Earth 2 Annual 2 pg 32 by Robson Rocha (Origin)

Earth 2 Annual 2 pg.36 (2014)
"ORIGIN" Written by Tom Taylor
Pencils by Robson Rocha (1980 - 2021)
1st: Thomas Wayne as Earth 2 Batman
Graphite on DC comic board
11 x17 in.

This issue tells the Earth 2 version of Batman's origin story (updated to 1979) and then fast forwards to Bruce Wayne identifying Joe Chill at the morgue in 1994 leading the caped crusader to navigate a complex web of lies and omissions that completely upends everything he thought he knew about his existence. The story by award-winning writer Tom Taylor springboards off the Thomas Wayne mythos that Grant Morrison created in his epic, seven-year run on Batman, but Taylor turns it all on its head. 

The first panel here features Red Tornado and Hawkgirl while the rest of the page is dedicated to Batman suiting-up. He stares into his empty mask, grits his teeth and then Rocha zeroes-in on the Bat logo on the suit as the Dark Knight adjusts the cowl, making the transformation complete. Bruce-to-Bats pages like this are a lot rarer than most collectors realize, but in a jolt of surprise this isn't Bruce; it's Thomas Wayne lamenting the death of Bruce and taking up the mantle. That makes this the very first page to feature Thomas Wayne as Earth 2's Batman. This was only three pages from end of a 36 page shocker. 

The differences in line weights here are spectacular, too. Robson Rocha was a great talent, taken too young during the global pandemic, and owning his published art is a privilege. This was a recent Heritage Auctions acquisition.