Timeline of the DC Universe

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The DC Universe Timeline is a timeline of the major events in the DC Universe. It represents settings for most of the stories featured in DC Comics' publications. DC has published several official timelines with publications such as History of the DC Universe. These timelines coincide with each other because they were published by DC Universe. Plotholes are common in the Golden Age of Comics throughout the Modern Age because of the concept of the Multiverse. The timeline represents fictional time in the Golden Age, Silver Age, and Modern Age of comics. Due to the "floating timeline" that is applied to events in the Modern Age, everything published in the past 5 decades are considered to have taken place in the present. Please note that DC has officially revised its universe's history thrice in the limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985), Zero Hour (1994) and Infinite Crisis (2006) and events in the current continuity might no longer be the same as when they were originally published. All dates are approximate unless stated otherwise and all listings include the individual timelines of the DC Universe.


Contents

In the Beginning

Dawn of Time

  • c. 20,000,000,000 B.C. – The Anti-Monitor appears at the dawn of creation to undo the universe. The Spectre, backed up by superheroes, fights the Anti-Monitor and allows the universe to be created (Crisis).Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, 1985.
  • c. 19,000,000,000 B.C. – The current universe is created by (and in turn creates) The Source (Jack Kirby's Fourth World). Notably, in a Marvel Comics publication detailing the end of their previous universe and the creation of their current one, DC's Spectre is shown to collaborate with the Living Tribunal which births both the current DC and Marvel universes. Though immediately questionable in its relevance to the DC universe, it is notable in that the story was co-written by DC's Executive Editor at the time, Mike Carlin.
  • c. 18,000,000,000 B.C. – GodWorld is formed.
  • c. 17,000,000,000 B.C. – Life begins to evolve on GodWorld.
  • c. 15,000,000,000 B.C. – Humanoid beings on the GodWorld became known as the Old Gods and fought titanic wars.
    • Imperiex is reborn in the new universe and begins his eons-long destiny of remaking the universe again.

Billions of years ago

  • The GodWorld is destroyed in a great war caused by the Old Gods' greatest weapon, Mageddon. The gods are killed, and the "Godwave" is unleashed on the universe. This creates forces in the universe (such as the Speed Force and the Metagene) that will allow certain superpowers to work. It also gives birth to new gods on planets all around the universe, including Earth.
  • Mageddon is imprisoned in a gravity sink on the outer curve of space-time.
  • The remains of Godworld form the planets Apokolips and New Genesis.
  • An experiment by Krona, a member of an immortal race of aliens from the planet Oa creates the Anti-Matter Universe; his people decide to atone for allowing this to happen by becoming the Guardians of the Universe. (52 Week 2)
  • Many of the then existing cosmic entities meet to discuss the ways and means of the universe. There the first Despair convinces Rao (Krypton's sun) to spark life on the planet, doomed at the onset, and suggests that he should let one Kryptonian survive, in order that he might despair at the loss of his home.(Sandman)
    • c. 3,000,000,000 B.C. – The evolved Oans leave Maltus and split between the female Zamarons and the two male halves the Guardians of the Universe and Controllers.
    • The Guardians bind all the wild magic in the universe into the Starheart orb at the farthest reaches of space. (52 Week 2)
    • The Zamarons temporarily reside on the planet Korugar before moving on to Zamaron. The male Oans swear not to interfere with them, so that the killing of a male Korugarian by them or their agents can result in the destruction of the main Green Lantern power battery.
    • The Guardians create the Manhunter androids to serve as their agents. However, they eventually rebel against their masters. (52 Week 2)
    • The Guardians replace the Manhunters with living agents, the Green Lantern Corps. (52 Week 2)
    • The Psions are created from genetically altered lizards by the Guardians.

