In DC Comics, the Multiverse is a continuity construct in which multiple fictional versions of the universe exist in the same space, separated from each other by their vibrational resonances. Each universe in this multiverse varies from the others, in either subtle or profound ways.
History
In particular, the Earth of each universe has a different set of superheroes, or the life histories of its superheroes are different from those of others'. In several cases, characters from other publishers acquired by DC—previously established with a fictional universe of their own—have been assigned their own alternate universe within the Multiverse. The universes are identified by referring to the alternate Earths, known as "Earth-One", "Earth-Two", "Earth-Three", "Earth-X", and so forth. The first such parallel world was introduced in 1961 in The Flash (1st series) #123, in the story "Flash of Two Worlds".
Crisis on Infinite Earths
The Multiverse was shown to be destroyed in the 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths by a villain known as the Anti-Monitor. One by one, the Anti-Monitor invaded each universe and destroyed it. The heroes of Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-Four, Earth-S, and Earth-X, along with survivors from at least two other universes, managed to hold off the destruction of these last five universes long enough to defeat the Anti-Monitor.
The five were merged into a single universe with its own history combining elements of the five, along with completely new elements. For example, there was a Flash named Jay Garrick in the JSA during the 1940s, and another Flash named Barry Allen in the JLA later. But Superman had a completely new history, different from the Superman of Earth-One or Earth-Two.
Several characters famous from pre-Crisis works (most importantly the Kara Zor-El Supergirl and Barry Allen Flash) were killed during Crisis, and, as a result were either erased from history (in Supergirl's case) or simply proclaimed dead in the new, singular universe.
Post-Crisis
Some fans refused to accept that the Multiverse no longer "existed" after Crisis, and posited that the "Post-Crisis" DC Universe was merely another alternate universe within the Multiverse, sometimes dubbed "Earth-PC" or "Earth-Sigma" (the mathematical "summation" symbol), Earth-2, or Clutter-Earth (a derogatory reference) after the events of Zero Hour.
A story in Animal Man by Grant Morrison referred to the Multiverse, with its effects coming undone as comicbooks, along with characters who no longer or never had existed, emerging from the Psycho-Pirate’s mask inside Arkham Asylum.
Elseworlds
Although DC maintained that the other Earths no longer existed (and had never existed), during the 1990s they published occasional one-shots and mini-series labeled "Elseworlds", featuring alternate versions of their characters that would have been consistent with the concept of the Multiverse. DC officially classified these as stories that perhaps "could have" happened, but had not occurred. They maintained that there was only one canonical Earth in the DC Universe. Some one-shots and limited series without the "Elseworlds" label, such as Stan Lee's reimagining of DC heroes and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, also diverged from established continuity.
Hypertime
In 1999, DC introduced Hypertime, which provided a conceptual framework to recognize both canonical and apocryphal stories. It was arguably a superset of the Multiverse, including not only the whole range of pre-Crisis stories set on alternate Earths, but any story set in any continuity. Hypertime was first referred to in The Kingdom, in which an image of what appeared to be the original Earth-Two Superman was shown, suggesting that the Multiverse did in fact still exist in Hypertime. However, the concept has been subsequently used only a few times (most notably in two story-arcs in the pages of The Flash and Superboy), and according to Dan DiDio, Executive VP of DC comics, Hypertime is no longer considered to be canon.
Infinite Crisis
Template:Spoiler In 2005, DC began Infinite Crisis, a DC-Universe-wide crossover and sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths. Stories leading up to the main limited series of seven issues contained scattered references and hints to the Multiverse (including the possibility that it could live again), including the character Donna Troy returning from the dead and remembering her varied origins on the various Earths and the revelation that the evil Dark Angel had been her counterpart from Earth-Seven, and a storyline involving Captain Atom in the WildStorm Universe. In the Infinite Crisis series itself, the Superman and Lois Lane of Earth-Two, Superboy of Earth-Prime, and Alexander Luthor Jr. of Earth-Three - all survivors of the Multiverse - reappeared, and the former existence of the Multiverse was explicitly acknowledged. Earth-Two as well as all other Earths were re-created in issue #4. Former Earth-Two characters were transported there as well as removing all locations and continuity from the post-Crisis Earth. In addition to this, worlds previously described only as Imaginary Stories or Elseworlds are revealed to in fact be universes within the Multiverse, as shown by the presence of Superman Red and Superman Blue from the Golden Age imaginary story, Superman Jr. and Batman Jr. from World's Finest stories of the 1970s, the Superman from the Elseworlds story Superman: Red Son, and the brief showing of an unnamed world with the "Superman Family", and Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman in Aztec garb.
Eventually, Luthor's plan was circumvented when his equipment was destroyed by Superboy (Kon-El aka Conner Kent), resulting in all earths merging into a new Earth. The effects of this transformation will be shown during the series 52 along with One Year Later.
Catalogued Earths
Traditionally, the "numbered" Earths were spelled out as words rather than with numerals - e.g. "Earth-Two" not "Earth-2" - in part to avoid confusion between similar looking numerals and letters in hand-lettered text. This convention was disregarded in Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it became somewhat common to refer to the various Earths with numerals instead. However Infinite Crisis reverted to the original use of words. This is partly because Earths with numeral designations are part of the Marvel multiverse as well, and using the words instead of the numerals helps keep the two multiverses separate.
| Designation | Era | Inhabitants | Notes | First Stated Appearance or Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth-Zero | Post-Zero Hour | All residents of the reconstituted Earth formed following Crisis on Infinite Earths. | Proposed name for the post-Crisis DCU after a somewhat definitive timeline was established. | Zero Hour #0, 1994 |
| Earth-One | Pre-Crisis | DC's Silver Age heroes, including the original Justice League of America: police scientist Barry Allen as The Flash; Hal Jordan as Green Lantern; Thanagarian Katar Hol as Hawkman; and scientist Ray Palmer as the Atom. | The default Earth for most of DC's comics during the prolific Multiverse era, Earth-One was by far the most "populous" and greatly explored, and it retained dominance over the other four worlds which were merged in the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline. The DC Universe's "official" continuity post-Crisis took place on a "merged" Earth-One, as the Crisis indicated this universe was the core existence until rogue Guardian Krona fractured reality at the dawn of creation, creating both the multiverse and the anti-matter universe. | More Fun Comics #101, 1945 (original); Flash #123, 1961 (named) |
| Earth-Two | Pre-Crisis | DC's Golden Age heroes, including the Justice Society of America, whose careers began at the dawn of World War II (concurrent with their first appearances in comics): chemistry student Jay Garrick as the Flash; engineer Alan Scott as Green Lantern; archaeologist Carter Hall as Hawkman; and pint-sized powerhouse Al Pratt as the Atom. | Politically, Earth-Two was distinctly different from the Earth-One template modeled after Earth-Prime. For example, Quebec was an independent nation autonomous from Canada, South Africa had abolished apartheid sooner, and the Atlantean countries of Poseidonis and Tritonus were ruled by a queen, not a king (along with its inhabitants displaying surface dweller features and no capacity for underwater survival, as the Atlantis continent had been raised). | New Fun Comics #6, 1935 (original); Flash #123, 1961 (named) |
| Earth-Three | Pre-Crisis | Crime Syndicate of America, evil versions of the Earth-One heroes: Ultraman; Superwoman; Owlman; Power Ring; Johnny Quick; Alexander Luthor; and briefly, Alexander Luthor, Jr.. | History was "backwards": American Christopher Columbus discovered Europe; Britain won its freedom from the United States; President John Wilkes Booth was assassinated by actor Abraham Lincoln; and the United States flag's colors were reversed: black stars on a red field,with alternating blue and black stripes. | Justice League of America #29, Aug. 1964 |
| Earth-Four | Crisis on Infinite Earths | The former Charlton Comics heroes: Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, Nightshade, Peacemaker, The Question, Peter Cannon (Thunderbolt), and Judomaster. | This Earth was introduced at the beginning of Crisis and gone less than a year later. | Yellowjacket #1, 1944 (retcon) / Crisis on Infinite Earths #1, Apr. 1985 (actual) |
| Earth-Six | Crisis on Infinite Earths | Lady Quark, Lord Volt, and their daughter Princess Fern. | Apparently Ruled by a royal family of superheroes (Lord Volt is referred to as the king, and he mentions his family's reign over Earth). On this Earth, America lost the Revolutionary War. Given its appearance, technology seems to have progressed faster on this world as well. It was destroyed in the 'Crisis', with only Lady Quark surviving. | Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, June 1985 |
