Earth 1985

[Ruby Spears Superman]

So as of Doomsday Clock #12, all the previous continuities exist again. Including the pre-Crisis Earth 1. Which is now designated Earth 1985. Yep, pre-Crisis Earth is officially back! It is unknown at this time if there are any plans in the works to do anything with this "new" universe but at least now we know that DC hasn't decided to just throw it away.

https://comicbook.com/dc/2019/12/18/watchmen-doomsday-clock-12-rewrites-the-dc-multiverse/

The rules, as I understand them, are this: Every time the DCU "reboots" itself, the previous continuity gets saved as it's own universe. And each universe gets it's own designation. I don't know about anyone else but I consider this a victory! 

[Great Rao]

Sounds interesting, thanks for the update.

Found this on the web.



 

[nightwing]

This is part of a pattern we've seen before with "Crisis," "Zero Hour," "Nu52" and "Rebirth," which gave birth to concepts like "Hypertime", the "Multi-Multiverse" and now "Earth 1985."  The recipe goes like this:

1.  Announce you are restarting DC continuity with a "bold new approach" and that only this new version of the timeline will "count"
2.  Make a hopeless muddle of the new timeline
3.  Declare that this was your intention from the beginning and the latest muddle is just one of many possible universes/timelines
4.  Repeat

Rather than build on what's gone before, DC chooses to keep "reinventing" its core characters with new origins and new continuities every few years until they run out of steam or paint themselves hopelessly into a corner, then they hit "reboot" and congratulate themselves for adding another layer to the "Multiverse of Infinite Misfires." 

Next up, now that the world knows Clark Kent is Superman: another reboot where it doesn't.

[Great Rao]

I am surprised that the perpetual cycle of Crisis on Infinite Earths rehashes still generates interest.

At this point, the only thing that would awaken me from the slumber of hibernation in my Fortress of Solitude would be if they let Elliot S! Maggin write some more Superman comics.

My network of ancient Superman Computers is programmed to alert me if such an event were ever to occur.

In the meantime, I am re-entering my cylinder.



 

[Ruby Spears Superman]

Like I said, I have no idea if anything will come of this. Yes, DC constantly reboots. And it's unknown if any plans are in the works to do anything with any of these in the future. But fans on other forums seem excited about this and want it to stick around. I'm a regular at CBR and there is a lot of excitement at the idea of the pre-Crisis universe being back. One thing I've noticed in the last decade or so is there seems to be a desire to return to the pre-Crisis continuity just because DC has messed things up so badly and it's seen as simply being more stable than what they have now. And it's not just Superman. Look at what Donna Troy has been through. Or Hawkman. The idea of simply returning everyone to a much simpler time has appeal among modern fans. Nostalgia seems the order of the day. I know that DC continuity changes based on whoever is in charge but this really does seem to have fan support behind it.   

[nightwing]

My problem is I don't trust anyone at DC to touch what I still consider the "real" DC Universe. I'd honestly rather the pre-Crisis DCU stay dead, or in limbo or whatever it is now, than to be reactivated and placed into the hands of the powers-that-be at DC today.

But whatever; the characters are the property of DC Comics and they can do what they want with them. But I'm out, even if the cover price reverts to what it was in 1985, too.

My advice to fans who pine for simpler times, when continuity made sense, editors did their jobs and heroes were heroes: Support the reprint lines. The binding is hit or miss, the reproduction is often lousy and there's a good chance the book you most want will be canceled, but it's still a better bet than monthlies.