The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with unique background elements such as an imaginary history or geography and possibly fantasy or science A shared universe is a Literary technique in which several different authors create works of Fiction that share aspects such as settings or characters and that are A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company The fictional characters Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created A superhero (sometimes rendered super-hero or super hero) is a Fictional character "of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to acts of derring-do Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity. In Fiction, continuity (also called time-scheme) is consistency of the characteristics of persons plot, objects places and events seen by the reader or Occasionally, "DC Universe" will be used to indicate the entire "DC Multiverse"; the collection of all continuities within DC Comics publications. The DC Multiverse is a Fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by Comic book company DC Comics.
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History
The concept of a shared universe was originally pioneered by the DC Comics (originally known as National Periodical Publications) and in particular by writer Gardner Fox. Gardner Francis Cooper Fox (Speed Saunders was initially credited to "E The fact that DC Comics Characters coexisted in the same world was first established in All Star Comics #3 (1940) where several superheroes (who starred in separate stories in the series up to that point) met each other, and soon founded the superhero team, the Justice Society of America. All Star Comics is a 1940s Comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics Superhero group the first team of superheroes in Comic book history 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.
Over the course of its publishing history, DC has introduced different versions of its characters, sometimes presenting them as if the earlier version had never existed. For example, they introduced new versions of the Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman in the late 1950s, with similar powers but different names and personal histories. For other meanings of the term see Hawkman (disambiguation Hawkman is a Superhero in the DC Comics universe. 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 1970s. To explain this, they introduced the idea of the multiverse in Flash #123 (1961) where the Silver Age Flash met his Golden Age counterpart. Parallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own Bartholomew "Barry" Allen is a Fictional character, a Superhero in the DC Comics universe and the second Flash Jay Garrick is a Fictional character, a Comic book Superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name 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.
Over 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 order to continue publishing stories of its most popular characters, maintaining the status quo became necessary. Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present existing state of affairs or "the state in which" Although retcons were 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. Retroactive continuity is the deliberate changing of previously established facts in a work of serial fiction To address this, they published the cross-universe miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, which merged universes and characters, reducing the Multiverse to a single DC Universe with a single history. A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete Fictional characters, settings or universes into the context of a single Crisis on Infinite Earths is a twelve-issue American comic book Limited series (identified as a "12-part maxi-series" and crossover However, this arrangement removed the mechanism DC had been using to deal with the passage of time in the real world without having the characters age in the comics. Crisis also had failed to establish a coherent future history for the DC Universe, with conflicting versions of the future. This article focuses on future histories in general For Robert A The Zero Hour limited series (1994) gave them an opportunity to revise timelines and rewrite the DC Universe history. Zero Hour Crisis in Time is a five-issue Comic book Limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994
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 whole reboot of the universe, restarting nominally all the characters into a new and modernized version of their lives. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Reboot, in serial Fiction, means a discarding of much or even all previous continuity in the series to start anew
Meanwhile, DC has published occasional stories called "Elseworlds", which often presented alternate versions of their characters. Elseworlds is the publication Imprint for a group of Comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon For example, one told the story of Bruce Wayne as a Green Lantern, another presented Kal-El as if he'd lived in the time of the American Civil War,in . Yet another, what if the Waynes had found Kal-El, "Speeding Bullets". In 1998, The Kingdom reintroduced a variant of the old Multiverse concept called Hypertime which essentially allows for alternate versions of characters and worlds again. Hypertime is a Fictional concept presented in the 1999 DC comic book series The Kingdom, both a catch-all explanation for any continuity The entire process was parodied in Alan Moore's meta-comic, "Supreme: Story of the Year". Alan Moore (born November 18 1953 in Northampton) is an English Writer most famous for his influential work in Comics, including the acclaimed Supreme is a fictional Superhero created by Rob Liefeld and Brian Murray.
The Infinite Crisis event (2005-2006) remade the DC Universe yet again, with the changes made currently being determined. Infinite Crisis is a seven-issue Limited series of Comic books written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George In the course of the Fictional story presented in the DC Comics event Infinite Crisis (the seven-issue Limited series, its lead-in stories and The limited series "52" (2006-2007) established that a new multiverse now exists.
