| TABLE OF CONTENTS | |
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PART 1: |
PART 2: |
PART 3: |
PART 4: |
Chronology of the Crises
Part 1: Crisis on Infinite Earths
| In the beginning, there was only Monitor, a vast nothingness. Hidden deep within it was a "flaw"... the infinite multiverse. NOTE: The Monitor first appeared in New Teen Titans #21 (1984). His cosmic nature was revised in Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D #1-2. | Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D #1-2 (10.08-3.09) |
| The Original Multiverse is Born | |
| Dawn of Time: The time-travelling Anti-Monitor attempts to prevent birth of positive matter universe & ensure birth of anti-matter universe. An army of super-heroes tries to stop him. The Spectre, backed by other mystics, arm-wrestles the Anti-Monitor, allowing both positive matter & anti-matter universes to be created. | Crisis #10 (1.86) |
| 19-6 Billion years ago: The singular Source, whose consciousness spans all time, is split in two by a trinity of Old Gods. Now yin and yang, there is the Source and the Anti-Life. The Source is "injured" by the split. c. 5 Billion years ago: When it recovers, the Source brings about the destruction of the Old Gods New Gods and creates the New Gods of the Fourth World. It periodically leaves flaming missives for them. It later comes to regard the New Gods as "imperfect." When the universe is reordered following the first Crisis, the Source finds it more difficult to locate (and potentially recombine with) its lost half. | Death of the New Gods #5 (3.08) |
| 4.4 billion years ago: Using his special time-bending device, the mad scientist Krona gazes unto the beginning of the universe. He unwittingly creates an anti-matter Universe, home of the world Qward. Krona witnesses the creation of the Shadowlands, also called the "Primordial Darkness," which is actually the Anti-Monitor's hand, rising up from the chaoplasm oceans of Hell. NOTE: The "Hand of Darkness" first appeared in Green Lantern v.2 #40, first chronological in Crisis #10, and first explained in Swamp Thing #50. In pre-Final Crisis continuity, this event also sets in motion the birth of the Monitor and Anti-Monitor. In current continuity, these entities were birthed by the first Monitor's first entrance into the multiverse. | Green Lantern v.2 #40 (10.65) |
| PRE-FINAL CRISIS: 3 billion years ago: The Anti-Monitor is born on the moon of Qward. The Anti-Monitor grows to conquer Qward and creates the Thunderers and Shadow Demons. The Monitor is born on Oa's moon. He and the Anti-Monitor sense each other's existence and fight for one million years. NOTES: The nature of the Monitors has been completely redefined by the Final Crisis. It seems unlikely that this original history stands in current continuity. | Crisis #7 (10.85) |
| The border between universes is breached when the Flash of Earth-2 (Jay Garrick) and the Flash of Earth-1 (Barry Allen) join forces to rescue the JSA — Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Johnny Thunder—from Vandal Savage. The JSA re-forms. NOTES: 1st Silver Age app. of Vandal Savage, Johnny Thunder and the Earth-2 Wonder Woman. 1st actual Silver Age app. of the JSA (not in a flashback). | Flash v.1 #137 (6.63) |
| The first cross-universe team-up between the Justice League and and the Justice Society. They battle the Crime Champions: Wizard, Icicle, Fiddler, Chronos, Felix Faust, Dr. Alchemy. NOTE: 1st Silver Age appearance of the original Hawkman, Black Canary, Hourman, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate and Atom. | JLofA #21-22 (8-9.63 ) |
| On Earth-7, Donna Troy is taken and raised by the Anti-Monitor, becoming Dark Angel. She is intended to serve as his own harbinger — of doom. | Return of Donna Troy #4 (L10.05) |
| Power Girl, Superman's cousin, arrives on Earth-2 and joins the JSA. She becomes a part of Lois and Clark's family. | All-Star Comics #58 (1-2.76) |
| The Secret Society of Super-Villains switches bodies with several JLAers. During this time, they learn the Leaguers' secrets. Having eluded capture, Zatanna frees the JLA and engineers the transfer back to their own bodies. Because the villains had gained dangerous knowledge, Zatanna uses her magic to wipe their memories of any secret identities. After this, Star Sapphire goes into a coma. NOTE: The memory wipe was revealed in Identity Crisis #3. This was also not the first time they had used this procedure. | JLofA #166-168 (5-7.79) |
