This review contains spoilers.
In this issue, Jay Garrick deals with being needed by everyone while a new villain is revealed.
The comic begins with Jay Garrick, Val Zod and Dick Grayson in the present before flashing back to Jay Garrick being needed by seemingly everyone on Earth 2 and partying due to the pressure. This presumably led to a falling out with Earth 2-Hawkgirl. The issue ends with Jay coming to the revelation that Jimmy Olsen is the mastermind behind the evil plot that has been occurring in the post-Convergence storyline.
Positives
I like that the issue deals with people being overly reliant on Jay Garrick. Several heroes put a lot of pressure on him and it was understandable to see him break especially considering he is just a kid.
The Huntress is one of my favorite characters so it is always cool to see her.
I like that this series is dealing with one character per issue to tell the story. It’s a good format.
Negatives
I really do not like the structure of the series. The series tells a current story that takes place one year after Convergence while flashbacks fill in the gap. I would rather just get the flashbacks. What happened immediately after Convergence is where the real story is. Having to play catch up is just tedious and dull. The book feels unfocused.
The idea of Jimmy Olsen being a supervillain is ridiculous. I get that this is Earth 2 but it is still Jimmy Olsen. He is not threatening or interesting. It’s a very goofy reveal that just does not work especially considering the serious tone this thing is going for.
I also don’t like that Jay is young. What was originally appealing about Earth 2 is that it told the stories of the Golden Age. The characters were older and more experienced; that was the thrill. I understand that DC is trying to do something different with the concept and has been since the New 52 began but it isn’t as fun as it could be. It’s trying too hard to be dark when it should be embracing the silliness. If it did, the Jimmy Olsen reveal would be much more effective.
Verdict
Overall, I don’t like this issue. There are some interesting ideas with Jay as a character that I do genuinely like; I feel bad for the guy in this. But the tone and the unfocused narrative make this incredibly tiresome to read. I don’t recommend it.