Ancient Times

  • Civilization begins on the planet Krypton.
  • 100 million years ago. – Captain Atom travels through time in chase with Monarch. He also encounters Chronos.
  • c. 50,000 YA
    • Caveman Vandar Adg gains immortality from exposure to a strange meteor, setting him on the path to becoming the evil Vandal Savage. (As retold in The Flash #137 and other DC Comics)
  • c. 30,000 YA
    • Anthro, the first Cro-Magnon Man, is born. He will become a leader among early humans. (52 Week 2) (Date from Cro-Magnon Man article.)
    • The Guardians of the Universe accomplish mass genetic tampering with the Martian species, giving them a weakness of fire and making them shy away from being chaotic creatures. (JLA)
    • A spaceship crashes into Earth, containing a Guardian of the Universe and a Burning Martian. The Martian kills a tribe of Cro-Magnons and is later killed by Vandal Savage. (JLA)
  • A plague wipes out most of the Martian race.
  • A great civilization, rich in both magic and technology, forms on the continent of Atlantis.
  • Many years after its formation, Atlantis sinks. Some cities survive underwater thanks to their protective domes. The surviving Atlanteans use magic and technology to change themselves into water-breathing forms, and continue to live under the sea, unknown to the rest of mankind.
  • 2600 BC Shazam gives power to Teth-Adam, a protectorate to watch over his lands while he is gone, who builds the first of the pyramids in Egypt, after which he speeds up civilization to rule it by killing the first of the pharaohs. Shazam only returns to banish Black Adam into another dimensional realm. Two Thanagarians crash on the planet. After their deaths the culture and technology is hidden and their civilization disappears.
  • To protect the Amazons from persecution, the Greek gods transport them to the island of Themyscira, where they do not age.
  • 64 AD – Evil Genius Doctor Doome summons the Roman emperor Nero to battle the Seven Soldiers of Victory in 1942. Five tyrants from the past were summoned with his time machine. Nero captures Captain Atom. The alien civilization has settled on Earth waiting in disbelief for Monarch and their leader returning (Alpha Centurion joins the alien civilization and spends centuries with these aliens).
  • 6th century middle ages.
    • Merlin gives the Shining Knight, Sir Justin of the Round Table, magical equipment.
    • Morgan Le Fay destroys Camelot; Merlin and his half brother, the demon Etrigan, curse a man named Jason Blood into serving as Etrigan's host body. (The Demon #1)
  • 19th century Western characters: Jonah Hex, Bat Lash, Cinnamon, El Diablo, Scalphunter, Nighthawk, El Papagayo, Pistolera, Quentin Turnbull, Max Mercury, Pow Wow Smith, Super-Chief, Terra-Man, Tomahawk and the Trigger Twins. The Kent family appears.

20th Century

  • October 30, 1938 : Coinciding with the panic caused by Orson Welles' infamous broadcast, Newspaper publisher Lee Travis, assisted by his Asian chauffeur Wing How, makes his debut as the Crimson Avenger, the first of the twentieth century's masked heroes.
  • 1940: The first superheroes debut; they soon form the first superhero team, the Justice Society of America.
  • December 8, 1941: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brings the U.S.A. into the second World War; America's heroes try to retaliate only to find that a spell cast by Hitler and the Dragon King (using the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail, respectively) causes magical and magic-sensitive people to fall under their control if they enter Nazi-held territory. This leaves most of the truly powerful heroes out of the War. A time travelling heroine from the future clad in Red, White & Blue arrives and is in pursuit of an entity called Dark Angel. She is Queen Hippolyte of the Amazons who has replaced her daughter as Wonder Woman. President Roosevelt then organizes all of America's superheroes into the All-Star Squadron, to protect the homefront. Normal people without special powers (such as Easy Company) fight the war, along with secret experimental soldiers like the Creature Commandos.
  • 1951: The Justice Society of America disbands, after being subjected to McCarthyism. (Adventure Comics #466) Superhero activity declines (but doesn't totally disappear) afterwards. In response to this, the covert government organization Task Force X is formed to fill the gap left by the departing heroes.

