"Five Years Ago" confusion?

[MajorHoy]

I know, it's the internet . . . misinformation spreads faster than the latest TMZ tabloid fodder . . . but what is the official story with the "Five Years Ago" thing and DC?

I thought they were saying Superman (in Action Comics) and the Justice League (in their book) were having the first story arcs taking place five years in the past. I've also heard some people referring to the first appearance (in the new, post-August 31st DCU) of Superman taking place five years ago, starting "The Age of Superheroes" or something. But, how can Superman first appear (as the first superhero) five years ago, and have the Justice League (with all those other colorfully attired people with unusual powers and abilities) suddenly appear five years ago as well?

Who has the Official DC word on what they're doing, or are they still not revealing some of this stuff? :confused:

[shingi70]

I know, it's the internet . . . misinformation spreads faster than the latest TMZ tabloid fodder . . . but what is the official story with the "Five Years Ago" thing and DC?

I thought they were saying Superman (in Action Comics) and the Justice League (in their book) were having the first story arcs taking place five years in the past. I've also heard some people referring to the first appearance (in the new, post-August 31st DCU) of Superman taking place five years ago, starting "The Age of Superheroes" or something. But, how can Superman first appear (as the first superhero) five years ago, and have the Justice League (with all those other colorfully attired people with unusual powers and abilities) suddenly appear five years ago as well?

Who has the Official DC word on what they're doing, or are they still not revealing some of this stuff? :confused:

According to the superman panel yesterday Justice League first appeared five years ago and superman first appeared six months before that.

[FHIZ]

Over the panels it has been stated

Batman has operated under the rader before Superman makes his debut
Action comics takes place a few months before Justice League
Justice League is 5 years in the past

...the end?

[Theozilla]

Over the panels it has been stated

Batman has operated under the rader before Superman makes his debut
Action comics takes place a few months before Justice League
Justice League is 5 years in the past

...the end?

Yes, but how can we expect fans to actually listen to source information instead of listening to rumors and taking jokes/sarcastic remarks seriously? (like the 4 Robins in 5 years thing):tongue::biggrin:

[MajorHoy]

Over the panels it has been stated

Batman has operated under the rader before Superman makes his debut
Action comics takes place a few months before Justice League
Justice League is 5 years in the past

...the end?

So DC is saying that first Superman is publicly know, then within less than a year, all these other costumed weirdos suddenly come out of the Metahuman Closet?!? Even for the fantasy world of comic books, that sounds like it's really stretching logic and credibility! (It does make Superboy-Prime's power punches vastly altering the DC Universe sound slightly more believable, though.)

[Theozilla]

So DC is saying that first Superman is publicly know, then within less than a year, all these other costumed weirdos suddenly come out of the Metahuman Closet?!? Even for the fantasy world of comic books, that sounds like it's really stretching logic and credibility! (It does make Superboy-Prime's power punches vastly altering the DC Universe sound slightly more believable, though.)

Hey during the Golden Age of comics new characters were being created left and right.

[shingi70]

So DC is saying that first Superman is publicly know, then within less than a year, all these other costumed weirdos suddenly come out of the Metahuman Closet?!? Even for the fantasy world of comic books, that sounds like it's really stretching logic and credibility! (It does make Superboy-Prime's power punches vastly altering the DC Universe sound slightly more believable, though.)

Its more like they start to come out of the woodwork after he comes along. They were already there but either worked in the shadows or never thought about being a symbol till he showed up.

[Luthor's Wig]

Hey during the Golden Age of comics new characters were being created left and right.
Indeed. It's pretty much how it's always happened. Remember, the public appearance of Superman is what causes the other heroes to become public. He inspires them to do so. I don't think that strains credibility at all.

[Sterling]

So DC is saying that first Superman is publicly know, then within less than a year, all these other costumed weirdos suddenly come out of the Metahuman Closet?!? Even for the fantasy world of comic books, that sounds like it's really stretching logic and credibility! (It does make Superboy-Prime's power punches vastly altering the DC Universe sound slightly more believable, though.)

Its perfectly credible, a lot can happen in six months.

[MajorHoy]

Hey during the Golden Age of comics new characters were being created left and right.

Yeah, but originally they weren't all initially in a "shared Universe" . . . that situation took a little longer to develop. (After all, it took a few years for the Justice Society to bring all those heroes together . . . and not all the heroes that are collectively known as being DC heroes these days were really part of the same publishing house when things started.)

[Luthor's Wig]

Yeah, but originally they weren't all initially in a "shared Universe" . . . that situation took a little longer to develop.