| Following a battle with Hector Hammond, the League return to the satellite and discover it has been by breached by Dr. Light. Further, he has raped Sue Dibny. Instead of letting him go, they vote 4-to-3 to use Zatanna's powers to not only wipe his memories, but alter his personality. Batman arrives and discovers this; in order to save the League itself, they wipe his memories as well. Unknown to his fellow Leaguers, Batman eventually recovers his memory. They keep this information from Ralph, and use magic to hide the fact from J'onn. Green Arrow states that the League had been wiping memories for years. NOTES: This story explicitly does take place after the death of Iris Allen and JLofA #166-168. Superman's compliance with these events was revealed in Adventures of Superman #636 (3.05). | Identity Crisis #2, 6 (9.04, 1.05) |
| Prompted by his distrust of his own comrades, Batman builds a satellite, MK-1 to monitor the activities of metahumans and to store detailed files on all metahumans. He is disturbed how easily powerful individuals are sometimes overtaken by evil forces, and reasons that the world needs a way to guard against it. | * |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths | |
| The supreme consciousness/nothingness, the "mind of Monitor" first discovers a "flaw" in creation. This flaw is the multiverse, an infinitessimal sub-reality in which all (hi)stories are contained. Monitor constructs a structure to house this "flaw," later known as the Orrery. This first Monitor, called Dax Novu extends a probe into the multiverse and unleashed the first Crisis. This is his first contact with the concept of a "story." The trauma splits Dax Novu in two (Monitor and Anti-Monitor, the "angel of contamination"). NOTES: Dax Novu's probe first appeared in ??. Prior to the Final Crisis, the Monitor and Anti-Monitor were said to have been birthed on Oa and Qward eons ago. This could still stand, as it is a story created by Novu's first contact. | Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D #1-2 (10.08-3.09) |
| The Anti-Monitor begins destroying the parallel Earths of the positive-matter universe with waves of anti-matter. As Pariah watches helplessly, the Crime Syndicate of America perishes in a futile attempt to defend their homeworld, Earth-3. Earth-3's Alexander Luthor and Lois Lane send their infant son, Alexander Luthor Jr., to Earth-1, where he appears aboard the now-abandoned JLA satellite. The surviving Earths experience mysterious red skies and bizarre weather. The Monitor's servant, Harbinger, gathers an army of super-heroes and -villains. POST-CRISIS: People who survive the Crisis will remember this event will recall only the Anti-Monitor's attack, and the red skies, not alternate Earths. NOTES: First DC Comics app. of Blue Beetle, who debuted in Charlton Comics' Captain Atom #83 (11.66), and the first costumed appearance of Harbinger. Her first appearance, as Lyla was in New Teen Titans v.1 Annual #2 (1983). Her first chronological appearance as Harbinger was Tales of the Teen Titans #58 (10.85). First appearance of Pariah and the first full-panel appearance of the Monitor, whose 1st app. in print (hidden) was New Teen Titans #21 (1984). | Crisis #1 (4.85) |
| The Monitor sends his army of heroes to various points throughout time to defend his vibrational tuning forks, which are intended to protect the universe from the Anti-Monitor's assaults. Alex Luthor begins to age rapidly. In Gotham City, Batman sees an image of the Flash, moving backwards in time. | Crisis #2 (5.85) |
| As the heroes battle the Anti-Monitor's Shadow Demons, Batman, Superman, the Outsiders, and the Teen Titans see the Flash, still lost in time. He abruptly vanishes, snatched away by the Anti-Monitor. | Crisis #3 (6.85) |
| Pariah saves Lady Quark from the destruction of Earth-6. The Anti-Monitor kidnaps the Red Tornado while the Monitor brings about the creation of Dr. Light IV (Kimiyo Hoshi). Harbinger, under the mental domination of the Anti-Monitor, kills the Monitor. Upon the Monitor's death, Earths 1 and 2 are drawn into a mysterious netherverse. | Crisis #4 (7.85) |
| Traveling back in time to find the JLA, the Flash is transported to Earth-D. With the help of Pariah and Lady Quark, he brings members of Earth-1 to help Earth-D's Justice Alliance of America in a vain attempt to save their world from destruction. NOTES: This story is concurrent to events in Crisis #3 and #4, but before the end of Crisis #4. | Legends of the DCU Crisis Special (2.99) |