Description
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 conceit. Many fictional countries, such as Qurac, Vlatava, and Zandia, exist in it. Qurac is a Fictional country in the DC universe. It is a tiny Middle Eastern country on the Persian Gulf, wedged between Iraq and Kuwait Vlatava is a fictional country in the DC Comics Universe Vlatava is a small eastern European country that fell under the domination of the Soviet Union and was later Though stories are often set in the United States of America, they are as often as not set in fictional cities, such as Gotham City or Metropolis. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Gotham City is a Fictional City appearing in DC Comics, and is best known as the home of Batman. Metropolis is a Fictional city that appears in Comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. These cities are effectively archetypes of cities, with Gotham City embodying the negative aspects of life in a large city, and Metropolis reflecting more of the positive aspects. An archetype ( pronounced: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/ (Brit or /ˈɑrkɪtaɪp/ (Amer Sentient alien species (such as Kryptonians and Thanagarians) and even functioning interstellar societies are generally known to exist, and the arrival of alien spacecraft is not uncommon. Krypton (ˈkrɪptən or /ˈkrɪptɒn/ from kryptos "hidden" is a Chemical element with the symbol Kr and Atomic number 36 Thanagar is a fictional planet in the. Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race noted for the discovery of gravity defying Nth metal. Technologies which are only theoretical in the real world or are outright impossible according to modern science, such as faster-than-light travel and (humanlike) artificial intelligence, are functional and reproducible, though they are often portrayed as highly experimental and difficult to achieve. Demonstratable magic exists and can be learned. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and The general history of the fictional world is similar to the real one (for instance, there was a Roman Empire, and World War II and 9/11 both occurred), but many fantastic additions exist, such as the known existence of Atlantis. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In recent years, stories have increasingly described events which bring the DC Universe farther away from reality, such as World War III occurring, Lex Luthor being elected as President of the United States in 2000, and entire cities and countries being destroyed. World War III is the title of two Comic book sagas published by DC Comics and involving many of the superheroes of the DC Universe. Lex Luthor is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. There are other minor variations, such as the Earth being slightly larger than ours (to accommodate the extra countries), and the planet Saturn having 18 moons rather than 19 because Superman destroyed one.
Superheroes
The majority of the superhumans on Earth owe their powers to the "metagene": A genetic feature of unknown origin, which causes some people to develop superpowers when exposed to dangerous substances and forces. Metahuman is a term to describe Superhumans in DC Comics ' Shared universe, the DC Universe. Genetics (from Ancient Greek grc-Latn genetikos, “genitive” and that from grc-Latn genesis, “origin” a discipline of Biology, is A superpower is a State with a leading position in the international system and the ability to Influence events and project power on a worldwide scale Others owe their powers to magic, genetic manipulation (or mutation) or bionics (see below). Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Genetic engineering, Recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation (GM and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct Bionics (also known as biomimetics, biognosis, Biomimicry, or bionical creativity engineering) is the application of biological A large power gap resides between Superheroes and civilians, making superheroes almost god-like. Still others owe their powers to not being human at all (see races, below). There are also many heroes and villains who possess no superhuman powers at all (for example Batman and Green Arrow) but make do with specialized equipment or training in special skills, such as martial arts. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created For the LNER Steam locomotive, see LNER Class V2 4771 Green Arrow Green Arrow ( Oliver Jones "Ollie" Queen
The tradition of using costumed identities to fight crime on a vigilante basis (or commit it) started during the 1930s, with heroes like the Crimson Avenger and The Sandman. The Crimson Avenger is the name of three separate Fictional characters Superheroes who exist in the DC Comics universe. Sandman ( Wesley Dodds) is a fictional Superhero appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics. In November 1940, the first Superhero team, The Justice Society of America, was formed. The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics Superhero group the first team of superheroes in Comic book history During World War II, all of America's heroes were banded together as the All-Star Squadron to protect the United States from the Axis powers. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics fictional Superhero team that debuted in Justice League of America #193 (August 1981 The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries However, due to a magical spell cast by Adolf Hitler (using the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail) the most powerful heroes were unable to enter Axis-held territories, leaving the war to be fought mainly by normal humans such as Sgt. Rock. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately The Holy Lance (also known as the Spear of Destiny, Holy Spear, Lance of Longinus, Spear of Longinus or Spear of Christ) is the name According to Christian mythology, the Holy Grail was the dish plate or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper, said to possess miraculous powers After the war, under pressure from the paranoid Committee on Un-American Activities the JSA disbanded. The House Committee on Un-American Activities ( HUAC or HCUA 1938–1975 was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. While many types of heroes were active afterwards (mainly non-costumed, such as the Challengers of the Unknown or Detective Chimp), it wasn't until Superman's public debut that a new generation of costumed heroes became active. The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of Fictional characters in Comic books published by DC Comics. In the Fictional DC Universe, Detective Chimp (alias Bobo T Chimpanzee (1969-2003 was a chimpanzee wearing a Deerstalker (in honor of Soon after, the Justice League was formed, and they've remained Earth's preeminent superhero team; most DC heroes (such as the Teen Titans) have either belonged to the League at some point, or have connections to it. For the animated TV series based on this comic see Teen Titans (TV series.
