TheDC Universe(DCU) is theshared universein which most stories inAmerican comic booktitles published byDC Comicstake place. In context, the term "DC Universe" usually refers to the main DCcontinuity.It contains varioussuperheroessuch asSuperman,Batman,Wonder Woman,Aquaman,andFlash;as well as teams such as theJustice League,theSuicide Squad,and theTeen Titans.It also contains well-knownsupervillains,includingJoker,Lex Luthor,Cheetah,Reverse-Flash,andDarkseid.
Beyond the main continuity, theDC Multiverseencompasses allalternate realitieswithin DC Comics. The primary universe has been known by various names over time, with recent designations including "Prime Earth" or "Earth 0" (distinct from "Earth Prime"). The DC Universe and its alternate realities have been adapted across multiple media, includingfilm serials,radio dramas,and modern films, with ongoing efforts to address the complex continuity through streamlined storylines and events.
History
editGolden Age
editThe fact that DC Comics characters coexisted in the same world was first established inAll Star Comics#3 (1940) where several superheroes (who starred in separate stories in the series up to that point) met each other in a group dubbed theJustice Society of America.Earth-Twowas the primary world of this publication era, as established in "Flash of Two Worlds"and" Crisis on Earth-Two! ".[1]
In the Silver Age, the Justice Society was reimagined as theJustice Leagueof America, which was founded with Major League Baseball's National League and American League as inspiration for the name. The comic book that introduced the Justice League was titledThe Brave and the Bold.[2]However, the majority of National/DC's publications continued to be written with little regard of maintaining continuity with each other for the first few decades.
Silver Age
editIn the 1950s and 1960s, DC has introduced different versions of its characters, sometimes presenting them as if the earlier version had never existed, including:Flash(Barry Allen),[3]Green Lantern(Hal Jordan),[4]andHawkman(Katar Hol).[5]These new versions of the characters had similar powers but different names and personal histories. Similarly, they had characters such as Batman whose early adventures set in the 1940s could not easily be reconciled with stories featuring a still-youthful man in the 1960s. To explain this, they introduced the idea of theMultiverseinFlash#123 (1961) where theSilver Age Flashmet hisGolden Age counterpart.In addition to allowing the conflicting stories to "co-exist", it allowed the differing versions of characters to meet, and even team up to combat cross-universe threats. The writers gave designations such as "Earth-One","Earth-Two",and so forth, to certain universes, designations which at times were also used by the characters themselves.[6]Earth-Onewas the primary world of this publication era, as established in "Flash of Two Worlds"and" Crisis on Earth-One! ".[7]
Crisis on Infinite Earths
editOver the years, as the number of titles published increased and the volume of past stories accumulated, it became increasingly difficult to maintain internal consistency. In the face of diminishing sales, maintaining thestatus quoof their most popular characters became attractive.[8]Althoughretconswere used as a way to explain apparent inconsistencies in stories written, editors at DC came to consider the varied continuity of multiple Earths too difficult to keep track of, and feared that it was an obstacle to accessibility for new readers. To address this, they published thecross-universeminiseriesCrisis on Infinite Earthsin 1985, which merged universes and characters, reducing the Multiverse to a single unnamed universe with a single history.[9]
However, not all the books rebooted post-Crisis. For example, the Legion of Superheroes book acted as if the Pre-Crisis Earth-1 history was still their past, a point driven home in theCosmic Boyminiseries.It also removed the mechanism DC had been using to deal with continuity glitches or storylines that a later writer wanted to ignore (which is how Earths B and E came into existence) resulting in a convoluted explanation for characters like Hawkman.
TheZero Hourlimited series (1994) gave them an opportunity to revise timelines and rewrite the DC Universe history. However this failed right out of the gate as the writers had Waverider state all alternate histories had been wiped and yet have theArmageddon 2001saga in the timeline which required multiple timelines to work.
As a result, almost once per decade since the 1980s, the DC Universe experiences a major crisis that allows any number of changes from new versions of characters to appear as a wholerebootof the universe, restarting nominally all the characters into a new and modernized version of their lives.
Meanwhile, DC has published occasional stories calledElseworlds,which often presented alternate versions of its characters. One told the story of Bruce Wayne as a Green Lantern. In another tale,Superman: Speeding Bullets,the rocket ship that brought the infant Superman to Earth was discovered by the Wayne family of Gotham City rather than the Kents.