| Earths 1 and 2 (protected from oblivion by the Monitor) partially merge, causing time and space to overlap. On Oa, the Green Lantern Corps finds that the Guardians have been decimated by the Anti-Monitor's forces. The JLA, Outsiders, Infinity, Inc., All-Star Squadron, and Legion join forces to battle the Red Tornado, who is being used by the Anti-Monitor to cause chaos across the surviving Earths. In the anti-matter universe, the Flash and the Psycho-Pirate come face-to-face with the Anti-Monitor. NOTES: This was the first actual appearance of the Anti-Monitor. | Crisis #5 (8.85) |
| Harbinger links Earths 4, S & X to Earths 1 & 2, protecting them from annihilation, but causing them to slowly merge. The Psycho-Pirate uses his powers to cause chaos on the surviving Earths. On Earth-2, Yolanda Montez becomes Wildcat II. NOTES: First DC Comics appearances of the former Charlton Comics characters Captain Atom, Judomaster, Nightshade, Peacemaker, Peter Cannon — Thunderbolt, and the Question. Captain Atom first appeared in Space Adventures #33 (3.60); Judomaster in Special War Series #4 (11.65); Nightshade in Captain Atom #82 (9.66); Peacemaker in Fightin' 5 #40 (12.66); Peter Cannon in Thunderbolt #1 (1.66); and the Question in Blue Beetle #1 (6.67). Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt, is not owned by DC Comics, but by Pete A. Morisi. | Crisis #6 (9.85) |
| Harbinger explains the birth of the multiverse and the roots of the Crisis, including the origins of the Guardians of the Universe and the Monitor and Anti-Monitor, and reveals how Pariah inadvertantly awakened the Anti-Monitor. An army of the most powerful surviving heroes takes the battle to the anti-matter universe, where Supergirl perishes destroying the Anti-Monitor's body, saving the five surviving Earths from destruction. | Crisis #7 (10.85) |
| The Atom, Firestorm, Firehawk, and Vixen recruit T.O. Morrow to attempt to repair the Red Tornado. In the anti-matter universe, the Anti-Monitor constructs a new body for himself and prepares to use a massive anti-matter cannon. On Qward, Flash II (Barry Allen) manages to destroy the cannon at the cost of his own life. Straining his speed to its limits, he ricochets backwards through time before he dies. NOTE: Because of this, Allen is seen by this friends repeatedly in the years to come. | Crisis #8 (11.85) |
| A vast army of super-villains, led by Earth-1's Lex Luthor and Brainiac, attempts to seize power on the five partially merged surviving Earths. Hawkman I is severely wounded by Dr. Phosphorus. | Crisis #9 (12.85) |
| The villain war is ended by the Spectre, who unites all of the surviving heroes and villains in a last-ditch effort to stop the Anti-Monitor from changing history to eliminate the positive-matter universe from existence. The Spectre and the Anti-Monitor clash at the Dawn of Time, apparently destroying all of creation. The universe fades to white. This originally was intended to be the end of the Crisis storyline. NOTES: The Anti-Montitor's hand in these events is actually the power source of several DCU characters including Obsidian, Ian Karkull, the Shade, Shadow Thief, Eclipso and others. The giant shadow hand in Swamp Thing #50 is called "the Shadowlands" and "the Primordial Darkness." Morpheus trapped Brute and Glob in "The Darkness" to punish them for empowering Garrett Sanford and Hector Hall (Sandman #12). | Crisis #10 (1.86) |
| New Earth is Formed | |
| The survivors of the battle at the Dawn of Time awaken on Earth, which has been unified to include aspects of Earth-1, -2, -4, -S, and -X (only those who were present at the Dawn of Time remember the multiverse). Earth-2 heroes including Superman, Robin and the Huntress, discover that they were never born in the reformed universe. Earth is then drawn into the anti-matter universe, where the Anti-Monitor prepares to destroy the Earth once and for all. NOTES: This issue began an "interregnum" period in which the previous multiverse had been united into a single world, but during which most of the changes later attributed to the Crisis (such as the extensively revised histories of Superman and Wonder Woman) had not yet appeared and those who were present at the Dawn of Time still remembered the multiverse. | Crisis #11 (2.86) |
| A handful of survivors "slips through" the collapse of the original multiverse, to find that they have no real place in the new order. They include: Superman and Power Girl from Earth-2; Dark Angel (Donna Troy) of Earth-7; Alexander Luthor and Ultraman of Earth-3; Superboy of Earth-Prime; and Saturn Queen of the "imaginary story" Earth. | * |
