Welcome to the DC Universe Chronology.

This feature lists the stories which take place in the DC Multiverse. Stories are separated by the individual universe in which they occur and are sorted in chronological order. Stories may contain multiple events (known as sequences) which occur during different time periods. Therefore, the same story may appear in the Chronology more than once.

The Chronology is not intended to be a reading order. Comics may be read in whichever order the reader chooses.

Stories published by DC, but taking place outside the DC Universe, will not be listed in the Chronology.

Throughout the history of DC, stories have been published within a variety of universes in which the characters inhabit. Although in theory every story published by DC takes place in a universe of its own somewhere, the main universes used in this chronology are the "shared" universes in which many stories take place featuring a variety of characters.

The first of DC's shared universes was created in New Fun #6 (1935). The story featured Doctor Occult, a character created by the same men who would go on to create Superman, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Doctor Occult was an occult detective. His adventures ran from 1935 to 1938 (More Fun #32). Although he never met other DC characters in his own strip, his 1985 revival (All-Star Squadron #49) firmly established his adventures as occurring in the DC Universe. In 1938, Superman would debut. After Superman came a large number of costumed heroes appearing in their own adventures including Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and others. These heroes never met one another until late 1940 (All-Star Comics #3) when several of them came together to swap stories of their adventures. The existence of this group, called the Justice Society, established that many of the characters published at DC existed in the same world. This world (or universe) would eventually be named decades later.

By the late 1940s super-heroes had begun to fall out of favor. Many of the characters who had been headliners during the previous decade ceased to be used. In 1951 the JSA's adventures in All-Star Comics came to an end. By this point only a few super-heroes remained in publication, notably Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Aquaman and Green Arrow continued to appear in back up stories throughout the 1950s while others would hang on only for a couple more years: Robotman (1953), Johnny Quick (1954).

In 1956, DC revived the Flash in Showcase #4. However, this Flash was not Jay Garrick, the hero who was a member of the JSA. This Flash was Barry Allen, who knew of Garrick as a comic book character. It took three more years for this new Flash to be awarded his own title which continued the numbering #105 (1959) from the long-canceled Flash Comics #104 (1949) which featured Garrick. The success of the new Flash convinced DC to revive other characters including Green Lantern. This GL was Hal Jordan, not Alan Scott from the 1940s JSA. A new Atom and Hawkman would follow in the next few years. DC also revived the concept of a super-hero team. Instead of the Justice Society, the new Flash and GL joined the Justice "League" of America alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Martian Manhunter (introduced in 1955). The only reference to the JSA or any of its members was Barry Allen's mention of Garrick as a comic book character in Showcase #4. At this point it was thought that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were the same characters that had been appearing since the late 1930s, even though they must have aged well, especially since Batman's partner Robin was still a youth.

In Flash #123 (1961), a pivotal story was published in which the new Flash (Barry) met the old Flash (Jay). The story explained that the two heroes existed on parallel Earths existing in the same space but vibrating at different frequencies. Many of the same events took place on both Earths, but some there were differences. On Jay's Earth, super-heroes were active during World War II and he was now middle-aged. On Barry's Earth, there had been not been a Justice Society. Instead, writer Gardner Fox was said to have "tuned in" on Jay's Earth in his dreams. These dreams were used as a basis for comic book stories published on Barry's Earth in which Jay Garrick was the Flash.

Follow up stories in which the Jay and Barry met again would be published in Flash #129 (1962) and Flash #137 (1963). Flash #137 was significant in that not only Jay Garrick returned, but several members of the JSA which had not appeared in more than a decade returned to action. Obviously the two Flash characters were different people (Barry and Jay). The two Green Lanterns (Hal and Alan) and two Atoms (Ray Palmer and Al) were different also. Some characters such as Doctor Mid-Nite (from the JSA) and Martian Manhunter (from the JLA) had no direct counterpart on the other Earth.