In 1999,The Kingdomreintroduced a variant of the old Multiverse concept calledHypertimewhich essentially allows for alternate versions of characters and worlds again. The entire process was possibly inspired byAlan Moore's meta-comic,Supreme: Story of the Year(1997).
TheConvergence(2015) crossover officially retconned the events ofCrisisafter heroes in that series went back in time to prevent the collapse of the Multiverse.[10]However, Brainiac states "Each world has evolved but they all still exist".[11]It has been confirmed that all previous worlds and timelines now exist, and that there are even multiple Multiverses now in existence, such as the Pre-Crisisinfinite Multiverse, the collapsed Earth, and the Pre-New 5252 worlds Multiverse.
Infinite Crisis
editTheInfinite Crisisevent (2005–2006) remade the DC Universe yet again, with newchanges.The limited series52(2006–2007) established that a new multiverse now existed, withEarth-0as the primary Earth.
The New 52
editThe 2011 reboot of the DC Universe coincided with DC's publishing eventThe New 52,during which the publisher cancelled its ongoing titles and relaunched 52 new books, including a number of new books, set within a revised continuity. This follows the conclusion of theFlashpointcrossover storyline, which provided a jumping-off point for the existing continuity. A number of in-universe changes are intended to make characters more modern and accessible, though the scope of the changes varies from character to character. Some like Batman have their histories left largely intact, though compressed, while others were given wildly different histories and looks. DC stopped putting 'The New 52' logo on its publications in the summer of 2015, coinciding with theConvergenceanniversary crossover event which celebrated the history of the DC Multiverse and its various incarnations.
DC Rebirth
editIn February 2016, DC announced its DC Rebirth initiative, a line-wide relaunch of its titles, to begin in June 2016.[12]Beginning with an 80-page one-shot which was released on May 25, 2016, DC Rebirth also seesAction ComicsandDetective Comicsreturn to their previous numbering (#957 and #934 respectively), all books releasing atUS$2.99,multiple books shifting to a twice-monthly release schedule, a number of existing titles relaunching with new #1s, and the release of several new titles.[13][14]DC has used theGreen Lantern: Rebirth[15]andThe Flash: Rebirthminiseries as examples of the basis for the initiative, which has been described as a rebirth of the DC Universe. TheDC Rebirthinitiative will reintroduce concepts from pre-Flashpointcontinuity, such as legacy, that have been lost withThe New 52and build "on everything that's been published since Action Comics #1 up thru The New 52."[13]
DC Universe
editIn October 2017, DC revealed that they would be discontinuing the Rebirth branding and logo from their titles in December 2017, releasing everything under a single umbrella title as the DC Universe. Coincided with the release of the New Age of Heroes imprint, DiDio explained, "We want to make it clear that this is all the DC Universe... Rebirth pretty muchisthe DCU now; while we're taking Rebirth off the books, we'll be following the direction that Rebirth established. "Titles also received newtrade dress,with those "that tie in clearly to our larger DC Universe" having a "DCU logo on them" in addition to corner boxes with icons of the characters to help identify the family of titles; titles outside the DCU, such asInjustice: Gods Among UsandDC Bombshellswould simply have the DC logo on them. DiDio also added that theYoung Animalimprint would continue as a separate line of titles.[16]
Infinite Frontier
editIn 2021, DC announced a line-wide relaunch of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. A number of miniseries and one-shots were also announced. It is the follow-up to the DC Rebirth relaunch.
Dawn of DC
editIn late 2022, DC announced a new line-wide initiative titled the Dawn Of DC.[17]The Dawn of DC is a year long story telling initiative with various new, ongoing and limited series. The Dawn of DC titles received a new trade dress. The initiative meant to change the tone for the DC universe into something brighter and lighter, as well as creating more inter-connectivity between multiple series.