Character origins

  • c. "58 Years Ago"
    • The planet Krypton explodes. The Kryptonian scientist Jor-El manages to save his baby son, Kal-El by sending him to Earth in a prototype starship. The planet's remains become kryptonite.
  • 1968Template:Fact: Nathaniel Christopher Adam, a United States Air Force airman in the Vietnam War, is sentenced to death; as an alternative to execution, he participates in a military experiment which Adam survives as alien metal melted into his body and the excess energy threw him forward in time.
  • c. "38 Years Ago"
    • A scientist, Dr. Saul Erdel, accidentally teleports J'onn J'onzz, the last living Martian, to Earth. He is secretly active for years, studying humanity and fighting crime under several false identities.
    • Kal-El's spacecraft lands outside of Smallville, Jonathan and Martha Kent find him. They adopt him and name him Clark Kent. (Flashback in various Superman comics)
    • Bruce Wayne is born to Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne in Gotham City.
    • American lighthouse keeper Arthur Curry raises the son of exiled Princess Atlanna of Atlantis.
  • c. "30 Years Ago"
    • A mugger murders Thomas and Martha Wayne in what will come to be known as "Crime Alley" in Gotham City. Their son Bruce swears to fight a war on crime. (Flashback in Detective Comics #33, November, 1939 and in various other issues). The killer, Joe Chill is eventually caught. (Infinite Crisis #7).
  • c. "29 Years Ago"
    • Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, yearns for a child and carves a statue of a little girl out of clay; her gods grant her wish by turning it into a real girl that she names Diana. (Wonder Woman vol. 2, #1)
  • c. "24 Years Ago"
    • Young, immature Oliver Queen is shipwrecked and trains, eventually becoming the Green Arrow upon his return to civilization (Green Arrow Year One Annual: From the Beginning, Green Arrow: Year One)
  • c. "22 Years Ago"
    • Clark Kent starts using his powers to help others, albeit not in costume or as Superboy.
    • Bruce Wayne begins his training in a variety of disciplines.
    • Princess Diana, being the only child on Themyscira is lonely. Amazon Sorceress Magala creates a "Mystic twin" companion for Diana from a fragment of the young Princess' soul which was subsequently kidnapped by an enemy of Hippolyte called "Dark Angel". Dark Angel places Donna (the twin) in a state of suspended animation for years.

Modern Era of Heroes

Template:Refimprove

Modern Era of Heroes: Year One

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
13 years ago 12 years ago 10 years ago
  • Clark Kent emerges as Superman. This inspires a new generation of superheroes to debut as well. Later, he joins the staff of the Daily Planet as a reporter.The Man of Steel, Action Comics #850
  • Bruce Wayne begins his career as the Batman at age 25Batman: Year One in Gotham City. Selina Kyle is inspired by Batman to become Catwoman shortly afterward.Batman: Year One, Catwoman: Her Sister's Keeper The Joker appears within weeks.Batman: The Man Who Laughs
  • Diana, Princess of the Amazons, arrives in America, where she takes the costumed identity of Wonder Woman. (Infinite Crisis #7) She later rescues her long lost "twin" Donna after she was left to die in a building fire by Dark Angel and brings her home to Paradise Island where she is trained by both the Amazons and the Titans of Myth. (Wonder Woman Annual# 1/Vol. 3)
  • Central City police scientist Barry Allen is hit by lightning and chemicals, becoming the (second) Flash. (Showcase #4)
  • A dying member of the Green Lantern Corps, Abin Sur of Ungara, chooses test pilot Hal Jordan to succeed him. (Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn; Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II)
  • Roy Harper makes his debut as Speedy.
  • Arthur Curry Jr. begins adventuring as Aquaman. (Aquaman Year One Annual)
  • J'onn J'onzz reveals his existence to the public and becomes known as the Martian Manhunter.
  • Dinah Laurel Lance makes her debut as the second Black Canary.
  • A number of superheroes: Black Canary, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Superman & Batman form the Justice League. (JLA: Year One)

Modern Age of Heroes: Year Two

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
12 years ago 11 years ago 9 years ago

Harvey Dent has acid splashed in his face by his assistant, who was bribed by a gangster. Dent's face is ruined, and his mind cracks in two, creating Two-Face.