Power is greatly exaggerated in some denizens of the DC Universe, like the major heroes and certain cosmic entities. Living as a superhero has its inconsistencies, like Superman's vulnerability to magic and kryptonite, Green Lantern's initial ineffectiveness to the color yellow (which can be overcome through training) or Batman's lack of powers (which he makes up for with his keen intelligence, constant training, and assorted gadgets). Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created
Superheroes are generally accepted by the general public, with some (such as Superman and The Flash) actually having museums dedicated to them. The governments of the world have long realized that they must deal with the "metahumans" in some way. Years ago an organization called "The Dome" was formed to help superheroes who needed to fight crime across international borders; the superhero group called the Global Guardians were their main agents. The Global Guardians is a team of Fictional DC Comics Superheroes whose members hail from countries around the world However the Dome eventually lost its United Nations backing to the Justice League.
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 the Creature Commandos. The Creature Commandos are a Fictional DC Comics team of military superhumans originally set in World War II. 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). Covertly, they use an organization of costumed (but non-superhuman) agents known as "Checkmate". Checkmate is a fictional Covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. The government also formed Task Force X (known as the "Suicide Squad") for "black ops" mostly using imprisoned (and thus expendable) supervillains enticed with offered clemency into helping them. The Suicide Squad is a name for two fictional organizations in DC Comics Universe. A Black Operation or Black Op is a Covert operation typically involving activities that are highly Secret due to questionable Ethics and
Outcast personalities are usually evident in DCU super-villainy to be intentionally out-leveled and imprisoned. Villains with meek powers contrive schemes of extraordinary complexity, yet because of their simple talents, they only call the attention of heroes like Batman and Flash. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created When caught, any prison sufficient enough to contain these villains are suitable. They are masters in heists, kidnappings and robberies. More powerful villains strive to contest for greater goals like world domination, or universal acclaim. 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 even dimensions or space because they can not simply be killed by a stray bullet or a fatal blow.
Supervillains sometimes also form their own groups, but these tend to be short-lived due to the fact that most villains simply do not trust each other. Most such teams are formed by a charismatic (or fearsome) criminal mastermind for specific purposes; an example is the Secret Society of Super Villains of which there have been several versions. The Secret Society of Super Villains ( SSoSV) is a group of Comic book Supervillains that exist in the DC Universe. Most villain teams are usually small (formed of individuals who know each other personally, such as the Central City Rogues) or have some other reason to stay together (mercenary groups like the H.I.V.E., fanatical cults such as Kobra, etc. For other uses of Central City see Central City (disambiguation. This article is about a specific group of comic-book villains The HIVE, which stands for the Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination, is the name of a DC Comics Supervillain team Kobra is a Fictional Supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Kobra #1 (February 1976 and was created by Martin Pasko )
Advanced technology
- See also: List of objects in the DC Universe
Devices more advanced than those we currently have are available - but they're usually very expensive, and usually only rich or powerful individuals and organizations (or the scientific geniuses who create them) have access to them. A list of fictional objects and materials existing in the DC Universe. S.T.A.R. Labs is an independent research outfit that often develops these devices, while Lexcorp is the main company selling them. This article is about the fictional organization in DC Comics LexCorp (originally styled Lexcorp) is the Fictional company founded by billionaire Lex Luthor in the popular DC Comics Superman It must also be noted that the government also runs the secret Project Cadmus (located in the mountains near Metropolis) to develop clones and genetic manipulation without the public's knowledge. Project Cadmus is a Fictional government Genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. Technology can also come from outer space or different timelines. Apokolips weaponry is often sold in Metropolis to the criminal organization known as Intergang. Intergang is a fictional Organized crime organization in Superman and other DC comics