However, Wonder Woman had been a member of both teams and her own adventures were thought to be a continuous series of stories set in the same universe since 1941. But logically if the JSA existed on one Earth and the JLA on another, could there be two different versions of Wonder Woman. This question was answered in Flash #137 when Wonder Woman was shown with the JSA. So some of the Amazon's adventures published before this story in 1963 may have taken place on Jay's Earth while others took place on Barry's Earth. There were clearly two versions of Wonder Woman. Fifty years later, there is still a debate over where (which Earth) some of those earlier adventures happened.

Two months after Flash #137, DC published Justice League of America #21 (1963) which featured the first meeting of the JLA and the JSA. For the first time Barry's Earth and Jay's Earth were given the formal names they are most often called, Earth-1 (Barry's) and Earth-2 (Jay's). Over the next twenty years, the JLA and JSA would team-up on an annual basis. Additional stories would further explore the differences and similarities between Earth-1 and Earth-2. Most of the heroes from the 1940s would return in some capacity including Earth-2 versions of Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow who like Wonder Woman had all been continually published since the late 1930s or early 1940s. Just like the Amazon, a debate about which adventures published before the invention of the parallel Earth concept had occurred on Earth-2 and which had happened on Earth-1. For more information on the dividing lines for each of these characters, please refer to my "Earth Words" articles in Fanboy.

In Justice League of America #29 (1964), the JLA and JSA met again and yet another parallel Earth was introduced. This Earth was called Earth-3. On Earth-3 the Justice League counterparts were evil and formed the Crime Syndicate of America. The Crime Syndicate would appear several times over the years, but it was never used as a significant Earth where many stories took place. The existence of the third parallel Earth opened the door for an ever increasing number of universes which were slightly different. Over the years DC introduced Earth-A, Earth-X, Earth-S, Earth-C, Earth-4, Earth-Prime and more. These universes became known as the DC multiverse and contained an infinite number of parallel worlds. However, like Earth-3 none of these other parallel universes were the primary settings for most of the DC stories. Only Earth-1 and Earth-2 had that distinction.

In Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985), a limited series designed to revamp and revitalize the DC Universe, an anti-matter wave destroyed many of the parallel Earths. Only five survived: Earth-1, Earth-2, Earth-S, Earth-X, and Earth-4. In Crisis on Infinite Earths #11 these Earths were merged into a single Earth. This merger did not occur at a single point in the timeline, but essentially they now shared a single timeline parallel to their original timelines. For example there were not five parallel versions of 1945 but a single 1986; there was only a single timeline from the beginning of time resulting in a single version of 1945. As a result, on the merged Earth there was only one Superman, one Batman, and one Wonder Woman. However, some of the heroes such as the Earth-2 Superman were still around because they had been involved in the conflict. Superman would eventually join a few other orphans from universes no longer in existence in exile, paving the way for an Earth populated by heroes without direct counterparts. After Crisis, the Earth-1 version of history seemed to be the most dominant on the merged Earth. The biggest example of this is that the Earth-1 Superman was still around and active.

Within a few months DC proceeded to restart their major heroes from scratch. Superman was given a new origin and history beginning in Man of Steel #1 (1986). Wonder Woman was altered in similar fashion in Wonder Woman #1 (1987). The changes to Batman were more subtle, but his origin was also changed in Batman #404 (1987). Robin (Jason Todd) also got a new origin in Batman #408 (1987). The cornerstones of the DC Universe updated, while other characters and teams seemed to be direct continuations of their pre-Crisis counterparts. Just like in the 1950s when DC introduced a new Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman, characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman continued on without acknowledgment of any transition from Earth-2 to Earth-1 adventures in their stories. I believe this established a new universe for DC, not the continuation of Earth-1 or even the merged Earth created at the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Therefore, will be treating it as such.

An in-story explanation for the delayed effects of Crisis appears in the pages of All-Star Squadron #60 (1986), a series set during World War II. A robot from the far future named Mekanique had been holding back the effects of the Crisis on Infinite Earths. When she released this hold, the full effects of the Crisis took effect. The outcome of those effects was most clearly demonstrated in that issue by way of a photograph. A photograph of the entire All-Star Squadron including members Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. When the photograph is displayed following Mekanique's released hold, the characters present at the time the photo was taken have been replaced by heroes that had previously been on another Earth: Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters.

