showcase), and took his costumed-identity name from that "comic book" character, who Barry later found out really existed on another Earth.

So it's more proper to say Earth-One historically has had some characters that were essentially versions of those on Earth-Two, since the Earth-Two Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow & Speedy were essentially the ones from past stories that were no longer part of Silver Age DC continuity.

Heh, you know what I meant though...

[glennsim]

Well, from another perspective, it could be said that the Earth 2 heroes were NOT the Golden Age heroes. In the Golden Age, Clark tended to work for the Daily Planet at one point, and the Daily Star at another, with his editor switching from George Taylor to Perry White. Basically, Superman evolved over time from the Golden Age version to the Silver Age/Earth 1 version. Around that time, the Earth 1/2 concept rolled around, and certain aspects of the Golden Age version were attributed to the Earth 2 version, i.e. working for the Daily Star. But the Earth 2 version only ever worked for George Taylor at the Daily Star (prior to becoming editor himself).

There are other examples - I think Two-Face was named "Harvey Kent" at first, and then was changed to "Dent", but it may have changed prior to the point where comics historians tend to place the break between "Earth 2 stories" and "Earth 1 stories".

Which is kindof the point - it's a subject of much discussion where those breaks take place.

Not to mention that, semantically speaking, things like All-Star Squadron that put new events into the past of the Earth 2 characters could be argued not to have happened to the "Golden Age" versions. The locale of the stories is explicitly referred to as "Earth 2".

So with that in mind, it could be argued that the Golden Age versions of Superman, Batman, etc. evolved into the Earth 1 versions, and then the Earth 2 versions created with backgrounds very similar to, but not exactly like, the Golden Age versions. But that means the Earth 1 versions actually existed before the Earth 2 versions. From a particular point of view...

Not that it really matters and all...

[Poe1809]

1) Should the JSA be moved forward in time, away from WWII - perhaps to the 60s or 70s?

Earth 2 should be golden age, set 1938-1950. You remove the characters from that setting, as we've seen over and over again, you lose too much of what makes them special. The JSA should be the originals in their original form, no legacy characters to start. I wouldn't mind them occassionally interacting with other heroes from that era who weren't in the JSA, and if you want to just go All Star Squadron after a time, I'm fine with that.

But please refrain from further destroying golden age characters by placing them in places they don't belong.


2) Should Earth-2 Superman, Batman & Robin and Wonder Woman be restored?

Yes.

3) Should Power Girl return to Earth-2 or continue living on Earth-1?

Earth 2 eventually

4)Should the annual JLA/JSA cross-overs begin again?

Absolutely. Those were not always great, but they were always fun.

5) Should other Earths (e.g. Earth-S) be restored too?

Absolutely. Let's go pre-COIE

6) Good time to bring back the All Star Squadron?

It's always a good time to bring them back.

[llozymandias]

If i had my way, Earth-2 would be an echo universe. Its present day set in the early 50s. That way DC´s original golden-age continuity would be used. And the characters would be in their mid-late 30s, at the very most. And yes Earth-2 would include Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin, etc..

[gaudium]

I think it's safe to say that however this is done, it won't please all the old fans, nor will it be truly accessible to the new fans. And the internet will explode. :cool: