In 2010, with the New 52, Cosmic Teams ceased covering the DCU holistially. This section is archival only.
Chronology of the Pre-20th Century
This Chronologies applies only to pre-New 52 continuity.
Thanks to <Alec Holland> and Loki Carbis.
BCE = "Before the Common Era" (B.C.) • CE = "Common Era" (A.D.)
» SEE ALSO: Unauthorized Chronology of the DC Universe • Jonah Hex Coral • DC Western Characters • DC Westerns • Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics!
| Chaos and Order | |
| Two elemental forces born during creation of universe struggle for supremacy. One group becomes known as Lords of Order, while the others are Lords of Chaos. | Whos' Who Update '88 #2 (Sept. 1988) |
| On Cilia, the Lords of Order manifest themselves as the first sentient race in the universe, a race of energy beings. Presumably, the Lords of Chaos follow suit. | JSA #42 (Jan. 203) |
| Lords of Order include Nabu (More Fun #55); Ynar, renegade Lord of Order (Flash v.1 #312-313); Pantagones (Who's Who); Amethyst (Amethyst v.2 #13); the Gray Man (JL #2 (1987); Terrataya, who fell in love with Lord of Chaos T'Charr, creating Hawk & Dove (Who's Who); Dominus (Action #747); Kismet, who was chosen above Dominus to assume exalted status of Illuminator of All Realities & existed between dark & light, illuminating pathways to both (Adv. of Superman #494); St'nn & Jakk. (JL Quarterly #2) | |
| Lord of Chaos have included Vandaemon, who teamed with Ynar against Dr. Fate (Flash v.1 #312-313); Child (Amethyst v.2 #15), Typhon (Who's Who); T'Charr, who fell in love with Lord of Order Terrataya, creating Hawk & Dove (Who's Who); M'Shulla & Gorum (Hawk & Dove #1, 1988); Pythia (Doom Patrol v.2 #13); and Mordru (Amethyst v.3 #1). | |
| Billions of years ago: A race of beings called Aurakles emerge from the Source at the beginning of creation. In time the race spawns one individual who is fascinated by the lives of organic beings. A sentimental Aurakle witness the death of Violet Harper and unwittingly reaches out to her. It is then forever trapped in her body. | Batman & the Outsiders #22 (June 1985) |
| 18 billion years ago: The formation of GodWorld, also called Urgrund, originally existing in same dimension as Earth. GodWorld was both savage & beautiful at same time. | New Gods Secret Files #1, JLA Secret Files #3 (2000), Fourth World #1 (Mar. 1997) |
| 15 billion years ago: One of the weapons used in the titanic conflict of the Old Gods, Mageddon the Anti-Sun, is imprisoned in a gravity sink on the outer curve of spacetime. | JLA #36 (Dec. 1999) |
| 10 billion years ago: The Big Bang |
|
| A vast entity of godlike power slowly forms in the void. When it utters its first word, the stress it places on the nascent reality causes it to fragment into millions of pieces. Thereafter, it is known as the Shattered God. NOTE: This event appears to have been the actual Big Bang. | Wonder Woman #193 (Aug. 2003) |
| 10 billion years ago: One-third of the Angels are tempted by Lucifer's promises and rebel against Heaven. During the fiery battle of Lucifer and his rebellion, "The Big Bang" occurs. Lucifer loses the war and is the first guilty soul to ever be condemned to the "Hell" of his own creation. As punishment, Lucifer becomes "Satan", or "The Devil", or "The Prince of Lies" — and his former Angelic followers become the first monstrous Demons of Hell. | Books of Magic v.1 #1 (Dec. 1990), Spectre v.3 #60 (Dec. 1997), Sandman #23 (Feb. 1991) |
| 10 billion years ago: Destruction of The Endless is born; his sword is created. Delight, last of the Endless, follows after him. NOTE: Destruction's first appearance in print was a cameo as Ares/Mars' military aide-de-camp in Wonder Woman v.1 #2 1942, his first chronological appearance was in Sandman Annual #1. | Sandman #21 (Nov. 1990) |
| 10 billion years ago: Humanoid life appears on planet Maltus. Maltusian myth tells of a Triarch born then: Tzodar the Destroyer, Quarra the Cultivator, & Archor the Grower. They turn on their father, the great god Daalon, then abandon Maltus, scattering to far corners of universe, one day returning to level Maltus & any who live on it. (The Triarch did not really exist at this time.) Legends of Triarch will inspire a Controller to create his own Triarch millions of years later. (Darkstars #11, 8.93) | Green Lantern v.2 #81 (1.71), #200 (May 1985), Secret Origins #23 (Feb. 1988) |
| 10 billion years ago: A non-organic race called the Kregors create functioning brains from biological material. They use the brains as power sources. | R.E.B.E.L.S. #?? |
| 10 billion years ago: After joining Lucifer's failed rebellion, the angel Aztar (formerly Raguel) is given a choice. Rather than be cast down to hell, Aztar reluctantly agrees to relinquish all memory of his former existence to become the embodiment of God's wrath. Men will know him as the Spectre. NOTE: This is the Spectre's earliest chronological appearance; in print, it was More Fun #52 (1940). | Spectre v.3 #60 (Dec. 1997), Sandman #23 (Feb. 1991) |
| The Spectre travels back in time to the moment of his creation. There he battles and defeats the evil entity called Shathan. | Showcase #61 (Apr. 1966) |
| An angel who refused to take a side in the war against Lucifer is stripped of his wings and his very name and identity. He is banished from the Silver City, forever to be known as the Brotherless One, or the Grey Walker. He is best renowned as the mysterious Phantom Stranger. NOTE: This is the Phantom Stranger's first chronological appearance and only one possible origin. | Secret Origins v.2 #10 (Jan. 1987) |
| Desire and Despair of The Endless are born. opposite twins. NOTE: Desire's first appearance in print was in Sandman #10 and it was first mentioned in Sandman #4. Despair's was Sandman #21. She was also depicted in Warlord #46. | Sandman #21 (Nov. 1990) |
| 5 billion BCE: The star Sol ignites. Our Sun births the gods Sol, Atum, and Ra — the Parliament of Flames. NOTE: Ra is first mentioned in Brave & Bold #57. The Parliament of Flames is first mentioned in Swamp Thing #150 and first appears in #170. | New Gods Secret Files, Swamp Thing #150 (Jan. 1995) |
| 4.8 billion years ago: Apokolips & New Genesis form from remnants of GodWorld, now existing in dimension other than Earth's. New Genesis forms from living atoms of Old God Balduur. Apokolips was world saturated with essence of evil sorceress. Ruins of cities of GodWorld can still be seen on New Genesis. | Jack Kirby's Fourth World #1 (Mar. 1997), New Gods v.1 #1 (Feb./Mar. 1971), New Gods v. 1 #7, Mar. 1972) |
| 4.5 billion years
ago: The planet Earth forms |
|
| 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 the anti-matter Universe known as Qward as well as the Monitor and Anti-Monitor. 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. | Green Lantern v.2 #40 (Oct. 1965) |
| Vanishing Point is created by the Linear Men, located in Limbo — at the heart of the Source. | Armageddon 2001 #1 (May 1991) |
| Parallax and Extant attempt to restart time from Vanishing Point, but are defeated by the heroes who follow them back to the Dawn of Creation. | Zero Hour #1-0 (Sept. 1994) |
| 4-3.5 Billion years ago: The star Mizar calls a conclave of sentient stars, which is also attended by the Endless and by Alianora, one of the first Oans to ever tame the green flame. Dream and Desire fall out over a misunderstanding on Dream's part, and become enemies henceforth. Despair persuades the star Rao to create the planet Krypton with inherent instabilities, allowing only one survivor to escape its destruction. | Sandman: Endless Nights |
| 4 billion years ago: In the wake of Krona's transgressions, a group of Maltusians rename themselves the Guardians of the Universe and relocate to the planet Oa. The future Guardian, Herupa Hando Hu, is born. | Secret Origins v.2 #23 (Feb. 1988) |
| 3.5 billion years ago: After defeating the demons of the Empire of Tears on the planet Ysmault, the Guardians of the Universe attempt to banish sorcery from the cosmos by gathering together the universe's magical energies into a single mass called the Starheart. Pre-Crisis: The Starheart is sent across the dimensional barrier to Earth-2. Post-Crisis: The Starheart is launched into deep space, but is not sent to an alternate dimension. | Green Lantern v.2 #111-112 (Dec. 1978-1.79), Secret Origins #18 (Sept. 1987) |
| 3 billion years ago: The Guardians construct the Manhunters — androids to serve as a police force. Eventually, the Manhunters rebel, finally being defeated in battle on Oa itself after a thousand years of war. | Secret Origins #23 (Feb. 1988), Justice League of America #141 (Apr. 1977) |
| 3 billion years ago: The Guardians create the Green Lantern Corps. Rori Dag of Rojira becomes the first Green Lantern. | Green Lantern v.2 #67 (Mar. 1969), G.L. Secret Files #1 (July 1998) |
| 3 billion years ago: A group of Oans decides that evil must be destroyed, not contained; they leave Oa for another dimension and are known as the Controllers. | Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (Oct. 1985), Zero Hour #1 (Sept. 1994) |
| 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. | Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (Oct. 1985) |
| 2.5 billion years ago: The Oan race splits along gender lines. The females become known as the Zamarons and leave Oa. They temporarily settle on the planet Korugar as its rulers. | Green Lantern v.2 #16 (Oct. 1962), Secret Origins #23 (Feb. 1988), G.L. v.2 #223 (Apr. 1988) |
