Welcome to Hawkman Valley

Welcome to Hawkman Valley, the home of more DC Comics information than I should ever be allowed to know. This site includes continuity, timelines, retcons, Earth-2, super-heroes (featuring many female super-heroes), first-appearances, costume changes, issue covers, commentary, and other information from the Golden-Age through today. Stuff that I like reading and learning about. All arranged in a real-world chronological order that makes sense to me. Hopefully it will make sense to you as well! Enjoy!

Chronological list of Earths and Crises

Chronological list of Earths and Crises - Which Earth Came When

• 1938-1950 Earth-Two
• 1956-1970 Earth-One
• 1970-1985 Earth-One / Earth-Two
• 1984 Crisis on Infinite Earths
• 1986-2011 New Earth
• 1994 Zero Hour
• 2005 DC Countdown / Infinite Crisis
• 2006 “52” and "One Year Later"
• 2007 Countdown / Final Crisis
• 2011 Flashpoint
• 2011-2015 “New-52” Prime Earth (Earth 0, Earth 1, Earth 2, etc.)
• 2015 Convergence
• 2015-Now “DC-YOU” and "Rebirth"

Click here for Chapter-1 Golden Age 1938-1956

Chapter 1 The Golden Age (1938-1956) Featuring Earth-Two

Click here for a Chronological list of earths and crises

In 1938 there were no continuity problems or alternate universes. There were just stories. Eventually characters would begin to work together in teams, crossing over between one comic book to another. Most of this Golden-Age DC Universe activity took place on a world that we would later call Earth-Two. Why not just call it Earth-One? You will find that out in Chapter 2 when we take a look at the Silver Age.

1938 to 1950 Golden Age

1938 Kal-L/Clark Kent (Superman) first appeared. Most people consider Action Comics #1 the foundation of DC Comics. Superman was not necessarily the embodiment of morality and virtue at that point. His motives were sound, but sometimes his methods were a bit rough.  -Action Comics vol. 1 #1

Lois Lane first appearance –Action Comics vol. 1 #1

1939 Clark Kent gets a job. -Superman vol. 1 #1

1939 Bruce Wayne (the Bat-Man) appeared. From the start his goal was catching crooks and thieves. His primary tool was fear and intimidation. -Detective Comics vol. 1 #27

Introduced in 1930’s: Doctor Occult, Clark Kent (Superman), Zatara, Lee Travis (Crimson Avenger), Bruce Wayne (Batman), Wesley Dodds (The Sandman)

1940 Dick Grayson (Robin - the Boy Wonder) -Detective Comics vol. 1 #38

1940 A story called “The Cat” features the first appearance of Batman’s jewel-thief/love-interest Selena Kyle (Catwoman). -Batman vol. 1 #1

Batman is smitten with her and in spite of Robin's protests, he deliberately lets her escape.

1940 “The Cat” changes her name to “The Cat-Woman”. -Batman vol. 1 #2

1940 “The Cat-Woman” dons a cat-head costume. -Batman vol. 1 #3

1940 Superboy was originally Kal El/Clark Kent (Superman) as a boy. Issues #197-221 of Superboy were titled “Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes” -Superboy vol. 1 #1-221

1940 First appearance of the the Justice Society of America and as a result of the JSA, we now have one big “DC Universe” filled with heroes and villains. –All-Star Comics vol. 1 #3 The JSA was featured in All-Star Comics until issue 74 (1978)

All Star Comics was the first time multiple super-heroes were shown living all in the same world. They were even all on the same team. Actually this was several years before the DC/National Comics/All-American Comics all merged into one company. It is interesting that although Superman and Batman were involved in the formation of the JSA, they were hardly ever shown in action with the group. This was due to the desire of DC to feature some of the lesser-known characters. 

