Several years ago, the Flash of Earth 0, Barry Allen, is exploring the Multiverse. He’s looking for someone in particular.
And he spots him, very, very briefly. David Sikela, Boy Thunder, Superman’s shortlived sidekick from a parallel Earth who faded back into Hypertime. That was years ago, but Barry pimps a Cosmic Treadmill so Superman and Batman can follow up on his tip. Just a couple of problems – there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to get back to their starting point, and they may not hit the right year. And indeed, they overshoot young David’s position.
Welcome to Earth 22, where a battle between two generations of heroes and villains led to the deaths of hundreds of metahumans, and almost an apocalypse.
The World’s Finest duo blip back a few years, and decide to take a breather in a theme restaurant, get their bearings before looking for the younger David.
Humour and horror is balanced nicely as writer Mark Waid returns not just to the story of Boy Thunder but to the world of Kingdom Come, the classic DC epic he created with artist Alex Ross. We know that David becomes Magog – who can kindly be described as an ‘anti-hero’ – and it looks like we’re about to see what that journey involved. I was drawn in immediately by the opening pages showing scenes from DC imaginary stories and Elseworlds – my favourite is ‘Karkan the Mighty – Lord of the Jungle’ from Superboy #182, a favourite when I was a boy.
Other highlights include Batman on the ins and outs of superhero adoption, the visit to Planet Krypton, the Caped Crusader’s trophy envy and the horror within Power Girl’s boob window. Artist Dan Mora really sells these moments and more (his Metropolis cityscape is superb, and Villainy Inc look better than they have since the Golden Age), while letterer Steve Wands deserves huge credit for his turn as a monumental mason. Tamra Bonvillain’s colour choices are terrific throughout – look at her brash coding of Superman and Batman travelling the time stream, set against gorgeous autumnal tones.
I try to be a careful reader but I have questions. Robin is there on Mora’s wonderfully composed cover, falling into the Multiverse, but he vanishes from the story – not enough room on the Cosmic Treadmill? And which Robin is it, has World’s Finest reached the original Jason Todd period – the boy wonder here certainly seems to have reddish hair, not Dick’s raven locks. And what on earth is that on Batman’s leg… a utility strap?
Any story involving Magog, an utterly obnoxious character, starts with a disadvantage, but he’s here and I loved this issue from beginning to end. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
I didn’t like what I read of Kingdom Come so that’s one strike, though the absence of Alex Ross is a plus. I don’t just dislike dystopian futures for Our Heroes that are not undone at the end of the story though. Johns poisoned the well too with the terrible use of KC Superman and a Magog in JSA. If Thunderman becomes Magog I guess we can relegate that mess o Earth-22.5 or maybe have it eaten by one of Mister Mind’s creatures that we saw in 52.
BTW, were we ever supposed to like David? I never did and I feel justified now that he’s a murderer. He’s not a hero or even an antihero. Heroes uphold a higher standard. Anti-heroes fight for he good but will kill, etc, when it is necessary. From what his vivtim in his issue says, Thunderman is Earth-22’s Punisher: A serial killer who targets super-villains.
I intellectually trust Waid to pull this off but my gut just like KC or any spin off previous enough to believe it in my heart.
At least the art is way better than Ross’, there’s that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think we were ever supposed to like David, given he was a jerk from the start. Even Jason Todd had a few years of being a good kid.
LikeLike
Anj here …
I like Kingdom Come a lot. So I always worry when people go back to beloved self-contained story and try to mine more (see Watchmen). So I am a little worried here.
Of course, Waid wrote KC so maybe he is better suited to re-visit. I think that the real meat of this story is probably seeing how ‘our’ E-0 World’s Finest respond/react to their E-22 counterparts.
I enjoyed this enough … but with trepidation!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have everything crossed for you. I heard Mark Waid on the Word Balloon podcast basically saying he wouldn’t touch the world of KC if he wasn’t sure he’d do no harm; he checked with Alex Ross out of courtesy.
LikeLike
And class like that is why I prefer Waid to Ross.
LikeLike