Description
edit
The basic concept of the DC Universe is that it is just like the real world, but with superheroes and supervillains existing in it. However, there are other corollary differences resulting from the justifications implied by that main concept. Many fictional countries, such asQurac,Vlatava,andZandia,exist in it. Though stories are often set in theUnited States of America,they are as often as not set in fictional cities, such asGotham CityorMetropolis.These cities are effectivelyarchetypesof cities, with Gotham City embodying more of the negative aspects of life in a large city, and Metropolis reflecting more of the positive aspects. Sentient alien species (such asKryptoniansand Thanagarians) and even functioning interstellar societies are generally known to exist, and the arrival of alien spacecraft is not uncommon. Technologies which are only theoretical in the real world, such asartificial intelligenceor are outright impossible according to modern science, such asfaster-than-lighttravel, are functional and reproducible, though they are often portrayed as highly experimental and difficult to achieve. Demonstrablemagicexists and can be learned. The general history of the fictional world is similar to the real one (for instance, there was aRoman Empire,andWorld War IIand9/11both occurred), but many fantastic additions exist, such as the known existence ofAtlantis.In recent years, stories have increasingly described events which bring the DC Universe farther away from reality, such asWorld War IIIoccurring,Lex Luthorbeing elected asPresident of the United Statesin 2000, and entire cities and countries being destroyed. There are other minor variations, such as the Earth being slightly larger than ours (to accommodate the extra countries), and the planetSaturnhaving 18 moons rather than 19 because Superman destroyed one.
New Earth
edit"New Earth"is the Earth-like home planet to the main storybook characters of the DC Universe - the one withSmallvillewhereSupermangrows up, andGotham CitywhereBruce Wayneavenges his parents by becomingBatman.[18][19]This New Earth is part of a largerDC UniverseandDC Multiverse.
Originally created from theFirst Crisis,it was allegedly erased from existence because of theFlashpoint–Convergenceeffect, being replaced by "Prime Earth".By the end of the storylineSuperman Reborn,the timelines of New Earth and Prime Earth have realigned into one single reality.[20]
Superheroes
editMany of the superhumans on Earth owe their powers to the "metagene",ageneticfeature of unknown origin, which causes some people to developsuperpowerswhen exposed to dangerous substances and forces. Others owe their powers tomagic,genetic manipulation(or mutation) orbionics(see below). A large power gap resides between most superheroes and civilians. Still others owe their powers to not being human at all (seeraces,below). There are also superheroes and supervillains who possess no superhuman powers at all (for exampleBatman,Robin,Green ArroworSpeedy), but rival their effectiveness with specialized equipment or "to the absolute limit of human potential" training in special skills, such as martial arts.
The humans first began using costumed identities to fight or commit crime during the 1930s. The first superheroes included characters like theCrimson AvengerandThe Sandman.In November 1940, the first superhero team, theJustice Society of America,was formed. DuringWorld War II,all of America's heroes were banded together as theAll-Star Squadronto protect the United States from theAxis powers.However, due to a magical spell cast byAdolf Hitler(using theSpear of Destinyand theHoly Grail) the most powerful heroes were unable to enter Axis-held territories, leaving the offensive portion of the war to be fought mainly by normal humans such asSgt. Rockwhile the superheroes participated in defensive activities in Allied territories. After the war, under pressure from the paranoidCommittee on Un-American Activities,the JSA disbanded. While many types of heroes were active afterwards (mainly non-costumed, such as theChallengers of the UnknownorDetective Chimp), it was not until Superman's public debut that a new generation of costumed heroes became active. Soon after, theJustice Leagueof America was formed, and they have remained Earth's preeminent superhero team; most DC heroes (such as theTeen Titans) have either belonged to the League at some point, or have connections to it.
As a general rule, being a superhero does not require powers anywhere nearomnipotence.Furthermore, even major heroes and cosmic entities have distinct vulnerabilities, such as:Superman's weaknesses to magic, kryptonite, andred sunlight;Green Lantern's initial problems withwoodor the color yellow (which have since been largely overcome); orBatman's lack of superhuman powers, which he supplements with keen intellect, constant training, and specialized technology.
Superheroes are generally accepted or even praised—Superman and theFlashactually having museums dedicated to them—by the general public, though some individuals have decided that "the metahumans" must be dealt with less passively. Thus, an organization called "the Dome" was formed to help superheroes who needed to fight crime across international borders; the superhero group called theGlobal Guardianswere their main agents. However the Dome eventually lost out, as itsUnited Nationsbacking went to the more famous Justice League. In general, DC Comics has led a parody of its own teams and organizations after theWatchmenstoryline and the Batman run from a dark humor style which began during the 1980s and ended in the early 90s. Superhero teams such as theDoom PatrolandJustice League Internationalled the writers to have a more subtle approach of semiotic dark humor with its own version of over-powered egos dominating personalities.
