Publication information
Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: Flash #123 (September, 1961)
Created by:
In story information
History
The Original Multiverse
History
In the BeginningKrona was a member of the ancient race of powerful, blue-skinned humanoid immortals from the planet Maltus (they would later relocate to Oa and style themselves the Guardians of the Universe). He was a scientist obsessed with observing the creation of the universe, despite an Oan legend that said discovering that secret would cause a great calamity. Krona created a machine that allowed him to see into the moment of creation. Somehow, his experiment disrupted the process of creation, with terrible consequences -- it caused the creation of not a single universe, but the generation of an infinite number of universes.
From the perspective of the Earth-One Universe, the first travel to another parallel universe occured when The Flash (Barry Allen) accidently changed his vibrational frequency to match that of Earth-Two, where he met Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. That meeting resulted in years of interaction between the original super-hero team, The Justice Society of America, and their younger Earth-One counterparts, The Justice League of America.
As Barry Allen was the first traveller, the honor of naming the two Earths fell to him - his universe's Earth was called Earth-One, Jay Garrick's became Earth-Two. As noted years later by the elder Superman, the JSA were too polite to mention that they were around first
Over the years, various other Earths (i.e. an Earth part of another parallel universe) were visited by super-heroes (and villains).
Crime Syndicate
The End of All Things
The Multiverse co-existed with an Antimatter Universe. The Anti-Monitor caused a wave of antimatter to sweep across the infinite universes in an effort to gain absolute power and remake existence to his liking. He was opposed by his opposite number, The Monitor.
The Monitor's plans did not completely work against the Anti-Monitor, ultimately costing the Monitor his life. Five universes remained. The heroes, at the Spectre's urging, pooled their resources and traveled back to the Dawn of Time where they confronted the Anti-Monitor. The villains, meanwhile (1,000,000,000 years later), traveled to Oa to try to stop Krona from peering back in time and creating the Multiverse (and the Antimatter Universe the Anti-Monitor came from).
The Anti-Monitor revealed to the assembled heroes that he lured them to him to absorb their life forces. He explained:Only here, before creation can the future be changed! When Krona taps the cosmic forces, opening the door between matter and antimatter ... it shall be my hand he sees! My hand which shall destroy the positive matter multiverse for now and forever! My hand which shall make the antimatter universe supreme! ... The Multiverse will no longer exist!However, the Spectre, aided by Earths' mightiest sorcerors, managed to (apparently) defeat him.
As Krona peered back through the cosmic veil, the Big Bang began:
In the beginning there were many. A Multiversal infinitude ... so cold and so dark for so long ... that even the burning light was imperceptible ... but then the light grew, and the Multiverse shuddered .. and the darkness screamed as much in pain as in relief. For in that instant a Universe was born. A Universe with mighty worlds orbiting burning suns. A Universe reborn at the Dawn of Time. What had been many became one.[3]
As explained later by Harbinger, in this reality, there only ever was one Earth with one history.[4]
From a functional perspective, the histories and peoples of Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-Four, Earth-S, and Earth-X were effectively merged to form one composite universe, the Post-Crisis Earth. Earth-One became a sort of template, onto which the other Earths were apparently added.
Characteristics
Location Details
Universe: n/a
Identity: The existence of the Original Multiverse was unknown to the general populace of any one particular planet.
The Multiverse consisted of multiple versions of the universe existing in the same physical space, but separated from each other by their vibrational resonances.
"..I vibrated so fast -- I tore a gap in the vibratory shields separating our worlds! As you know -- two objects can occupy the same space and time -- if they vibrate at different speeds!
My theory is, both Earths were created at the same time in two quite similar universes! They vibrate differently -- which keeps them apart! Life, customs -- even languages -- evolved on your earth almost exactly as they did on my Earth! Destiny must have decreed there'd be a Flash -- on each Earth!"
"This Earth (Earth-Two) rotates at a slower speed -- time passes less quickly than on our Earth!"
"The idea is that Earth-Two is about twenty years behind because of some time flux."
Miscellaneous
List of Original Universes
- Antimatter Universe: The home universe of Oa's antimatter counterpart, Qward.
- Earth-One: The Modern Age of heroes including Martian Manhunter and the JLA.
- Earth-Two: World War II's JSA.