Carter Hall became Hawkman in 1940. He met Shiera at that time. However, Shiera did not take the role of Hawkgirl until 1941. She is the reincarnation of Egyptian Princess Chay-ara. several years later she became a member of the JSA. Shiera was always "Hawkgirl" and never called herself "Hawkwoman". –All-Star Comics vol. 1 #5

1941 Princess Diana of Paradise Island/Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) looks like a pin-up girl, but she is actually a super hero!-Sensation Comics vol. 1 #1

1941 Terry Sloane (Mr. Terrific I). His chest emblem says, "Fair Play". –Sensation Comics vol. 1 #1

1941 Former Heavyweight Champ Ted Grant (Wildcat) likes to use his fists -Sensation Comics vol. 1 #1

(Later, Ted’s goddaughter Yolanda Montez becomes Wildcat II.) - Crisis on Infinite Earths1941

Princess Diana of Paradise Island/Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) –All-Star Comics vol. 1 #8

1942 Catwoman as seen in Batman vol. 1 #10.

1943 Lois Lane has several appearances as "Superwoman" Action Comics vol. 1 #60

1946 to 1956 - The Interregnum - many Heroic comics are sidelined

After WWII readers were looking for tales of adventure, mystery, and cowboys, not Super Heroes. Over the next few years nearly all the Super Hero titles were cancelled or replaced - except for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman and their supporting cast. Some fans mark the beginning of this period of super-hero decline in 1946 and others say it begun in 1952.

More Fun Comics switched from Superboy, Aquaman and Green Arrow to become a humor comic in 1946. –More Fun Comics vol. 1 #112 shown.

1947 Golden Age Diana Drake (Black Canary I) She will eventually marry Detective Lance and change her name to Diana Lance. -Flash Comics vol. 1 #86

1947 Molly Mayne (Harlequin) first appearance -All American Comics vol. 1 #89

1947 Paula Brooks is “Huntress I”. She is later retconned to “Tigress”. -Sensation Comics vol. 1 #68

1947 Selena Kyle (Catwoman) gets a new costume. -Batman vol. 1 #35

1947 Lois Lane dreams she is Superwoman –Superman vol. 1 #45

1947 Selena Kyle (Catwoman) uses her Cat-O-Nine-Tails. -Batman vol. 1 #39

1949 Lucy of Borgonia/Lucy Regent is “Supergirl” until she goes home. –Superboy vol. 1 #5

Introduced in 1940’s: Jay Garrick (Flash), Carter Hall (Hawkman), Johnny Thunder, Jim Corrigan (Spectre), Rex Tyler (Hourman), Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Richard Grayson (Robin), Kent Nelson & Nabu (Doctor Fate), Alan Scott (Green Lantern), Al Pratt (Atom), Ma Hunkel (Red Tornado), Ted Knight (Starman), Charles McNider (Doctor Mid-Nite), Sargon the Sorcerer, Tex Thompson (Americommando), Johnny Chambers (Johnny Quick), Aquaman, Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), Speedy, Sandy the Golden Boy, Diana Prince (Wonder Woman), Wildcat, Terry Sloane (Mister Terrific, Air Wave, Robert Crane (Robotman), Clark Kent (Superboy), Dinah Drake Lance (Black Canary)

1950 The Secret Life of Catwoman. -Batman vol. 1 #62

1951 Lois Lane becomes “SuperWoman” (temporarily) on several Golden-Age occasions.

1951 Wonder Woman vs the Secret Wonder Woman -Wonder Woman vol. 1 #48

1952 Selena Kyle (Catwoman) reforms her ways -Batman vol. 1 #69

1952 First mention of a parallel Earth.

All-Star Comics featuring the Justice Society of America was cancelled in March 1952 –All-Star Comics vol. 1 #57 and it was replaced with All-Star Western – All-Star Western vol. 1 #58

1953 Lana Lang (Sky-Girl) has super powers –Adventure Comics vol. 1 #189

1954 The Golden Age begins to wind down with the advent of the Comics Code Authority (CCA), which changed the tone of comics to happy, safe, and silly.

1954 Selena Kyle (Catwoman) goes AWOL, possibly due to CCA censorship.

1955 Miss Doom! –House of Mystery vol. 1 #34

Click here for Chapter 2

Chapter 2 The Silver Age (1956-1970) Featuring Earth-One

Click here for Chapter 1

Earth-One was the home of happy and safe Silver Age heroes who operated under the watchful eye of the CCA. In 1956 no-one thought of it as "Earth-One". It was just a reboot or a fresh start. However, over time there were many problems with the continuity that kept cropping up. - beginning with the very first Silver Age Hero, Flash. 

