Worlds

Historical Trends

The defining moment of Earth-2, super-heroically speaking, is when Superman made made his public debut in 1938, followed quickly by Batman and a host of others. The 40s was a decade when so-called "mystery-men" came into prominence, gathered together into the All-Star Squadron. During WWII, the most powerful of these heroes were confined to the United States, due to a mystical barrier created by the Axis leaders. As such, their home-front adventures were widely reported, and they generally enjoyed a high level of popularity with the public. After the war, the heroes retired, spurred by pressure from the Joint Congressional Committee on Un-American Activities. The 1950s was a time of limited super-heroics, largely due to political concerns. The Red Scare drove most super-heroes into temporary retirement, as they waited for the political climate to change enough for the type of adventuring they were good at to re-appear. They eventually did, as the Earth-1 Flash broke the dimensional barrier and convinced the Earth-2 Flash to resurrect the JSA. The 60s was a time of the resurgence of the super-hero on Earth-2, when most of the membership of the Justice Society of America came out of retirement. Mostly adventuring in conjunction with their Earth-1 counterparts at first, the individual members began to go into more and more solo action as the years went on. The 1970s was a time when the Justice Society gained its first new members since the 1940s. Robin, the Star-Spangled Kid, Power Girl, and later the Huntress all joined. This influx of new heroic voices caused a certain amount of tension (as in generation gap) to strain the group dynamics. The death of two of their members, Batman and Mr. Terrific, added to the tension. However, the JSA came through the decade like the heroes they are. The 80s marked the passing of the torch, in a way, from the Justice Society to their children and proteges. Infinity Incorporated was conceived as a way for younger heroes to operate independently of their elders. While many of the Justice Society members had descendants that were accounted for, there were many among the greater All-Star Squadron whose fate remains unrevealed; surely there were many children/proteges that would follow in their footsteps!

An Earth-2 Timeline (borrowed from the MUCH longer and more detailed version on the excellent Cosmology Compendium site, by Mikel Midnight)