| Over 1 billion years ago: The dark dreams of a cosmic entity give rise to a new dimension called Darkworld. Certain godlike beings were created along with it: Chief among these beings were Weaver, guardian & master of multi-colored threads of magical energy; Chaon, twisted god of evil & chaos; Gemimn, goddess of order; Tynan, cosmic balancer of order & chaos; Deedra, goddess of nature; and Jheryl, goddess of truth & knowledge. | Arion #??, Atlas of the DCU |
| 1 billion years ago: The Demons Three — Abnegezar, Rath & Ghast — are imprisoned by The Timeless Ones (perhaps Lords of Order). | Justice League of America #206 (Sept. 1982) |
| A race of shaggy blue-furred humanoids on the planet Rann banish the evil scientist and would-be tyrant Carlon Zan into space. A time-warp transports Zan to the present day and transforms him into a radioactive menace. Note: Another example of Rann's blue-furred race appears in Rann-Thanagar Holy War #2 (Aug. 2008). In that story, Sardath identifies the species as "what we call a homo prerectus or shaggy man." | Mystery in Space #64 (Dec. 1960) |
| 650 million
years ago: Invertebrates appear on Earth. 500 million years ago: The first fish. |
|
| 430 million BCE: The time-lost 20th century Swamp Thing (Alec Holland) creates the original Tree of Life known as Yggdrasil. This, essentially, births "The Green" and the potential for the Parliament of Trees. Yggdrasil's knowledge comes, in part, from Alec's memories. He discovers that the mysterious amber which has propelled him through time does not exist here. (#89) Instead he succumbs to the Earth's forces and is reduced to a mere seed. This seed becomes encased inside a newly-formed amber crystal. He remains therein until his release in the 20th century by John Constantine. (#90) Elsewhere, other events led to the creation of the Parliaments of Stones, Water and Air. (#150) NOTE: Date based on scientific data about the origins of land plants. | Swamp Thing v.2 89-90, (Nov.–Dec. 1989), #150 (Jan. 1995) |
| Swamp Thing meets a triumvirate of original plant gods for the first time: Yggdrasil, Tuuru (the Tree of Knowledge) and Eyam. They live in the place which will one day become Eden. From there he travels further back in time (see previous). | Swamp Thing v.2 #89 (Nov. 1989) |
| 500 million
years ago: The first insects. 245-65 million years ago: Dinosaurs rule the Earth (Mesozoic Era). 200 million years ago: The first mammals. |
|
| The Age of Dinosaurs: Captain Atom and Monarch encounter an alien race who seek to conquer earth after being blown backwards in time by the Armageddon crisis. | Armageddon: The Alien Agenda #1 (Nov. 1991) |
| The Age of Dinosaurs: Zamaron Nadia Safir visits the Earth; she will not return until the Millennium crisis. | Secret Origins #23 (Feb. 1988) |
| Matango, the first dinosaur Earth Elemental is created by the Parliament of Trees. He witnesses incoming meteorites from space and investigates. He discovers the first of Earth's fungal spore lifeforms, which were of extraterrestial origin. He unites himself with the alien mass mind and corrupts them with his selfish desires, bringing about the creation of fungal infections, disease, and mortal decay in all higher lifeforms. In his effort to infect and conquer the Parliament of Trees, Matango creates "the Grey" as a malignant cancer in the Green. Matango rules the Grey from his Chamber of Dreams, from where he abducts and often transforms hapless Swamp Things into his fungus-based minions. NOTES: Matango's first appearance was Swamp Thing Annual #4. The Kryptonian "Scarlet Jungle" fungus (grown from a meteorite which infected Superman) was first shown in DC Comics Presents #85. | Swamp Thing #104 (Feb. 1991) |
| 66 Million years ago: Detecting the impending collision of an asteroid with the Earth, a race of intelligent, super-powered dinosaurs escapes through a portal to another realm. One of them, Fire-Eye, returns much later to battle the JLA. | JLA: Incarnations #2 (Aug. 2001) |
| A succession of dinosaurs are selected by the Parliament of Trees to become the first race of Earth Elementals. The "Swamp Knucker" becomes the most powerful of all dinosaur Swamp Things. NOTES: Swamp Knucker got its name from John Constantine, in Swamp Thing #73. | Swamp Thing #64 (Sept. 1987) |
| 65 million years ago: The Cretaceous Period ends. Most dinosaurs die out, although some survive through other-dimensional portals to the realm of Skartaris and a Pacific island which will one day be known as Dinosaur Island. | |
| In the planetary crisis which wipes out the dinosaurs, extreme evolutionary pressures force small number of humanity's earliest ancestors to evolve into "Terrorforms," who pave the way for rise of human species. | The Legion #7 (June 2002) |
