Elseworlds
Encyclopedia
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
that take place outside the company's canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others that can't, couldn't or shouldn't exist. The result is stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow." Unlike its Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
counterpart What If...?
What If (comics)
What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
, which bases its stories on a single point of divergence from the regular continuity, most Elseworlds stories instead take place in entirely self-contained continuities whose only connection to the canon DC continuity are the presence of familiar DC characters.
"Imaginary Stories"
For several years from 1942 to the mid-1980s, particularly during the 1960s Silver Age of Comic BooksSilver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
era, DC Comics published various stories about their title characters that did not take place in their regular continuity. They were called “Imaginary Stories” and the very first was “Superman, Cartoon Hero!”
The title page even states that this is “Our first imaginary story. In 1942, a series of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
shorts started showing throughout the U.S.! So, with tongue firmly in cheek, the D.C. team turned out this story of what might have happened if Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
had decided to see... Superman, Cartoon Hero!”
It opens with Lois determined to learn Superman’s secret identity and going to the theater to see the Max Fleisher Superman short
Superman (1940s cartoons)
The Fleischer & Famous Superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films released by Paramount Pictures and based upon the comic book character Superman....
"Mad Scientist"
Superman (animated short)
Superman is the first in the series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films based upon the DC Comics character Superman. Also known as The Mad Scientist, Superman was produced by Fleischer Studios and released to theaters by Paramount Pictures on September 26, 1941...
in hopes of seeing the animated Man of Steel reveal his true self. In addition to other things, when the opening credits roll and state that the cartoons are based on DC Comics, Lois Lane states that she has never heard of DC Comics. Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
wonders if the people there are clairvoyant.
Craig Shutt
Craig Shutt
Craig Shutt is an American freelance writer and editor, best known as the writer of the “Ask Mr. Silver Age” column about 1960s comics for the monthly magazine, published by F+W Publications....
, author of the Comic Buyers Guide column, Ask Mr. Silver Age, states that true imaginary stories differed from stories that were dreams and hoaxes. Dreams and hoaxes were “gyps” on account of “not having happened” whilst true Imaginary stories were canonical at least unto themselves. Also notes Shutt, since they were “just” imaginary and thus had no bearing on the characters’ regular stories, they could show things like people dying and the victory of evil. In the much more optimistic and hopeful Silver Age of Comics, such stories usually could never be told; this is hinted with how writers telling such an Imaginary Story often reassured readers that it didn’t really happen.
Most of these "Imaginary Stories" featured alternate histories of characters, such as "The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman Blue!
Superman Red/Superman Blue
Superman Red/Superman Blue refers to two different DC Comics storylines featuring Superman.-"The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue!":...
." There readers saw possible pasts that could have happened but did not happen such as Superman being raised by apes in imitation of Tarzan
Tarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
, an idea that would be recycled into a later Elseworlds wherein Tarzan and Superman were switched at birth. Possible presents were shown such as one story wherein Ma and Pa Kent, touched by pity, adopted a recently orphaned Bruce Wayne and raised him along their own son, Clark. Thus, the present shows Superman and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
as brothers, Clark protecting Gotham and working for the Gotham Gazette instead of living in Metropolis
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
, and Batman inviting his parents the Kents to live with him in Wayne Manor. In keeping with the fact that these "Imaginary Stories" allowed for much grimmer stories that usual, it ended with Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
killing the Kents and Batman trying to murder him in revenge.
Possible futures that "could very well happen" (and, in fact, ultimately did) were explored such as Clark Kent revealing to Lois his secret identity and marrying her. Futures that "perhaps never will" happen were also examined such as the permanent death of Superman. "Imaginary Stories" appeared often enough that sometimes comics, such as Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane was a comic book series published monthly by DC Comics focusing on the adventures of supporting character Lois Lane. The series began publication March/April 1958 and ended its run September/October 1974 with 137 regular issues and 2 80-page Annuals...
#15 (February 1960)—the cover of which appeared to depict Superman marrying Lois Lane—had to assure readers that their contents were not "imaginary".