| The Earth is drawn into the antimatter universe for a final confrontation with the Anti-Monitor, whose shadow demons ravage the Earth. Earth-2's Green Arrow, Huntress, and Robin are slain and Earth-1's Wonder Woman is reverted to clay. The Anti-Monitor is staggered by an attack by Darkseid (recruited by the Forgotten Heroes and Brainiac) and finally destroyed by the Earth-2 Superman. Earth is returned to the positive matter universe. The Earth-2 Superman, Lois Lane Kent, and Earth-Prime's Superboy and Alexander Luthor Jr. are left in the rapidly disintegrating antimatter universe, where the Earth-2 Superman destroys the Anti-Monitor once and for all. Earth-2's Wonder Woman and her mortal husband, Steve Trevor, are taken to Olympus to dwell with the gods. Kid Flash (Wally West) discovers that his terminal disease has gone into remission and becomes Flash III. Psycho-Pirate II, who remembers the full history of the multiverse, is committed to Arkham Asylum. NOTE: Harbinger retains a history of the multiverse. | Crisis #12 (3.86) |
| Alex Luthor receives visions of a "paradise" and a "hell" which are his only two options to escape the disintegrating antimatter universe. He does not realize that the hell is Apokolips, and his vision is linked to Darkseid's. He decides upon the extra-dimensional "heaven," but is left much weaker he does not have enough power to escape it. As they adjust to life there, Alex regrets not choosing to Apokolips, because they could have returned to Earth. He also resents having grown to adulthood in a matter of days, wishing that Superman had saved the world instead and allowed him a normal life. Ultimately, Alex's bitterness overcomes him and he begins coercing Superboy into pummeling their crystalline barrier. He finds that the unified Earth has not settled into its proper place and each blow alters its history. Alex is convinced he can create the perfect Earth and begins an elaborate plan. NOTES: Superboy Prime's blows ultimately create a new Legion, a new Doom Patrol, brings Jason Todd back to life, reboots the Metal Men, and alters the histories of Superman, Hawkman, Donna Troy, Gentleman Ghost, Power Girl, Maxwell Lord, the Challengers, Hector Hammond and the Fury. | Crisis #12 (3.86), Infinite Crisis Secret Files (4.06) |
| Monitor Dax Novu withdraws from the multiverse, back to the Bleed. Novu retreats into the Sepulchre of Mandrakk, to chain the darkness. A "thought-robot" modeled on Superman stands as sentinel, his final legacy of that first contact. His contact with the multiverse births a society of Monitors. Their story takes shape, extending for eons as they watch over the multiverse (which they call the "germ" worlds). Eventually, fear of the robot will drive the Monitors to take action in the multiverse. | Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D #1-2 (10.08-3.09) |
| Michael Jon Carter arrives in the 20th century after traveling back in time from the year 2462 with equipment stolen from the Space Museum. | Booster Gold #8-9 (9-10.86) |
| Booster Gold establishes himself as a major hero in Metropolis, parlaying his fame into a vast fortune by doing personal endorsements and using his knowledge of the future to invest in the stock market. Despite these aims, he later claims to retain no knowledge of JLA's history. | Booster Gold #1 (2.86) |
| Arion of Atlantis tells Power Girl a false story about her origins: that she is his granddaughter, a survivor of ancient Atlantis, not a Kryptonian. This was a lie in order to protect Kara, at the behest of her mother. NOTE: The identity of this "mother" was never revealed. | Secret Origins #11 (2.87) |
| Lex Luthor's employee, Amanda McCoy, presents evidence that Superman is Clark Kent. At this time, he rejects it, but clearly pursues the evidence further later on. He bides his time, waiting for the best opportunity to use it to his advantage. | Superman v.2 #2 (2.87) |
| Like Power Girl, Dark Angel falls through the cracks of the reforming universe. Jealous, she becomes Donna's tormentor. | Return of Donna Troy #4 (L10.05) |
| The Rise of Maxwell Lord | |
| The new Justice League holds its first official meeting in the Secret Sanctuary. Present are Batman, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Captain Marvel, Dr. Fate, Guy Gardner, J'onn J'onzz, and Mister Miracle (accompanied by Oberon). Batman takes over leadership. Maxwell Lord IV, head of Innovative Concepts, gives Kimiyo Hoshi (Dr. Light IV) a Justice League signal device in hopes of persuading her to join the League. Later, he secretly organizes a terrorist attack on the United Nations, which the Justice League thwarts. The terrorist leader commits suicide when his bomb fails to detonate, not realizing that Lord had surreptitiously removed the bomb's firing pin. The League is unaware of Lord's involvement. | JLA #1 (5.87) |
