"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?

[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?

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)

[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.