A few "Imaginary Stories" appeared in other DC publications. Batman editor Jack Schiff, for example, supervised stories in which the Dark Knight started a family or lost his identity; though these were revealed at the end of the story to be stories being written by Alfred. Schiff’s stories are notable for the first appearance of the original Bruce Wayne Junior . Writer/editor Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher was a prolific comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for over twenty years, taking over the scripting from creator William Moulton Marston. In addition, Kanigher spent many years in charge of DC Comics' war...
supervised Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's own series of stories called "Impossible Tales" which featured the same principle—there Wonder Woman appeared, along her younger selves, Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot. However, the majority of "Imaginary Stories" were published in various Superman comics under the guidance of Superman editor Mort Weisinger
Mort Weisinger
Mortimer Weisinger was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' Superman during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books...
, the “King of Imaginary Stories.” This was in part because, according to Shutt, he aimed for younger audiences and went for the heart. Later editors like Julius Schwartz went for the head and rarely used the concept.
Though its status as a truly imaginary story (dealing as it does with the finale of the Earth-1 Superman) is debatable, the last official "Imaginary Story" ever published—"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is a 1986 comic book story featuring the DC Comics character of Superman. The story was published in two parts, beginning in Superman #423 and ending in Action Comics #583, both published in September 1986...
?"—was written by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and appeared in Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
#423 and Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#583 (both September 1986). The Elseworlds series of self-contained stories are essentially Imaginary Stories under a newer label and a wider scope of possibilities.
Shutt states, the chance to see anything happen yet at the same time know that those stories are “real” if only for that one issue gives Imaginary Stories and Elsworlds their power. “It all counts, it all matters, it all is deeply fault, at least for that one story. That’s really all a reader could want, isn’t it?”
Elseworlds imprint
The first Elseworlds title was Batman: Gotham by GaslightBatman: Gotham by Gaslight
Gotham by Gaslight is a DC Comics one-shot by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, with inks by P. Craig Russell. It spawned a sequel, Master of the Future , also written by Augustyn, but with art by Eduardo Barreto....
(1989), by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola
Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
and edited by Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
, which featured a Victorian Age version of the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
hunting Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
, who had come to Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. This title was not originally published as an Elseworlds comic
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
, but its success led to the Elseworlds concept and this title was retroactively declared the first Elseworlds. The first book to feature the Elseworlds logo was Batman: Holy Terror
Batman: Holy Terror
Batman: Holy Terror is an Elseworlds one-shot comic published by DC Comics in 1991. The story is written by Alan Brennert and illustrated by Norm Breyfogle...
.
Even though they do not take place within the continuity, the majority of intercompany crossover
Intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
s are not considered Elseworlds, but take place in their own, for the most part self-contained, continuity. The 1996 one-shot "Batman/Captain America" was a Marvel/DC crossover book and cited as an "Elseworlds" but that was due to the plot, which imagined the two heroes co-existing in 1945.
DC sporadically published various Elseworlds titles up to 2005. Around the time of the release of Batman Detective No. 27, editor Mike Carlin noted that DC had scaled back the production of Elseworlds books in order to "put the luster back on them." Several titles that were announced as Elseworlds books prior to this have yet to see publication, such as Generations 4 (announced by John Byrne, but possibly back-burnered due to lack of good press for & low fan response to Generations 3
Superman & Batman: Generations
Superman & Batman: Generations is the umbrella title of three Elseworlds comic book limited series published by DC Comics in the United States, written and illustrated by John Byrne...
), Superboy's Legion 2 (rumored sequel by Alan Davis
Alan Davis
Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.-UK work:...
; presumably planned after he finished JLA: Another Nail) and The Teen Titans Swingin' Elseworlds Special (cancelled, possibly due to controversial material concerning John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
). The latter was released in January 2008 as the Teen Titans Lost Annual.
In a September 2009 interview, Dan Didio
Dan DiDio
Dan DiDio is an American writer, editor and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. He is currently the Co-Publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee...
hinted at a return of Elseworlds books in a series of Prestige Format books. He laments at the stagnation of the Elseworlds concept when he felt it became simply transplanting the characters in different settings. The approach being aimed for is to take the classic origin and mythology of the DC characters and twist in interesting ways.
The first new Elseworlds to be told under this initiative is titled "Superman: The Last Family of Krypton" which tells the story of baby Kal-El reaching Earth with his mother and father, and how the world handles the emergence of a super-powered family.
Noted titles
Other Elseworlds titles include:- Batman: Castle of the BatBatman: Castle of the BatBatman Castle of the Bat is a DC Comics Elseworlds special published in 1994. Written by Jack C. Harris with art by Bo Hampton as the artist and Tracy Hampton-Munsey as the letterer.In 1819 a troubled Bruce Wayne revives his father from the dead...
