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1[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dc_universe.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:350: Tons of heroes, one universe!]]
3
4->''"It's the DC Universe. The end of the world isn't even an excuse for getting off work anymore."''
5-->-- '''Linkara''', ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall''
6
7The DC Universe is the SharedUniverse belonging to Creator/DCComics, established in 1934 and now the oldest major [[ComicBooks comic book]] publishing company. This is mostly used as a vehicle for their extensive SuperHero mythos, although the [[FantasyKitchenSink nature]] of the universe allows for almost unlimited storytelling potential in many different genres.
8
9The DC Universe is primarily responsible for establishing the concept of the super-hero in popular culture, with ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/{{Superman}} and ComicBook/WonderWoman as some of their oldest and most popular characters. Their introduction of the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII was also the first real super-hero team book, using the [[CrossOver cross-over]] to establish the first shared universe in comics history. Their massive early popularity was stunted by the invention of MediaNotes/TheComicsCode which nearly killed the industry, and many of the [[{{Bowdlerise}} bowdlerised]] stories from this era are responsible for several negative stereotypes about the medium. There was a revival in the late fifties and early sixties with the creation of newer more imaginative updates of characters like ComicBook/GreenLantern and ComicBook/TheFlash, leading to DC's biggest characters forming the ComicBook/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}}. To explain the difference in continuity, they established a [[TheMultiverse Multiverse]] with the different versions of the heroes occupying different worlds. The popularity of this team book also inspired Creator/MarvelComics to publish their own team book ComicBook/FantasticFour[[note]]Especially since co-creator Creator/JackKirby used much of his earlier DC creation, ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown'', to create the Four[[/note]], leading into an era of more maturely written super-hero stories dealing with the development of characters and more serious problems.
10
11One of their most controversial moves was the epic storyline ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' during the eighties, an effort to untangle their years of ContinuitySnarl by destroying the Multiverse and establishing one linear continuity for all of the characters to co-exist in. This included revising much of the universe's history and updating the origins of many characters. The Multiverse was brought back during ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis, although the mainstream continuity has only been changed in minor ways reflecting the story-telling needs of the writers. There was a second, much more widespread reboot of the DC Universe in September 2011 with all titles being restarted back to number 1, with these titles referred to as the ''ComicBook/New52''. The titles received new number 1 issues again in June 2016, with the exception of ''Action Comics'' and ''Detective Comics'', with ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'', combining the original DCU with the New 52 in different ways. In March 2021, DC relaunched their lineup again with ''ComicBook/DCInfiniteFrontier''.
12
13Their distinguished competition is the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, published by Creator/MarvelComics. The two lines appear similar at first glance, but there are some very subtle differences between the two. While there are many exceptions, the main difference is that the super-hero community tends to have a stricter sense of [[BlackAndWhiteMorality black-and-white morality]] at DC. This is written as a mature philosophical stand-point, dealing with the heroic archetype and their place as trusted members of society; in the DCU the general public tend to have greater respect for their heroes and treat them with higher esteem. In turn, the heroes of the DCU must undergo the trials of having to keep their respect and morality, even when it goes under fire. The often [[PhysicalGod much]] higher [[JustForFun/SuperWeight power levels]] of DC heroes compared to Marvel heroes further widens the gap between the "super" and "normal" categories of characters.
14
15If you would like to know more about the history of DC Comic's editors and Editors-in-Chief changed the company, see [[MediaNotes/DCComicsEditors here.]]
16
17[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer DC United]].
18
19Not to be confused with "The DC Universe", the film and multimedia DC Comics franchise in the making with Creator/JamesGunn as central creator.
20
21The former streaming service called Creator/DCUniverse featured numerous live action and animated adaptations of the DCU as well as a large back catalogue of DC comics before being retooled to feature the latter only (content was moved to HBO Max, now called Creator/{{Max}}).
22----
23!!''Features of the DC Universe:''
24
25[[foldercontrol]]
26
27[[folder:General trope examples]]
28[[index]]
29* [[AbortedArc/TheDCU Aborted Arc]]
30* [[AbusiveParents/TheDCU Abusive Parents]]
31* [[ActionDad/TheDCU Action Dad]]
32* [[ActionGirl/TheDCU Action Girl]]
33* [[AdaptationalHeroism/TheDCU Adaptational Heroism]]
34* [[AdaptationalVillainy/TheDCU Adaptational Villainy]]
35* [[AdaptationAmalgamation/TheDCU Adaptation Amalgamation]]
36* [[AdaptationDyeJob/TheDCU Adaptation Dye Job]]
37* [[AdaptationNameChange/TheDCU Adaptation Name Change]]
38* [[AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul/TheDCU Adaptation Relationship Overhaul]]
39* [[AffablyEvil/TheDCU Affably Evil]]
40* [[AffirmativeActionLegacy/TheDCU Affirmative Action Legacy]]
41* [[AlliterativeName/TheDCU Alliterative Name]]
42* [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent/TheDCU Alternate Company Equivalent]]
43* [[AlternateUniverse/TheDCU Alternate Universe]]
44* [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter/TheDCU Always Someone Better]]
45* [[AmbiguouslyGay/TheDCU Ambiguously Gay]]