Not much. All-Star comics #3 came out only a little more than 2 years after Action comics #1.

[Flashpoint]

Yeah, but originally they weren't all initially in a "shared Universe" . . . that situation took a little longer to develop. (After all, it took a few years for the Justice Society to bring all those heroes together . . . and not all the heroes that are collectively known as being DC heroes these days were really part of the same publishing house when things started.)

Ahhh, yes...the Justice Society.

Which only compounds the problem when you try to factor them into the equation. It's even worse when you have to shoehorn the fact that JSA continuity is anchored in and around World War II...which was 70 years ago.

You can't include JSA continuity without completely blowing containment to the last 5 years. It doesn't work.

Now, if DC had blatantly stolen Marvel's way of doing things and simply updated JSA history in the same way they did Captain America (say, claiming they were in suspended animation for decades or simply replacing WWII with the Korean, Vietnam or even Iraq/Afghanistan wars), then it gets much simpler. You don't need to make an entire section of your product off-limits to the company and its fans because you've created a new timeline.

Hell, just have a story where the JSA are granted immortality by some omnipotent being. Bingo, no concerns about aging. Turn those characters into ancient urban legends of a bygone era when there was no Internet and no 24/7 security. Those legends inspired the current ones of your new 5 year timeline. Simple and easy.

There's no way to keep the Justice Society as having been around in 1942 and also come into existence within the last 5 years and simultaneously also claim that superheroes have never existed ever before in human history. It's literally impossible. (Well, not unless Zatanna mindwiped the entire friggin' planet, that is, LOL--welcome to Identity Crisis II!)

If I had to guess, I'd say the JSA are probably moving back to Earth Two within the next 12 months. Otheriwise, their very existence blows the whole damn new 5 year plan all to hell.

[Theozilla]

Ahhh, yes...the Justice Society.

Which only compounds the problem when you try to factor them into the equation. It's even worse when you have to shoehorn the fact that JSA continuity is anchored in and around World War II...which was 70 years ago.

You can't include JSA continuity without completely blowing containment to the last 5 years. It doesn't work.

Now, if DC had blatantly stolen Marvel's way of doing things and simply updated JSA history in the same way they did Captain America (say, claiming they were in suspended animation for decades or simply replacing WWII with the Korean, Vietnam or even Iraq/Afghanistan wars), then it gets much simpler. You don't need to make an entire section of your product off-limits to the company and its fans because you've created a new timeline.

Hell, just have a story where the JSA are granted immortality by some omnipotent being. Bingo, no concerns about aging. Turn those characters into ancient urban legends of a bygone era when there was no Internet and no 24/7 security. Those legends inspired the current ones of your new 5 year timeline. Simple and easy.

There's no way to keep the Justice Society as having been around in 1942 and also come into existence within the last 5 years and simultaneously also claim that superheroes have never existed ever before in human history. It's literally impossible. (Well, not unless Zatanna mindwiped the entire friggin' planet, that is, LOL--welcome to Identity Crisis II!)

If I had to guess, I'd say the JSA are probably moving back to Earth Two within the next 12 months. Otheriwise, their very existence blows the whole damn new 5 year plan all to hell.

Or they could have it that the JSA characters were not called superheroes but were rather known as "Mystery-men".

[Luthor's Wig]

The strain on the JSA's continuity has been too heavy for too long. Eventually something had to give, and it looks like with the relaunch it finally has. I much prefer the Earth-2 type solution. Relativizing the JSA to different wars seems like a horrible idea.

[gwangung]

Or they could have it that the JSA characters were not called superheroes but were rather known as "Mystery-men".

Justice Battlion. Explicitly used by the US government in the fight against the Nazis. Then, they're looked upon more as soldiers and war heroes, not superheroes.

[Flashpoint]

Its perfectly credible, a lot can happen in six months.

"Hi, my name is Alan Scott. Way back in 2006, I made this costume and wore it in public---and I did it on purpose!"

And then there is this...

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RedTornadoMa.jpg

"Why, yes, that is the costume I wore in 2006! I got the idea from watching Halle Berry's Catwoman. That movie was sooooo good, I simply had to create a costume to match it!"

She's got a pot. On her head. In 2006?

Honestly, costumed superheroes designed in the Thirties and Forties simply could not have come up with those looks in 2006 and expect to be taken seriously. It's impossible. Ya gotta move 'em to Earth Two. The heroes and villains of the Thirties and Forties just can't be moved to 2006 without straining all credibility. Those looks are undeniably dated and absurd in modern times.