, in 1819 a troubled young Dr. Bruce Wayne revives his father from the dead into an avenging Bat-Man to discover who killed his parents. The story is loosely based on Mary ShelleyMary ShelleyMary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
's FrankensteinFrankensteinFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
and the Frankenstein classic black-and-white movie featuring Boris KarloffBoris KarloffWilliam Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
. - Batman: LeatherwingBatman: Leatherwing"Leatherwing" is a DC Comics Elseworlds story published in Detective Comics Annual #7 in 1994. Written by Chuck Dixon and illustrated by Enrique Alcatena.This story features Batman as a pirate of the high seas...
, this story features Batman as a pirate of the high seas in the employ of the British crown. A sequel to the story was published in Batman ChroniclesBatman ChroniclesThe Batman Chronicles is a series of comics published by DC Comics from 1995 to 2001, which lasted 23 quarterly issues and a series of collections.-Publication history:...
#11. - JLA: The NailJLA: The NailJLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics. It is a self-contained story by Alan Davis which stands outside of the mainstream continuity of the DC Universe....
, which theorizes a world without SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, in which the Justice League of America has still been formed, but chaos reigns without a proper champion of the world's ideals. - Superman's MetropolisSuperman's MetropolisSuperman's Metropolis is a DC Comics comic book Elseworlds publication and the first part in a trilogy based on German Expressionist cinema...
, a trilogyTrilogyA trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
, based on German ExpressionismGerman ExpressionismGerman Expressionism refers to a number of related creative movements beginning in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin, during the 1920s...
cinema, written by Jean-Marc LofficierJean-Marc LofficierJean-Marc Lofficier is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comic books and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier .-Biography:Jean-Marc Lofficier was born in Toulon, France in 1954...
, Randy Lofficier and illustrated by Ted McKeeverTed McKeever-Career:McKeever first professional work appeared in 1987, when he published the first five parts of his unfinished series Transit , establishing his trademark style. This was followed in 1987-1988 by his 12-part series Eddy Current. This "12-hour book" centers on an escapee from an asylum...
. - Superman: Last Son of EarthSuperman: Last Son of EarthSuperman: Last Son of Earth is a DC Comics Elseworlds tale released in the year 2000. It was written by Steve Gerber with art by Doug Wheatley. There was a sequel in 2003 called Superman: Last Stand on Krypton....
and Superman: Last Stand on Krypton by Steve GerberSteve GerberStephen Ross "Steve" Gerber was an American comic book writer best known as co-creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck....
and Doug WheatleyDoug WheatleyDoug Wheatley, sometimes credited as Douglas H. Wheatley or Doug Tropea-Wheatley, is a comic book artist that has illustrated numerous comic books including several Star Wars stories for Dark Horse Comics.-References:* ComiCon.com...
presents a tale of fascism and xenophobia when scientist Jonathan Kent sends his son to KryptonKryptonKrypton is a chemical element with the symbol Kr and atomic number 36. It is a member of Group 18 and Period 4 elements. A colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, krypton occurs in trace amounts in the atmosphere, is isolated by fractionally distilling liquified air, and is often used with other...
to save him from an impending disaster on Earth. Jor-ElJor-ElJor-El is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel and the artist Joe Shuster, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman's biological father....
rescues him and gives him a bodysuit, and he later finds a Green LanternGreen LanternThe Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
power ring, which initially saves Krypton from destruction. Learning of his origins, he returns to Earth to help them against a fascist state run by Lex Luthor, but is sent back to Krypton because Abin SurAbin SurAbin Sur is a fictional character and a superhero from the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Showcase #22 : "SOS Green Lantern". He was a member of the Green Lantern Corps and is best known as the predecessor of Green Lantern Hal Jordan, whom Abin Sur's power ring chose as his replacement...
is Green Lantern for Earth's sector. In the sequel, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, and others go to Krypton, where Jor-El and Lara have rebelled against Krypton's xenophobia and Lex Luthor mutates Clark into a hulkHulk (comics)The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
-like powerhouse with red kryptonite as Krypton's core is returned to its path of self-destruction. - Batman: I, Joker, where a futuristic Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
is led by a cultCultThe word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
that follows Batman's descendant, a self-proclaimed god known only as "The Bruce". - Flashpoint, where Barry (The Flash) Allen takes a bullet meant for John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, paralyzing him from the neck down. - In Thrillkiller, BatgirlBatgirlBatgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
and RobinRobinRobin may refer to:* Robin , a common given name and a surname.It may also refer to:- Birds:Most birds called "robins" belong to the superfamily Muscicapoidea:* European Robin...