46* [[AndIMustScream/TheDCU And I Must Scream]]
47* [[AntiHero/TheDCU Anti Hero]]
48* [[AntiHeroSubstitute/TheDCU Anti Hero Substitute]]
49* [[AntiVillain/TheDCU Anti Villain]]
50* [[ArchEnemy/TheDCU Arch Enemy]]
51* [[ArcWelding/TheDCU Arc Welding]]
52* [[ArmedWithCanon/TheDCU Armed With Canon]]
53* [[AscendedExtra/TheDCU Ascended Extra]]
54* [[BadassBookworm/TheDCU Badass Bookworm]]
55* [[BadassCreed/TheDCU Badass Creed]]
56* [[BadassFamily/TheDCU Badass Family]]
57* [[BadassNormal/TheDCU Badass Normal]]
58* [[BatmanGambit/TheDCU Batman Gambit]]
59* [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor/TheDCU Be Careful What You Wish For]]
60* [[BerserkButton/TheDCU Berserk Button]]
61* [[BettyAndVeronica/TheDCU Betty And Veronica]]
62* [[BigBad/TheDCU Big Bad]]
63* [[BigBadWannabe/TheDCU Big Bad Wannabe]]
64* [[BigBrotherInstinct/TheDCU Big Brother Instinct]]
65* [[BigGood/TheDCU Big Good]]
66* [[BittersweetEnding/TheDCU Bittersweet Ending]]
67* [[BlessedWithSuck/TheDCU Blessed With Suck]]
68* [[BloodKnight/TheDCU Blood Knight]]
69* [[BodyHorror/TheDCU Body Horror]]
70* [[BrainwashedAndCrazy/TheDCU Brainwashed And Crazy]]
71* [[BreakingTheFourthWall/TheDCU Breaking The Fourth Wall]]
72* [[BreakoutCharacter/TheDCU Breakout Character]]
73* [[BreakoutVillain/TheDCU Breakout Villain]]
74* [[BreakTheCutie/TheDCU Break The Cutie]]
75* [[BullyingADragon/TheDCU Bullying A Dragon]]
76* [[ButForMeItWasTuesday/TheDCU But For Me It Was Tuesday]]
77* [[ButtMonkey/TheDCU Butt Monkey]]
78* [[CallBack/TheDCU Call Back]]
79* [[CallForward/TheDCU Call-Forward]]
80* [[CanonDiscontinuity/TheDCU Canon Discontinuity]]
81* [[CanonImmigrant/TheDCU Canon Immigrant]]
82* [[CaptainEthnic/TheDCU Captain Ethnic]]
83* [[CentralTheme/TheDCU Central Theme]]
84* [[CerebusRetcon/TheDCU Cerebus Retcon]]
85* [[CharacterizationMarchesOn/TheDCU Characterization Marches On]]
86* [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome/TheDCU ChuckCunningham Syndrome]]
87* [[CListFodder/TheDCU C List Fodder]]
88* [[ComicBookFantasyCasting/TheDCU ComicBook Fantasy Casting]]
89* [[ComicBookTime/TheDCU Comic Book Time]]
90* [[CompositeCharacter/TheDCU Composite Character]]
91* [[ContinuityNod/TheDCU ContinuityNod]]
92* [[ContinuityPorn/TheDCU Continuity Porn]]
93* [[ContinuitySnarl/TheDCU Continuity Snarl]]
94* [[CorruptCorporateExecutive/TheDCU Corrupt Corporate Executive]]
95* [[CorruptedCharacterCopy/TheDCU Corrupted Character Copy]]
96* [[CreatorProvincialism/TheDCU Creator Provincialism]]
97* [[CrimeFightingWithCash/TheDCU Crime Fighting With Cash]]
98* [[CrisisCrossover/TheDCU Crisis Crossover]]
99* [[CurbStompBattle/TheDCU Curb Stomp Battle]]
100* [[CutLexLuthorACheck/TheDCU Cut Lex Luthor A Check]]
101* [[DarkerAndEdgier/TheDCU Darker And Edgier]]
102* [[DatingCatwoman/TheDCU Dating Catwoman]]
103* [[DealWithTheDevil/TheDCU Deal With The Devil]]
104* [[DeathIsCheap/TheDCU Death Is Cheap]]
105* [[DecompositeCharacter/TheDCU Decomposite Character]]
106* [[DeconstructedCharacterArchetype/TheDCU Deconstructed Character Archetype]]
107* [[DeconstructedTrope/TheDCU Deconstructed Trope]]
108* [[Deconstruction/TheDCU Deconstruction]]
109* [[DemotedToExtra/TheDCU Demoted To Extra]]
110* [[DependingOnTheArtist/TheDCU Depending On The Artist]]
111* [[DependingOnTheWriter/TheDCU Depending On The Writer]]
112* [[Determinator/TheDCU Determinator]]
113* [[DistaffCounterpart/TheDCU Distaff Counterpart]]
114* [[DownerEnding/TheDCU Downer Ending]]
115* [[DrivenToSuicide/TheDCU Driven To Suicide]]
116* [[EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference/TheDCU Early Installment Character Design Difference]]
117* [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness/TheDCU Early Installment Weirdness]]
118* [[EarnYourHappyEnding/TheDCU Earn Your Happy Ending]]
119* [[EmotionEater/TheDCU Emotion Eater]]
120* [[EnemyMine/TheDCU Enemy Mine]]
121* [[EstablishingCharacterMoment/TheDCU Establishing Character Moment]]
122* [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes/TheDCU Even Evil Has Loved Ones]]
123* [[EvenEvilHasStandards/TheDCU Even Evil Has Standards]]
124* [[EveryoneHasStandards/TheDCU Everyone Has Standards]]
125* [[EvilCannotComprehendGood/TheDCU Evil Cannot Comprehend Good]]
126* [[EvilCounterpart/TheDCU Evil Counterpart]]
127* [[ExactWords/TheDCU Exact Words]]
128* [[Expy/TheDCU Expy]]
129* [[EyeScream/TheDCU Eye Scream]]
130* [[FaceHeelTurn/TheDCU Face Heel Turn]]
131* [[FauxAffablyEvil/TheDCU Faux Affably Evil]]
132* [[Flanderization/TheDCU Flanderization]]
133* [[Foil/TheDCU Foil]]
134* [[FourthWallObserver/TheDCU Fourth Wall Observer]]
135* [[FreakyFridayFlip/TheDCU Freaky Friday Flip]]
136* [[FriendlyEnemy/TheDCU Friendly Enemy]]
137* [[FromNobodyToNightmare/TheDCU From Nobody To Nightmare]]
138* [[FunPersonified/TheDCU Fun Personified]]
139* [[FamousLastWords/DCComics Famous Last Words]]
140* [[GeniusBruiser/TheDCU Genius Bruiser]]
141* [[GenreDeconstruction/TheDCU Genre Deconstruction]]
142* [[GoodIsNotNice/TheDCU Good Is Not Nice]]
143* [[GoodIsNotSoft/TheDCU Good Is Not Soft]]
144* [[GreenEyedMonster/TheDCU Green Eyed Monster]]
145* [[HalfHumanHybrid/TheDCU Half Human Hybrid]]
146* [[HappilyAdopted/TheDCU Happily Adopted]]
147* [[HateSink/TheDCU Hate Sink]]
148* [[HealingFactor/TheDCU Healing Factor]]
149* [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor/TheDCU Heel Face Revolving Door]]
150* [[HeelFaceTurn/TheDCU Heel Face Turn]]
151* [[HeroicSacrifice/TheDCU Heroic Sacrifice]]
152* [[HeroInsurance/TheDCU Hero Insurance]]
153* [[HeroKiller/TheDCU Hero Killer]]
154* [[HeroWithBadPublicity/TheDCU Hero With Bad Publicity]]
155* [[HeterosexualLifePartners/TheDCU Heterosexual Life Partners]]
156* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard/TheDCU Hoist By His Own Petard]]
157* [[HollywoodLaw/TheDCU Hollywood Law]]
158* [[Hypocrite/TheDCU Hypocrite]]
159* [[ImprobableAimingSkills/TheDCU Improbable Aiming Skills]]
160* [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain/TheDCU Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain]]
161* [[Jerkass/TheDCU Jerkass]]
162* [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold/TheDCU Jerk With A Heart Of Gold]]
163* [[JokerImmunity/TheDCU Joker Immunity]]
164* [[KarmaHoudini/TheDCU Karma Houdini]]