1956 Barry Allen (Flash II) makes his first appearance in Showcase #4

Silver-Age Barry Allen (Flash II). Golden Age Jay Garrick (Flash I). –Showcase vol. 1 #4 

Showcase #4 introduced Barry Allen, (Flash II), and it also referred to Jay Garrick (Flash I) as being just a comic book character within the comic. The new Flash issued in the Silver Age, and triggered the re-imagining of many Super Heroes. Referencing the Golden Age Flash I as a comic book character inplied that all Golden Age heroes also existed in the comics.

Aug 1956 Wonder Woman vs Robot Woman -Wonder Woman vol. 1 #84

1956 Katherine Kane (Batwoman) –Detective Comics vol. 1 #233

1957 Lois Lane has super powers temporarily “The Forbidden Box from Krypton” -Showcase vol. 1 #10

1958 Lana Lang gets powers and becomes “Power Girl” temporarily.

1958-1994 The pre-Zero Hour Original “Legion of Super-Heroes” was from the 31^st Century, and they were inspired by watching Superboy. Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Boy + later (1959) adding Chameleon Boy, Invisible Kid, Colossal Boy, Star Boy, Brainiac 5, Triplicate Girl, Shrinking Violet, Sun Boy, Bouncing Boy, Phantom Girl, and Ultra Boy plus Supergirl. Keep your thumb here, Superboy and the Legion will eventually spawn many  paradoxes and continuity nightmares.

First appearance: -Adventure Comics vol. 1 #247

1958-1986 Silver Age Earth-One Princess Diana of Paradise Island/Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) –Wonder Woman vol. 1 #98

1958 Jimmy Olsen makes a wish and magically “Super-Girl” appears to keep Kal-El/Clark Kent (Superman) company for one issue. (She is not Kara) –Superman vol. 1 #123

1958 Lois Lane (Power Woman) –Superman vol. 1 #125

1959-1985 Kara Zor-El/Linda Lee Danvers (Supergirl) 1st appearance: Kara Zor-El travels from Krypton to Earth and becomes the Pre-Crisis Original Supergirl. -Action Comics vol. 1 #252

 

1959 Earth-One Carol Ferris (Star Sapphire) –Showcase vol. 1 #22

1959 Earth-One Diana of Paradise Island had several adventures as (Wonder Girl I) before she became Wonder Woman –Wonder Woman vol. 1 #105

1959 Earth-One Lisa Morel (Aquagirl I) –Adventure Comics vol. 1 #266

Also Introduced in 1950’s: Captain Comet, Phantom Stranger, Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange, Lady Blackhawk, Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Kid Flash

1960 The Justice League of America first appeared as a team to battle a giant starfish-shaped alien creature –Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #28

1960 The Justice League of America gets their first self-titled book –Justice League of America vol. 1 #1-260 (1987)

1960 First appearance of Silver Age Hal Jordan (Green Lantern II) -Showcase vol. 1 #22

November1960 Super-Lois and Super-Lana do battle –Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #21

1961 Flash of two worlds – Jay and Barry meet

Earth-Two is affirmed in “Flash of two worlds”  as the home of Golden Age Jay Garrick (Flash I). –Flash vol. 1 #123

Flash of Two Worlds returned the Golden Age Flash I to the DC Universe by teaming him up with Flash II. It was explained that Flash I lived on Earth-Two and Flash II lived on Earth-One. This also triggered the return of other Golden Age Justice Society heroes. (See 1963 JLA #21 shown below)

1961-1985 Mary Elizabeth “Bette” Kane (BatGirl I) –Batman vol. 1 #139

1961 on "Earth 124.1" Diana of Paradise Island (Wonder Woman) and Donna Troy (Wonder Girl II) -Wait, I thought Wonder Girl was just a young Wonder Woman before she grew up! Now they are two different people.–Wonder Woman vol. 1 #124