| Maxwell Lord invites Booster Gold to join the Justice League. | Booster Gold #16 (5.87) |
| Lord and his "sentient" computer (formerly Metron's) stage a bogus alien attack to improve the League's image in the international community, enabling him (with a little help from Superman) to persuade the United Nations to sanction the new League as the Justice League International. | JLA #7 (11.87) |
| Harry Stein forms Checkmate, a covert action group formed by from its looser-knit predecessor, "The Agency" (which was formed by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X). It performs global operations which are vital to the security of American interests. | Action #598 (3.88) |
| Robin II, Jason Todd dies at the hands of the Joker. | Batman #428 (1988) |
| Shortly after Jason Todd's burial, one of Superboy Prime's blows brings Jason back to life — while he is still inside his grave. Jason is hospitalized but amnesiac. His fingerprints were never on file and authorities placed him in convalescent care. Eventually, he sets out in search of Batman, but comes to the attention to Ra's and Talia al Ghul. Talia takes him under wing until Ra's orders the boy to be sent away. Talia defies him and pushes the boy into a Lazarus Pit where his memories and strength return. He is freed and begins investigating the events following his death, choosing not to contact Batman. He grows increasingly angry that the Dark Knight never took revenge on the Joker. He allied with the first Hush in order to confront Batman and gauge Bruce's shock. He then slipped away, leaving Batman to believe it had been Clayface he'd fought. He began his own crusade then of vigilante justice. | Batman Annual #25 (2006), Infinite Crisis Secret Files (4.06) |
| Max is critically affected by the Dominator's gene-bomb, which affects metahumans. This reveals his metahuman status to everyone. | Invasion! #3 (1989) |
| The disembodied Dreamslayer possesses Max and reclaims the Extremist androids. NOTE: This is Max's first contact with the androids, which include Lord Havoc. | JLE #32 (11.91) |
| At Maxwell Lord's urging, the U.N. forms the League Busters to stop Captain Atom's JLA team from attacking the Overmaster. | JLE #65 (6.94) |
| PARALLAX AND THE ZERO HOUR | |
| Emerald Twilight, Part 1: Hal Jordan tries to recreate Coast City with Emerald energy from his ring. In his emotional weakness, he falls prey to an ancient yellow being called Parallax: the living embodiment of fear which resides in the Guardians central power battery and created the GLs' weakness to yellow/fear. NOTE: First appearance of Kyle Rayner. | Green Lantern v.2 #48 (1.94); Green Lantern: Rebirth #?? |
| Emerald Twilight, Part 2: Parallax's evil consumes Hal, who shreds through many members of the Green Lantern Corps on his way to Oa, taking their rings and leaving them stranded in space if not outright killing them. | Green Lantern v.2 #49 (2.94) |
| Emerald Twilight, Part 3: Possessed by Parallax, Hal Jordan kills Sinestro, Kilowog, and all of the Guardians of the Universe except for Ganthet. He assumes the Guardians' former power. Ganthet gives Kyle Rayner (Green Lantern V) the last Green Lantern ring in an alleyway. NOTE: Because the Parallax entity — which caused the Lanters' vulnerability to yellow — now resides in Jordan, Rayner's ring is not vulnerable to the color yellow. | Green Lantern v.2 #50 (3.94) |
| Parallax begins a campaign to reshape the universe in his own image, starting a wave of temporal distortion that begins to unravel time from the end of the universe backwards. As Waverider and the Linear Men move to warn Earth's heroes, the villain Monarch, now calling himself Extant, tries to exploit the crisis for his own ends. Superman, using the help of Metron and Kyle Rayner, recruits Earth's heroes and alerts them to the time crisis. | Zero Hour #4 (9.94) |
| The Justice Society engages Extant, who uses his time manipulation powers to kill the Atom and Hourman, mortally wound Dr. Mid-Nite, drain the power from Green Lantern's power ring, and split Dr. Fate into Kent and Inza Nelson, stripping them of their power and returning them to their chronological ages. NOTE: It is later revealed that this Hourman was the android, who switched places with Rex Tyler just before Extant's blow (JSA #66). | Zero Hour #3 (9.94) |
| The Justice Society disbands; the original Dr. Mid-Nite presumably dies in the hospital. Alan Scott vows to retire, throwing away his power ring, which is later destroyed by Parallax. | Zero Hour #2 (9.94) |