  • Dick Grayson, then age 12, debuts as Robin.Detective Comics #38, Robin: Year One
  • Wally West makes his debut as Kid Flash.
  • Garth makes his debut as Aqualad.
  • Donna Troy returns to America. Inspired by her Sister DIANA- the Legendary WONDER WOMAN who came before her, she makes her debut as Wonder Girl.
  • Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad unite in Hatton Corners to defeat the villain Mr. Twister (The Brave and the Bold #54). Shortly thereafter, the three join forces with Wonder Girl and Speedy and call themselves the Teen Titans (Teen Titans #53; Secret Origins Annual #3).

Modern Age of Heroes: Year Three

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
11 years ago 10 years ago 8 years ago
  • Kara Zor-L, then age 18, lands on Earth after her rocket ship departs the Krypton of the Earth-Two dimension.Showcase #97 She is discovered by Superman and eventually joins the JSA and makes her debut as Power Girl.All-Star Comics #58
  • Dick Grayson, aged 12, becomes the first Robin.During this time, he helps stop the Hangman killings, take down Two-Face, and he is briefly fired by BatmanRobin: Year One, Batman: Year One, Batman: Dark Victory

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Six

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
8 years ago 7 years ago 5 years ago

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Seven

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
7 years ago 6 years ago 4 years ago
  • Wally West graduates high school.
  • Raven arrives and helps create the New Teen Titans: Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, Changeling, Robin, Wonder Girl & Kid Flash
  • The wizard Shazam grants Fawcett City pre-teenager Billy Batson the power of Captain Marvel. Dr. Sivana's bodyguard Theo Adam learns how to access the powers of his ancestor Theo-Adam to become Black Adam.The Power of Shazam! (1994, graphic novel)

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Eight

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
6 years ago 5 years ago 3 years ago

Crisis on Infinite Earths

  • Dick Grayson, age 18, as Robin is "fired" by Batman.Batman #408, Nightwing #101
  • Jason Todd, age 14, takes up the mantle of Robin from Dick Grayson.Batman #422, Nightwing #103
  • Shortly after leaving the mantle of Robin, Dick Grayson makes his debut as Nightwing.Tales of the Teen Titans #44, Nightwing #104
  • The Flash dies while saving the world from the Anti-Monitor; his nephew Wally West takes over the identity.
  • Nathaniel Christopher Adam makes his debut as Captain Atom.
  • Katar Hol and Shayera Thal come to Earth from Thanagar as Hawkman and Hawkwoman.Hawkworld: Book Three
  • Superman executes three Kryptonian, Phantom Zone criminals from a pocket universe.
  • Jason Todd is killed by the Joker.Batman: A Death in the Family
  • The DC Superheroes join forces with Wonder Woman as she rallies all the heroes fight in the "War of the Gods."

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Nine

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
5 years ago 4 years ago 2 years ago
  • Lian Harper is born to Speedy (Roy Harper) and Cheshire (Jade Nguyen).
  • Lonni Machin, then age 12, becomes Anarky.No official publication has fixed the position of Lonnie's existence within the timeline of the DC universe. However, Anarky's debut was proceeded by the death of Jason Todd, and followed by the introduction of Tim Drake as Robin. His location on this version of the DC timeline is an estimate in relation to these two events and may be subject to change. Detective Comics #608, 1989
  • Tim Drake, then age 13, becomes the third Robin.Batman #457, 1990
  • Lex Luthor fakes his own death in a plane crash. He later returns as his own "son" in a younger clone body.Superman: They Saved Luthor's Brain!