| 65 million years ago: The genetic seed for Atlantean civilization came in the form of an alien race known as the Hunter/Gatherers. This race arrived on Earth during the time of dinosaurs and legend claims that they hunted what remained of the dinosaurs to extinction. | Aquaman v.5 #17 (Feb. 1996) |
| 65,000,000 Years Ago: The genetic seed for Atlantean civilization came in the form of an alien race known as the Hunter/Gatherers. This race arrived on Earth during the time of dinosaurs and legend claims that they hunted what remained of the dinosaurs to extinction. (Aquaman #17, 2.96) | |
| Swamp Thing is launched back into time by the "Hell Jewel" that curses Milo Mobius as the immortal time-traveling Eternity Man. Together, Swamp Thing and Mobius team-up to battle a dinosaur that attacks them. Mobius is killed in the fight, his death sends him to an assortment of next doomed lives in future eras, including his original life in the 17th Century. Swamp Thing follows Mobius by the Hell Jewel's occult powers. | Swamp Thing v.1 #12 (Oct. 1974) |
| Sent back in time by Waverider, the team of Guy Gardner, Enemy Ace, Orion, Starfire and Lobo battle against Abraxis and his servants, the Daemen. | Armageddon: Inferno #1-4 (Apr.–July 1992) |
| In the planetary crisis which wiped out the dinosaurs, the extreme evolutionary pressures force a small number of hominids to evolve into "Terrorforms," paving the way for the rise of the human species. | The Legion #7 (June 2002) |
| 5 million years ago: The Great Humanoid Diaspora throughout the Milky Way Galaxy begins. | Green Lantern v.3 #35 (1.93) |
| 4 million
years ago: Australopithecus. 2 million years ago: Homo habilis. 1.8 million years ago: Homo erectus |
|
| A female homo erectus becomes Bog Venus, the first primitive Swamp Thing. | Swamp Thing v.2 #68 (1.88) |
| 1,045,000
years ago: Early Atlantis |
|
| Atlantis, a small continent in the Atlantic Ocean becomes the earliest civilization on Earth. The original Atlanteans tapped the power of the Darkworld and built their society with magical energy. The first and largest Atlantean city-state was called The City of the Golden Gate, but the empire came to include twelve major city-states located all around Earth and powered by the Twelve Crystals of the Zodiac. The proliferation of Atlantean legend around the world may itself suggest the locations of the original city-states. America, North Africa, Mexico, Europe, Scandanavia and India all have names for the fabled land — all beginning with the letters "At." NOTE: Who's Who v.2 #1 carelessly cites the Pacific Ocean as the continent's home. | Aquaman v.2 #1 (Feb. 1986), Atlas of the DCU |
| 527,654 years ago: Atlantis thrives under the reign of the great sorcerer Calculha, who was seduced by Dark Majistra of Mu. They had two children together: Ahri'ahn (the elder) and Garn Daanuth. The couple separated soon after the boys' births and the brothers were raised apart. Calculha raised Ahri'ahn under the magic of the light, while Majistra taught Garn the dark arts. The boys were so young that they remained unaware of their family ties for hundreds of thousands of years. | (Who's Who v.2, Arion the Immortal #1) |
| 400,000-300,000 BCE: Homo sapiens, the earliest forms of our own species. | |
| Delight of the Endless awakes as Delirium, upon humanity's "first major failure" — a mass change of attitudes. NOTES: This issue states that she has lived longer as Delirium than Delight, which does not seem possible. It is unclear which evolutionary event effected her change. Sandman #42 is set in an indeterminate period before Earth’s recorded history. Delirium's only recorded appearances in original form as Delight are Sandman #42 and Endless Nights. Delight may have been Anthro's bride, Embra. | Sandman #42 (Oct. 1992) |
| The Great Erl King, the first African Swamp Thing, feeds elephants from his hands. | Swamp Thing v.2 #47 (Apr. 1986) |
| 300,000 BCE: The rise of the human lineage, Homo sapiens sapiens250,000 BCE: Races or regional variations develop between human populations. | |
| 200 million years ago, Mesozoic Era: Blue Beetle disrupts Chronos' plan to mine Technetium from the future site of Chicago. | Blue Beetle #22 (Mar. 1989) |
| 152,000 years ago: The presence of magic in the Atlantean empire leads to the evolution of a second human species Homo magi. This species possessed an innate understanding and control of mystical forces, while Homo sapiens found their path by pursuing the laws of nature and science. The Homo magi however dwindled due to persistent intermarriage between the species. For some unexplainable reason, whenever members of the opposite species met, they were immediately attracted to each other. (In 30 BCE, the Homo magi sealed themselves off in a society in modern-day Turkey.) | Justice League of America #164-165 |