c. 50,000 B.C. Cro-Magnon Vandar Adg is in battle against a deadly opponent when he is bathed in the radiation of a newly fallen meteor, unknowingly making him immortal. He adopts the name Vandal Savage. His opponent takes a glowing jewel from the heart of the exploded fireball, and gains the reincarnation powers of The Immortal Man. 9638 B.C. Green Lantern briefly visits the island nation of Atlantis from June 1950, only minutes it sinks beneath the waves. Some of their descendants survive into the 20th century with a thriving glass-domed subsea kingdom, populated largely by handsome, muscular men ruled by Queen Paralea. Some of their descendants survive into the 20th century in the cities of Aurania and Venturia, ruled by Queen Clea, in which tall giantlike women hold positions of power while the men are shorter and hold domestic positions. At least a section of Atlantis survives as a surface island. c. 3,500 B.C. The Lord of Order known as Nabu the Wise descends to Earth from the planet Cilia, landing in the region called Mesopotamia. 1567 B.C. In Egypt, Prince Khufu-Maat-Kha-Tar and his beloved Chay-Ara are assassinated by Hath-Set, an evil priest of Anubis who truly serves Setekh. 3,500 years later, they will be reincarnated as Carter Hall and Shiera Sanders. c. 1290 B.C. Nabu the Wise, realizing that his mortal form is weakening, places himself in suspended animation in a tomb in the land of Sumer, in the Valley of Ur, to await a new mortal host. c. 1200 B.C. The Greek goddess Aphrodite creates a new, all-female race of Amazons (approximately 2,500 in number), led by queen Hippolyta. After Hippolyta is humiliated by Hercules, the goddess transports the Amazons to Paradise Island, where they have no further contact with "Man's World" for more than 3,000 years. While on Paradise Island, the Amazons do not age and are effectively immortal. 331 B.C. Per Degaton travels back in time from 1947 to help the Persian king Darius defeat Alexander the Great in the Battle of Arbela, changing history. The JSA later travels back in time to thwart Degaton, restoring history to its original course. c. 1st century B.C. The Roman centurion Longinus uses his spear to pierce the side of Christ as he hangs on the cross. In future years it becomes known as the Spear of Destiny. The Starheart falls in China as a green, glowing meteorite. It is found by a blacksmith named Chang, who fashions it into a lantern. When Chang is killed by superstitious neighbors, the lantern slays his attackers with a burst of energy. mid 6th century The era of King Arthur and Camelot. Brian Kent, aided by a falcon called Slasher, becomes The Silent Knight. The Shining Knight enters suspended animation and awakens in the 20th century. He eventually (with the help of Merlin's magic) begins to make periodic jaunts home from 1947 on, and takes a young man named Butch as his squire. 8th century Arak and Valda have adventures. 12th century In England, Robert Fitzooth, Earl of Huntingdon, becomes the outlaw Robin Hood. He and his men hide in Sherwood Forest, stealing from the corrupt rich and giving their spoils to the downtrodden poor. 1558 Jon Valor becomes the Black Pirate. 1626-27 The events of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers. Henri Duval has adventures as a French soldier of fortune. 18th century Thomas Hawk has adventures as Tomahawk, and founds the Rangers. Elizabeth Lynn becomes Miss Liberty (ancestor of Libby Lawrence/Liberty Belle). She dies shortly before the end of the Revolutionary War, fighting Hessian troops who had stolen the Liberty Bell. Her body was found by Tomahawk. 1894 Cyrus Gold is murdered in Slaughter Swamp near Gotham City. His corpse later is reanimated as Solomon Grundy. 1915 Bruce Wayne is born April 7, in Gotham City to Thomas and Martha Wayne. 1917 Johnny Thunder born July 7, at 7 am. 1920 Rocket lands on Earth from the exploded planet Krypton. Kal-L is a few months old. Noted archeologist Sven Nelson and his 12-year-old son Kent conduct a dig in the Valley of Ur in Mesopotamia. Upon opening the sarcophagus of Nabu the Wise, Kent releases poison gas which immediately slays his father. Nabu takes pity on the boy and schools him in the ways of mysticism. 1924 Thomas & Martha Wayne are killed. 1926 Sylvester Pemberton is born. 1928 Richard Grayson is born November 11, to John and Mary Grayson. Dinah Drake is born April 10, to Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Drake. 1935 Dr. Occult & Rose Psychic have first public case as paranormal detective agency. 1936 The jade lantern constructed by the blacksmith Chang is found by Terry Lee and Pat Ryan as they track the pirates of the China seas, and is brought to America, where eventually it is left outside Arkham Asylum, just north of Gotham City. 1938 The first public cases of Superman and the Crimson Avenger. 1939 The first public cases of Bat-Man, Sandman, the Spectre, and Hourman. 