- Earth-Three: Evil counterparts of Earth-One's heroes
- Earth-Four: The homeworld of Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Nightshade, The Question, Peacemaker, Thunderbolt, Judomaster, and Sarge Steel.
- Earth-Five: A world with no krypton or superheroes, The Phantom Stranger Brings Earth-One's Batman to this universe to prevent the Deaths of his Parents and inspires this world's Bruce Wayne to Grow up to become Batman.
- Earth-Six: The United States lost the Revolutionary War. Lady Quark and Lord Volt rule America as superpowered monarchs.
- Earth-Seven: Homeworld of Dark Angel.
- Earth-Twelve: Homeworld of the Inferior Five
- Earth-Fourteen: Jack Kirby's Fourth World.
- Earth-96: Kingdom Come.
- Earth-97: Tangent Comics
- Earth-276: The Home Universe of Captain Thunder.
- Earth-1191: Tales of the Multiverse: Batman-Vampire.
- Amalgam Universe : World created by the merging of the Marvel Universe and the DC Universe.[9]
- Earth-A: The evil Johnny Thunder of Earth-One altered the history of the Justice League to create the Lawless League.
- Earth-C: Home to anthropomorphic animals including Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew.
- Earth-D: Consisted of the Justice Alliance of America and other analogues of heroes from Earth-One, but were more ethnically diverse.
- Earth-Prime: Homeworld of Ultraa and Superboy-Prime.
- Earth-S: The Marvel Family's Earth.
- Earth-X: The adopted home of Earth-Two natives the Freedom Fighters.
- Limbo: A Dimension Inhabited by Long Forgotten DC Characters.
Interregnum Multiverse
History
Characteristics
List of Interregnum Universes
- Earth-0: A Bizarro Earth.
- Earth-One: New Earth with the elements of the other Earths removed.
- Earth-One + Earth-Two + Earth-Three: Combined elements of these Earths.
- Earth-25G: Unseen.
- Earth-97: The Tangent Earth.
- Earth-154: An Earth where Superman and Batman both had sons carrying on their legacies; combined by Luthor with Earth-462.
- Earth-247: The Legion of Super-Heroes future.
- Earth-462: Various alternate versions of World War II superheroes fighting Nazis; combined by Luthor with Earth-154.
- Earth-898: Western heroes of the 19th Century.
-
Earth-3181: Unseen.
- Earth-Prime: Unseen.
- Earth-Q: Unseen.
- Earth-S: The original home of the Marvel Family
52 Multiverse
History
Characteristics
... upon Earth now rest 51 more parallel Earths -- and beyond this universe, 51 parallel universes ... if Earth is ever annihilated, it will start a chain reaction that will destroy the others. The Multiverse will collapse, leaving only our opposite antimatter universe in existence. [15]
A face of metal and flesh shall speak of the secrets of the 52. Fear will rise. Willpower will gather. And a wave of light will unleash the truth behind the power of the ring.[16]
List of 52 Universes
- Earth-0 aka New Earth aka The DC Universe: The Earth existing in the primary reality following the Infinite
Crisis and Final Crisis events. [17] Specifically referred to as Earth-0/Zero in Final Crisis #7.
- Earth-1: Originally this Earth was defended by characters that resemble the Silver-Age Heroes of Pre-Crisis Earth-One. It has now been repurposed as an Earth featuring 21st century modern takes on the DC heroes.[18]
- Earth-2: This Earth is defended by Justice Society Infinity, a successive version of the original Justice Society whose members include Batman's daughter, the Huntress, and an older Robin. Reminiscent of Pre-Crisis Earth-Two.[19]
- Earth-3 aka Crime Society Universe: Criminal versions of Earth-2's JSA. [20][21]
- Earth-4 aka Charlton Universe: Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and the Question, among others, are the heroes of this Earth. Reminiscent of Pre-Crisis Earth-Four. [22]
- Earth-5 aka Fawcett Universe: The Marvel Family are Earth's main heroes on a world of magic. Reminiscent of Pre-Crisis Earth-S. [23]
- Earth-6: World including version of Ray Palmer who becomes The Ray.
-
Earth-7: World including version of Courtney Whitmore who becomes known as Starwoman.