| Atom II is de-aged to 18. Realizing that his superhero career is over, Ted Knight passes his Cosmic Rod on to his son David, who becomes Starman VI. 1st app. of his other son, Jack Knight (who becomes Starman VII in Starman #0, 10.94). The Flash appeals to the Spectre for assistance in combating the crisis in time. The temporal devastation escalates, destroying all of time except for a handful of heroes at Vanishing Point, who learn that their foe is Hal Jordan, now calling himself Parallax. | Zero Hour #1 (9.94) |
| With the help of the Spectre, Parallax is stopped from remaking the universe in his own image. The universe is restarted at the Dawn of Time, causing historical changes and anomalies. Power Girl gives birth to a boy. NOTE: In general, however, changes were minor to other characters' continuity. Over time, after the Crisis, almost all characters' continuities continued to change. This was later explained in the Infinite Crisis as having either been a result of Superboy Prime's blows, or because the universe hadn't yet "settled" into its proper place. Examples of this are the ever-changing histories of Power Girl and Hawkman and the redefining of the Justice League's early days. The most significant change to continuity from Zero Hour was the complete reboot of the Legion of Super-Heroes. | Zero Hour #0 (9.94) |
| After an unsuccessful attempt to commandeer the League, Max collapses. (#93) He learns that he has brain cancer, and it's revealed he is a member of the Arcana. (#94) The Kilg%re grants Max a second chance at life, which he accepts, leaving his body to die. (#95) NOTE: The Kilg%re first appeared in Flash v.2 #3. | JLA #93-95 (11.94-1.95) |
| With the power of the Kilg%re, Max Lord becomes Lord Havoc II. NOTE: It has been suggested that this phase of Max's existence was wiped away by Superboy Prime's reality-altering blows. (Infinite Crisis Secret Files) When Max reappears in Formerly Known as the Justice League, no mention is made of it. However, his close ties to the OMAC technology might be explained by his own biomechanical nature. | JLA #99 (5.95) |
| Lord Havok and Judgment destroy the Aracana's "four Aces." NOTE: Max's activities following this have not been revealed. | JLA #113 (8.96) |
| Bruce Wayne and his bodyguard, Sasha Bordeaux, are framed for the murder of Vesper Fairchild in Wayne Manor. Sasha is wrongly convicted and sent to prison. Before she can be freed, she is reported killed by another inmate. In truth, she is taken by Checkmate, undergoes plastic surgery, and is given a new identity and a position in Checkmate. She is recruited by Jessica Midnight, who had in the past recruited other women acquainted with the Dark Knight. Bordeaux quickly ascends the ranks of Checkmate, becoming the Black Knight for the organization's new Black King: Maxwell Lord. | Detective #766-775 (3-12.02) and others |
| The Hourman virus invades the entire planet. At vanishing point, Waverider hears Matt Ryder utter something about the "Kingdom" and a "barrier." | DC One Million #2 (11.98) |
| The Earth-2 Superman reappears, struggling against an impenetrable barrier. | The Kingdom #2 (2.99) |
| Talia breaks into the Watchtower and steals Batman's secret protocols for defeating the JLA. She delivers them to her father, Ra's Al Ghul. Using the Batman's computer files, Ra's Al Ghul handily cripples the team and robs Batman's parents' graves. Batman leads the recovering and mistrustful League to Ra's Al Ghul's Antarctic lair. Upon Al Ghul's defeat, the JLA votes to expel Batman from the team (Flash, J'onn & GL vote in his favor). NOTE: Batman is depicted as having begun compiling the protocols before the original JLA disbanded. Backgrounds depict imagery from before the deaths of Barry Allen and Oliver Queen and before Black Canary lost her sonic cry. | JLA Secret Files #3 (11.00), JLA2 #43-46 (7-10.00) |
| Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor is elected President of the United States. Batman tries unsuccessfully to retrieve the kryptonite ring from him. | Superman: Lex 2000 (1.01) |
| President Luthor shows his Vice President, Pete Ross, a file proving that Clark Kent is Superman. | Adv. of Superman #637 (4.05) |
| A mysterious android girl from the future (Brainiac 8), appears from out of nowhere. The combined might of the Titans and Young Justice barely drives her off. Argent and the Empress are critically injured when she teleports away. | Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #1 (7.03) |
