REVIEW: 'The Wrong Earth: Trapped on Teen Planet' #1 by Gail Simone, Bill Morrison, Walter Geovani, and Rob Lean

 

THE WRONG EARTH: TRAPPED ON TEEN PLANET #1 

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Bill Morrison, Walter Geovani, Rob Lean

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Release Date: March 2, 2022

Cover Price: $4.99

The first of five unique one-shots building and expanding on the world of AHOY's The Wrong Earth, by some of the biggest names in comics! First off: superstar writer Gail Simone contributes an extra-long story as grim and gritty vigilante Dragonfly is whisked to an alternate Earth of teenagers, malt shops, love triangles, and school dances! Will this innocent world soften him? Or will his violent methods poison it? Features variant covers by Dan Parent (Archie) and Gene Ha (Top Ten, Mae).

Score:

★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)

Multiverses and interdimensional crossovers are all the rage right now and one of the best to do it is Ahoy Comics. 'The Wrong Earth: Night and Day' by Tom Peyer, Jamal Igle, Juan Castro, and Andy Troy about two similar heroes, one a gritty violent vigilante and one an affable do-gooder, who swap Earths and fight a common villain and each other, was one of the best comic series of  2021. It followed up a previous successful volume the year before. Exciting, endearing, funny, and true to the spirit of comics, 'The Wrong Earth' established itself as a comic fan's dream unafraid to play with tropes we've loved for decades. 

Ahoy has a hit on its hands and what better way to expand on this universe than to let some of the best creators in the business take a crack at telling a story within it. The first of five one-shots has writer and sometimes Twitter menace Gail Simone with artists Walter Geovani, Bill Morrison, Rob Lean, and Andy Troy. Dragonfly, the aforementioned vigilante from Earth-Omega now residing in the friendlier Earth-Alpha, his naive sidekick Stinger, and fellow hero Deuce are transported through the mirror portal to a new dimension by a mysterious and deadly robot.

After a brief introduction of the corrupt establishment of Earth-Omega and the current confines of Earth-Alpha done with Geovani's super clean lines and cinematic urban designs, the three emerge in a world totally unlike any they know. A world of wholesome teenagers, clueless adults, and tons of high school drama. It's Bill Morrison's turn to flex his artistic muscles and create his version of Riverdale and all the Archie Comics archetypes. From the rich bad girl, the resident genius, America's sweetheart, the dopey pall, to all the same environs like the malt shop they find themselves in. Morrison does Dan DeCarlo, the architect of Archie Comics house style, proud even giving DeCarlo a sweet shoutout from Dragonfly himself. 

Apart from being a fun mystery about aggressive robots and an endearing homage to Riverdale, 'Trapped on Teen Planet' broadens 'The Wrong Earth' backstory of Dragonfly with a surprising and bittersweet remembrance of his youth that only adds depth to the brooding vigilante. Simone draws plenty of humor and nostalgia from the Archie-type characters without ever making fun of them. It's still an innocent world with a bit of a twist that's a wink at readers. 

'The Wrong Earth: Trapped on Teen Planet' builds on Ahoy's winning dimension-swapping superhero universe with a sweet new twist as only Gail Simone can write. Accompanied by a team of great artists, Dragonfly and the gang leave Earth-Alpha and end up in a Riverdale-like dimension where wholesome teens rule. This one-shot adds great character development but is really just an entertaining time that should leave readers smiling.