The American government has had a more wary approach, however. Back during World War II they started "Project M" to create experimental soldiers to fight in the war, such as theCreature Commandos.Most of these experiments remain a secret to the public. Currently, the government deals with metahumans and similar beings through its Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO), and more recentlyA.R.G.U.S.Covertly, they use an organization of costumed (but non-superhuman) agents known as "Checkmate".The government also formed Task Force X (known as the"Suicide Squad") for"black ops".Most members have been captured supervillains (and thus expendable and deniable assets), and were strongly" encouraged "to join (often with offerings ofclemencyif they survived their extremely dangerous missions).
Outcast personalities are often relegated to the world of DCU supervillainry. They are then usually well versed in heists, kidnappings and robberies. Villains with meek powers contrive schemes of extraordinary complexity, yet—because of their simple talents—they only call the attention of powerless superheroes likeBatman,or lesser superheroes likeBooster Gold.When caught, any prison sufficient to contain these villains is suitable. More powerful villains strive to contest for greater goals like world domination and/or universal acclaim (from the public and their villainous peers). Usually more powerful enemies are imprisoned in maximum-level facilities—such as Belle Reve Penitentiary (which also was secretly Task Force X's headquarters) and evenalternate dimensionsorouter space—because they cannot simply be killed by a bullet, electricity, or poison.
Supervillains sometimes also form their own groups, but these tend to be short-lived because most villains simply do not trust each other. Most such teams are formed by a charismatic and/or fearsome criminal mastermind for specific purposes; an example is theSecret Society of Super Villainsof which there have been several versions. Most villain teams are usually small, having been formed of individuals who know each other personally, such as theCentral CityRogues,or have some other reason to work together (mercenary groups like theH.I.V.E.,fanatical cults such asKobra,etc.).
Advanced technology
editTechnology more advanced than that which currently exists in real life is available - but it is usually very expensive, and usually only rich or powerful individuals and organizations (or the scientific geniuses who create them) have access to them.S.T.A.R. Labsis an independent research outfit that often develops these devices, whileLexcorpis the main company selling them. The government also runs the secretProject Cadmus(located in the mountains near Metropolis) to develop clones and genetic manipulation without the public's knowledge. Technology can also come from outer space or different timelines.Apokolipsweaponry is often sold in Metropolis to the criminal organization known asIntergang.
Robots and similar creations, including cyborgs, can have superior intelligence when they are created as sentient beings. TheManhunters,theMetal Men,Red Tornado,Robotman,Hourman,andMetalloare but a few examples. These 'beings' are most often created by individuals who possess vast intellects, like scientistsProfessor T.O. Morrow(maker of the Red Tornado),Dr. Will Magnus(who constructed the Metal Men) andProfessor Ivo(who fabricatedAmazoand other advanced androids using a form ofNano-technologydeveloped by Lexcorp).Brainiacalso emulates this technology as well as technology from other worlds. Similarly, some characters use technology to enhance their armor or modify cybernetic functions, for exampleSteel,Cyborgand theCyborg Superman.
Hidden races
editThere are a few intelligent races living on Earth that the public at large did not know about until recent times. Among these are the Amazons of Themyscira and Bana-Mighdall and the last survivors of Atlantis, who changed themselves into water-breathing forms, including the human-like Poseidonians and the mermaid-like Tritonians. Other species, such asWarworlders,were brief test subjects ofProject Cadmuswho fled to the Underworld below Metropolis. There is also a tribe of highly intelligent,telepathicgorillas living in Gorilla City, an invisible city hidden in Africa; this is the home ofGorilla Grodd.
Certain creatures created such as angelic beings, timeline driven entities, experimental deformities and dimension creatures are not considered hidden races because it is simply not included. However, it is only because most monsters play a less substantial role in the DC Universe. The plot-lines ofDinosaur IslandandSkartarisare but a few examples of the experiments the DC universe contrives, yet its role in DC comics are played down when in comparison to other companies, therefore they are included as being a race from Earth. An easternized influence is more evident in mostMarvel Comicsliterature, while DC Comics are exaggerated, under-influenced or sustained into the belief of comical parodies; e.g. the story-line of the alien, Monstergirl, and her affluent life-style as a teenage recluse who turns into a monster or the purpose of Asmodel, an angelic inter-dimensional being from a conceptualHeavenwho comes to Earth. Therefore, these particular races are not considered hidden but alien and extra-dimensional (seethe following sections belowfor reference).