- Earth-8: Home world of Lord Havok and the Extremists. This Earth contains heroes similar to those of Marvel Comics. [24][25]
- Earth-9: The Tangent Universe
- Earth-10 aka Quality Universe: The original Freedom Fighters fight Nazi counterparts of the JLA. [26]
- Earth-11: A reverse gender Earth.[27]
- Earth-12 aka The Next Generation Universe: A future world inhabited by a version of Batman "beyond anything ever seen". [28]
- Earth-13: World of dark and arcane heroes.
- Earth-14: unknown
- Earth-15: A populated parellel developed Earth whose people have evolved to become "nearly perfect beings" [29] of their own personal development. [30] Earth-15 was completely destroyed by Kal-El (Earth-Prime). The source dimension and other inhabited planets of that dimension continue to exist.
- Earth-16 aka The Super-Sons Universe: Home of the Super-Sons. Source Earth of Christopher Kent the alternate Superman. Once designated to be the Source Earth of the 52 multiverse version of The Supersons, but is has been revealed that there are no other Kryptonian relatives to Christopher Kent in this reality.
- Earth-17: A post-apocalyptic world where the Atomic Knights protect the last signs of life. [31] On this Earth, science and magic apparently co-exist - this Earth's greatest hero is Superdemon
-
Earth-18 aka The Justice Riders Universe: A world where the JLA are a group of lawmen who ride the Wild West. [32]
- Earth-19 aka Gotham by Gaslight Universe: Batman fights Jack the Ripper in the 1880s. [33]
- Earth-20: Home to a group of pulp-inspired heroes, the Society of Super-Heroes, led by Doc Fate
- Earth-21 aka DC: The New Frontier Universe: A world where the Cold War has recently ended, and a new age of heroes has begun. [34] [35]
- Earth-22 aka Kingdom Come Universe: A near-future world brought to the brink of apocalypse by warring superheroes. Starman confirms that before he came back to the 21st Century during the Lightning Saga, he was accidently shunted to Earth-22 ("No one liked each other there very much!"). [36] [37]
- Earth-23: unknown
- Earth-24: unknown
- Earth-25: unknown
- Earth-26: Home of the cartoon animal superheroes Captain Carrot & The Zoo Crew.[38]
- Earth-27: unknown
- Earth-28: unknown
- Earth-29: unknown
- Earth-30 aka Red Son Universe: Superman is a champion of Cold War-era Soviet Russia. [39]
- Earth-31: A "darker version of the future;" AKA Frank Miller's Batman universe [40]
-
Earth-32 aka In Darkest Knight Universe: Bruce Wayne becomes Green Lantern instead of Hal Jordan. [41]
- Earth-33: A mystical earth where all of the heroes have magic-based powers, including Bat-Mage, and Kal-El, wielder of Kryptonian Magicks. Ruled by the multiversal seer Oracle.
- Earth-34 aka The Amazonia Universe: Wonder Woman frees Britain from oppression under the reign of King Jack. [42] [43]
- Earth-35: unknown
- Earth-36: unknown
- Earth-37: Thrillkiller Universe
- Earth-38: Homeworld to a Captain Atom who leads the Atomic Knights.
- Earth-39: Homeworld of Daniel Garrett who became Blue Beetle the same way as Jamie Reyes.
- Earth-40: The Liberty Files world, where costumed heroes and villains have joined World War II. [44]
- Earth-41: unknown
-
Earth-42: unknown
- Earth-43: A world of vampires and the supernatural, inhabited by a vampire Batman. [45]
- Earth-44: Unknown, but it's main heroes were a group of robots called the Metal Men, led by "Doc Tornado".[46]
- Earth-45: unknown
- Earth-46: unknown
- Earth-47: unknown
- Earth-48 aka The War World Universe: Native home of the Forerunners, creatures bred by the Monitors from all the alien races of the solar system after the destruction of all human life on Earth in a war against other planets. This universe's counterpart of J'onn J'onzz is a general in the Martian army.
- Earth-49: An Earth who's sun has been turned into a Red Sun by Firestorm. Superman, Supergirl and other heroes that need the sun's yellow rays must wear suits identical to Superboy-Prime's.
- Earth-50: The Wildstorm Universe. [47]
- Earth-51: "A near perfect world. No mention of crime, war, poverty, disease .." [48] Universe-51 was later destroyed as a result of Monarch's Containment Suit being destroyed at the hands of Superman-Prime.