165* [[KarmicDeath/TheDCU Karmic Death]]
166* [[KnightTemplar/TheDCU Knight Templar]]
167* [[KryptoniteFactor/TheDCU Kryptonite Factor]]
168* [[LegacyCharacter/TheDCU Legacy Character]]
169* [[LegFocus/TheDCU Leg Focus]]
170* [[LetsYouAndHimFight/TheDCU Lets You And Him Fight]]
171* [[LighterAndSofter/TheDCU Lighter And Softer]]
172* [[LukeIAmYourFather/TheDCU Luke I Am Your Father]]
173* [[MadScientist/TheDCU Mad Scientist]]
174* [[MaleGaze/TheDCU Male Gaze]]
175* [[MeaningfulName/TheDCU Meaningful Name]]
176* [[MediumAwareness/TheDCU Medium Awareness]]
177* [[MetaOrigin/TheDCU Meta Origin]]
178* [[MsFanservice/TheDCU Ms Fanservice]]
179* [[MuggingTheMonster/TheDCU Mugging The Monster]]
180* [[MultinationalTeam/TheDCU Multinational Team]]
181* [[NeverMyFault/TheDCU Never My Fault]]
182* [[NiceGuy/TheDCU Nice Guy]]
183* [[NiceJobBreakingItHero/TheDCU Nice Job Breaking It Hero]]
184* [[NiceJobFixingItVillain/TheDCU Nice Job Fixing It Villain]]
185* [[NighInvulnerability/TheDCU Nigh Invulnerability]]
186* [[NinetiesAntiHero/TheDCU Nineties Anti Hero]]
187* [[NobleDemon/TheDCU Noble Demon]]
188* [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed/TheDCU No Celebrities Were Harmed]]
189* [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished/TheDCU No Good Deed Goes Unpunished]]
190* [[NotSoDifferentRemark/TheDCU Not So Different Remark]]
191* [[OhCrap/TheDCU Oh Crap]]
192* [[OmnicidalManiac/TheDCU Omnicidal Maniac]]
193* [[OneSteveLimit/TheDCU One Steve Limit]]
194* [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness/TheDCU OOC Is Serious Business]]
195* [[OurVampiresAreDifferent/TheDCU Our Vampires Are Different]]
196* [[PhysicalGod/TheDCU Physical God]]
197* [[PlatonicLifePartners/TheDCU Platonic Life Partners]]
198* [[PowerIncontinence/TheDCU Power Incontinence]]
199* [[RealityWarper/TheDCU Reality Warper]]
200* [[ReallyGetsAround/TheDCU Really Gets Around]]
201* [[Reconstruction/TheDCU Reconstruction]]
202* [[RedeemingReplacement/TheDCU Redeeming Replacement]]
203* [[ReedRichardsIsUseless/TheDCU Reed Richards Is Useless]]
204* [[ReimaginingTheArtifact/TheDCU Reimagining The Artifact]]
205* [[RememberTheNewGuy/TheDCU Remember The New Guy]]
206* [[RequiredSecondaryPowers/TheDCU Required Secondary Powers]]
207* [[RetCanon/TheDCU Ret Canon]]
208* [[Retcon/TheDCU Retcon]]
209* [[RevisitingTheRoots/TheDCU Revisiting The Roots]]
210* [[RoguesGallery/TheDCU Rogues Gallery]]
211* [[RoguesGalleryTransplant/TheDCU Rogues Gallery Transplant]]
212* [[Sadist/TheDCU Sadist]]
213* [[SecretPublicIdentity/TheDCU Secret Public Identity]]
214* [[SeriesContinuityError/TheDCU Series Continuity Error]]
215* [[SexGod/TheDCU Sex God]]
216* [[ShadowArchetype/TheDCU Shadow Archetype]]
217* [[ShipSinking/TheDCU Ship Sinking]]
218* [[SmugSnake/TheDCU Smug Snake]]
219* [[SpannerInTheWorks/TheDCU Spanner In The Works]]
220* [[StalkerWithACrush/TheDCU Stalker With A Crush]]
221* [[StatusQuoIsGod/TheDCU Status Quo Is God]]
222* [[Stripperiffic/TheDCU Stripperiffic]]
223* [[SupermanStaysOutOfGotham/TheDCU Superman Stays Out Of Gotham]]
224* [[SuperpowerLottery/TheDCU Superpower Lottery]]
225* [[SuperStrength/TheDCU Super Strength]]
226* [[JustForFun/SuperWeightTheDCU Super Weight]]
227* [[TakeThat/TheDCU Take That]]
228* [[TangledFamilyTree/TheDCU Tangled Family Tree]]
229* [[TheArtifact/TheDCU The Artifact]]
230* [[TheAtoner/TheDCU The Atoner]]
231* [[TheBadGuyWins/TheDCU The Bad Guy Wins]]
232* [[TheDreaded/TheDCU The Dreaded]]
233* [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou/TheDCU The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You]]
234* [[TheFriendNobodyLikes/TheDCU The Friend Nobody Likes]]
235* [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech/TheDCU The Reason You Suck Speech]]
236* [[TheSociopath/TheDCU The Sociopath]]
237* [[TheUnfettered/TheDCU The Unfettered]]
238* [[ThouShaltNotKill/TheDCU Thou Shalt Not Kill]]
239* [[TookALevelInBadass/TheDCU Took A Level In Badass]]
240* [[TookALevelInJerkass/TheDCU Took A Level In Jerkass]]
241* [[TrademarkFavoriteFood/TheDCU Trademark Favorite Food]]
242* [[TranquilFury/TheDCU Tranquil Fury]]
243* [[TraumaCongaLine/TheDCU Trauma Conga Line]]
244* [[TrueCompanions/TheDCU True Companions]]
245* [[TruerToTheText/TheDCU Truer To The Text]]
246* [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom/TheDCU Unwitting Instigator Of Doom]]
247* [[VillainHasAPoint/TheDCU Villain Has A Point]]
248* [[VitriolicBestBuds/TheDCU Vitriolic Best Buds]]
249* [[WellIntentionedExtremist/TheDCU Well Intentioned Extremist]]
250* [[WhamEpisode/TheDCU Wham Episode]]
251* [[WhamLine/TheDCU Wham Line]]
252* [[WhamShot/TheDCU Wham Shot]]
253* [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse/TheDCU What Happened To The Mouse]]
254* [[WhatTheHellHero/TheDCU What The Hell Hero]]
255* [[WhatYouAreInTheDark/TheDCU What You Are In The Dark]]
256* [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity/TheDCU With Great Power Comes Great Insanity]]
257* [[WolverinePublicity/TheDCU Wolverine Publicity]]
258* [[Yandere/TheDCU Yandere]]
259* [[YouHaveFailedMe/TheDCU You Have Failed Me]]
260[[/index]]
261[[/folder]]
262
263[[folder:Major Franchises]]
264[[index]]
265* ''Franchise/{{Aquaman}}''
266* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''
267* ''Franchise/{{Constantine}}''
268* Franchise/DCSuperHeroGirls
269* ''Franchise/TheFlash''
270* ''Franchise/GreenArrow''
271* ''Franchise/GreenLantern''
272* Franchise/{{Injustice}}
273* ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica''
274* ''Franchise/{{Lobo}}''
275* ''Franchise/TheSandman''
276* ''Franchise/{{Shazam}}''
277* ''Franchise/SuicideSquad''
278* ''Franchise/{{Supergirl}}''
279* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}''
280* ''Franchise/TeenTitans''
281* ''Franchise/{{Watchmen}}''[[note]]Not exactly part of the mainstream DC Universe, but is connected to the wider DC Multiverse.[[/note]]
282* ''Franchise/WonderWoman''
283* ''Franchise/{{Zatanna}}''
284[[/index]]
285[[/folder]]
286[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
287[[index]]
288* ''Manga/SupermanVsMeshi''
289* Superman by Tatsuo Yoshida (1960)
290[[/index]]
291[[/folder]]
292[[folder:Comics series and characters set in the DCU]]
293For a more complete list of DC comics see DCComicsSeries.