| Earth-Seven | Infinite Crisis | Dark Angel, an evil analog of Donna Troy | The Anti-Monitor saved Dark Angel, just as the Monitor had saved her counterpart Harbinger. The only known survivor of Earth-Seven, she escaped the compression of Crisis on Infinite Earths to torment Donna Troy across several lifetimes, possibly using Hypertime. | DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #4, 2005 |
| Earth-Eight | Infinite Crisis | Earth-Eight would have been the home of Breach (Tim Zanetti), Kyle Rayner (Ion), Helena Bertinelli (Huntress), and Jason Rusch (Firestorm) had the multiverse not been destroyed in the Crisis. | While fans may speculate as to which other characters might have lived on the previously unseen Earth-Eight, Infinite Crisis writer Geoff Johns mentioned in an interview that only "all characters created after Crisis on Infinite Earths are inhabitants of Earth-Eight". (Reference: Wizard Magazine #174). | Infinite Crisis #5, 2006 |
| Earth-Twelve | Pre-Crisis | The Inferior Five: Awkwardman, Blimp, Dumb Bunny, Merryman, and White Feather. | This Earth may have been home to other comedic superheroes published by DC. Additionally, references within the series pointed to versions of Justice League members having existed in that universe. | Showcase Comics #62, 1966 (original) Oz-Wonderland War #3, 1985 (canonical) |
| Earth-Fourteen | Post-Crisis (Incident at Arkham) | Purple butterflies | No other significance. | Animal Man #24, 1990 |
| Earth-Seventeen | Post-Crisis (Incident at Arkham) | Overman | Also the world where all pre-Crisis non-Kirby Fourth World tales took place according to The Kingdom #2. | Animal Man #23, 1990 |
| Earth-96 | Elseworlds | Older versions of the Post-Crisis Earth heroes. | A future timeline, in which Superman has been retired for 10 years, following events which severed his ties to humanity. In order to deal with a new, often lawless generation of heroes, Superman reforms the Justice League, a gathering of power which concerns a non-powered group of humans led by Lex Luthor. Until the Infinite Crisis, the Post-Crisis Earth was progressing toward the Kingdom Come timeline. | Kingdom Come #1, 1996 (original); Absolute Crisis on Infinite Earths, 2006 (canonical) |
| Earth-97 | Elseworlds | "Tangent Comics" characters, including the Joker, an athletic female crimefighter; and the Atom, a super-strong hero manipulated by the government. | The Tangent characters were radically re-envisioned solely on the basis of the existing DC trademark. | Infinite Crisis #6, 2006 |
| Earth-154 | Pre-Crisis | Superman Jr. (Clark Kent Jr.) and Batman Jr. (Bruce Wayne Jr.), the Super-Sons, younger versions of their superhero fathers. | The sons of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, and Bruce Wayne and Kathy Kane try to live up to or surpass their father's legacies, but usually end up arguing or causing trouble. Their final appearance in World's Finest (#263) claimed the Super-Sons stories were merely computer simulations. The Super-Sons also appeared in the Elseworlds 80-Page Giant, 1999. | World's Finest Comics #154, Dec. 1973 (original); Infinite Crisis #5, 2006 (named) |
| Earth-247 | Post-Zero Hour | The post-Zero Hour version of the Legion of Super-Heroes | This 30th-31st century Legion was composed of, among others, Valor, a 20th-century hero from the post-Crisis Earth. These heroes interacted regularly with the heroes of the 20th-21st Century post-Zero Hour Earth, and their Earth was believed to be the genuine future of that Earth. In this version, the Legionnaires had updated, modern names like "Live Wire," instead of "Lightning Lad." This alternate timeline was undone with the combined might of the 100 sets of alternate-universe Fatal Five counterparts and Superboy-Prime's time tantrums. | Legion of Super-Heroes #0 (original); Infinite Crisis #6, 2006 (named) |
| Earth-462 | Infinite Crisis | Depicted: Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, Robin, Green Arrow, Per Degaton, Baron Blitzkrieg, Captain Nazi | Apparently a Golden Age planet still locked in World War II. In very obscure cameos, Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl appear to be Cathy Lee Crosby (who filmed a Wonder Woman pilot movie) and Debra Winger (who appeared as Wonder Girl on the 1970s television series). | Infinite Crisis #6, 2006 |
