Originally Posted by
ducklord
I am an old-school DC fanboy. I love the Justice Society, I love the original concept of Earth-2, and I love all of Roy Thomas's attempts to weave the golden age history of DC into a cohesive whole.
It also goes without saying that I loved Infinity Inc., the team of second-generation heirs to the JSA legacy that premiered in the early 80's.
Now, with the JSA about to get woven back into DC's Prime Earth continuity, I think it's time to ask a pointed question: What do we do about Infinity Inc.?
From all appearances, the JSA is going to retain their status as a WWII era fighting team. This means that its remaining active members are (absent a retconned time jump), pushing 100 years old. And, to some degree, the remaining members all have explanations for their continued activity (Speed Force, Starheart, Nine Lives, etc.). But they are freakin' old.
Which brings me to Infinity Inc.. Originally conceived as "The JSA's super-powered kids," but only a few of them actually were their children. The membership broke down like this:
Star-Spangled Kid - Time-tossed member of the Seven Soldiers and the JSA.
Fury - Daughter of Earth-Two Wonder Woman, later retconned to be be the daughter of the Golden Age Fury.
Silver Scarab - Son of Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl
Nuklon - Godson of Golden Age Atom
Northwind - Son of Golden Age Hawkman's scientist friend.
Jade: Daughter of Golden Age Green Lantern and Golden Age Thorn
Obsidian: Son of Golden Age Green Lantern and Golden Age Thorn
Wildcat: Inspired by Golden Age Wildcat
Dr. Midnight: Inspired by Golden Age Dr. Mid-Nite
Hourman: Son of Golden Age Hourman
Obviously, any of the characters merely "inspired" by their earlier counterparts (Wildcat II, Dr. Midnight) could just as easily be active heroes today, with careers starting whenever is convenient. Also, Nuklon and Northwind could easily have their origins jostled a little to be present-day characters. And, being time-tossed, Skyman could pop out anywhere near the present.
But what about Fury, Scarab, Jade, and Obsidian? When were these kids supposed to have been born? When their dads were in their 70's? That's doable, I suppose, but what about their moms (Fury I, Shiera Hall, and Thorn)? Even accounting for various magical things, this seems way weird. As time rolls on it's just going to get stranger and stranger to have a 100+ year old Green Lantern sharing adventures with his mid 20something daughter, who really should be his great-granddaughter.
So, what should be done? Should Infinity Inc. exist at all in the main DCU? Should they be left in the 1980's as a failed super-group? Should strange time jumps be inserted into the JSA's history (remembering to take all of their wives and girlfriends), so that the JSAers can not be freaky-old in the present, and sire children in the late 90's?
What do?
PS It amuses me no end that the existence of the current Dream of the Endless rests partially on the histories of two characters (Hector and Lyta Hall) who may not have existed in current continuity. I like to think that it amuses Neil Gaiman, too.