294
295[[index]]
296* ComicBook/AdamStrange
297* ComicBook/AmbushBug
298* ComicBook/AmethystPrincessOfGemworld
299* ComicBook/{{Anarky}}
300* ComicBook/AngelAndTheApe
301* ComicBook/AnimalMan
302* ComicBook/{{Arion}}
303* ComicBook/TheAtom
304* ComicBook/{{Azrael}}
305* ComicBook/{{Aztek}}
306* ComicBook/BatLash
307* ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}
308* ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}
309* ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey
310* ComicBook/BlackCanary
311* ComicBook/{{Blackhawk}}
312* ComicBook/BlackLightning
313* ComicBook/BlackOrchid
314* ComicBook/BlueBeetle
315* ComicBook/BlueDevil
316* ComicBook/BoosterGold
317* ComicBook/BrotherPowerTheGeek
318* ComicBook/CaptainAtom
319* ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew
320* [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]
321* ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}
322* ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown
323* ComicBook/{{Checkmate}}
324* ComicBook/CodeNameGravedigger
325* ComicBook/{{Deadman}}
326* ComicBook/DialHForHero
327* ComicBook/DoctorFate
328* ComicBook/DoomPatrol
329* ComicBook/ElongatedMan
330* ComicBook/EnemyAce
331* ComicBook/{{Etrigan}}
332* ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}}
333* ComicBook/FlexMentallo
334* ComicBook/{{Frankenstein|AgentOfSHADE}}
335* ComicBook/{{Freedom Fighters|DCComics}}
336* ComicBook/{{Gen13}}
337* ComicBook/GlobalGuardians
338* ComicBook/GreatTen
339* ComicBook/{{Guardian}}
340* ComicBook/Hardware1993
341* ComicBook/HarleyQuinn
342* ComicBook/TheHauntedTank
343* ComicBook/HawkAndDove
344* ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}
345* ComicBook/HumanTarget
346* ComicBook/HuntersHellcats
347* ComicBook/{{Icon}}
348* ComicBook/InferiorFive
349* ComicBook/JonahHex
350* ComicBook/{{Judomaster}}
351* ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark
352* ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica
353* ComicBook/{{Kamandi}}
354* ComicBook/KlarionTheWitchBoy
355* ComicBook/KnightAndSquire
356* ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes
357* ComicBook/{{Lobo}}
358* ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}
359* ComicBook/MadameXanadu
360* ComicBook/{{Manhunter|DCComics}}
361* ComicBook/MartianManhunter
362* ComicBook/MetalMen
363* ComicBook/{{Metamorpho}}
364* ComicBook/MisterTerrific
365* ComicBook/MotherPanic
366* ComicBook/TheMovement
367* ComicBook/{{Naomi|DCComics}}
368* ComicBook/TheNewGuardians
369* ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}
370* ComicBook/{{OMAC}}
371* ComicBook/OmegaMen
372* ComicBook/{{Peacemaker}}
373* ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger
374* ComicBook/PhantomLady
375* ComicBook/PlasticMan
376* ComicBook/PowerGirl
377* ComicBook/TheQuestion
378* ComicBook/{{Ragman}}
379* ComicBook/TheRavagers
380* ComicBook/TheRay
381* ComicBook/RedHoodAndTheOutlaws
382* ComicBook/RedTornado
383* ComicBook/ResurrectionMan
384* ComicBook/RexTheWonderDog
385* ComicBook/RichardDragon
386* ComicBook/RipHunter
387* ComicBook/{{Robin}}
388* ComicBook/TheSandman1989
389* ComicBook/SargeSteel
390* ComicBook/ScareTacticsDCComics
391* ComicBook/SecretSix
392* ComicBook/SevenSoldiersOfVictory
393* ComicBook/SgtRock
394* Comicbook/TheShadeDCComics
395* ComicBook/ShadeTheChangingMan
396* ComicBook/{{Shadowpact}}
397* ComicBook/{{Sideways}}
398* ComicBook/TheSilencer
399* ComicBook/SimonDark
400* ComicBook/TheSpectre
401* ComicBook/TheSpirit
402* ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster
403* ComicBook/{{Starman|DC Comics}}
404* ComicBook/{{Static}}
405* ComicBook/{{Steel}}
406* ComicBook/{{Stormwatch}}
407* ComicBook/{{Superboy}}
408* ComicBook/SuperboyPrime
409* ComicBook/SuperYoungTeam
410* ComicBook/SwampThing
411* ComicBook/TeenTitans
412* ComicBook/TheTerrifics
413* ComicBook/{{Tomahawk}}
414* ComicBook/UnknownSoldier
415* ComicBook/VandalSavage
416* ComicBook/{{Vigilante}}
417* ComicBook/VikingPrince
418* ComicBook/{{Vixen}}
419* ComicBook/TheWarlordDC
420* ComicBook/{{Wildcat}}
421* ComicBook/{{Wildcats}}
422* ComicBook/WonderGirl
423* ComicBook/WonderTwins
424* ComicBook/YoungJustice
425* ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}
426[[/folder]]
427
428[[folder:Literature]]
429[[index]]
430* ''Literature/BatmanArkhamKnight''
431* ''Literature/BatmanArkhamKnightTheRiddlersGambit''
432* ''Literature/BatmanNightwalker''
433* ''Literature/CatwomanSoulstealer''
434* ''Literature/ChallengersOfTheUnknown''
435* ''Literature/DocSavage''
436* ''Literature/EnemiesAndAllies''
437* ''Literature/JLAExterminators''
438* ''Literature/LastSonOfKrypton''
439** ''Literature/MiracleMonday''
440* ''Script/{{Watchmen}}'' [[note]](the unproduced Sam Hamm screenplay -- it doesn't fit here very well, but it fits anywhere else even worse)[[/note]]
441* ''Literature/WonderWomanWarbringer''
442[[/index]]
443[[/folder]]
444
445[[folder:TV series set in (parts of) TheDCU]]
446
447ComicBook/{{Superman}}-based (mostly in Metropolis, but given ol' Kal-El's range all bets are off):
448* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman''
449* ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfSuperman''
450* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperboy''
451* ''Series/LoisAndClark''
452* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' (Takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse)
453* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' (Obviously, not set in Metropolis. Well, not for the majority of the series. Set mostly there towards the end, though.)
454* ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog''
455* ''Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}''
456* ''Series/{{Krypton}}''
457* ''Series/SupermanAndLois''
458
459ComicBook/{{Batman}}-based (in Gotham City, with rare field trips):
460* ''Series/Batman1966''
461* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' (Takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse)
462* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' (Takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse)
463* ''ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey'' (short-lived series focusing on "Batman Family" members)
464* ''WebAnimation/GothamGirls'' (Takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse, female-centric online cartoon series)
465* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman''
466* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''
467* ''WesternAnimation/BewareTheBatman''
468* ''Series/{{Gotham}}''
469* ''Series/{{Pennyworth}}''
470
471[[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]-based
472* ''Series/Shazam1974''
473* ''Series/TheSecretsOfIsis''
474* ''[[WesternAnimation/HeroHigh Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!]]''
475* scrapped 2008 WesternAnimation
476
477ComicBook/TheFlash-based
478* ''Series/TheFlash1990''
479* ''Series/TheFlash2014'', a spinoff of ''Series/{{Arrow}}''.
480
481ComicBook/GreenArrow-based
482* ''Series/{{Arrow}}''
483
484ComicBook/WonderWoman-based
485* ''Series/WonderWoman''
486
487ComicBook/{{Static}}-based
488* ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' (takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse)
489
490ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}-based
491* A successful 1960s cartoon was why he was included in the WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}} to begin with.
492* Failed {{pilot}}
493
494ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica-based:
495* ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'' (Along with its many sequels and permutations.)
496* ''Series/LegendsOfTheSuperheroes'' (A short-lived 1970s series which attempted to bring the campy style of ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' to the JLA, and failed miserably.)
497* ''Justice League of America'', a failed PilotMovie based around the post-''Justice League International'' incarnation of the team.
498* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' (Takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse. Crawling with minor and obscure heroes and villains.)
499
500Other TV series:
501* ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' (1990 live action series, 1991 cartoon)
502* ''WesternAnimation/WildCATs1994'' (1994 cartoon, produced before ComicBook/WildCatsWildStorm became part of DC)
503* ''WebAnimation/LoboWebseries'' (2000 adult oriented cartoon that takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse)
504* ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject'' (takes place in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse)
505* ''Series/{{Powerless|2017}}'', a {{work com}} following the day-to-day lives of insurance adjustors in the DCU.
506* ''WebAnimation/ZatannaTrialOfTheCrystalWand'' (2003 animated pilot)
507* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' (This may or may not also be in continuity with the DCAU below, despite its very different look and style, and fan debates over this continue as the WordOfGod has been lacking, instead giving what amounts to the continuity version of a ShipTease.)
508* ''WesternAnimation/{{Legion of Super Heroes|2006}}''
509* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'' (Though it shares a title with ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' it only includes a few elements from the book and includes a wide variety of DCU stories, including Teen Titans and Justice League.)
510* WesternAnimation/SuperBestFriendsForever a series of shorts created by Creator/LaurenFaust centered around Supergirl, Batgirl, and Wonder Girl.
511* WebAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls a web series used to promote Toys/DCSuperHeroGirls toy line
512* ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', a live-action show spinning off from ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' and ''Series/TheFlash2014''.
513* WesternAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls2019 another cartoon based on the Toy/DCSuperHeroGirls toy brand, this time headed by Creator/LaurenFaust who worked on the previous WesternAnimation/SuperBestFriends forever shorts whose elements would appear in the show.