1961 The very first appearance of Silver Age Ray Palmer (The Atom) -Showcase vol. 1 #34

1961 Silver Age Kator Hol (Hawkman) and Shayera Hol (Hawkwoman I) are revived from the Comic Book "Interregnum" as alien police from the planet Thanganar.  They came to Earth-One. Hawkman joined the Justice League (JLA) -Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #34

1962 Luma Lunaii – Action Comics vol. 1 #289

1962 The first of many regular appearances of the Legion of Super-Heroes in Adventure Comics - which had primarily featured Super Boy since 1946. - Adventure Comics vol. 1 #300

1963 Earth-One Selena (Aquagirl II)'s single appearance –World’s Finest vol. 1 #133

1963 Batman and Robin on an alien world - and Robin dies? -Batman vol. 1 #156

1963 Earth-One JSA/Earth-Two JLA crossover in the story "Crisis on Earth-One". -Justice League of America vol. 1 #21

Question: If Superman and Batman were founding members of the JSA, which was later ret-conned to have taken place on the Golden Age Earth-2, how could they also be members of the JLA, which took place on Silver Age Earth-1? Answer: There were two Superman's and two Batman's!

1964 Batman's "New Look" with his yellow logo and a more fit appearance debut in Detective Comics vol. 1 #327 (Shown here on the cover of Detective Comics vol. 1 #329)

1965-1969 Earth-One Donna Troy (Wonder Girl II) –Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 and various “Wonder Woman Family” issues

  

1965 Mera “Trap of the Sinister Sea Nymphs!”–Aquaman vol. 1 #22

1966 Silver Age Earth-One Selena Kyle (Catwoman) with a new costume. This time it is green with pants. –Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane vol. 1 #70

1966 Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy) –Batman vol. 1 #181

1967 Tula (Aquagirl III) is an Atlantean and a Teen Titan –Aquaman vol. 1 #33

1967 Batman and Hawkman in pitched battle right on the cover -The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #70

1967 Barbara Gordon (Batgirl II) first appeared in –Detective Comics vol. 1 #359

1967 Kara Zor-El/Linda Lee Danvers (Supergirl) and Barbara Gordon (Batgirl II) team up for the first time. –World’s Finest #169

1967 Selena Kyle (Catwoman) gets green sequins, just like real-life Julie Newmar (Catwoman) in the 1966 Batman TV show. –Batman vol. 1 #197

1968 Leonid Konstantinovich Kovar (Starfire I) is a villain in -Teen Titans vol. 1 #18

1968 Wonder Woman loses her super powers and goes Mod -Wonder Woman vol. 1 #178

1969 Selena Kyle (Catwoman) gets a blue Go-Go outfit -Batman vol. 1 #210

  

1969 Donna Troy (Wonder Girl II) in her new costume –Teen Titans vol. 1 #23

1969 All Golden Age Heroes are retconned to Earth-Two

1969, We had some parallel Earth cross-over before with Flash and some other minor characters. But now it affects Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman too. Golden Age Kal-L/Clark Kent (Superman) is explained to have always existed on Earth-Two as a member of JSA while Silver Age Kal-El/Clark Kent (Superman) lived on Earth-One  and was a member of JLA. -Justice League of America vol. 1 #73-74

1969 Diana Laurel Lance (Black Canary II) youthfully appears in -Justice League of America vol. 1 #75

Reading JLA #75 seems to make it obvious that the Black Canary who moved from Earth-Two to Earth-One was Dinah Drake Lance (Black Canary I). But in JLA #219 we learn that she is actually Dinah Drake and Larry Lance's daughter, Dinah Laurel Lance (Black Canary II) - and that she has simply been given her mother's memories. This retcon was needed to explain the Black Canary's youthful appearance. (Remember, Earth-Two heroes were older and mainly retired when they teamed up with Earth-One heroes in all the crossovers.) Eventually (in Crisis of Infinite Earths) we are told that Black Canary II had been a JLA member since its founding, taking the place of a de-powered Wonder Woman.

1970 Jack Kirby moved from Marvel to DC.

October 1970 is Jack Kirby’s first issue at DC during this era. Often cited as marking the end of the Silver Age. -Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #133

Click here for Chapter 3