fight a female Joker in the 1960s, while Bruce Wayne is a detective who is in the hunt for the Dynamic Duo. - Superman: Speeding BulletsSuperman: Speeding BulletsSuperman: Speeding Bullets is a DC Comics Elseworlds prestige format one-shot comic book published in 1993. It is written by J.M. DeMatteis and features the artwork of Eduardo Barreto. The comic book is based on the concept of an amalgamation of Superman and Batman.-Plot:Baby Kal-El crashes into...
re-imagines the story of Kal-El as his ship crashes at Wayne Manor in Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
instead of SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, essentially creating a Batman with the powers of Superman. - Batman: In Darkest KnightBatman: In Darkest KnightBatman: In Darkest Knight is a one-shot comic book, published in 1994 and written by Mike W. Barr with art by Jerry Bingham. The comic is an Elseworlds story in which Bruce Wayne becomes the Green Lantern instead of Hal Jordan. This one change creates a domino effect which changes many events and...
re-imagines the story of Bruce Wayne as the power ringPower ring (weapon)A power ring is a fictional object featured in comic book titles published by DC Comics. It first appeared in All-American Comics #16 .-Origin:...
of Abin SurAbin SurAbin Sur is a fictional character and a superhero from the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Showcase #22 : "SOS Green Lantern". He was a member of the Green Lantern Corps and is best known as the predecessor of Green Lantern Hal Jordan, whom Abin Sur's power ring chose as his replacement...
selects him to be the next Green LanternGreen LanternThe Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
of Sector 2814 instead of Hal JordanHal JordanHarold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, thus making him Green Lantern instead of Batman. - Batman: Gotham by GaslightBatman: Gotham by GaslightGotham by Gaslight is a DC Comics one-shot by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, with inks by P. Craig Russell. It spawned a sequel, Master of the Future , also written by Augustyn, but with art by Eduardo Barreto....
Batman, in 1889, fights Jack the Ripper when the serial killer comes to Gotham City. - Superman: Red SonSuperman: Red SonSuperman: Red Son is a three-issue prestige format comic book mini-series published by DC Comics that was released under their Elseworlds imprint in April 2003...
ponders Superman growing up in the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and later succeeding StalinJoseph StalinJoseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
as Soviet PremierPremier of the Soviet UnionThe office of Premier of the Soviet Union was synonymous with head of government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics . Twelve individuals have been premier...
. - "Batman/Captain America," a DC/Marvel crossover shows the two heroes working in 1945 to stop the Joker and the Red Skull.
- The Batman and DraculaBatman and DraculaBatman & Dracula: Red Rain is a 1991 graphic novel by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones, in DC Comics' Elseworlds line of alternate reality stories...
trilogy, written by Doug MoenchDoug MoenchDouglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
with Kelley JonesKelley JonesKelley Jones is an American comic book artist best known for his runs on Batman with writer Doug Moench and on Sandman with writer Neil Gaiman.-Biography:...
and Malcolm Jones IIIMalcolm Jones IIIMalcolm Jones, III was an American comic book artist best known as an inker on The Sandman, where he added his illustrative line and textures to the work of pencillers such as Mike Dringenberg, Kelley Jones, and Colleen Doran...
, in which the infamous vampire lord comes to Gotham City and is confronted by Batman, who subsequently becomes a vampire himself. - Kingdom ComeKingdom Come (comic book)Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
, a miniseriesMiniseriesA miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
in which a new, violent generation of superheroes replaces the aging idealism of DC's classic heroes, and the conflict between the two groups ignites an apocalypticApocalypseAn Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
battle. The Kingdom is the sequel to Kingdom Come.
Titles like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller, originally published by DC Comics under the title Batman: The Dark Knight in 1986. When the issues were released in a collected edition later that year, the story title for the first issue...
(1986), Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is a 1986 comic book story featuring the DC Comics character of Superman. The story was published in two parts, beginning in Superman #423 and ending in Action Comics #583, both published in September 1986...