514* ''Series/{{Peacemaker|2022}}'' (set in the DC Extended Universe)
515[[/folder]]
516
517[[folder:The DC Animated Universe]]
518A subset of Franchise/TheDCU is the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse (a.k.a. the "Timmverse" or the "Diniverse"), consisting of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' and every other series, movie and comic that takes place in the same universe. It has its own {{canon}}, with more than one CrossOver between series, and is best known for its distinctive artstyle, based on the works of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. This universe originally ended with the final season of ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' though it has been revisited since. See it's own page for a more complete list of media set therein.
519
520Series in the DCAU:
521* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''
522* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''
523* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond''
524* ''WesternAnimation/TheZetaProject''
525* ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock''
526* ''WebAnimation/LoboWebseries''
527* ''WebAnimation/GothamGirls''
528* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited''
529[[/folder]]
530
531[[folder:DC Universe Animated Original Movies]]
532In 2007, DC and Creator/WarnerBrothers began a new series of direct-to-video animated movies called WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies. Mostly they focus on individual characters, including some, like ComicBook/WonderWoman, who have never had their own animated series. All movies with the exception of the ''Superman/Batman'' titles (which are loosely related to each other) are standalone stories.
533
534* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanDoomsday''
535* ''[[ComicBook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]''
536* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanGothamKnight''
537* ''WesternAnimation/WonderWoman2009''
538* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternFirstFlight''
539* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies''
540* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueCrisisOnTwoEarths''
541* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood''
542* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanApocalypse''
543* ''WesternAnimation/AllStarSuperman''
544* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternEmeraldKnights''
545* ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne''
546* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueDoom''
547* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite''
548* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''
549* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanUnbound''
550* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueTheFlashpointParadox''
551* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueWar''
552[[/folder]]
553
554[[folder:The DC Extended Universe]]
555Starting in 2013, the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse includes adaptations of DCU characters into a [[SharedUniverse shared movie universe]]. Confusingly, in November 2022, it was announced (for the first time) that the official name of the DCEU would be The DCU, raising many questions among fans as to what the full DC Universe as described on this page should be called.
556----
557* ''Film/ManOfSteel''
558* ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice''
559* ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}''
560* ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}''
561* ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}''
562* ''Film/{{Aquaman|2018}}''
563* ''Film/{{Shazam|2019}}''
564* ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}''
565* ''Film/WonderWoman1984''
566* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague''
567* ''Film/TheSuicideSquad''
568* ''Film/{{Black Adam|2022}}''
569* ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods''
570* ''Film/{{The Flash|2023}}''
571* ''Film/{{Blue Beetle|2023}}''
572* ''Film/AquamanAndTheLostKingdom''
573[[/folder]]
574
575[[folder:Other DC Movies]]
576* ''Film/{{The Batman|Serial}}''
577** ''Film/{{Batman and Robin|Serial}}''
578* ''Film/BatmanTheMovie''
579* ''Film/{{Superman|Film Series}}'' film series:
580** ''Film/SupermanTheMovie''
581** ''Film/SupermanII''
582** ''Film/SupermanIII''
583** ''Film/Supergirl1984''
584** ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace''
585** ''Film/SupermanReturns''
586* ''Film/SwampThing''
587* ''Film/TheReturnOfSwampThing''
588* ''Film/{{Batman|Film Series}}'' film series:
589** ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}''
590** ''Film/BatmanReturns''
591** ''Film/BatmanForever''
592** ''Film/BatmanAndRobin''
593* ''Film/{{Steel}}''
594* ''Film/{{Catwoman|2004}}''
595* ''Film/{{Constantine|2005}}''
596* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'':
597** ''Film/BatmanBegins''
598** ''Film/TheDarkKnight''
599** ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''
600* ''Film/{{Watchmen}}''
601* ''Film/{{Jonah Hex|2010}}''
602* ''Film/{{Green Lantern|2011}}''
603* ''Film/{{Joker|2019}}''
604* ''Film/{{The Batman|2022}}''
605[[/folder]]
606[[/index]]
607
608!!The defining characteristics of The DCU:
609* {{Aliens are Bastards}}: There are alien races that are brutal and vicious such as the White Martians and members that are evil like Brainiac but the other races while not innocent are not bastards either so they act more in a greyish area making them [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]].
610* AmusinglyAwfulAim: There's a minor villain called Mr. Terrible, who is an EvilCounterpart to Mr. Terrific. While Mr. Terrific represents the pinnacle of human perfection and is incredibly skilled at any activity you can imagine, Mr. Terrible is the exact opposite. Everything he tries to do turns out bad. Case in point: In one issue of ''Villains United'', he attempts to kill someone by throwing a knife at them. He was aiming for the head - it hit them in the leg.
611* AtrociousArthropods:
612** ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'': The ComicBook/New52 reimagines the Reach with a more insectoid look, while retaining their role as an antagonistic race of conquerors.
613** ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': Parallax is the cosmic embodiment of fear and the creature that possessed Hal Jordan to make him evil. It's appearance is a cross between a dragonfly and reptile.
614** ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'': Godship, the main villain of ''ComicBook/{{Bizarrogirl}}'', commands an army of large insect monsters.
615** ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':
616*** The ComicBook/PostCrisis version of Insect Queen is an insect-like alien who seeks to colonize Earth.
617*** ''ComicBook/KryptoniteNevermore'' has Superman saving ComicBook/LoisLane and her pilot from a swarm of flesh-eating ants.
618** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': The Robert Kanigher run featured the Termite Queen, a one-shot villain who appeared in issue #58. She was a monster termite with a vicious hatred of humans and the ability to telepathically command termites, which she used to make them consume metal and wreak havoc.
619* BigGood: ComicBook/{{Superman}} is traditionally the chairman (and often acknowledged as the most powerful member) of the Justice League, and when not acting in his capacity as a Leaguer most other heroes tend to defer to his authority and judgment if only out of respect. Sometimes generalized to the "Big Three" where Superman, ComicBook/{{Batman}}, and ComicBook/WonderWoman collectively comprise the Big Good of the JLA. The JLA ''itself'' is in a sense the Big Good of DCU superteams and/or the metahuman community in general.
620** Explicitly shown in the ''Trinity'' maxi-series, to the point where the three become gods.
621** In any story involving the entire Bat Family, Batman will be this even more so than Superman. [[TheManBehindTheMan Alfred Pennyworth]] [[BattleButler is a kind of this]] even more than Batman.
622** In a similar capacity, [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] is often treated like this, even in comparison to Superman, possibly due to ChildrenAreInnocent. It's explicitly stated in the comics that Billy Batson would be Marvel full-time to help people, if not for the wizard Shazam insisting that Batson himself deserves some happiness in his life, too.
623** The Guardians of the Universe in ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' used to be this for the [[Franchise/TheDCU DC Universe]] but [[DependingOnTheWriter the more cynical modern take on them]] has them acting aloof and manipulative instead.
624** As of the ''Blackest Night'' arc, the Big Good for the DC Universe is The Entity, the embodiment of the Light (as in "let there be") that created the universe.
625*** LightIsNotGood as it turns out -- the Entity's unforgiving of deviation from its plan.
626* CanonInvasion: DC has quite a few character who initially belonged to other companies prior to being bought out. Examples include:
627** Back in MediaNotes/{{the Golden Age|of Comic Books}}, DC was formed from three nominally separate companies: Detective Comics, All-American Comics, and National Publications.
628** The characters of Fawcett Comics, such as [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] and the Marvel Family.
629** The characters of Quality Comics, such as ComicBook/PlasticMan, Kid Eternity, and the ComicBook/{{Freedom Fighters|DCComics}}.
630** The characters of Charlton Comics, such as ComicBook/CaptainAtom, ComicBook/BlueBeetle, and The Question.
631** The characters of Creator/MilestoneComics, such as ComicBook/{{Static}}, ComicBook/{{Hardware|1993}} and ComicBook/{{Icon}} & Rocket.
632** The characters of the Red Circle (formerly owned by Creator/ArchieComics) such as the Mighty Crusaders, the Shield and the Web.