Aliens
editThere are many intelligent extraterrestrial races as well. Curiously, a large number of them are humanoid, even human-like, in form (such as Kryptonians, who outwardly appear identical to Earth-born humans); some can even interbreed with Terrans. Some of these races have natural superpowers, but they are usually the same for all individuals of the same race, unlike Earth's metahumans. This was explained by the fact that in Earth's distant past Martians experimented on humanity, severely culling the metahuman potential; this means that a species that was meant to have a wide range of powers, like Tamaranians or Kryptonians, ended up "just...human". However, there are also plenty of nonhumanoid races.
The DC Universe has had many natural and cosmic disasters happen to their alien civilizations. The Martians were destroyed by war, the Kryptonians by a dying planet that exploded, and theCzarniansby a plague. Even theAlmeracian Empirewas victim to impending destruction byImperiex.
Order is kept around the galaxy by theGuardians of the Universeand their agents, theGreen Lantern Corps.Rival peacekeeping organizations include theDarkstars(created by the Guardians' rivals, theControllers) and the interplanetary mercenary organizationL.E.G.I.O.N.Criminal organizations include the Manhunters, the Spider Guild and theDark Circle.
Most aliens are from different planets, who have a source of origin near the Solar System and in the Milky Way Galaxy, although, unlike theMarvel Universe,alien colonies are common within the Solar System. TheDominatorsare an imperialistic race of terrorist aliens who control most of the unknown cosmos in order to extract genetic resources from planets. The caste is also collectively known as the Dominion. Other aliens in the outlying galaxies control armadas like the Khunds, Gordanians, Thanagarians, Spider Guild and, most recently, the Reach. Even though the majority of the DC Universe is policed by the Green Lantern Corps, and later theUnited Planets,most rogue races strive to conquer the known universe.
One oddity is the Vegan star system. Due to an arrangement with thePsions,the Guardians did not intervene in that system, allowing a cruel empire called "the Citadel" to govern there, until it was overthrown by theOmega Men.
Cosmic entities
editThePresenceis the God of the DC Universe; he created all reality. He is also among the most powerful beings in Creation.
There are several lesser beings in the DC universe that possess god-like powers, through energy manipulation, magic ability, or technological advancement. Magic and the supernatural are often depicted as being real in the DC Universe, though some skeptics, such asMister Terrific,maintain that there are scientific explanations to all such events. The narration of the mystic and harsh dark reality is more common in DC'sVertigo Comicsbecause its stories lurk outside of superhero fantasy; the Vertigo series have beings that relate better to civilian life, although both universes are subject to fantastical realms and unworldly dimensions. Magic is too powerful in the physical world, where harnessing magic can distort and even destroy reality if not properly controlled (e.g., if a Lord of Order succumbs to certain events, so will a Lord of Chaos).
There are several types of cosmic entities, such as:
- Gods: The first beings calling themselves 'gods' first appeared billions of years ago on another planet, but they destroyed themselves in a terrible war. This unleashed the "Godwave", a wave of cosmic energy from theSource.This gave birth to other gods across the universe, including Earth's. From the planet's remains the worlds ofApokolipsandNew Genesiswere formed, inhabited by beings that call themselves the "New Gods".TheSource Wallis an archetype ofBuddhaon the edge of the known galaxy. Certain speedsters believe in enlightenment in order to become part of the Speed Force (see below). Kismet is an immortal god and the embodiment of reality. She was matched with Marvel'sEternityinJLA/Avengers.In mortal form she was a member of the Lords of Order. Depending on the characters, other diverse religious deities from ancient cultures are common. Heroes such asAztekandBlack Condor,or villains likeBlack Adam,have found knowledge of their native roots in origin.
- Deathrepresents different characters in the DC Universe. One personification of death is theBlack Flash,who can represent Death as an internal figure for the speedsters in the DC Universe. Another is Death (see below), who resides at the very end of time. TheBlack Racerappears as Death in the afterlife. There also isNekron,lord of the Land of the Unliving, who is the embodiment of Death as the ultimate opponent. Death is also one of theEndless,and is the ultimate personification of Death in the DCU.
- TheLords of Chaos and Order:These two groups of magical beings have been fighting against each other since the beginning of time and they often empower others (with "Order Magic" or "Chaos Magic" ) in exchange for their acting as their agents. Many magical heroes and villains have been manipulated by them. The Lords of Chaos and Order were killed by the Spectre inDay Of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special#1.
- Elementals:The Earth itself has a living spirit called "Maya" who, for millennia, has been creating champions, one for each of the mystical elements, to protect itself, using human beings as their hosts. TheSwamp Thing,Firestorm,Naiadand theRed Tornadowere some of them.