The reality created from the "full" effects of Crisis on Infinite Earths would become known as the post-Crisis DC Universe. Because of the reasons above, it is NOT a continuation of Earth-1 NOR is it a continuation of the merged Earth shown in Crisis on Infinite Earths #11 and #12. It is an entirely new universe with the Man of Steel version of Superman, the new Wonder Woman, and the Year One version of Batman. Although some history of characters was "duplicated" in the new universe. All characters are from an entirely different universe than their previous incarnations. For example the All-Star Squadron members who appeared at the beginning of the All-Star Squadron story exist in an entirely separate reality from those same characters who appear at the end of the story, although similar events may have happened to both. For more information see my Crisis on Infinite Earths articles in Fanboy.

After Crisis on Infinite Earths, the new post-Crisis DC Universe began to take shape and grow. However, some cracks in the framework of the reality were present right from the start. The pre-Crisis Legion of Super-Heroes had been dependent upon Superboy who now didn't exist in the new universe. A pocket universe was then created, a product of the Time Trapper, to explain where the Legion's Superboy originated. While the pocket universe Earth was destroyed rather quickly, it did produce Matrix, who eventually became Supergirl on the Post-Crisis Earth. Kara Zor-El, the pre-Crisis Supergirl never existed (at least not until later). Another post-Crisis misfit included Power Girl whose Earth-2 Kryptonian past could no longer fit in the post-Crisis reality (at least not until later). She was instead linked to Arion and ancient Atlantis in Secret Origins #11. Wonder Girl (Donna Troy) of the Teen Titans was also a Crisis victim. She had been rescued from a burning building as an infant by Wonder Woman. However, in the post-Crisis reality, Wonder Woman had not been around until well after Donna Troy had grown into an adult (at least not until later). This too was explained away by linking Donna to the Titans of myth. She was at this point renamed Troia.

Over the next decade continuity glitches, revamps, and mistakes had left the post-Crisis universe in a confusing state. I'm looking at you, Hawkman. DC tried to press the proverbial reset button again in 1994 with the Zero Hour event. Many changes were introduced, but except for the Legion which got a complete restart, most of the changes ended up being trivial, short-lived, or easily forgotten. A couple years later, DC introduced Hypertime, to explain away many post-Crisis glitches. By 2006, many pre-Crisis elements were sneaking back into the post-Crisis universe. Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, was back, Power Girl was a Kryptonian again, Wonder Woman was active during World War II (Hippolyta this time not Diana). Crisis was back too in the form of Infinite Crisis. Out of this came a new multiverse with exactly 52 universes instead of one. Very little was done with the new multiverse except in the Countdown series. Over the next few years Superman got several origin revamps (Birthright, Secret Origin). The Legion got restarted again, then had another Legion resembling the pre-Crisis Legion pop up. Yet despite repeated continuity overhauls the DC universe still seemed to be a direct continuation of the post-Crisis universe from 1986, not a new entity entirely.

That is until 2011. Another DC event, Flashpoint effectively resulted in the creation of a new reality which DC called the New 52. This universe is an established break from the post-Crisis universe, though like with the changeover in the 1950s and 1980s, some ideas and characters were more affected than others. The jury is still out, but Green Lantern and Batman seem to be the least affected by the changes.

For the purposes of this chronology, stories will be broken down into one of the four major universes that DC has utilized. Earth-2, Earth-1, Post-Crisis, and the New 52 (forthcoming). I may address some notable pre-Crisis universes eventually such as Earth-S, Earth-4, and Earth-C. Earth-X will be covered in a combination of Earth-2 and Earth-1, since that Earth had no native heroes. Some Earth-2 heroes migrated to Earth-X to form the Freedom Fighters, then decades later went to Earth-1.