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Ten

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
4 years ago 3 years ago 1 year ago

The Death of Superman.Superman vol. 2, #75, 1992

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Eleven

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
3 years ago 2 years ago 0 years ago
  • Green Arrow Oliver Queen dies and his son, Connor Hawke, takes up the mantle.
  • A new JLA and JSA are formed.
  • Princess Diana, a.k.a. "Wonder Woman" is killed by the Demon Neron and is transfigured by the Olympian gods as a new Olympian- Diana, the goddess of truth. Meanwhile on Earth, Diana's mother Queen Hippolyte takes up the mantle of Wonder Woman to continue where Diana left off. She would subsequently find herself involved in a time travelling adventure to the 1940's where she becomes known as that era's "Golden Age Wonder Woman".
  • Superboy, Robin, and Impulse form Young Justice.
  • The Titans reform.
  • Oliver Queen is resurrected and becomes Green Arrow once again.Final Night
  • Hal Jordan becomes the new host spirit for The Spectre.Day of Judgement
  • No Man's Land. Gotham City is struck by a massive earthquake. The Federal government, finding that the cost of rebuilding Gotham would be too great, declares the city a "No Man's land", meaning Gotham is no longer a property of the United States. Most of the populace evacuates, but those who remain form territorial tribes in order to protect themselves. After restoration by Lex Luthor, the order is lifted one year later, and Gotham City is readmitted into the U.S.
  • Lex Luthor is elected president of the United States of America.
  • Our Worlds at War. Planets such as Almerac and Warworld are destroyed. Imperiex Prime almost succeeds in destroying the universe and recreating a Big Bang only to be deterred by the Earth and the alien alliance.
  • An old friend of Batman's, Thomas Elliot comes back as Hush to tear his life apart at the seams.Batman: Hush
  • Donna Troy is killed by a Superman robot and Brainiac 8Titans / Young Justice: Graduation Day
    • Young Justice and the Titans disband, reform as the Outsiders & the new Teen Titans.
  • The Spectre erases the Flash's secret identity from the world.
  • Kara Zor-El arrives on Earth.Superman/Batman #8, 2004
  • Black Adam, Atom Smasher, and a band of younger JSA members overthrow the Kahndaqi government, and Adam appoints himself ruler.JSA: Black Reign

Identity Crisis and Green Lantern: Rebirth

  • Sue Dibny is murdered by Jean Loring.Identity Crisis #1
  • Jack Drake (Robin's father), and Captain Boomerang kill each other simultaneously.Identity Crisis #5
  • The Atom Ray Palmer shrinks himself to microscopic size and disappears for time away, after discover his wife was psychopath.
  • Wally West and Zatanna return the Top's memories,Flash: The Secret of Barry Allen and he subsequently starts the Rogue War.
  • Coast City is reconstructed.
  • The Vanishing, a mysterious force of nature, causes millions of people, including Lois Lane, to disappear. Superman, as it turns out, finds them in an alternate universe Phantom Zone-type dimension, where he tries to create a new world for humans to avoid the same fate as Krypton. Eventually, he destroys this place after an alternate Zod tries to take over, the Fortress of Solitude is destroyed after a fight with Wonder Woman, and Lois and the other humans are returned with their memories of the whole event erased.Superman: For Tomorrow
  • Hal Jordan is resurrected and Parallax is imprisoned in the Central Power Battery. The Spectre remains without a host.Green Lantern: Rebirth limited series
  • The Guardians of the Universe return.
  • Green Lantern Corps reforms; doubles its membership.Green Lantern Corps: Recharge
  • Guy Gardner loses his Vuldarian abilities and rejoins the Green Lantern Corps with a promotion to the Green Lantern Honor Guard.

Batman: War Games

  • The Spoiler becomes the fourth Robin but is soon fired by Batman
  • Black Mask unites the gangs of Gotham City. The Spoiler is killed.

Countdown to Infinite Crisis

Infinite Crisis

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Twelve

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
2 years ago 1 year ago Post Zero Hour There is a year between Infinite Crisis & One Year Later.