- Homo magi:a species of humanity with the natural ability to use magic, this race almost disappeared after too much crossbreeding with normal humans (it is from them that people in the DC Universe inherited the ability to use magic). The last pure-blooded ones decided to retire to a magical invisible city centuries ago and are now known as "the Hidden Ones".Zatannaknows many of the race's secrets, andTraci Thirteenis currently investigating magical and occult phenomena for the Croatoan Society—both women hadHomo magimothers.
- TheEndless:Physical manifestations of eternal and universal phenomena that affect the human condition (Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium), principally recounted in theModern AgeSandmanseries.
- Emotional Manifestations: Like the Endless, these beings were created from the emotional energy generated by sentient beings. Each of the seven emotional manifestations of the DCU is represented by a different color (rage - red; greed - orange; fear - yellow; will - green; hope - blue; compassion - indigo; love - violet) and being. The various power-ring based corps of the DCU, most notably theGreen Lantern CorpsandSinestro Corps,utilize the energies of these beings.
- Wizards and Sorcerers: Various sorcerers lurk in the DCU. Dr. Fate, Circe, the wizardShazam,MordruandFelix Faustare written as characters who use sorcery to both create and destroy. Dimensions, rituals and spiritual realms are sources for magic power as seen in Ras al Ghul's Lazarus Pit,Doctor Occult's use of theastral planeand the transformations ofCaptain Marvel.
- Demons:Demonic entities vary fromEtriganthe Demon toBlaze, SatanusandNeron.Demonic entities are abundant and come fromHellalthough some, likeEclipsothe vengeance demon (also referred to as the Prince of Darkness), reside on the Moon. Demonic entities fromWonder Womancomics are directly linked to Greek mythology such asHadesandAres.In the Vertigo comics, characters likeJohn Constantineoppose demons influenced by Christian mythology. Most demons are not, however, directly linked todemonology.
- TheMonitorswere incredibly powerful cosmic beings. Originally, a Monitor and anAnti-Monitorwere byproducts of the event that created the Multiverse. As archenemies, they fought for billions of years, before enlisting the help of warriors and causing the Crisis, during which both were killed. After the Multiverse was reborn, the origins of the Monitors was revised. In the Post-Crisiscontinuity, the Monitors were a vast civilization tasked with protecting and guiding the various worlds of the Multiverse. They were also vampires and had to resist the urge to feed on the universes that they were born to protect.
Other dimensions
editThe DC Universe is composed of a number of different dimensionalplanes,most notablyparallel Earths(seeMultiverse), but the latter were eliminated when reality was altered by the Anti-Monitor (although stories featuring parallel Earths have continued to crop up with various rationalizations in the following years). Other types of dimensions still exist, however, including theAntimatter Universe of Qward,thePax dimension,the Fifth Dimension and theBleed.Prison dimensions, such as thePhantom Zone,are meant to house superpowered criminals who are too powerful for any conventional means of containment. Dimensions make up many universes, of which some are created and destroyed with help from supernatural forces and elements from which power is drawn. As well, certain dimensions function ascrossoveropportunities for heroes from different comic book companies to interact, either from competing companies, or from companies absorbed by competitors. The most notable example of the first kind of crossover has been betweenDC ComicsandMarvel Comics,and the latter withWildstorm Comics.An example of the latter kind of crossover would be DC's acquisition ofFawcett Comics,Quality Comics,andCharlton Comicsand the absorption into the DC continuity of the originalCaptain Marvel,Plastic ManandCaptain Atom.In this way, heroes originally published by different companies are now part of the same fictional universe, and interactions between such characters are no longer considered intercompany crossovers.
Additionally, theMarvel ComicsUniverse is also said to exist in the DC Universe as one of the many alternative universes. The reverse may also be said with respect to the Marvel Universe. This is one method of explaining the various crossover stories co-published by the two companies.
Heaven and Hell
editHeavenandHellexist in the DC Universe but may not exist in the same continuum. Versions vary from the Vertigo and DC Universe series with writers of the Vertigo Universe depicting them in relation to religion and mythology while the writers in the DCU have a tendency to narrate fantasy.