633** The characters of Creator/{{Wildstorm}} Comics, such as ComicBook/{{Stormwatch}}, Grifter, ComicBook/TheAuthority and the ComicBook/WildCATsWildStorm, who have joined the mainstream continuity (along with the people in the Creator/VertigoComics line) as of the ComicBook/New52. Alongside Wildstorm, they got the rights to Creator/AmericasBestComics, with the partial exception of ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' (which was creator owned by Creator/AlanMoore and Kevin O'Neill and is currently published by Top Shelf, a subsidary of Creator/IDWPublishing).
634* CityOfAdventure: To each hero his own -- Metropolis for Superman, Gotham City for Batman, Central City for The Flash, Coast City for Hal Jordan, Bludhaven for Nightwing.
635** WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: Perhaps each hero has his own city because he can't locate anyone else's.
636*** This is being averted in modern days, where it's been established that Gotham is in New Jersey and Metropolis is in Delaware.
637*** Gateway City (where Wonder Woman used to hang out before she moved to Washington) is in California.
638*** So is Coast City (Green Lantern Hal Jordan's town).
639*** Keystone City (home of Golden Age and modern-day The Flashes) is in Ohio, according to JSA #15.
640*** However, it's since been retconned as being located in Kansas, like Smallville, but near the border with Missouri (where Central City, home of the Silver Age Flash, is located), as per Flash vol.2 #188 (published in 2002), in which Wally West builds a bridge between the two cities.
641*** Speaking of California, they inverted the usual DC practice of fictional adventure towns based on real places, by taking a real place (San Diego) and ''sinking it into the ocean,'' transforming its inhabitants into merpeople in the process. Thus it became the fictional underwater city of "Sub Diego," which ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} protected, natch.
642*** Green Arrow ended up in an unusual situation with regards to this during the New 52 and Rebirth era. Traditionally he is from the fictional Star City, but during the New 52 they made him the protector of real life city Seattle. Then as part of Rebirth's return to the status quo, a group of villains blew up Seattle, ''bought the land'', and built Star City on its ashes. So yeah... That happened.
643* ContinuitySnarl: To the extent that at times it feels like the whole purpose of DC's output is trying to resolve its own continuity problems.
644** This became very prominent in the 2010s, when the 2011 New 52 reboot tried to streamline the universe without clearly laying out what had lapsed into CanonDiscontinuity. Later on in the New 52, writers tended to reference events that had previously been struck from continuity without explanation. Rebirth followed in 2016, an initiative that still shared all of its canon with the New 52, but allowed its writers to bring series more in line with where they had been before New 52. Since writers quickly dropped unpopular elements of the New 52 canon -- either without canon to replace it or with a flimsy Retcon that didn't make sense with other New 52 elements that were still canon -- this iniative led to even more continuity snarls.
645** Comicbook/DCInfiniteFrontier has dealt with the continuity snarls by cutting the Gordian Knot and making every character remember every iteration of the DCU's timelines. Everything is part of history now. Even the parts that contradict each other. Especially the parts that contradict each other.
646* CrisisCrossover: The Trope Codifier with the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''.
647* CrossoverCosmology: The Greek Pantheon, via Wonder Woman show up most often. DC is also home to Kirby's Fourth World which in modern storylines is considered the replacement of the old pantheon. The [=DC=]'s version of Myth/NorseMythology played a prominent part in Creator/NeilGaiman's ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' and in other stories. It is far more mythologically accurate than that of the ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'' (for instance Thor has red hair, Loki is Odin's brother). Incidentally the earliest appearance of Thor in DC was drawn by Creator/JackKirby before going to Marvel.
648* DemotedToExtra: Practically every [[MediaNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] character save for the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica's core team has either been killed off as CListFodder or relegated to the team's reserves. It's hard to imagine that the Red Bee once had his own backup series.
649** Lampshaded in James Robinson's ''ComicBook/{{Starman|DC Comics}}'', where the Red Bee is seriously PISSED OFF during a Thanksgiving with dead superheroes.
650* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: People who say "DC Comics" are really saying "Detective Comics Comics".
651** Debatable. "Detective Comics" could be considered the adjective. Effectively, it'd be "The comics of Detective Comic."
652*** This could be "Detective Comics' Comics", but that isn't obvious from just "DC Comics".
653* {{Descriptiveville}}: Major offender, a lot of cities have rather bland names.
654* DevilButNoGod: The voice of God has been heard in certain The DCU, usually talking to Comicbook/TheSpectre, who works as its Agent of Vengeance. However it has never been actually seen, and only seems to interfere on VERY rare occasions, even when The DCU is threatened with destruction.
655** DC has a God-surrogate called The Presence, and there are several other beings which are pretty God-like. For continuity purposes, these are sometimes explained as being various aspects of The Presence.
656*** The Voice (who talks to Comicbook/TheSpectre)
657*** The Logos (a group of godlike beings that make up a sort of harmonious pantheon, also usually involved with The Spectre)
658*** The Source (the universal creative force, mostly appears in works related to Creator/JackKirby's [[Comicbook/NewGods Fourth World]] mythos)
659*** The Entity (the "white light of creation" from the ''Comicbook/BlackestNight'' arc)
660** A [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]] miniseries starring Zauriel the Angel climaxed with the rogue angel Asmodel storming the palace of God only to find it empty. Zauriel lectures Asmodel on the naivete of expecting God to be some mere corporeal form: God is ''everywhere'' and swiftly sends Asmodel to Hell.
661** By contrast to this, various devils often show up in the DC Universe, most notably Neron, whose shtick is making Deal With The Devil type bargains with unwitting mortals. Demons seem to pop up far more often in the series then their heavenly counterparts, even though some (like Comicbook/{{Etrigan}}) aren't all bad. Comicbook/{{Lucifer}} even had his own ongoing title under the Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} imprint.
662** In ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', we're introduced to Lucifer Morningstar and several other powerful demons preside over Hell. While there are also angels and we're offered a glimpse of Heaven, God is only briefly mentioned in passing. There are many deities and spirits from various mythologies represented in the series, but the Abrahamic God never makes an appearance.
663** The climax of ''ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}'', a spinoff of ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' and therefore technically connected The DCU, ultimately did show God and what happened to him: [[spoiler: he ditched his creation millennia ago because he was unimpressed with how humanity was turning out. Lucifer ultimately has to convince God not to scrap the whole thing altogether.]]
664* EarthShatteringKaboom: The DC Universe has a species of giant space critters called Sun Eaters, who do just that.
665* EasilyConqueredWorld: Alien invasions Tuesday, underground monsters Thursday, and evil masterminds on Friday. If you're looking for an excuse to get off from work, you damn well better have lost your entire city, and even then, you're lucky.
666* EasyRoadToHell: In both the [[Franchise/TheDCU DC]] and [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel]] 'verses there have been examples of people getting sent to Hell with magic, rather than through any fault of their own. Granted, in most such cases they were able to get out later.
667* {{Elseworld}}: The TropeNamer. During the '90s and early '00s, DC's {{Elseworld}}s imprint showcased a great many "what if" tales that carried on the tradition of [[MediaNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] "imaginary stories"; the best-known was ''ComicBook/KingdomCome''. Since TheMultiverse was brought back, many of these have become full-fledged {{Alternate Universe}}s.
668* {{Flanderization}}: In 1983, Batman quit the ComicBook/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} and created a new team called the Outsiders after Superman said he would not lead the League in saving Lucius Fox from being a hostage in a far away country for diplomatic reasons, and this leads to a dynamic within the DC Multiverse wherein Batman would be portrayed as a maverick and Superman a boy scout. While they patched things up later that year, 1986's ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' (which took place in a possible future) made Batman the ultimate outlaw anti-hero, and Superman a tool for the UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan of every political cartoon of the '80s. In the revised DC Universe, DC ran with this dynamic of Superman and Batman being at odds for about a decade before it just kind-of ran out of steam, though the recent ''Batman/Superman'' title and other ComicBook/New52 material revisited it.