Modern Era of Heroes: Year Thirteen

Current 2000 Timeline Zero Hour Timeline Other Notes
1 year ago Post 2000 Timeline Post Zero Hour
  • "One Year Later"
    • SupermanSuperman #652, 2006 and BatmanBatman #651 return after being missing for nearly one year. Diana returns from her people to again take up the role of Wonder Woman.
    • Superman rebuilds the Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic one again.Action Comics #840
    • Bart Allen becomes The FlashBart first appeared in costume during Infinite Crisis, but became the Flash in The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #2, 2006
    • Cyborg awakens, and Robin returns to lead the Teen Titans.Teen Titans #33
    • The Justice League and Justice Society of America reform.
    • Robin is officially adopted by Batman.
    • A new Aquaman emerges.
    • The Sinestro Corps forms.Green Lantern #10, 2006 The newly reborn Anti-Monitor, Hank Henshaw, and Superman-Prime join as key members.Sinestro Corps Special #1, 2007
  • "Countdown"


For more major events that take place within this time period, see Major Events of the DC Universe.

Future

  • 25th Century Booster Gold and Skeets come from this era.Infinite Crisis #2, 2005 Professor Zoom come from this era too.
  • c. 2800 AC: Bizarro-Brainiac enlarges McMurdo City, which becomes Big City.Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #20, 2006

Legion of Super-Heroes

  • c. 3000 AC: Legion of Super Heroes is formed.Legion of Super-Heroes #1, 2005
    • Barry Allen lives during this era, following his murder trial and before his death in the Crisis on Infinite Earths.The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #2, 2006
    • The Legion is officially sponsored by United Planets.
    • Death of Dream Girl.
    • Supergirl arrives from the past following the Zeta Beam accident after Infinite Crisis.Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #16, 2006
    • Bart Allen is born.The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #2, 2006
    • Owen Mercer is born.Template:Issue
  • c. 64th Century AC: Magic and Science have become one and the criminal Abhararakadhararbarakh is exiled to the 20th Century where he again takes up a life of crime.
  • 64th century: Brainiac 13's home time.

Alternate and possible future events

As of Infinite Crisis, these future events are unconfirmed.

  • c. 2020 Superman returned from ten year retirement to stop those new generation heroes from corrupting current society and possibly start an apocalypse.
  • 2030 Monarch reigns for 20 years on Earth and the being Waverider is born. He uses the Timestream to change the future.
  • c.2030 The son of Donna Troy torned Lord Chaos, an oppressor king of world. The Monarch will create the Team Titans.
  • 853rd century Solaris destroys thousands of Superhumans and with the aid of Supermen, Justice Legion Alpha save the solar system. An android Hourman escapes to the past.
  • The Great Disaster. Jack Kirby's Fourth World presented a scenario known as The Great Disaster, which destroys human civilization sometime between the 20th and 30th centuries. Infinite Crisis and Countdown have contained a number of implicit and explicit references to the event, and that it may come to pass in the near future.
  • Future Earth A.D. (After Disaster)- the world is ruled by evolved animals with intelligence, Kamandi is the last human on Earth.

The End of Time

  • The Legion of Super-Heroes' enemy, the Time Trapper, lives at the end of time. The universe begins to collapse as it is consumed by entropy.
  • Krona tries to look past this time to view the beginning of the universe, only to unleash entropy on the early universe wiping out countless lives. Doomsday is sent here, consumed by entropy, and later escapes.
  • Epoch the Lord of Time goes to the year 1 billion and creates the Timepoint.
  • 100,000,000,000 A.D – The universe finally ends. Mister E and Timothy Hunter visit here briefly. Destiny closes his book and dies, and Death sends Mr. E and Tim Hunter back. Death figuratively closes shop on the universe. (The Books of Magic)
  • The universe loops back to the beginning. It is the job of Imperiex to end and recreate the DC Universe.

References

<references />

See also

External links

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