1940 The first public cases of the Flash, Hawkman, Johnny Thunder, Robin, Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, the Atom, the Red Tornado, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Catwoman. First meeting of the Justice Society (Atom, Dr. Fate, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, Sandman, and the Spectre); Johnny Thunder and The Red Tornado sneak into the meeting; Superman and Batman abstain. 1941 The first public cases of Wildcat, Starman, Steel (the Indestuctable Man), Johnny Quick, the Star-Spangled Kid & Stripesy, the Tarantula, Aquaman, Green Arrow & Speedy, the Vigilante, Sandy the Golden Boy, and Wonder Woman. Shining Knight becomes Justin Arthur and has first public case in 20th c. 1942 The first public cases of Mr. Terrific, Amazing Man, the Guardian, Robotman, TNT & Dan the Dyna-Mite, Liberty Belle, the Tigress, and the Boy Commandoes. Independently stopping the agents of the Hand, Crimson Avenger & Wing, Green Arrow & Speedy, Shining Knight, Star-Spangled Kid & Stripesy, and Vigilante join together to become the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Superman builds his Secret Citadel in the mountains outside Metropolis. 1945 Dr. Fate, Sandman, Spectre and Starman take leaves of absence from JSA membership; Wildcat and Mr. Terrific become provisional members of the JSA. All-Star Squadron disbands. 1946 Sandy transformed into silicon monster, Sandman retires. Hawkman & Hawkgirl befriend the winged inhabitants of the hidden city of Feithera. 1947 Dinah Drake becomes Black Canary in Park City (later Gotham). Paula Brooks (formerly Tigress) begins criminal career as the Huntress. Green Lantern has first clash with the Harlequin (Molly Mayne). 1948 Merry Pemberton becomes Merry the Gimmick Girl. Black Canary joins the JSA. 1949 Jay Garrick retires as a full-time crimefighter (although he continues to attend meeting of the Justice Society), and marries Joan Williams. Seven Soldiers of Victory battle Nebula Man and are timelost; death of Wing. 1950 Superman is confronted with his first Kryptonian menace: Mala, Kizo and U-Ban, three super criminals who had been shot into orbit by his father, Jor-L, and thus survived the destruction of the planet. 1951 After nearly being killed by Eliminations, Inc., the JSA is called to appear before Congress on charges of consorting with a foreign agent. When asked to unmask and reveal their true identities, the JSA opt to disappear dramatically from the hearing and disband. 1952 A spell cast by the Wizard, intended to eliminate Superman, causes Clark Kent to forget his identity as Superman for nearly a year. 1953 Clark Kent marries Lois Lane. On their wedding night, Lois discovers that Clark is Superman. Clark shortly recovers his memories and reclaims his Superman identity. He becomes the managing editor of the Metropolis Daily Star after the retirement of George Taylor. 1955 Bruce Wayne marries Selina Kyle. 1956 Kathy Kane becomes Batwoman. 1957 Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle have a daughter, Helena Wayne (Huntress II). First meeting of the Club of Heroes (Batman, Gaucho, Legionary, Musketeer, Superman, Knight & Squire). 1961 Barry Allen travels to Earth-2 from Earth-1; first human alternate-Earth encounter since the 1940's. 1963 Wonder Woman marries Steve Trevor. JSA members are captured by Vandal Savage in a revenge plot; they are rescued by Jay Garrick and Barry Allen, and decide to officially revive the JSA. Hector Hall (Silver Scarab/Sandman III) is born to Carter and Shiera Hall in Cairo, Egypt. 1965 Hippolyta "Lyta" Trevor is born to Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor. 1966 Doiby Dickles leaves the Earth to marry the alien princess Ramia from the planet Myrg. 1967 Robin joins the JSA. 1968 Tornado Champion becomes Red Tornado II, joins the JSA (after some initial confusion over whether s/he was original member Ma Hunkle). 1972 Seven Soldiers of Victory return; apparent death of Red Tornado II. 1976 Kara Zor-L has first public case as Power Girl, when she, Robin, and the Star-Spangled Kid join the JSA. 1977 Death of Selina Kyle Wayne (Catwoman). Helena Wayne becomes the Huntress and joins JSA. 1979 Death Batman in combat with William Jensen, revealed to be a pawn of sorceror Frederick Vaux. Death Mr. Terrific, slain by the Spirit King, possessing the body of Jay Garrick. 1980 Wonder Woman reveals her secret identity as Diana Prince to the world. 1981 Death of Crimson Avenger I. 1984 Fury II (Hippolyta Trevor), The Huntress, Jade (Jennifer-Lynn Hayden), Northwind (Norda of Feithera), Nuklon (Albert Rothstein), Obsidian (Scott Rice), Power Girl, Silver Scarab (Hector Hall) and Star-Spangled-Kid start Infinity, Inc. 1985 First public cases of Wildcat II, Dr. Midnight, and Hourman II.

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