Source: Superman & Batman: Generations, Generations II and Generations III (1999-2003)
Type: Elseworlds
John Byrne's Generations project takes the DC Legacy concept (R.I.P.) to its logical extreme by having each character actually start out the year they first appeared, and then have them age and have kids normally (well, as normally as superheroes can). It's how the merging of Earths 1 and 2 might have gone had DC decided to keep the Earth-2 versions of Superman and Batman around instead of the Earth-1 models or, in Superman's case, creating a new version from scratch. The World's Finest are a good duo to see this idea through because while they do create legacies, they are also able to stick around for, as it turns out, centuries. Superman is incredibly long-lived, and Batman eventually gets his hands on Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus Pit.
What's especially fun, I think, is seeing the characters have adventures typical of each era they operated in. Above, we see some Golden Age action, with bulky robots and dangling crooks from rooftops. In the 50s and 60s, this Superman was suddenly embroiled in complicated secret identity hoaxes, red kryptonite transformations, one-off alien visitors, and magical imps. The twist is that he also has a daughter, Kara, during this era. And by the late 60s, she becomes Supergirl and partners up with Batman Jr.
The relevant 70s aren't kind to Kara however, and she is killed by her brother Joel (come back tomorrow for his story), manipulated by Luthor. This sends Superman over the edge and a decade later, just as the big, bad 90s are about to begin, he kills Lex (or rather, the Ultra-Humanite who has taken over Lex's body) and chooses to atone by exiling himself to the Phantom Zone. Batman frees him a decade later, and Superman flies off into space, leaving Earth safe in the hands of the new generation.
We meet the immortal heroes again in the year 2919, and Superman has long, white hair and has married high school sweetheart Lana Lang, kept immortal through magical spells.
Until the Legion comes on the scene a few decades later, one must assume Superman and Batman are still the World's very Finest heroes.
Type: Elseworlds
John Byrne's Generations project takes the DC Legacy concept (R.I.P.) to its logical extreme by having each character actually start out the year they first appeared, and then have them age and have kids normally (well, as normally as superheroes can). It's how the merging of Earths 1 and 2 might have gone had DC decided to keep the Earth-2 versions of Superman and Batman around instead of the Earth-1 models or, in Superman's case, creating a new version from scratch. The World's Finest are a good duo to see this idea through because while they do create legacies, they are also able to stick around for, as it turns out, centuries. Superman is incredibly long-lived, and Batman eventually gets his hands on Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus Pit.What's especially fun, I think, is seeing the characters have adventures typical of each era they operated in. Above, we see some Golden Age action, with bulky robots and dangling crooks from rooftops. In the 50s and 60s, this Superman was suddenly embroiled in complicated secret identity hoaxes, red kryptonite transformations, one-off alien visitors, and magical imps. The twist is that he also has a daughter, Kara, during this era. And by the late 60s, she becomes Supergirl and partners up with Batman Jr.
The relevant 70s aren't kind to Kara however, and she is killed by her brother Joel (come back tomorrow for his story), manipulated by Luthor. This sends Superman over the edge and a decade later, just as the big, bad 90s are about to begin, he kills Lex (or rather, the Ultra-Humanite who has taken over Lex's body) and chooses to atone by exiling himself to the Phantom Zone. Batman frees him a decade later, and Superman flies off into space, leaving Earth safe in the hands of the new generation.
We meet the immortal heroes again in the year 2919, and Superman has long, white hair and has married high school sweetheart Lana Lang, kept immortal through magical spells.
Until the Legion comes on the scene a few decades later, one must assume Superman and Batman are still the World's very Finest heroes.
Comments
After Generations, I wish someone had told Byrne to do a 4 issue mini set in different centuries, 22nd, 26th, etc.
I also just had a thought. What if DCnU IS The Great Disaster?
At least it showed Byrne could still write&drwa well, when he's motivated!
Roger