Speed Force
editTheSpeed Forceis an extradimensional energy source which provides thespeedstersof the DC Universe with their powers. Accessing the Speed Force makes it possible to run at incredible speeds, even faster than light, and even to jump in and out of the timestream, thereby travelling - albeit with a limited degree of control - through time. The Speed Force also acts as a kind ofValhallafor deceased speedsters.The Flash: Rebirthreveals thatBarry Allenis a living generator of the Speed Force ever since the accident that transformed him into the Flash.
The timestream
editIt is possible to travel in time in this universe by several means, including moving faster than the speed of light. TheLegion of Super-Heroesfrom 1,000 years into the future in particular have access to time-travel technology (although thethreebootLegion lacks time travel technology) whileRip Hunteris the present day authority of the technology. Originally, it was impossible to change the past, or to exist in two places at the same time (a time traveler appearing in an era where they already existed would become an ineffectual, invisible phantom while there). However that was all changed after theAnti-Monitortried to change history at the beginning of time during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Also, a number ofalternate realities-known asHypertime-now exist. A group calling itself theLinear Menformed to prevent anyone from changing history. In addition, an enormously powerful being called theTime Trapper,an enemy of the Legion, has been known to manipulate the timestream, even creating "pocket universes".
DC Universe comics
editIn other media
editFilm
edit- Films based on DC Comics:
- DC Extended Universe
- DC Universe (franchise)
- The Lego Movie,The Lego Batman MovieandThe Lego Movie 2: The Second Part(set in a multiverse of which a Lego DC Universe is part)
Television
editAnimation
edit- DC animated universe
- DC Universe Animated Original Movies
- DC Animated Movie Universe
- Teen Titans
- Teen Titans Go!
- Young Justice
Toys
editVideo games
edit- Video games based on DC Comics:
- The Lego Movie Videogame,The Lego Batman Movie Game,Lego DimensionsandThe Lego Movie 2 Videogame(set in the same multiverse as the aforementioned films)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Fox, Gardner (w), Sekowsky, Mike (p), Sachs, Bernard (i). "Crisis on Earth-Two!"Justice League of America,no. 22 (September 1963).
- ^Eury, Michael(2005).The Justice League Companion.TwoMorrows Publishing.p. 10.ISBN1-893905-48-9.
The readers were more familiar with 'League' from the National League and the American League.
- ^Showcase,no. 4 (September–October 1956).
- ^Showcase,no. 22 (September–October 1959).
- ^The Brave and the Bold,no. 34 (February–March 1961).
- ^ Gardner Fox (w),Carmine Infantino(p),Joe Giella(i). "Flash of Two Worlds"The Flash,no. 123 (1961).
- ^Fox, Gardner(w),Sekowsky, Mike(p),Sachs, Bernard(i). "Crisis on Earth-One!"Justice League of America,no. 21 (August 1963).
- ^Weldon, Glen(2016). The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture. Simon & Schuster.ISBN978-1-4767-5669-1.Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ^Crisis(1986) #11
- ^Vaneta Rogers (27 May 2015) "MAJOR SPOILERS: DC's CONVERGENCE Concludes, Undoes [Redacted]" Newsarama
- ^Convergence#8
- ^Staff, Beat (2016-07-06)."Syndicated Comics".The Beat.Retrieved2024-01-18.
- ^abChing, Albert (February 18, 2016)."EXCLUSIVE: Geoff Johns Details" Rebirth "Plan, Seeks to Restore Legacy to DC Universe".Comic Book Resources.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
- ^Marston, George (February 18, 2016)."DC Reveals Full Rebirth Line-Up, New Titles".Newsarama.RetrievedFebruary 20,2016.
- ^David, Betancourt (24 June 2016)."Meet the new Green Lanterns. Yes, there are two of them".The Washington Post.Retrieved18 January2024.
- ^Biggers, Cliff (October 25, 2017). "DC's Eventful December".Comic Shop News.No. 1584.
- ^Schedeen, Jesse (2022-12-28)."The Biggest Comic Books of 2023: Fall of X, Dawn of DC and More".IGN.Retrieved2023-12-13.
- ^Jeff SellarsLight Shining in a Dark Place: Discovering Theology through Film2012ISBN1610973097"New Earth is the home planet to the main storybook characters of the DC Universe.
- ^Tim LeongSuper Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book UniverseISBN1452135274- 2013 "So, the DC Comics world you're most familiar with—the one where Superman grows up in Smallville and Bruce Wayne decides to avenge his parents by becoming Batman—(a.k.a. New Earth) is actually a part of a larger “multiverse”.
- ^Superman#18-19,Action Comics#975-976