Batman: Earth One, Volume 1

   Convinced that there's a massive cover-up behind the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne becomes a costumed vigilante in hopes of bringing down the corrupt Mayor Cobblepot. Welcome to the world of Batman: Earth One. Here Detective Jim Gordon has been so beaten down following the murder of his wife, that he's a shell of the cop he once was. Harvey Bullock is a Hollywood cop newly transferred to Gotham in hopes of solving the Wayne murders and restarting his TV career, and a sadistic killer called the birthday boy is kidnapping young girls in hopes of reliving his first kill.

   Written by Geoff Johns, if this isn't the blueprint to the FOX TV show, Gotham, I'll eat my hat! Johns is DC's chief creative officer for its TV programming and there is just so much of Gotham in Earth One just as there is oodles of Earth One in Gotham. I love Gotham, it's an amazing show and I am in love with Batman: Earth One.

   Now here's where things get tricky for me. I've read volume one of Superman: Earth One, now I've read this volume as well- but what do either have to do with the New 52! universe? In the New 52!, there's an Earth 2, which houses most of the Justice Society heroes. Thus, I'm assuming that the red underwear-less Superman and the Jim Gordon Batman operate on Earth 1! Is there a difference between Earth 1 and Earth One besides spelling? 

   This kind of multiverse overlap is perhaps my biggest problem with the New 52! DC. It doesn't keep me from enjoying these stories but it does detract from my understanding of them. Perhaps the Earth One books are set aside much like the Ultimate universe was apart from the Marvel-616 one? But eventually, they both crossed over... So who really knows!

   Regardless, with excellent writing by Johns and killer art by Gary Frank, I am on board with this new take at the Dark Knight.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.