| Earth-898 | Infinite Crisis | Western heroes. Depicted: Jonah Hex, Bat Lash, Scalphunter, El Diablo, Nighthawk, and Cinnamon I. | Infinite Crisis #6, 2006 | |
| Earth-A | Pre-Crisis | The Lawless League: alternate, evil versions of Superman, Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and the Martian Manhunter. | Johnny Thunder's evil Earth-One counterpart created Earth-A when he used Johnny’s Thunderbolt to alter the origins of the Justice League, replacing them with his own henchman, whom he granted powers and skills identical to the Justice League's. "A" stood for "alternate", since it was an alternate timeline of Earth-One. | Justice League of America #37, Aug. 1965 |
| Earth-C | Pre-Crisis | Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew: Captain Carrot, Alley-Kat-Abra, Fastback, Little Cheese, Pig-Iron, Rubberduck, and Yankee Poodle. | This world is populated with anthropomorphic animals, who appear as comicbook characters on Earth-One. | New Teen Titans #16, Feb. 1982 |
| Earth-C-Minus | Pre-Crisis | Justa Lotta Animals: Super-Squirrel, Wonder Wabbit, the Batmouse, Green Lambkin, Aquaduck, and the Crash. | This Earth (like Earth-C) is populated by anthropomorphic animals. Events and characters on this world paralleled those of Earth-One; additionally, events and characters on Earth-C-Minus were considered fictonal on Earth-C (with Captain Carrot's alter-ego employed as the cartoonist of the Justa Lotta Animals comic book), in the vein of Earth-One heroes’ only appearing as comic book characters on Earths-Prime and -Two. | Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #14, 1983 |
| Earth-D | Pre-Crisis | Justice Alliance of America. | Earth-D featured a more ethnically diverse version of several Earth-One heroes, with no major tragedies in the heroes' lives (not counting the Crisis, of course). As such it was a combination of modern multi-cultural sensibilities combined with Silver-Age-style innocence, rumored to be what writer Marv Wolfman would have liked the DC Universe to be post-Crisis. | Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Feb. 1999 |
| Earth-K | Pre-Crisis | Kamandi | Alternate future timeline of Earth-One. | Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #1, Nov. 1972 |
| Earth-O | Infinite Crisis | Bizarros | Similar to the Bizarro World "Htrae" in the Earth-One universe. | Infinite Crisis #6, 2006 |
| Earth-S | Pre-Crisis | Shazam, Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel, Jr., Bulletman, Bulletgirl, Mister Scarlet and Pinky, Minute-Man , Ibis the Invincible, Spy Smasher, Commando Yank, Isis. | Fawcett Comics publications of the 1940's and 1950's took place on this planet, with its predominant heroic teams being the Marvel Family, the Crime Crusader Club and the Squadron of Justice; while the main team of supervillians were the Monster Society of Evil. | Whiz Comics #2, Feb. 1940 (original) / Shazam! #1, 1973 (named) |
| Earth-X | Pre-Crisis | Freedom Fighters (retconned to have migrated from Earth-Two): Uncle Sam, the Human Bomb, Miss America, The Ray, Black Condor, Doll Man, Phantom Lady, Firebrand. | On this world, Nazi Germany won World War II, and the Freedom Fighters - originally from Earth-Two - fought to defeat them. Most Quality Comics publications chronicled adventures from this earth. | Justice League of America #137, 1974 |
| The Fourth World | Pre- & Post-Crisis | Darkseid, Orion, Mister Miracle, Big Barda. | The Fourth World is a universe outside of the regular DC multiverse. Its two main worlds, New Genesis and Apokolips, are mirror reflections of each other: New Genesis, the bright, glorious home of the New Gods, Apokolips, the fiery, horrific home of the evil warlord Darkseid and his minions. Inhabitants of these worlds have been frequent visitors to Earth-One and Post-Crisis Earth, but it has been shown that they could venture into any number of alternate worlds. The Fourth World was not affected by the Crisis on Infinite Earths. | Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 |
| Earth-Prime | Pre-Crisis | Ultraa, Superboy-Prime, and DC editor Julius Schwartz. | Supposedly "our" world, Earth-Prime had few or no superheroes. The superheroes of Earths-One, -Two, -S, etc. existed only in fiction. | Flash #179, 1968 |
