Review: Earth 2 Issue 6

After a tense cliffhanger ending to issue 5, our heroes continue their fight with Solomon Grundy. With the threat of World Army missiles headed straight for them as well, our heroes are in a dire predicament indeed!

Leave it up to writer James Robinson to end issue 6 and the first story arc of the series with another shocking ending, in an issue filled with non-stop action. Readers may not get what they wish for in the interim, if they were expecting a revived Justice Society team right away.  Robinson has certainly dropped hints during this first arc about the New 52 versions of the JSA and Golden Age characters but the actions demonstrated by one of the characters, leaves some doubt if and when we will see that classic round-table group pose! Perhaps Robinson is giving him time to grieve and gather his bearings?

After all, being nearly destroyed by both the World Army (no thanks to harsh actions by Terry Sloan!) and The Grey, can take a toll on someone! Whatever Robinson has planned, it's definitely worth waiting for, even if an integral member isn't part of the team. Also, since we're world-building in this particular title, I definitely wouldn't mind seeing more of the characters mentioned in issue 5 such as Wesley Dodds and the Red Tornado! Robinson delivers another solid tale with equal parts action and drama.

Pages 2 and 3 by artist Nicola Scott, should be declared one of the finest moments capturing the Wonders in action. I won't spoil it too much here but imagine gigantic Solomon Grundy taking on the equally giant-sized Atom in battle! I've enjoyed Scott's panels capturing action and even detailed facial expressions, throughout the first arc. Furthermore, I love the added Matrix-style slowed-down action effect in some panels. You'll see that examples of that same stunning work here once again. Alex Sinclair deserves some credit for the balanced color work showcased here. Scenes are perfectly blended with the various colors of the Wonders. An ending that may disappoint some readers but will truly leave them craving for the next issue and next chapter in the lives of the new Wonders, sums up issue 6.

Final Verdict: A

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