Robots and similar creations, including cyborgs, can have superior intelligence when they are created as sentient beings. The Manhunters, the Metal Men, Red Tornado, Robotman, Hourman, and Metallo are but a few examples. The Metal Men are Fictional characters, a team of Robot Superheroes created by writer Robert Kanigher, pencilled by Ross Andru and Red Tornado is a fictional character a Superhero in the DC Universe. Hourman ( Matthew Tyler) is a Fictional character and Superhero who was created by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter and first appeared Metallo is a Comic book Supervillain and Cyborg who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. These 'beings' are most often created by individuals who possess vast intellects, like scientists Professor T.O. Morrow (maker of the Red Tornado), Dr. Will Magnus (who constructed the Metal Men) and Professor Ivo (who fabricated Amazo and other advanced androids using a form of Nano-technology developed by Lexcorp). Thomas Oscar Morrow is a fictional Supervillain in the DC universe. Doctor Will Magnus is a fictional human scientist in the DC Comics universe. Professor Anthony Ivo is a Fictional character, a Mad scientist in the DC universe and is the creator of the androids Amazo, Kid Amazo Amazo is a fictional Android from DC Comics. He has fought the Justice League of America on several occasions Nanotechnology, sometimes shortened to nanotech, refers to a field of Applied science whose theme is the control of matter on an Atomic and Molecular Brainiac also emulates this technology as well as technology from other worlds. Brainiac is a DC Comics Supervillain that appears in the Comic books published by DC Comics. Similarly, some characters use technology to enhance their armor or modify cybernetic functions, for example Steel, Cyborg and the Cyborg Superman. Dr John Henry Irons is the third hero known as Steel, a fictional Superhero in the DC Universe. Cyborg is a fictional character a Superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Hank Henshaw is a Fictional character, a Comic book Supervillain from the DC Comics universe and is primarily an enemy of Superman
Hidden races
There are a few intelligent races living on Earth that the public at large did not know about until recent times. Among these are 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 as Warworlders, were brief test subjects of Project Cadmus who fled to the Underworld below Metropolis. Warworld is a fictional artificial planet featured in several DC Comics stories Project Cadmus is a Fictional government Genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. There is also a tribe of highly intelligent, telepathic gorillas living in an invisible city hidden in Africa; this is the home of Gorilla Grodd. Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer Gorilla Grodd is a fictional Supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash.
Aliens
- See also: List of DC Comics alien races
There 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're 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 as well.
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, and the Czarnians by plague. Even the Almeracian Empire was victim to impending destruction by Imperiex. Maxima is a Fictional character from the DC Comics Superman titles Imperiex is a Fictional character that appears in Comic books published by DC Comics.
Order is kept around the galaxy by the Guardians of the Universe and their agents, the Green Lantern Corps. The Guardians of the Universe are a Fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe The Fictional Green Lantern Corps is an Intergalactic Police force featured in DC Comics, particularly featuring the Superhero Rival peacekeeping organizations include the Darkstars (created by the Guardians' rivals, the Controllers) and the interplanetary mercenary organization L.E.G.I.O.N.. The first Darkstars were a group of fictional intergalactic policemen published by DC Comics. LEGION was a DC Comics Science fiction Comic book created by Keith Giffen which chronicled the formation and activity of an Criminal organizations include the Manhunters, the Spider Guild and the Dark Circle. The Dark Circle is a Fictional criminal organization in publications from DC Comics.
Most aliens are from different planets, who have a source of origin near the Solar System and in the Milky Way Galaxy, although, unlike the Marvel Universe, alien colonies are common within the solar system. The Dominators are an imperialistic race of terrorist aliens who control most of the unknown cosmos in order to extract genetic resources from planets. The Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a Fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. 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 the United Planets, most rogue races strive to conquer the known universe. The United Planets is a fictional governing body traditionally depicted as active in the 30th and 31st Century of the DC Universe.
One oddity is the Vegan Star system. Due to an arrangement with the Psions, the Guardians did not intervene in that system, allowing a cruel empire called "The Citadel" to govern there, until it was overthrown by the Omega Men. The Psions are a fictional Extraterrestial species published by DC Comics. The Omega Men are a Fictional team of extraterrestrial Superheroes who have appeared in various Comic book series published by DC Comics
Supernatural creatures
- See also: List of DC cosmic entities
Magic and the supernatural are often depicted as being real in the DC Universe, though some skeptics such as Mister Terrific maintain that there are scientific explanations to all such events. Michael Holt is a fictional character in the. He is the second character to take up the Mister Terrific mantle The narration of the mystic and harsh dark reality is more common in DC's Vertigo Comics because 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. Vertigo is an Imprint of the American Comic-book publisher DC Comics. Magic is too powerful in the physical world, where harnessing magic can distort and even destroy reality if not properly controlled (i. e. : if the Lord of Order succumbs to certain events so will the Lord of Chaos).