| Earth Post-Crisis | Post-Zero Hour | All residents of the reconstituted Earth formed following Crisis on Infinite Earths, denoted as Earth-2 by the Lex Luthor of Earth-1 from the Anti-Matter Universe.[citation needed] | This universe has various derivations explained as manifestations of Hypertime and influenced by the actions of Superboy-Prime. This world blends elements of multiple universes existing prior to the Crisis, and ended during the Infinite Crisis.[citation needed] | JLA:Earth-2, 1998 |
| New Earth | Post-Infinite Crisis | Uncertain | After the destruction of Alexander Luthor's multiverse tower in the Infinite Crisis, the parallel earths that had been created collapsed into one Earth, tentatively named "New Earth." | Infinite Crisis #6, 2006 |
| Earth-Qward | Pre- & Post-Crisis | Pre-Crisis: Anti-Monitor, Weaponers of Qward, the Thunderers. Post-Crisis, home to Crime Syndicate of America: Ultraman, Superwoman, Owlman, Power Ring, and Johnny Quick. Justice Underground: Alexander Luthor, Sir Solomon Grundy, General Grodd, Q-Ranger, Lady Sonar, Star Sapphire, and the Quizmaster. | Qward's universe has been described as a "universe of evil". Qwardian society seems to be dominated by a philosophy of selfishness and greed. This could be the effects of millennia of inescapable rule by the tyrannical Weaponers. A post-Crisis anti-matter Earth with a Crime Syndicate whose motto is "Cui Bono?" ("Who profits?"). Originally, this world was referred to as "Earth-One" while the world of the JLA was called "Earth-Two", since the naming was done by an inhabitant of the Crime Syndicate's Earth. Subsequent appearances reversed the naming convention and also established that Earth-Two exists in the same universe as Qward. | Green Lantern #2, 1960 |
| Pocket Universe Earth | Post-Crisis | The first post-Crisis versions of Superboy, the Phantom Zone residents General Zod, Quex-Ul, and Faora Hu-Ul, and Supergirl (Matrix). This Earth also had versions of Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, Lex Luthor, Lana Lang, and Jonathan and Mary Kent. | It was an artificial world created by the Time Trapper, a longtime foe of the Legion of Super-Heroes, to act as the source of the legendary (but now fictitious) Superboy whose legends inspired the Legion. This Earth was rendered lifeless by three superpowered villains. It was not seen again until the last Legion story arc prior to Zero Hour, and it may have been removed from continuity at the end of that event. | Superman #8, 1987 |
| Earth-Dakota | Post-Zero Hour | Icon, Static, Hardware and Blood Syndicate | In 1993, word of a Big Bang gang war on Paris Island resulted in Mayor Jefferson ordering enforcement officials to spray every gang member present with an experimental tear gas laced with a radioactive marker that would allow the police to track the participants down later. Survivors became the known as "bang babies" given mutagenic abilities. | Icon #1, 1993 (original); Worlds Collide #1, 1994 (canonical) |
| Wildstorm Earth | Post-Zero Hour | The Authority, this universe is currently being visited by Captain Atom. | See article Wildstorm for information relating towards this universe. | WildC.A.T.s #1, 1992 (original); Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth #1, 2003 (canonical) |
| Earth-616 (Marvel) | Pre- & Post-Crisis | Marvel Comics characters. | Marvel and DC are unofficially part of a larger multiverse. Interestingly enough, Marvel's numbering doesn't overlap DC's numbering. In Infinite Crisis #6, Alexander Luthor combined Earth-154 with Earth-462, which presumably created an Earth numbered 616. | Indeterminant; possibly Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1, 1939. |
Other Earths
Various other Earths were arguably depicted in DC's substantial publishing output during the period in which the Multiverse was in effect. Some Earths have been posited to explain (for example) the Super Friends (based on the TV series). On yet another conjectured Earth-Crossover, the Silver Age DC Comics heroes lived side-by-side with the Silver Age Marvel Comics heroes, and it is on this alternate Earth where various team-ups and battles between the two publishers' heroes have occurred over the years. Some of these could instead be categorized using the "imaginary story" identifier which DC occasionally applied to stories they didn't wish to be considered part of continuity, especially before the invention of the Multiverse.
The Earth that Pariah comes from was never officially named; it is often dubbed "Earth-Omega" by fans, as it was the site of the "beginning of the end" (i.e, the Crisis On Infinite Earths).