(1986), The Batman Chronicles #21 (May 2000, solicited as Elseworlds, but has no logo), Bizarro Comics (June 2001, which featured the story "Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter
Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter
"Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter" is a comic book story by Kyle Baker, co-written with Liz Glass.-Publication history:The story originally appeared in DC Comics' parallel universe anthology Elseworlds 80-Page Giant #1 . Baker drew, colored, lettered and, with Elizabeth Glass, wrote the...
" from the cancelled Elseworlds 80-Page Giant
Elseworlds 80-Page Giant
The Elseworlds 80-Page Giant is an 80-page collection of Elseworlds stories published by DC Comics. The collection was withdrawn and pulped after DC became concerned about a scene in one of the stories.-Publication history:...
), Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again is a Batman mini-series by Frank Miller with Lynn Varley. It is a sequel to Miller's 1986 miniseries, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.-Overview:...
(2001), Batman: Digital Justice
Batman: Digital Justice
Batman: Digital Justice is a graphic novel published by DC Comics in 1990 in both hardback and paperback forms. It was written and illustrated by Pepe Moreno entirely using computer hardware, software and techniques...
(1990), and Superman: Secret Identity
Superman: Secret Identity
Superman: Secret Identity is a four-issue mini-series of 48 pages each in prestige format, written by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by Stuart Immonen. The first issue was published in January 2004, and the limited series ran until April 2004. A re-release of the first two issues will become available...
(2004) were referred to as Elseworlds in the DC Universe without the name brand logo.
Except when otherwise noted, most of the stories in the monthly series Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight
Legends of the Dark Knight
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, commonly referred to as simply Legends of the Dark Knight is a DC comic book featuring Batman. It was launched in 1989 with the popularity of the Batman movie, following on from Frank Miller's Batman: Year One...
are considered canon, even though some have tales of Batman in the future, which are deemed non-canonical. In 1994, DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Elseworlds collaborated with the DC yearly summer Annual edition
Annual publication
An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. For example, a weekly or monthly publication may produce an Annual featuring similar materials to the regular publication....
comic books. Batman: Year 100 published in 2006, is considered an Elseworlds story, despite not having the logo. The latest Elseworlds story to be published is Superman: The Last Family of Krypton, which is scheduled to run for 3 issues, was published in August 2010.
Relationship to DC continuity
Although Elseworlds was created to be separate from the "regular continuity", there have been specific examples where Elseworld stories have been placed into continuity.The series of specials The Kingdom
The Kingdom (comic book)
"The Kingdom" is a story arc that ran through a two-issue, self titled comic book limited series and multiple one shot comics published by DC Comics in 1999, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Ariel Olivetti/Mike Zeck. This is both a sequel and, in some ways, prequel to Kingdom Come, also by Mark...
, brought the previously Elseworlds Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (comic book)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
into DC continuity (as an alternate timeline). However, later editorial edict removed the concept of Hypertime
Hypertime
Hypertime is a fictional concept presented in the 1999 DC comic book series The Kingdom, both a catch-all explanation for any continuity discrepancies in DC Universe stories and a variation or superset of the Multiverse that existed before Crisis on Infinite Earths.- The Kingdom :The basic premise...
established in the specials and presumably Kingdom Come. This was reinforced in the JSA "Thy Kingdom Come" storyline where the Kingdom Come Superman (Earth-22) theorizes that Gog somehow viewed his Earth rather than having come from it.
The new Multiverse
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
was introduced at the conclusion of the 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
finite series and expanded on in the pages of the Countdown
Countdown (comics)
Countdown, in comics, may refer to:* Countdown , a British boys comic of the early 1970s* Countdown to Final Crisis, a DC comics series* DC Countdown, the name originally listed for Countdown to Infinite Crisis...
weekly limited series. Some of the alternate worlds depicted in various Elseworlds titles have been reintroduced as alternate Earths that make up the new Multiverse, however this was not limited to the said series.
See also
- List of Elseworlds publications
- Canon (fiction)Canon (fiction)In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
- HypertimeHypertimeHypertime is a fictional concept presented in the 1999 DC comic book series The Kingdom, both a catch-all explanation for any continuity discrepancies in DC Universe stories and a variation or superset of the Multiverse that existed before Crisis on Infinite Earths.- The Kingdom :The basic premise...
- Multiverse (DC Comics)Multiverse (DC Comics)The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
- What If...?What If (comics)What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
, a similar concept at Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media... - Intercompany crossovers