There are several types of supernatural creatures, 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 The Source. The Source was a metaphysical concept created by writer/artist Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series of comic books This gave birth to other gods across the universe, including Earth’s. From the planet’s remains were formed the worlds of Apokolips and New Genesis, inhabited by beings that call themselves "New Gods". New Genesis is a Fictional planet in the (or rather in a parallel dimension adjacent to it The New Gods are a Fictional race published by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comics about those characters It must be noted that this universe was created by an omnipotent being known as "The Presence", which is believed to be the creator-being described by many religions, including Christianity. The Presence is a Fictional Comic book representation of the Abrahamic God. Also, beings calling themselves ‘angels’, such as Zauriel (see below), have appeared, though they seem little different from the mythological gods. Zauriel is a Fictional character in the DC Universe. Originally a Guardian angel, he becomes a Superhero and has been a member of DC’s all-star Certain speedsters believe in enlightenment in order to become part of the Speed Force (see below). Depending on the characters, other diverse religious deities from ancient cultures are common. Heroes such as Aztek and Black Condor, or villains like Black Adam, have found knowledge of their native roots in origin. Aztek is a Fictional character a superhero in the DC Universe. For the Jetman character see Choujin Sentai Jetman. Black Condor is the name of three Fictional characters, DC Comics Black Adam is a fictional Comic book character created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C
- Heaven and Hell: Heaven and Hell do exist in the DC Universe but may not exist in the same continuum. In the DC/Vertigo universe the Triumvirate rule hell which are Lord Lucifer, and biblical incarnations of Beelzebub, and Belial. The term triumvirate (from Latin, "of three men" is commonly used to describe a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals Ba‘al Zebûb, Ba‘al Zəbûb or Ba‘al Zəvûv ( Hebrew בעל זבוב, with numerous variants appears as the Belial (also Belhor, Baalial, Beliar, Belias, Beliall, Beliel, Bilael, Belu; from Hebrew בְּלִיַּ֫עַל Generic depictions of Satan, angels, demons and God also appear frequently. Versions vary from the Vertigo and DC Universe series with writers of the Vertigo/DC Universe depicting them in relation to religion and mythology while the writers in the DCU have a tendency to narrate fantasy. In the Vertigo series Swamp Thing, Heaven and Hell seems to be restricted to earth, creating the possibility that every living planet have their own versions of afterlife. The Swamp Thing is a Fictional character created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson for DC Comics and featured in a long-running horror-fantasy In the Vertigo Sandman series Lucifer quits as ruler of Hell and retires to Los Angeles, with the follow-up series Lucifer depicting his pursuit of obtaining his own creation independent from that of Yahweh. The Sandman is a Comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo Lucifer is a DC Comics character that starred in an eponymous Comic book published under the Vertigo Imprint.
- Death represents different characters in the DC Universe. Death is a Fictional character from the DC Comic book series The Sandman (1988 - 1996 One personification of death is the Black Flash, who can represent Death as an internal figure for the speedsters in the DC Universe. The Black Flash is a Fictional Comic book character from DC Comics. Another is Death (see below), who resides at the very end of time. The Black Racer appears as Death in the afterlife. The Black Racer is a Fictional character, a Deity and Avatar of Death in DC Comics universe. Death is also one of the The Endless. The Endless ( Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium) are a group of beings who embody
- The Lords of Order and Chaos: 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. The Lords of Chaos and Lords of Order are complementary groups of Supernatural entities with godlike powers that appear in DC Comics. Many magical heroes and villains have been manipulated by them. The Lords of Order and Chaos were killed by the Spectre during the Day Of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special.
- 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. An elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus. Swamp Thing, Firestorm, Naiad and Red Tornado were some of them. The Swamp Thing is a Fictional character created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson for DC Comics and featured in a long-running horror-fantasy Firestorm ( Ronald "Ronnie" Raymond) is a Fictional character, a DC Comics Superhero. Naiad is a Fictional water Elemental published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Firestorm the Nuclear Man vol Red Tornado is a fictional character a Superhero in the DC Universe.