| 145,000 years ago, Atlantis: Dark Majistra brings about the end of Atlantis' Golden Age by stealing the Twelve Crystals. To defeat her, Ahri'ahn is turned into pure energy and Calculha is banished to Darkworld. Garn Daanuth vows vengeance on Ahri'ahn and much of Atlantis' magical energy is spent in this struggle. A great ice age covers the continent. | Who's Who #9 (Nov. 1985), Aquaman #1 (Feb. 1986) |
| Far away in space, a major sun went nova, and disrupted the zodiacal alignments. The mages of Atlantis discovered this loss and charged a young witch named Citrina with the task of seeking out a suitable new home. She creates Gemworld (Zerox). Twelve great Houses rule Gemworld, much like they had in Atlantis: Amethyst, Emerald, Garnet, Ruby, Diamond, Moonstone, Sapphire, Sardonyx, Topaz, Turquoise, Opal and Aquamarine. | Who's Who v.1 #9 |
| 50,000-35,000 BCE: Homo sapiens sapiens move into Europe. This population is called "Cro-Magnon man." | |
| Anthro, one of the earliest Cro-Magnons. | Showcase #74 (May 1968), Anthro #1-6 (1968-69) |
| c. 50,000 BCE: Cro-Magnon Vandar Adg watches his father die at the hands of Rip Hunter, a time traveler from the future. Moments later, young Vandar and another man named Klarn are bathed in the radiation of a newly fallen meteor, which makes them immortal. They will ultimately become Vandal Savage and the Immortal Man, respectively — immortal enemies. | Strange Adventures #177 (June 1965), Time Masters #8 (Sept. 1990) |
| c. 50,000 BCE: Stranded in the past, the Star-Spangled Kid spends several weeks on the run from a tribe of primitive men before being rescued by the JLA and JSA. | Justice League of America #102 (Oct. 1972) |
| The time-lost Swamp Thing befriends the Neanderthal race who first create the original Holy Grail. The Cro-Magnons slaughter the Neanderthal race and claim the Holy Grail. (Swamp Thing #88) The surviving Neanderthal flees to the frozen north to become the Yeti, who creates a second Grail. NOTES: The Shining Knight delivers the Holy Grail to King Arthur at Camelot in Swamp Thing #87. Homo neandertalensis are not considered a direct part of Homo sapiens lineage. | Swamp Thing #106 (Apr. 1991) |
| Atlantis: The Great Migration | |
| 50,000 years ago: Atlantean society was the most sophisticated on Earth. It was a period of growth and experimentation. In one such experiment, the resident Lord High Mage fashioned an exploratory vessel and hurled it to the stars with magical energy. Five thousand years later, it would return to herald the great continent's doom. | Who's Who v.2 #1 |
| 45,000 years ago: In Atlantis, science supercedes its magical legacy. Garn Daanuth gains great power and threatens the City of the Golden Gate, which brings the return of Calculha from the Darkworld. Calculha summons Ahri'ahn back from the heavens, and he becomes known as Arion, Lord High Mage of Atlantis. Arion finds an ally in the warrior Wyynde and a lover in the Lady Chian. Arion and Garn at last learn that they are brothers but become mortal enemies. | Arion #4-5 (2-3.82) Who's Who #1 (Mar. 1985), Aquaman #1 (Feb. 1986), |
| An exploratory Atlantean vessel returns with aliens who threaten Atlantis' survival. Arion fights them bravely, but the City of Golden Gate in the North Sea is destroyed and much of its continent sinks beneath the ocean. | Arion Special #1 (1985) |
| Arion, Wyynde, Lady Chian and band of adventurers attempt to rebuild their society. Arion sends out six expeditions to seek out new homes. This era known as "Great Migration." Arion and Lady Chian chose to rebuild on the remains of the old continent. According to the Phantom Stranger, what remained was "an outcropping. Part of the archipelago left by the vanished continent." | Atlantis Chronicles #1 (Mar. 1990), Who's Who v.2 #1 (Aug. 1990), Books of Magic v.1 #1 (1990) |
| Over 100 years later: Vandal Savage arrives in Atlantis, where he founds the Illuminati in partnership with Garn Daanuth. NOTE: This story was published after JLofA #226; it's unclear whether there is a relationship between Savage's Illuminati and Hellrazer's Illuminated Ones. | Time Masters #7 (Aug. 1990) |
| 35,000 years ago: The energy of the Godwave creates the Third World — a wave of gods on Earth including the Greek, Scandanavian and Egyptian pantheons. | Action #600 (May 1988; Jack Kirby's Fourth World #1, (Mar. 1997) |
| 30,000 years ago: Denizens of Apokolips & New Genesis attain godhood (this is the Fourth World). They are known as the New Gods. 24,000 years ago: On Apokolips, Uxas is born to Yuga Khan & Heggra. While Uxas engineered political dissent, his brother Drax sought peace with nearby New Genesis and counted Izaya as his friend. | New Gods Secret Files #1 (Sept. 1998) |
| 15,000 years ago: Uxas visits Earth and creates a schism in the Greek pantheon of gods. They cleave into duplicates and form a second (Roman) pantheon. | Wonder Woman v.2 #132-133 |
| Atlantis: The Deluge | |
| c. 9,600 BCE: Long after Arion left the City of the Golden Gate, the inland areas of the continent of Atlantis still thrive. King Orin builds a dome over the city of Poseidonis to protect it from invaders. This angers their sky god, Suula, and she sends a meteor to sink the fabled city. NOTE: Orin's city is descended from one of Arion's expeditions. It's location is unrevealed. | Atlantis Chronicles #1 (Mar. 1990) |
| After a year undersea, Orin's brother, Shalako, leads his followers to settle in Atlantis' sister city, Tritonis, where he erects a hard water dome. Orin develops a serum which enables his people to breath underwater. When the Tritonians agree to take the serum, Shalako curses them for betraying him to Orin; the serum changes the Tritonians into mer-people, with fish-like legs. Shalako is killed by his people, but his son, Dardanus, survives. | Atlantis Chronicles #2 (Apr. 1990) |
| Orin sends out search parties in six ships; none return. Two of them encounter Suula's sunken meteorite and are transported to ancient Egypt. There, they guide the native people to greatness. It is possible that the other search parties helped to found other civilizations. NOTE: Other popular accounts also place Atlantis' imperialism about 8,000 years before the Trojan War. | Atlantis Chronicles #6 (Aug. 1990) |
| On the eve of her wedding, princess Cora is raped by her cousin, Dardanus. This spawns the evil Kordax. Cora marries Bazil and bears a daughter, Fiona. Kordax's skin is completely scaled, he communicates with sea life, and he bears the blond hair of his predecessors. | Atlantis Chronicles #3 (May 1990) |
| When a Tritonian baby is born without legs, Orin decides to fully allow the ocean waters into the cities of Atlantis. Fiona courts the royal chronicler, Regin. | Atlantis Chronicles #4 (June 1990) |
| Great Orin finally perishes, but battles on in the afterlife against his brother. Cora banishes Kordax for inciting a civil war; he is never seen again but the blond hair of his lineage will gradually become regarded as a curse. At some point, he is imprisoned beneath Atlantis by Atlan and is released in the 20th century. Following this, centuries' worth of history (until Queen Lorelei) is missing from the Atlantis Chronicles. See below. | Atlantis Chronicles #5 (July 1990) |
| 8012 BCE: Queen Nada and the Dream King have a forbidden love affair. Desire is involved in this machination. Nada's home village is destroyed and she rejects Dream. He condemns her to Hell and razes the Dreaming into a bleak, lonely desert for centuries. | Sandman #9 (??) | |
| c. 8000 BCE: The demon Hellrazer is imprisoned in the realm of Perdition. He founds a secret society known as "The Illuminated Ones", also known as Fiatlux, in order to obtain the material needed to release him. | Justice League of America #226 (May 1984) | |
| c. 7000 BCE: Eclipso causes the Great Deluge to destroy human civilization. Xavier Nihilo, a common man, builds a boat to save his family, but Eclipso confronts him. Nihilo pleads for his life in return for his family's survival. Instead, Eclipso kills Nihilo's family and taunts Nihilo by making him immortal. NOTE: Nihilo states he is 9,000 years old. | Demon Annual #1 (1992) | |
| c. 7000 BCE, Canaan: A Canaanite boy named Jebediah becomes the powerful Shazam with the power of seven Mesopotamian gods. | Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940), Power of Shazam #10 (Dec. 1995) | |
| Noah and his family are saved from Eclipso's wrath. When Noah sends a dove out to find evidence of land, Eclipso crushes the dove. The bird explodes into pure, white light and Eclipso's essence is then banished to the moon, while his body is transformed into the Heart of Darkness. (#1) (The dove was a ruse to trap Eclipso. (#10) NOTE: Placing Noah 9,000 years ago is not consistent with the timeframe established for him in the Torah, since the Jews believe the world is less than 7,000 years old. | Eclipso #1 (Nov. 1992), Eclipso #10 (Aug. 19 1993) | |
| 5000 BCE: Nommo (aka Maltis/Dr. Mist) rules the African empire of Kor, as guardian of the Flame of Life, a mystical power source. Felix Faust later attacks Nommo, who draws the power of the Flame into himself and banishes Faust from this dimension. | Secret Origins v.2 #27 (June 1988) | |
| 4,000 BCE: Eclipso is banished to the dark side of the moon. His evil influence is held in the "Heart of Darkness" black diamond, created for that purpose. | Eclipso: Darkness Within #1, Spectre #?? | |
| 3582 BCE, Sumeria: Vandal Savagte witnesses the invention of the wheel. He kills the man who discovers it. | JSA Classified #10 (May 2006) | |
| c. 3500 BCE, Egypt: One of the Lords of Order, Nabu the Wise, descends to Earth from the world Cilia. | JSA #42 (Jan. 203) | |
| c. 3200-2800 BCE, Mesopotamia: The Spectre destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. NOTES: The destruction of Sodom and Gomorra is described in Genesis 19:24-25. The dates are based on recent archaeological findings that suggest that the biblical story may have been based on two ancient cities, possibly called Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira, destroyed by earthquake during this period. | Spectre v.3 #0 (Oct. 1994) | |
| On Rann, a "rebel warrior" of the city-state of Pagathann leads Pagathann's oppressed people to found Ranagar, which later becomes the capital of Rann. | Mystery in Space #76 (June 1962) | |
| c. 2570 BCE: Vandal Savage adopts the identity of the pharaoh Khufu (also called Cheops). He rules Egypt from 2551 to 2528, ordering the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza. | Who's Who #25 (Mar. 1987) | |
| c. 2518 BCE: With the help of a time traveler from the 20th century, Nabu the Wise creates the Scarab of Kha-ef-re in a failed attempt to break the power of Vandal Savage. The Scarab is lost for 4,500 years before being rediscovered in the 20th century by archaeologist Dan Garrett (Blue Beetle I). NOTES: Time Masters #6 gives the date of this story as 2578 BCE, which is not possible. Vandal Savage is shown as the pharaoh Khafre, who was not yet born in 2578. Khafre was Khufu's younger son, who ruled Egypt from 2520 to 2494 BCE It is plausible that Savage ruled as Khufu and then continued his reign by masquerading as his own son, but in that case, a more likely date for this story would be 2518 BCE. The Scarab of Khafre first appeared in Charlton Comics' Blue Beetle #1 (1964). | Time Masters #6 (July 1990) | |
| Post-Crisis, c. 2025 BCE: The Cutter, of Gemworld, crafts the Amulet of Anubis for Nabu the Wise. The Amulet becomes home to the Lords of Order. NOTE: This could be a lie told by Flaw & Child. | PRE-CRISIS, c. 2025 BCE: In the Egyptian city of Bubastis, the mad priest Khalis slays his followers in the name of the god Anubis, who grants Khalis the Amulet of Anubis as a reward for his service. | JSA #42 (Jan. 203), First Issue Special #9 (Dec. 1975) |
| c. 2000 BCE: Vandal Savage claims to have been the designer of Stonehenge. | JLA: Year One #12 (Dec. 1998) | |
| 2000 BCE: Amentep, son of Egyptian Pharoah, becomes Ibis the Invincible, armed with mystic Ibistick, aided by wife Taia. Ibis & Taia enter 4000 year sleep. | Whiz Comics #1 (Feb. 1940) | |
| 2000 BCE: Dr. Mist creates the Stones of Life, which he gives to a few chosen members of the Homo magi race. Note: It is possible that some of these stones include Sargon's Ruby of Life, and the Optic Gem/Talisman of Atlantis of the Homo magi. | Secret Origins v.2 #27 (June 1988) | |
| Agran, a brilliant scientist in the Rannian city-state of Moorl, creates a sophisticated bronze robot called Borg to attack Ranagar. Note: The exact date of these events was never revealed except that it was during Rann's Bronze Age. | Mystery in Space #85 (Aug. 1963) | |
| 15th Century BCE: Wotan and the Wild Hunt rampage across England. NOTE: Not the same Wotan as Dr. Fate's foe. | The Demon #18 (Dec. 1991) | |
| Late 15th Century BCE: The angel Gabriel assists the Israelites' conquest of the city of Jericho. NOTE: This tale also asserts that during the Annunciation, Gabriel raped the virgin Mary. | Hellblazer #64 (Apr. 1993) | |
| On the planet Thanagar, enslaved by the Polaran Empire, a slave named Kalmoran leads an uprising that overthrows the armies of Polara and establishes an interstellar Thanagarian empire. Kalmoran becomes Thanagar's first High Mor. Note: The exact dates of these events have never been revealed, but they took place sometime before the rein of Khufu on Earth. Kalmoran was first mentioned in Brave and the Bold #43 (Aug./Sep. 1962), but that story describes him only as "our folk-hero." | Hawkworld Book One (Aug. 1989) | |
| 1351 BCE: Chronos (Walker Gabriel) attempts to steal an artifact for Vandal Savage, but he is convinced to hand it over to a group of Amazons, after a trip through time accompanied by a disguised Rip Hunter. NOTE: It is not clear which tribe of Amazons this was. | Legends of the DCU 80-Page Giant #1 (Sept. 1998) | |
| "JSA BC" | |
| c. 1260 BCE, 19th Dynasty, reign of the Ramses II: Nabu becomes adviser and court magician to the first pharaoh Ramses. He is humbled in battle with the Spectre, who kills Ramses for his crimes against the Hebrews. Despite Nabu's warnings, the pharaoh's son, Ramses II, continues the persecution of the Hebrews. In retaliation, the Spectre slays the first-born sons of Egypt and then protects the Hebrews by parting the Red Sea as they flee the pharaoh's troops. NOTE: The murder of the Egyptian first-born is described in Exodus 12:29, the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21-31. | Spectre v.3 #14 (1.94) |
| The aging wizard Shazam chooses Teth-Adam as his champion, granting him the powers of seven Egyptian gods: Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton and Mehen. NOTE: In pre-Crisis continuity, Adam's 1st app. was Marvel Family #1 and these events take place on Earth-S circa 3000 BCE In post-Crisis continuity, both Shazam and Black Adam first appeared in the Power of Shazam Graphic Novel and Teth-Adam is a contemporary of Prince Khufu (Hawkman). | Power of Shazam! #10 (Dec. 1995) |
| Stranded in ancient Egypt by the Nebula Man, Stripesy is aided in part by the young Prince Khufu Maat Kha-Tar. | Stars & STRIPE #9 (Apr. 2000) |
| A Thanagarian starship crashes in Egypt and is recovered by Khufu, his advisor Nabu the Wise, and Teth-Adam. The dying pilot warns them of evil from Thanagar. Nabu recovers a portion of the anti-gravity metal that powers the ship, called "Nth metal" by a dying Thanagarian. NOTES: In pre-Crisis continuity, the Golden Age Hawkman's anti-gravity metal was originally called "9th metal," from the eight metals of classical science. | JSA #22 (May 2001) |
| After defeating Johnny Sorrow by stranding him in the Speed Force, Jay Garrick is thrown back in time to ancient Egypt, where he encounters Prince Khufu who will one day be reincarnated as Hawkman I). | JSA #20 (Mar. 2001) |
| Still stranded in ancient Egypt, Jay Garrick discovers the wreckage of the crashed Thanagarian starship, more than 3000 years before the first known contact between Earth and Thanagar. | JSA #21 (Apr. 2001) |
| Nabu and Teth-Adam use a portion of the Thanagarian Nth metal to forge a war gauntlet called the Claw of Horus, which they say will be instrumental in a battle to be fought thousands of years in the future. Jay Garrick returns to his own time. | JSA #22 (May 2001) |
| The priest called Ahk-ton discovers a meteor, from which he fashions the Orb of Ra. He attempts to use this power to overthrow the pharaoh, Ramses. He is captured, but before he can be executed, he is transformed by the meteor into the Metamorph. NOTE: This is messed up; the Outsiders tale never depicted Ahk-ton as the Metamorph, and placed the event in the time of Ramses VII. Hieroglyphs in Metamorpho v.2 claimed that Ahk-ton was a Pharaoh, which is not possible during the reign of the Ramses. | Batman & Outsiders #17-18 (Jan.–Feb. 1985), Metamorpho v.2 #1 (Aug. 1993) |
| Ahk-ton slays Teth-Adam's family: sons Gon and Hurut and wife Shiruta. | JSA #44 (Mar. 2003) |
| Via Black Barax's Time Cube, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl and Captain Marvel travel back in time. They are greeted by Vandal Savage, who wields the Orb of Ra and controls the Metamorph. NOTE: This is the only issue which correctly states the time period: Ramses II, 19th Dynasty. | JSA #42 (Jan. 203) |
| The 20th Century JSAers prepare to do battle with Savage alongside their ancient counterparts. Hawkgirl meets... herself (as Chay-ara)! | JSA #43 (Feb. 2003) |
| With the help of the sun-god, Ra, Vandal Savage is reduced to infancy. Teth-Adam slays Ahk-ton. The JSA members are placed in suspended animation, to be revived thousands of years hence. Some time after these events, Nabu the Wise, realizing that his mortal form is weakening, places himself in suspended animation in a tomb in the Valley of Ur to await a new mortal host. | JSA #44 (Mar. 2003) |
| In Egypt, Prince Khufu and his beloved Chay-Ara are murdered by the mad priest Hath-Set. The lovers are fated to be born again forever; 3,500 years later, they are reincarnated as Carter Hall and Shiera Sanders. NOTES: The date of these events, not stated in the original version of the story, was said to be 1567 BCE (Secret Origins #11). Some accounts incorrectly cite the 15th Dynasty (Hawkman v.4 #9, JSA #43). | Flash v.1 #1 (Jan. 1940), Secret Origins #11 (Feb. 1987) |
| Teth-Adam serves Egypt for hundreds of years. His zeal eventually drives him to be overly protective of his homeland, Kahndaq, and he attracts the attention of Shazam. Shazam believes that Adam has been bewitched by Shazam's daughter, Blaze and he withdraws Adam's power into a scarab. Adam and the scarab are entombed for millennia. | Power of Shazam! #10, JSA #44 (Dec. 1995, Mar. 2003) |
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