| Brainiac 8 locates a suitable android to help repair herself: a dormant Superman robot, kept by S.T.A.R. Labs. She is again driven off but the malicious robot proceeds to kill the Titan, Omen. | Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #2 (7.03) |
| Donna Troy ravages the Superman robot, but does not dodge in time to miss its deadly heat vision. She is killed. Brainiac 8 repairs herself and shuts down the robot. Troia is laid to rest and goes on to a glorious afterlife with the Titans of myth, on New Cronus. The Titans and Young Justice disband. | Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #3 (8.03) |
| The Titans of Myth transport Donna Troy to New Cronus from the moment of her death. They do not tell her that she is crucial to their survival. They have received dire news about the fate of the universe, and seek to escape it by migrating to another universe. They also heed a prophesy from their late sister, Rhea, who said that one of their "seeds" would prove the key to their own future. They knew this seed was Donna. Troia is taken by Coeus as his new wife. | The Return of Donna Troy #1 (8.05) |
| Jason Todd allies with the villain called Hush in order to confront Batman and gauge Bruce's shock. He slips away, leaving Batman to believe it had been Clayface he'd fought. Jason begins his own vigilante's crusade as the Red Hood II. | Batman #617 (9.03), Batman Annual #25 (2006), Infinite Crisis Secret Files (4.06) |
| In his search for the origins of the universe, Krona destroys Qward (where the Crime Syndicate are battling the Weaponers). The JLA encounters Terminus, a being from another universe. Likewise, the Avengers stave off the Star Conqueror. The teams are told by the Grandmaster and Metron, respectively that they must assemble twelve items of power in order to prevent the collision of both universes. The JLA crosses over and obtains the Ultimate Nullifier, but they are pursued back by the Avengers. NOTE: These heroes have met before (DC/Marvel: All Access), but do not recall it. | JLA/Avengers #1 (9.03) |
| Once the heroes have obtained all the artifacts, Krona turns on the Grandmaster and summons Galactus — who holds the knowledge of the origins of the universe. The Grandmaster, however, then uses the artifacts to twist reality to his whim. | JLA/Avengers #2 (11.03) |
| Krona attempts to merge the two universes and the heroes experience a plethora of alternate realities where they have met at different times in their careers. The Phantom Stranger ultimately leads them to the truth, where they witness all the tragedies of their real lives. Though difficult to imagine, the JLA and Avengers decide to put things back the right way. | JLA/Avengers #3 (1.04) |
| Krona imprisons both universes' avatars (Eternity and Kismet), but the teams combine efforts to break his stronghold and destroy his power sphere. His essence is condensed into a cosmic egg. The Spectre separates the two universes. The teams restore the realities that had been destroyed. NOTES: The JLA recalls these events, but not the Marvel universe. Later (JLA #111), they will begin to notice evidence of some cosmic changes, and that their universe is settling into "different patterns." | JLA/Avengers #4 |
| Maxwell Lord tries his hand at fortune again by assembling a new team of heroes (named the Superbuddies in #2). He successfully recruits Captain Atom, Booster Gold, Fire, L-Ron, Elongated Man and Sue Dibny. When Captain Marvel (Billy) refuses his offer, his sister Mary accepts instead. With much persuasion, Blue Beetle is also convinced to join (despite his heart condition). The JLA steps in closer when things get sticky with Mange Khan. (#6) NOTE: Max alludes to the fact that he was an android. | Formerly Known as the Justice League #1-6 (9.03-2.04) |
| The Flash and his wife Linda lose their unborn twins to the evil of Zoom. He asks the Spectre to remove the public's knowledge of his secret identity. This trauma makes Wally more sensitive to the protection of heroes' identities. | Flash #200 (9.03) |
| Lex Luthor empowers himself with a mixture of Bane's serum and liquid kryptonite, and dons armor forged on Apokolips. He publicly accuses Superman of drawing a killer kryptonite asteroid towards Earth. Captain Atom sacrifices himself to destroy the asteroid and Luthor's madness is exposed to the world. Defeated, Luthor still drives on and foretells “a reckoning ... a crisis” Parts of this meteor still crash to Earth; one large chunk carries Kara Zor-El of Krypton (appears #13). Much of the kryptonite is recovered by Kord Industries and S.T.A.R. Labs, but Kord's is later stolen by Luthor (DC Countdown). CONTINUITY: Both Captain Atom and Lex Luthor's battlesuit meet their end in this issue — and both reappear in Identity Crisis #1. | Superman/Batman #6 (3.04) |