- Homo Magi: a subspecies of humanity with the natural ability to use magic, this race almost disappeared after too much crossbreeding with normal humans (it's 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". Zatanna knows many of the race's secrets, and Traci Thirteen is currently investigating magical and occult phenomena for the Croatoan Society -- both women had Homo Magi mothers. Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Traci Thirteen aka Girl 13 and Traci 13 is a Fictional character published by DC Comics.
- The Endless: Physical manifestations of eternal and universal phenomena that effect the human condition (Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium), principally recounted in the Modern Age Sandman series. The Endless ( Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium) are a group of beings who embody The Modern Age of Comic Books is an informal name for the period in the history of mainstream American comic books generally considered to last from the mid-1980s until The Sandman is a Comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo
- Emotional Manifestations: Like the Endless, these beings were created from the emotional energy generated by sentient beings. Each of the seven emotional manifestation 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 the Green Lantern Corps and Sinestro Corps utilize the energies of these beings. The Fictional Green Lantern Corps is an Intergalactic Police force featured in DC Comics, particularly featuring the Superhero The Sinestro Corps is a group of Fictional characters a villainous analogue to the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe.
- Wizards and Sorcerers: Various sorcerers lurk in the DCU. Dr. Fate, Circe, the wizard Shazam, Mordru and Felix Faust are written as characters who use sorcery to create and destroy. Shazam is a Comic book character created by Bill Parker and C Mordru (also known as Mordru the Merciless) a Supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Felix Faust is a Fictional sorcerer and Supervillain that appears in stories published by DC Comics. Dimensions, rituals and spiritual realms are sources for magic power as seen in Ras Al Ghul's Lazarus Pit, Doctor Occult's use of the astral plane and the transformations of Captain Marvel. A Lazarus Pit is a Fictional natural phenomenon in the DC Comics universe. Doctor Occult is a Fictional character, a magic user in the DC Comics universe. This article is about a plane of existence In the context of Unicode, Astral characters consist of planes above the Basic Multilingual Plane. Captain Marvel is a fictional Comic book Superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics.
- Demonic entities vary from the Demon Etrigan, to Blaze, Satanus and Neron. The Demon is a DC Comics Superhero series created by prolific Comic book writer-artist Jack Kirby. Blaze and Satanus are Fictional characters, Demonic Supervillain siblings in the. Neron is a Fictional character in the DC Comics ' universe. Neron was a Demon prince of great power Demonic entities are abundant and come from Hell although some like Eclipso, the vengeance demon (also referred to as the Prince of Darkness), reside on the Moon. Eclipso is a Fictional character, a Supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Demonic Entities from Wonder Woman comics are directly linked to Greek Mythology such as Hades, and Ares. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient In Greek mythology, Ares ( Ancient Greek:, Μodern Greek Άρης) is the son of Zeus and Hera. In the Vertigo worlds, characters like John Constantine oppose Demons of Christian Mythology such as Satan and Gabriel, the Fallen Angel. John Constantine ( May 10, 1953 in Liverpool, England) is the fictional Protagonist of the comic series Gabriel ( Latin: Gabrielus; Greek:, Gabriēl; Arabic: جبريل Jibrīl or جبرائيل Most Demons are not however directly linked to Demonology. Demonology (from Greek grc δαίμων daimōn, "demon" and grc -λογία -logia) is the systematic study of
Other dimensions
The DC Universe is composed of a number of different dimensional planes, most notably parallel earths (see Multiverse), 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). In Metaphysics and Esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the Physical plane, is conceived as a subtle state of Consciousness that transcends Parallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own The DC Multiverse is a Fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by Comic book company DC Comics. Other types of dimensions still exist, however, including the Antimatter Universe, the Pax dimension, the Fifth Dimension and The Bleed. Qward is a fictional world existing within an Antimatter universe that is part of the. "Bloodlines" was a 1993 Comic book Story arc published by DC Comics. The Fifth Dimension, also known as The 5th Dimension, is an American Popular music Vocal group, whose repertoire also includes pop The Bleed is a fictional construct that has been discovered in the Wildstorm and DC Comics multiverse. Prison dimensions, such as the Phantom Zone are meant to house super powered criminals who are too powerful for any conventional means of containment. The Phantom Zone is a Fictional Prison Dimension featured in the Superman Comic books and related media Dimensions make up many universes of which are created and destroyed with help from supernatural forces and elements of which power is drawn. As well, certain dimensions function as cross-over opportunities for heroes from different comic book companies to interact, either from competing companies, or from companies absorbed by competitors. In Comic books, an intercompany crossover (also called cross-company or company crossover) is a comic or series of comics where characters published by The most notable example of the first kind of crossover has been between Marvel Comics and DC Comics, and the latter with Wildstorm Comics. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, (sometimes rendered Wildstorm) is a publishing Imprint and studio of American Comic book An example of the latter kind of crossover would be DC's acquisition of Fawcett Comics, Quality Comics, and Charlton Comics and the absorption into the DC continuity as the original Captain Marvel, Plastic Man and Captain Atom. Fawcett Comics, a subsidiary of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful Comics publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s Quality Comics was an American comic book Publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call Charlton Comics was an American Comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1986 having begun under a different name in 1944 Captain Marvel is a fictional Comic book Superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Plastic Man ( Patrick "Eel" O'Brian) is a fictional Comic-book Superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later Captain Atom is a fictional Comic book Superhero. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in In this way, heroes originally published by different companies can become part of the same fictional universe, and interactions between such characters are no longer considered intercompany crossovers.
