The second installment to the reimagined origin of Batman, the graphic novel Batman: Earth One volume two continues the story of how Bruce Wayne gradually gets used to the idea of being the Caped Crusader. Along with this yet reimagination of the beginning years of Batman are a few changes on the other supporting characters and some of the villains.
Here we see a different kind of Gotham City - one where Commissioner Gordon is still a detective and Bruce Wayne is still young and trying to deal with being Batman. We also see Harvey Dent as a young D.A. and his twin sister as the new mayor of Gotham City. Quite surprising for those who are not very familiar with the Batman universe. But the biggest change we see here is that of Bruce's butler Alfred. This version of the butler is way different than what most of us are used to - the stoic and well-mannered gentleman with a British accent. The Alfred we see here military-grade, harsh, and comparable to that of a Vietnam war veteran.
One of the villains shown in the graphic novel is Killer Croc. The Killer Croc/Waylon Jones character was rather a softer villain, him being sort of an ally to Batman instead of the typical brute half-man half-lizard mutant that most comic books depict him to be. Here, Killer Croc is humanized and shown a nothing but a misunderstood monster.
The more "evil" villain, to one with a lot more action, if you may, is the Riddler/Edward Nigma. He taunts Batman with a few riddles and then blows people up. The arrogance he exhibits when killing children and families for no reason is greatly emphasized in Batman: Earth One volume 2.
Written by Geoff Johns, Batman: Earth One Volume 2 is set in a gritty, more realistic Gotham City, complemented by the realistic hues in the artwork of Gary Frank. Released last May 12, the graphic novel is listed at $24.99.
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