| A Wildstorm Raging | |
| Following the explosion, Captain Atom finds himself in a parallel universe (later known as Earth-50, the Wildstorm universe). He meets the Authority and Majestic (who recognizes him from Superman's Earth). Captain Atom causes the Wildstorm universe to reboot while he's there. Eventually he returns to his universe through a rift in space, but badly injured. NOTE: The events of this series "reboots" the Wildstorm universe in the same way the original Crisis rebooted the DC Universe. | Captain Atom: Armageddon #1-9 (12.05-8.06) |
| Superman arrives to the future of the FutureSmiths and discovers that the one responsible for that dark future is none other than a new Brainiac-12. His actions affect the past where Brainiac 13 left its mark and some time is rewritten. The FutureSmiths, Cir-El the Supergirl and all their timeline ceases to exist. | Superman v.2 #200 (2.04) |
| "Strange New Visitor" part 1: Superman's actions in the future cause a "time storm" above Metropolis and the city is cut off by a bubble. In his absence, the hero Mr. Majestic is pulled from a parallel Earth. Lois Lane seeks help from S.T.A.R. Labs and John Irons. He, Natasha Irons and Superboy retrieve the Eradicator robot from the Fortress of Solitude. | Action Comics #811 (3.04) |
| "Strange New Visitor" part 2: Mr. Majestic saves Metropolis from the ravages of the storm. He claims that Irons' plan to use a bomb against the storm will do no good. The takes this to mean opposition and incites a fight. The Eradicator temporarily banishes Majestic to the Phantom Zone. Lois brings him back. NOTE: Daily Planet employees look at newspaper articles that first appeared in Superman: Birthright. Majestic mentions a "multiverse." | Adventures. of Superman #624 (3.04) |
| "Strange New Visitor" part 3: Majestic vaporizes Irons' bomb, but he is vindicated when (as he claimed) Metropolis rights itself completely as the storm passes on its own. The city is reborn without the Brainiac 13 technology. Afterwards, the heroes make peace with Majestic , who is stranded on their Earth. NOTE: Continues in the 4-issue Majestic mini-series. | Superman v.2 #201 (3.04) |
| Mr. Majestic finally meets the Man of Steel. They discuss Majestic's device, which he hopes will harness residual energies from the time storm and get him home. (#1) When the Eradicator attacks Majestic again, Majestic rewrites its circuitry, leaving it more agreeable. They fight a Daemonite stowaway who opens a portal to the Bleed. (#4) Majestic foregoes passage into the Bleed, choosing to save the Eradicator instead. NOTE: This series bore the DC logo. The Bleed is an extra-dimensional “limbo” introduced in the Wildstorm universe in Stormwatch v.2 #7 (May 1998). Majestic #4 is the first DC mention of The Bleed. | Majestic v. 1 #1-4 (8-12.04) |
| Majestic, Superman and the Eradicator travel through "ripple in the Bleed which only opens every 53 years" to the "Wildstorm " Earth (Earth-50). After making sure Majestic is squared away, Superman and Eradicator return home through the Bleed. NOTE: This series bore the Wildstorm logo. | Majestic v.2 #1 (3.05) |
| One of Superboy Prime's blows against the crystalline barrier temporarily changes the history of the Doom Patrol. | JLA #94-99 (5-7.04), Infinite Crisis Secret Files (4.06) |
| Kara Zor-El crash lands in Gotham city inside her ship from Krypton. (#8) She trains under the Amazons and is introduced to the world as Superman's true cousin, Supergirl (IV). (#12) Occurs before Identity Crisis because in JSA #67, an Identity crossover, Power Girl comments on Supergirl's arrival. | Superman/Batman #8-13 (5-10.04) |
| Using stolen technology, including that of Booster Gold's robot assistant, Skeets, Maxwell Lord hijacks Batman's spy satellite, MK-1. He learns all the secrets that Batman has been compiling on Earth's super-powered people. NOTE: It's unclear exactly when Max took over the satellite. | * |
| Lois Lane becomes Max Lord's first target: he orders Sasha Bordeaux to shoot her while she is reporting on the war in the Middle Eastern country of Umec. NOTE: This story is evidence that the events leading up to Infinite Crisis were planned very far in advance. This story arc began almost a year before DC Countdown revealed Max's plans (May 2005). | Adv. of Superman #631 (10.04) |
Continue on to Infinite Crisis...