Even if you eliminate DCU superhero movies from DCU continuity, you still have Manhattan and Hollywood fashion sense in 2006. Everyone has access to the Internet, even if only at a library. Fashion changes with the times and "classic" hero & villain costumes would have been ridiculed all over the web in 2006. Every single Golden Age character would've made Blackwell's Worst Dressed List.

They gotta return them to Earth-Two. Either that or... Jim Lee gets to redesign the JSA. :wink:

U Decide. :biggrin:

[Luthor's Wig]

I don't there is any question that JSA doesn't exist in the DCnU in anything like it's current form. The League is the first public super-hero team. Period. I think that's pretty clear.

[Flashpoint]

Justice Battlion. Explicitly used by the US government in the fight against the Nazis. Then, they're looked upon more as soldiers and war heroes, not superheroes.

And they wore crockpots for masks. I'll bet the Nazis were really scared.

Ma Hunkel would've been dropped with one shot. Well, right after the Crips and the Bloods got done rolling around on the floor laughing at her.

I'm trying to imagine the Golden Age Red Tornado in 2006 and I must say, I literally cannot stop laughing. It's so hysterically funny, I almost hope DC does it. :biggrin:

[Goggindowner]

Since Stormwatch is being put in as always being active in the shadows of the DCnU, maybe the members of the JSA were instead members of Stormwatch, and acted in the shadows instead of in public?

[Flashpoint]

The strain on the JSA's continuity has been too heavy for too long. Eventually something had to give, and it looks like with the relaunch it finally has. I much prefer the Earth-2 type solution. Relativizing the JSA to different wars seems like a horrible idea.

Oh yeah. Say hello to the return of Earth-Two. The only other solution is a total deep freeze for all Golden Age characters ala Captain America. Or magic.

Either that or fashion in 2006 was way, way, WAY worse than I remember...

http://www.joeacevedo.com/images/customzone/customcon/wendler2006/maximumGA_team.jpg

[Flashpoint]

Since Stormwatch is being put in as always being active in the shadows of the DCnU, maybe the members of the JSA were instead members of Stormwatch, and acted in the shadows instead of in public?

Of course they hid in the shadows. Look at what they were wearing...

http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/12/jsacards.gif

Not that that would've helped. In those colors, a blind man could've seen them coming. Yeesh.

[Luthor's Wig]

Oh yeah. Say hello to the return of Earth-Two. The only other solution is a total deep freeze for all Golden Age characters ala Captain America. Or magic.

Either that or fashion in 2006 was way, way, WAY worse than I remember...

http://www.joeacevedo.com/images/customzone/customcon/wendler2006/maximumGA_team.jpg

Heh-heh.

I honestly don't think it's been suggested that Golden Age heroes debuted "around 5 years ago." We don't know yet what happened to them, But I think it's clear they can't exist in their current form.

[Flashpoint]

Heh-heh.

I honestly don't think it's been suggested that Golden Age heroes debuted "around 5 years ago." We don't know yet what happened to them, But I think it's clear they can't exist in their current form.

Honestly, I'd love it if DC let Jim Lee re-design the entire JSA. For several reasons.

A) so DC could give them modern looks and fit them into their new continuity.

B) so we could finally get rid of those truly ugly, stupid costumes.

and

C) so I could spend hours reading pages and pages and pages of fanboy outrage at the new Jim Lee-designed JSA.

Oh, the fun would go on for days and days and days, LOL, LMAO!! :biggrin:

[Theozilla]

The JSA is going to be changed in some form if the ever bring them back in the new DCU, for one Hawkman can't have been a part of it since the 1940s. Also speaking of Hawkman's history I wonder how his history with Dream of The Endless is going to be handled because the new Hawkman does not sound like a grandpa.:tongue:

[Flashpoint]

The JSA is going to be changed in some form if the ever bring them back in the new DCU, for one Hawkman can't have been a part of it since the 1940s. Also speaking of Hawkman's history I wonder how his history with Dream of The Endless is going to be handled because the new Hawkman does not sound like a grandpa.:tongue:

LOL. The JSA screws this whole new timeline up royally.

But the more I think about it, the more I wish DC had let Jim Lee redesign the JSA for modern times. I would have loved that. And I think he could've done some truly interesting and fun things updating their looks. :smile:

Hell, the fanboy outrage alone would have been priceless! :biggrin:

[Skaddix]

Justice Battlion. Explicitly used by the US government in the fight against the Nazis. Then, they're looked upon more as soldiers and war heroes, not superheroes.

Exactly too many easy outs.

[MajorHoy]

. . . Either that or... Jim Lee gets to redesign the JSA. :wink:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
:eek: