What if . . . ?

[Spaceman Spiff]

How about a few "What if . . . ?" discussions?

(1) What if Robin had been a woman? Imagine young Dora Grayson's husband (and trapeze partner) is murdered by Boss Zucco. The Batman brings the gangster to justice, but in the process gains a female partner and enduring love interest. Would this Dynamic Duo work? Would this make Dr. Wertham happier? Would the concept be copied as much as the "boy sidekick" concept was actually copied? (Sandy, Bucky, Speedy, Toro, Buddy, Pinky -- they're all gonna be girls!)

Free Karma point for the first poster who guesses why I chose the name "Dora". It's goofy, but it's worth Karma! 

(2) What if Schwartz/Kanigher/Infantino had re-introduced Jay Garrick as the Flash in 1956, instead of creating Barry Allen? Imagine a story where Jay returns to action, "after a few months of inactivity". Imagine that he leaves his old costume in mothballs, and dons the "Barry Allen" version. Thus, he looks just like the Silver Age Flash we are all familiar with (at least in costume), but he has the history of the Golden Ager. Would this work? Would other Golden Agers follow suit (same characters, new costumes)? Would the JSA re-form with new members Aquaman, J'Onn J'Onzz, and Green Arrow added to the ranks?

(3) Assuming number (2) did not happen, what if Schwartz/Fox did not create Earth-Two and revive the Golden Agers. Imagine they continued to introduce new Silver Age versions of Golden Age heroes. What would 1960s versions of Starman, Hourman, Black Canary, and others look like?

[Permanus]

Dora Grayson? Taking a wild guess here, but does she have a portrait of herself in her attic?

[jamespup]

Permanuses answer is cleverer, but my thought was Dick and Dora like Nick and Nora Charles

[Spaceman Spiff]

Permanuses answer is cleverer, but my thought was Dick and Dora like Nick and Nora Charles

jamespup is the winner of one shiny new Karma point. Please use responsibly. No warranty expressed or implied. Before using, ask your health care professional if Karma is right for you.

[jamespup]

I shall indeed use it wisely.

Think I'll contact my Mom's cousin Dora, haven't spoken to her since my Mom passed away

That'd be a good thing

[Permanus]

It's just as well: I'd only have spent my Karma point on booze and loose women.

[jamespup]

Oh?  Do we have any here?  Had i known, I would have spent differently

[Composite Superman]

(1) I haven't read Seduction of the Innocent, but I'm guessing that Werthem would not have approved of Dora and Bruce living together without benefit of marriage. If they got hitched, no problem. As for female sidekicks becoming the norm, that's unlikely, given that pre-teen boys made up the vast majority of the readership back then. They didn't like mushy romantic stuff much. It might've brought in more girl readers, though.

(2) Having Jay Garrick, Alan Scott et al resume their previous roles probably would've worked out fine, if the editors had chosen to go that way. Readers of the late '50s and early '60s were largely unaware of the Justice Society heroes, so the old Flash and Green Lantern would've seemed like new characters to them. Eventually, the stories from WW II would've likely been forgotten or retconned away. These characters, like SA Superman and Batman, could not grow perceptibly older.

(3) Assuming that the JSA heroes instead got Silver Age counterparts, they would probably have had the same powers but with new origins, secret identities, and costumes. And fewer capes. Capes were not as prevalent in the Silver Age.