Contact between universes
Most inhabitants of the Multiverse are completely unaware of the other universes. The first character recorded to cross the gap between them was Uncle Sam of Earth-Two, who accidentally crossed over into Earth-X. Barry Allen, the Flash of Earth-One became the first recorded individual during the Silver Age to visit another Earth, accidentally vibrating at just the right speed to appear on Earth-Two, where he met Jay Garrick, his Earth-Two counterpart.
Other characters with super-speed powers have been able to duplicate the trick, but it has not been done routinely. Magic and technological devices have done the job as well. The Justice League of America's "transmatter" device (ordinarily used to transport between their satellite headquarters and the ground), was pressed into service for annual events in which the League and some of their counterparts on other Earths faced a universe-crossing "crisis" of one sort or another.
Writers have occasionally put characters from different Earths together in the same story without explanation, a continuity error often cited as a reason for eliminating the Multiverse in Crisis on Infinite Earths or as an extension of "Earth-B". Cited by DC staff as the setting for team-up stories told in The Brave and the Bold which did not always conform to established continuity for Earth-One (or any other established Earth). For instance, one such story featured Catwoman committing murder, which neither the Earth-One nor Earth-Two versions would ever do as it was strictly against either character's moral code.
Earth-616, Marvel's main universe, is typically acknowledged as being part of a different multiverse entirely; in the JLA/Avengers crossover, even after the barriers between Earth-616 and "Earth-Sigma" had been deliberately weakened, it was incredibly hard to make the voyage.
Representations in other media
The concept of the multiverse has been parodied in some episodes of Futurama. In one episode, Fry and the Planet Express crew travel to the edge of the universe, where there is a small wall and a pair of coin-operated binoculars. Looking across the void, they see another Planet Express crew, dressed in cowboy outfits, looking back. When Fry asks about the possibility of infinite universes, Professor Farnsworth answers, "No, just the two."
In another episode ("The Farnsworth Paradox"), which ignores the revelation of the aforementioned one, Professor Farnsworth creates an alternate universe inside a cardboard box, while at the same time, in that alternate universe, alternate-Professor Farnsworth creates our universe in a similar cardboard box. When the characters of the two universes meet, they begin to parody many common sci-fi multiverse conventions:
- Naming of universes was parodied when the "original" Professor Farnsworth suggests referring to his universe as "Universe 1" and the other as "Universe 2." Offended by the notion of being considered a second-class universe, the alternate Planet Express crew decides that their universe should be referred to as "Universe A."
- Universe 1 Professor states the "fact" that, if an alternate universe exists, it's full of nothing but evil clones (consistent with the cliché of alternate universes frequently only shown as being an all-evil exact "opposite" to the "real" one, akin to Star Trek's "mirror universe"). The Professor of Universe A protests, saying that Universe 1 is the evil universe.
- Besides a few differences in key colors (such as a red-haired Leela and a multi-colored sky), the two universes are exactly the same except for one thing: all coin tosses made in Universe A have the opposite outcome in Universe 1. Later in the episode, multiple boxes containing different universes are created, including a universe with a 1970s motif, and a universe populated by bobble-headed dolls.
Likewise, Bongo Comics has published a Simpsons/Futurama crossover titled "Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis", referring to Crisis on Infinite Earths and Marvel Comics' Secret Wars. Numerous conventions of DC's multiverse are parodied, including the practice of having one universe's characters appearing as fictional comic book characters in another. Futurama's Fry is quite fond of Simpsons comics.
The DC animated universe (or DCAU) has its own Multiverse; several characters from the main DCAU have visited parallel universes:
- In Superman: The Animated Series episode "Brave New Metropolis", Lois Lane fall into a parallel Earth where Superman and Lex Luthor have taken over Metropolis, turning it into a fascist police-state.
- In Justice League episode "Legends", several members of the League were accidentally sent to a parallel universe where John Stewart's idols, the Justice Guild of America, lives. From Tom Turbine's dialogue, he has hypothesized that there are an infinite number of parallel dimensions.
- In the episode "A Better World", the Justice League were held captive by the Justice Lords, from a parallel universe.
- In the Justice League Unlimited episode "Question Authority", the Huntress is surfing through Cadmus's files on a computer, one of the files is titled Multiverse.