Help me understand Batman and DC's universe?

[ShaDynasty]

Alright so I don't understand the DC Universe at all. I was reading something about a "multiverse" that was then condensed in some "infinite crisis" or something like that. So if that whole thing could be explained, that would be great.

Could someone explain to me the whole "crisis" thing in general?

Where should I start reading Batman? And I mean the monthly stuff; I know to start with Year One, The Long Halloween, Hush, etc. etc. But where do I start with the monthly serials? As in the relaunched Batman, Batman & Robin, etc. Should I start with Morrison's stuff and just make my way forward to understand most of the modern Batman?

Oh, and, if it helps, I've only read issues 1 through 11 of the relaunched Batman. That's it. But I'd like to read the "big story" that's going on with Batman Inc. and whatnot.

So it'd be great if someone explained, in detail, all this stuff. Thanks.

 

[MasahikoTahara]

http://ultimatebatmancomicswebsite.weebly.com

Read ''Batman: History'' for information about the DC Multiverse and Infinite Crisis.

Also, take a look at the Batman timeline and the overview of Batman (and related) comic book series to get an idea where to start/what to read.

 

[ShaDynasty]

The timeline didn't really explain the multiverse and all that...like I don't understand what a "retcon" is and stuff like that.

 

[CConn]

Hah. Shadynasty.

Genius.

 

[ShaDynasty]

I was wondering who'd get the reference first haha

 

[CConn]

I'm not wearing this because it's comfortable, I'm wearing it to turn you on.

 

[ShaDynasty]

I choose drugs

 

[CConn]

S you in your A's Don't wear a C and J all over your B's .

 

[ShaDynasty]

Why are you just indiscriminately throwing meats and cheeses into your mouth?

I like to make the hogie in my mouth.

 

[CConn]

I want a maid.

A maid I can bang.

 

[ShaDynasty]

Does Charlie even know what a luau is? I doubt he even knows how to say the word luau.

 

[CConn]

No, no, the Spainards banged the Mayans and turned them into Mexicans.

 

[ShaDynasty]

Now that I trust your opinion above anyone else's in the world, can you explain to me the stuff I asked?

 

[Two-Face Killer]

Bruce is not banging any baby dudes

 

[CConn]

Now that I trust your opinion above anyone else's in the world, can you explain to me the stuff I asked?

Hah. Okay.

The Multiverse:

Essentially, the DC universe has 52 (at one time it was infinite) dimensions that are similar but different. So there are 52 different earths, with 52 different versions of Batman, Supernan, etc.

It was originally created to explain the continuity errors and inconsistencies caused by DC purchasing various smaller comic companies and integrating their characters into the DCU, as well as explaining continuity errors simply caused by early DC writers' laziness/lack of planning/whatever.

The Crisises:
Crisises are essentially just any time there is an issue that involves multiples of any of the dimensions.

Originally, they were just stories where the Earth-1 and Earth-2 characters would team up once a year, but in the mid-80s DC decided to "simplify" their continuity by uniting all of the infinite earths onto one. This, of course, just made everything even more confusing, as well as rendering decades of comics as no longer in continuity.

Then in 2005, DC decided to once again split the universe back into multiple dimensions, this time creating 52 earths in which all of the "out of continuity" stories take place. Like there's an Earth where Batman is a vampire, there's an Earth where Superman is a communist, etc.

Currently however, you don't have to worry about much of any of that however, as DC has pretty much totally rebooted the entirety of their continuity outside of Batman's history, and even that is tenuously held together at best.

Essentially, comic continuity is ******ed. I suggest ignoring it as much as possible and just appreciate the singular stories as you read them.

 

[VM1138]

I'm learning how nuts continuity is. I haven't read any of the rebooted stuff yet. I thought it was supposed to be a completely fresh start, but they left some of Batman's continuity intact? What sense does that make?

 

[CConn]

It doesn't.

 

[ShaDynasty]

Ah thank you CConn. That really clears things up.

So is Batman the only relaunched title with most of his continuity intact?

And is Marvel's universe similar?

 

[CConn]

Yeah, Batman's pretty much the only one with his continuity unchanged. And that's really only because he has so many legendary stories, everyone would be pissed off if they ever declared them null and void.

No, Marvel's continuity is quite a bit cleaner due to never having the integration of multiple universes and characters. They still have multiple dimensions and realities and stuff, but that's more just for individual stories. Of course, they still have "ret-cons" where they go back and rewrite and change continuity after the fact and mess things up that way.

 

[ShaDynasty]

Marvel's stuff seems so much more daunting...for example they have like six different Spider-Man series out right now and Peter Parker isn't even Spider-Man anymore...it doesn't make sense to me. It just seems hard to jump into Marvel; DC was fairly easy (mainly because I only read Batman).

Thanks for your info. And where should I go from here:

I just finished Year One and I'm borrowing The Long Halloween from a friend next week. Where should I go from there? I wanna read the "milestones" I guess, like Arkham Asylum, Hush, The Killing Joke/The Man Who Laughs, and stuff like that, and eventually jump onto Morrison's work with Batman and Son and catch up to where Batman Inc. is right now. But I'd rather get the really important stuff out of the way, so what should I look to read now?

 

[Anubis]

Parker is still Spider-Man. You must be talking about the black one. That's Ultimate Spider-Man. Alternate Universe. Parker's still swinging around. He's also a member of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, well, he was anyway. But Spider-Man sucks anyway.

The thing to remember about comic books, particularly characters that have multiple books, is that everything is not happening at the same time. In one book, Batman is fighting Two -Face, but in another he's fighting the Penguin. Each story, despite the fact that an average storyarc is like, six issues, can only take place over the course of a few hours to a few days. Which means while he's doing multiple things in multiple books, it's not all happening at once. Maybe this happened first, or this happened the weekend after that happened, etc.

Yeah, Batman's pretty much the only one with his continuity unchanged. And that's really only because he has so many legendary stories, everyone would be pissed off if they ever declared them null and void.

No, Marvel's continuity is quite a bit cleaner due to never having the integration of multiple universes and characters. They still have multiple dimensions and realities and stuff, but that's more just for individual stories. Of course, they still have "ret-cons" where they go back and rewrite and change continuity after the fact and mess things up that way.

Not to mention all those writers who don't read anything that happened before they took over a book and proceed to make up history, characters personality's and motivations as they go along.

I mean, it's not as effed up as DC's continuity is now (4 Robin's in 5 Years. Superman died and came back but it didn't happen the same way cuz Superboy didn't exist when that happened. ) but it's pretty damn effed up.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

If youre very new and just want something to read chronologically, you might check out the Batman Showcase (black and white/cheaper) or Batman Chronicles (full color/more expensive) volumes.

If nothing else they're good to look at on the toilet. Just go into it with the mindset that you'll never know EVERYTHING about Batman, and soon enough you'll know too much about him.

 

[CConn]

Not to mention all those writers who don't read anything that happened before they took over a book and proceed to make up history, characters personality's and motivations as they go along.

Which iscalled "Fractioning".

 

[ShaDynasty]

I thought Spider-Man is generally liked?

And in all honesty is DC better than Marvel?

 

[Lord]

I thought Spider-Man is generally liked?

And in all honesty is DC better than Marvel?

Good to hear

But in the end i think that Marvel has a more diverse franchise, while in the DC i can imagine any character being in the Justice League, for me Marvel has 4 different team franchises that i feel that can hold on their oun continuity:
Fantastic Four, the Avengers, Spider-Man and the X-Men