669* FlyingFirepower:
670** ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' villain Firefly is this, possessing a jetpack and an arsenal of incendiary weapons.
671** ''ComicBook/GlobalGuardians'': Fire, a Brazilian woman who has ''[[TechnicolorFire green]]'' WreathedInFlames and flies around. Later joined the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational, creating a solid career for herself.
672* GenerationalSaga, just modified in the Post-Crisis continuity:
673** The JSA characters, i.e. the first ComicBook/GreenLantern (Alan Scott) and ComicBook/TheFlash (Jay Garrick) being the first generation.
674** They were followed by the next generation of superheroes such as ComicBook/{{Superman}} ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/WonderWoman, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), The Flash (Barry Allen), ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, ComicBook/MartianManhunter, ComicBook/GreenArrow...
675** Followed in turn by the generation of their sidekicks: ComicBook/{{Robin}} (Dick Grayson), ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (Kara Zor-El), ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} (Barbara Gordon), ComicBook/WonderGirl (Donna Troy), Kid Flash (Wally West), Aqualad, Speedy, et cetera.
676* GreaterScopeVillain: A few beings qualify since the New 52 (and, in-universe, even before).
677** Darkseid, the first villain the Justice League faced, has been conquering the multiverse, and is responsible for the invasion [[spoiler: and subsequent destruction]] of Earth-2.
678** [[spoiler: [[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths The Anti-Monitor]]]], even more dangerous being, who made the Crime Syndicate to escape their world (Earth-3) and destroyed it. [[spoiler: He is going to kill Darkseid and is in league with his daughter]].
679** [[spoiler: Brainiac]], easily number #3 on this list, his true form as giant artificial entity, capturing cities from different timelines and universes before their destruction. Vril Dox Brainiac guy is just one of his pawns.
680** [[spoiler: Empty Hand]], sinister entity that led the Gentry to the invasion of the Multiverse. Currently, just decided to wait. Probably qualifies as THE Biggest Bad.
681* InNameOnly:
682** DC Comics created several characters during MediaNotes/{{the Golden Age|OfComicBooks}}, but by the end of WWII the interest in superheroes died down, and most titles (except Superman and Batman) were closed or moved to other genres. MediaNotes/{{The Silver Age|of Comic Books}} began with the relaunch of Flash... besides the name and the speed, Barry Allen had nothing in common with Jay Garrick. The same thing was done with ComicBook/GreenLantern, ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, and others. But the prize goes to ComicBook/TheAtom, who went from a rough-and-tumble boxer who was kinda short to a physicist who could shrink to subatomic size.\
683Though in this case, things were {{retcon}}ned twice. The first time, it had been revealed that the Golden Age characters lived on [[AlternateUniverse Earth-2]], while MediaNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}} characters lived on Earth-1.\
684The second time it was retconned to fit into the new continuity created by ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''. Alan Scott, for instance, was revealed to have received his power from the Starheart, an artifact created by the Guardians of the Universe (i.e., the same guys who made the ComicBook/GreenLantern rings), and Jay Garrick and Barry Allen were later revealed to both have received their power from the "speed force".
685** Since DC's business theory (such as it is) is about hanging onto trademarks as long as possible, they have a long history of reusing names in some odd fashion or another. Such as the 1940's superhero Johnny Thunder, the 1950's cowboy Johnny Thunder, and the 1980's noir detective Jonni Thunder. Or all those unrelated characters named ComicBook/{{Starman|DC Comics}}. This often leads to the point where a story tries to [[ArcWelding reconcile these different incarnations somehow]].
686* IntraFranchiseCrossover:
687** Of all {{Crisis Crossover}}s DC Comics had in its history, the most fitted to this trope is during ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', especially when ComicBook/{{Superman}} goes into the [[ComicBook/TheMultiversity Multiverse]] in ''Superman Beyond'' tie-in and meet a lot of his alter-egos in parallel universes, with a lot of known Supermen like the [[ComicBook/SupermanRedSon Red Son]], as well new versions of him, like Overman (a Nazi-Aryan Superman) and President Calvin Ellis (basically UsefulNotes/BarackObama as the Son of Krypton). All of them worked together to stop Darkseid and end the Crisis.
688** A first genesis of this was with ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', in which Superman met his Earth-2 and later Earth-Prime counterparts, which became a major part of the plot of its sequel ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''.
689** And going even more backward, all starts with ''[[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash Of Two Worlds]]'', in which Earth-1 Flash (Barry Allen) first encounters with Earth-2 Flash (Jay Garrick) after both discovered the existence of the other since Barry accidentally crossed the "vibration barrier" between [[AlternateUniverse dimensions]]. This was just the start of the CrisisCrossover events DC would have during all its history.
690* {{Irony}}: Superboy Prime was initially DC Comics' way of making fun of fanboys (a StrawFan). Recently the explanation for any inconsistencies in the DC Universe is that Superboy-Prime punched reality so hard that it ''[[CosmicRetcon changed history]]'' (seriously). So the one character they made to make fun of the stupidity of fanboys is now the answer to those same fanboys' questions about continuity problems. It's like giving the keys of a circus to a monkey.
691** Which seems to sum up RunningTheAsylum right there, whether or not that counts as irony.
692* {{Innocent Aliens}}: The alien races are benevolent with members being Earth’s heroes such as the Kryptonians and the Green Martians.
693* KilledOffForReal: Many DC characters that have died were thought to come back after ''ComicBook/BlackestNight''. While [[ComicBook/BrightestDay 12 random people were brought back to life]], many more stayed dead. Examples are [[ComicBook/IdentityCrisis2004 Sue Dibny]], [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers)]], ComicBook/TheQuestion [[ComicBook/FiftyTwo (Charles Victor Szasz)]], the ComicBook/ElongatedMan (Ralph Dibny), Eclipso (Jean Loring, that is - Eclipso itself is functionally immortal), the first two ComicBook/{{Blue Beetle}}s (Dan Garrett and Ted Kord), [[ComicBook/TheFlash Mirror Master I (Samuel Joseph Scudder)]], [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Doctor Mid-Nite I (Charles M. McNider), Sandman (Wesley Dodds), Mister Terrific I (Terry Sloane), Damage (Grant Emerson)]], [[MediaNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Kal-L (Earth 2)]], and many more not listed here. Many of those were brought back in the New 52 or ''Comicbook/DCRebirth'', however.
694** Kobra, a longtime BigBad in Franchise/TheDCU, ''seems'' to have been Killed Off For Real (having your heart ripped clean out of your chest by ComicBook/BlackAdam will do that). However, since his minions recently resurrected his brother (who was killed off waaaaaaay back in 1978) to become the new head of their ReligionOfEvil, all bets are off.
695** By virtue of them suffering a DeathByOriginStory, [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Thomas and Martha Wayne]] are the most conventional example. For over 15 real-time years, Jason Todd had this fate as well.
696* LeotardOfPower: Many powerful superheroes wear leotards as part of their superhero costumes.
697* MagicOrPsychic: Psychic abilities are given the same rules as science. Magic, on the other hand, bends the laws of science and can even be a broad weakness for sturdier characters, like Superman.
698* TheMultiverse: Franchise/TheDCU has a long tradition, recently revived, of having numerous alternate universes.
699** Pre-[[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths Crisis]], Earth-1 represented contemporary[=/=][[MediaNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] continuity whereas the alternate Earth-2 represented MediaNotes/{{the Golden Age|of Comic Books}} (with some minor {{retcon}}s to introduce more differences).
700** The main DCU is known as New Earth or Earth-0, due to the changes made to the timeline during ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis.
701** The Creator/{{Wildstorm}} universe has nominally been part of the DC Multiverse since the company was bought by DC, though crossovers are rare. With ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'', however, many Wildstorm characters have shown up as part of the main DCU.
702** ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' and ''Creator/TangentComics'' are perhaps the most famous of numerous works detailing specific {{Alternate Universe}}s.
703** Occasionally mention will be made of the [[Creator/VertigoComics Vertigo Universe]], but Vertigo's recurring characters (ComicBook/TheSandman1989, ComicBook/SwampThing, ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}, etc.) really take place in their own little corners of Franchise/TheDCU that [[ExiledFromContinuity no longer interact with the rest of the universe]] due to ExecutiveMeddling. Up until 2011, anyway, when they made a comeback.
704** ''We'' are ostensibly a part of the DC multiverse, Earth-Prime. Except between 1985 and 2005, when we didn't actually exist.
705** Since the New 52, the PrimeTimeline is known as Prime Earth (no confusion with the aforementioned Earth-Prime).
706* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: The aforementioned [[CityOfAdventure Cities Of Adventure]].
707* PlotArchaeology: TheDCU usually does this with certain events in its history, reviving old (and more than finished) issues and collections just for the event's sake. Some examples are seen in the ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' event where all the historical tiles of DC had one more number (i.e. if a collection finished on issue 405, the ''BN Special'' is the 406) and even some {{crossover}}s with actual characters as seen in events like ''ComicBook/ZeroHour'' and ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}''.
708** A major offender is ''ComicBook/BoosterGold''. Being a time traveller, Booster has had various numbers which were continuations of past events stories and ''still being part of them as tie-ins''. Some examples are in ''ComicBook/DCOneMillion'' and ''ComicBook/ZeroHour'', usually made even decades before these events finished and still count as part of their collections.
709* PresentDay: Mostly. TimeTravel is common, as are series set in TheWildWest, UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, or TheFuture.
710* PrimeTimeline: Prime Earth, though it was Earth-1 during the Golden Age and Earth-2 during the Silver Age. The older ones, and more besides, were collapsed, combined or otherwise done away with during the ''Crisis'' events.
711* PrivateProfitPrison: Most of the prisons seen are more managed by some of the BigBad of the company than the same government. Famous DC prisons like Belle Reve, Arkham Asylum and Iron Heights are usually managed by characters like ComicBook/AmandaWaller, [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Dr. Sivana]] or [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Hugo Strange]] for their own profit, business or plans instead of what their own govenment states on them.
712* RememberTheNewGuy: DC Comics had several heroes that were created in the 1970s and '80s, but were established as having been active during the '40s. Among them were Amazing-Man (chronologically, one of the earliest black superheroes) and Commander Steel, both of whom were established as having fought as part of the ComicBook/AllStarSquadron.
713* ResearchInc:
714** S.T.A.R. Labs (Scientific and Technological Advanced Research) is an independent group of research laboratories throughout the U.S. and across the world. It has a long history of coming up with high technology and new inventions, and has also regularly gotten involved in superheroic activities.
715** Project Cadmus was into genetic engineering; its abandoned laboratories are in some caverns near Metropolis.
716* RhymesOnADime: Mr. Bones, originally; it's been quietly disposed of since then.
717** This is also Etrigan's schtick.
718* SealedEvilInACan:
719** The PhantomZone is essentially an other-dimensional prison that holds numerous Kryptonian criminals. As such, there many stories where the prisoners escape and the heroes have to fight to throw them back into the Zone.
720** The Source Wall is a huge cosmic barrier between the Source (the source of power behind existence itself) and the rest of creation. The Wall is decorated with the bodies and visages of all of the would be conquerors who have sought to claim the power of the Source for themselves, imprisoning them for all eternity. The Wall is one of the more effective Cans in fiction and only three people have ever escaped it. One of them, Yuga Khan (the father of {{ComicBook/Darkseid}}), managed to summon just enough power to free himself from the Wall...only to get himself imprisoned in it again in another bid to obtain the Source, this time for good. The second one was Darkseid himself, and he needed the help of the one who imprisoned him in the first place (ComicBook/{{Superman}}) to do it. The third was Superman, who was trapped by Darkseid and required the help of every variation of Supergirl from the last twenty years to break free.
721*** Following the ComicBook/New52 reboot, the Source Wall has been strongly tied into the Green Lantern books, as the Source behind it powers their lanterns and rings. Former GL Kyle Rayner (now the White Lantern) made a trip beyond the wall to re-energize the Source, but he CameBackWrong and needed quite a bit of sorting out afterwards.
722*** Fun fact; the Source Wall is often used for LawyerFriendlyCameo's for Creator/MarvelComics characters, with Galactus and Dr. Doom among others being depicted as figures trapped on it.
723* SpaceTravelVeto:
724** The alien race known as the Daxamites hold this position. A xenophobic race by nature, Daxamites have traditionally avoided interaction with other space-faring races, but exceptions have been made, in order to secure the defense of their planet. To that end, they have forbidden space travel of any kind and shun any among them who break that cultural taboo.
725** Krypton had two different reasons for abandoning space travel. Pre-''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', it was because the scientist Jax-Ur had accidentally blown up a colony on the moon with an experimental rocket. Post-Crisis, the scientist Kem-L had used an alien device called the Eradicator to modify the DNA of every living Kryptonian, ensuring that they would die if they ever left Krypton.
726* {{Spiritual Antithesis}}:
727** The DC universe is like the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, due to both being long-running comic book continuities, but the way they do things is a lot different: DC reboots their main universe every few years to streamline continuity while Marvel keeps the same one with constant updates; DC heroes tend to be more clean-cut and heroic while the Marvel heroes tend to act within morally grey areas; DC places a larger emphasis on legacy and passings-of-the-torch while Marvel has more independent superheroes who grow up to stand alongside the last generation. While this might make it sound like Marvel is the DarkerAndEdgier to DC's LighterAndSofter, in reality, they both have moments of lighter and darker content. The main difference is that while Marvel works to make its world and characters feel realistic, DC emphasizes the relationship and history between heroes to drive its arcs.
728** Marvel like DC are the two longest comic book universes but the way they do things are different such as the DC heroes try not to commit morally questionable acts most of the time unless they have to while the Marvel heroes decide to commit morally questionable acts to save the ones they care about or the world. Most of the villains stay as straight-up bad guys most of the time while the villains in the DC universe try to change their ways and even become [[AntiHero anti-heroes]] at times.
729%%* ShoutOut
730%%* SuperHero: Of course.
731* TouchTheIntangible: Nth metal is a rare element which is able to interact with and harm incorporeal beings, such as ghosts. It's notable for being the material that ComicBook/{{Hawkman}} and Hawkgirl's maces are made from.
732%%* TwoFirstNames: Various civilian identities of their superheroes.
733* UnderwearOfPower: TropeMaker, really. (Although they are technically exercise trunks, not underwear.)
734** As of the 2011 reboot, this has been eliminated from the uniforms of the heroes that still wore them (Superman and Batman being the foremost examples). As of DC Rebirth, Superman got his undies back.
735* AVillainNamedKhan: The supervillain Manga Khan is an intergalactic trader with a gaseous body who wears a metal suit to give him his form. The suit makes him immune to harm as well as granting him tremendous strength.
736** Yuga Khan, Darkseid's father, is this.
737* WeaponizedBall: The villain Sportsmaster sometimes uses shot-puts and other balls as bludgeoning weapons, as well as using trick versions that explode.
738* WretchedHive: While New Earth as a whole is a much better place to live than [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Earth-616]], there are a lot of cities where it sucks to live. [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Gotham City]] is the most iconic, with its sister city Bludhaven being so bad that Gothamites look upon it with disdain. [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Star City]] has gone to hell following ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueCryForJustice'', as it had the misfortune of occurring so close to the ComicBook/BlackestNight. But the single worse place to live in the DCU is [[ComicBook/TheQuestion Hub City]].However you should be fine living anywhere else.
739* {{White and Grey Morality}}: The heroes like Superman are straight up good while the villains do have redeeming qualities and sympathetic backstories.

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