Speed Force
The Speed Force is an extradimensional energy source which provides the speedsters of the DC Universe with their powers. The Speed Force is a fictional concept presented in various Comic books published by DC Comics. A speedster is a Fictional character in Superhero fiction particularly Comic books whose primary power is the superhuman ability to run and perform 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 of Valhalla for deceased speedsters. See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Valhalla (from Old Norse Valhöll "hall of the slain" is a majestic enormous
Time Stream
It is possible to travel in time in this universe by several means, including moving faster than the speed of light. The Legion of Superheroes from 1,000 years into the future in particular have access to time-travel technology (although the threeboot Legion lacks time travel technology) while Rip Hunter is the present day authority of the technology. This is about the DC Comics superhero team For the animated television series based on this see Legion of Super Heroes (TV series. This is about the DC Comics superhero team For the animated television series based on this see Legion of Super Heroes (TV series. Rip Hunter is a DC Comics character who first appeared in Showcase #20 (May 1959 then his own series which ran for 29 issues (1961-65 Originally, it was impossible to change the past, or to exist in two places at the same time (a time traveler appearing in a period on which he or she already existed would become an ineffectual, invisible phantom while there). However that was all changed after the Anti-Monitor tried to change history at the beginning of time during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Anti-Monitor is a Fictional character, a Comic book Supervillain and the Antagonist of the 1985 DC Comics Miniseries Also, a number of alternate realities- known as Hypertime- now exist. Parallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own Hypertime is a Fictional concept presented in the 1999 DC comic book series The Kingdom, both a catch-all explanation for any continuity A group calling itself the Linear Men formed to prevent anyone from changing history. The Linear Men are Fictional characters a fictional superhero team in the DC Comics universe In addition, an enormously powerful being called the Time Trapper, an enemy of the Legion, has been known to manipulate the timestream, even creating "pocket universes. The Time Trapper is a Fictional character and Supervillain who appears in stories published by DC Comics. Pocket universes are a type of very small parallel universe sometimes found in Science fiction and Fantasy. "
See also
- DC Comics
- History of the DC Universe
- List of locations of the DC Universe
- Timeline of the DC Universe
- Major events of the DC Universe
- Hypertime
- Multiverse (DC Comics)
- DC Universe, a toy brand by Mattel
Further reading
- Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups graphic novel -- ISBN 1-4012-0470-8
- Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 1 graphic novel -- ISBN 1-56389-895-0
- Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 2 graphic novel -- ISBN 1-4012-0003-6
- Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 3 graphic novel -- ISBN 1-4012-0231-4
- Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 4 graphic novel -- ISBN 1-4012-0957-2
- Crisis on Infinite Earths graphic novel -- ISBN 1-56389-750-4
- Kingdom Come graphic novel -- ISBN 1-56389-330-4
- Zero Hour: Crisis In Time graphic novel -- ISBN 1-56389-992-2
- Infinite Crisis graphic novel -- ISBN 1-4012-0959-9
External links
- DC Comics
- DC Cosmic Teams
- The Unauthorized Chronology of the DC Universe
- The Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
- DC Universe Chronology
- The Annotated Crisis
- The word "universe" in this context
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