Does the Multiverse Still Exist

[supermanfan]

I had the opportunity to read the new Birthright: The Orgin of the Man of Steel. Excellent read (as noted by others and myself in earlier topics). However, given the changes I am curious if DC is going to need to recreate the multiverse to explain the different orgins of the superheroes.

I've read Crisis, which merged the multiple Earths into one. But that was 20 years ago and there have been other changes since. So by my tracking, here is where we are:

Earth 2 - Home of the Golden Age Superman from Action Comics #1. This Earth disappeared in Crisis, and Superman & Lois from this Earth went into a new place that was never seen by readers.

Earth 1 - Superman of the 1950's and 1960's (Silver Age). This Superman entrusted President Kennedy with his secret identity.

Earth 1a - Superman of the 1970's and early 1980's (Bronze Age). He had a career as Superboy in the 1960's. At one time he and Lex Luthor were great friends. This was the Superman who fought in Crisis.

Earth 1b - The re-boot Superman of 1986. No Superboy, Lex Luthor is a businessman and not a scientist.

Earth 1c - Rebirth Superman for the 21st Century.

Any other thoughts on this theory?

[Bad_Monkey]

There aren't all these different origins of characters. As for Superman there's Man of Steel and Birthright, and except for a handful of things, Birthright doesn't contradict MoS all that much, unless I'm remembering wrong (which is possible).

All the other histories of Superman were wiped from existance with all those other versions of Superman in Crisis and in the immediate follow-up, History of the DCU.

DC went to no small ammount of trouble to wipe out the multi-verse, and drastically simplify their continuity. Somehow I doubt they're going to want to undo it.

Furthermore I should think they would be killed in horrible deaths should they undo Crisis.

[Blake Petit]

Actually, they already HAVE brought back the multiverse. Not in the way it was before, but through Hypertime -- which basically states that every DC story happens on SOME universe. Every "Elseworlds," ever "Imaginary Story," everything exists in some universe that's out there... somewhere. It's not the same as it was before, but multiple worlds are back.

As for MOS and Birthright -- there were contradictions, primarily in Lex Luthor. The MOS Luthor was Perry White's age, where as the Birthright Luthor (like the Smallville Luthor) is only a few years older than Clark. There are other changes made, but that's the biggest one.

[Picard]

But is Superman: Birthright the "official" Superman/Clark Kent origin now?

[Blake Petit]

Yes.

At least until the next time they decide to change it. :LOL:

[chrismozer]

Actually, they already HAVE brought back the multiverse. Not in the way it was before, but through Hypertime -- which basically states that every DC story happens on SOME universe. Every "Elseworlds," ever "Imaginary Story," everything exists in some universe that's out there... somewhere. It's not the same as it was before, but multiple worlds are back.



Well, isn't that the way it was before? I see no difference between the past multiple worlds and Hypertime. After all, didn't Superboy journey through Hypertime. If so, doesn't that mean that any DC Hero can visit any DC Universe? I could be wrong. Someone explain it to me like i am a 2 year old.

[Blake Petit]

Not exactly. The worlds of Hypertime are a bit more divergent than the old Multiple Earths, which were merged into one world. Plus, it is far more difficult and dangerous to travel through Hypertime than it was through the Multiple Earths. If anyone or any thing is in the wrong universe for too long, the universes start to bleed together and the destruction can be catastrophic. Also, if anyone dies in Hypertime, every version of him in EVERY universe ceases to exist. This is what happened to Paul Westfield, former director of the Cadmus Project.