Now that *everything* is in continuity, what do the characters remember?

[Jim Kelly]

I honestly could care less regarding their memories of continuities past. All that matters to me is what happened in the current continuity.

I'm sorry you feel that way. For myself--and I think for a lot of comic book fans--this suddenly remembering stuff from the past and having those bits of reality revived is one of the major narcotics that comics give us for free (so we will pay through the nose for that same drug later on).

Having George Taylor or Inspector Henderson show up in a Superman comic years after they had last been active gave me such a high. Or seeing Roy Raymond T.V. Detective working at WGBS. Or Captain Comet returning to Earth after years in outer space. Or Barry Allen reading old comic books and naming himself after the original Flash and then going to another world where that Flash actually exists--and then the whole Justice Society actually existing on that world. Or the Sub-Mariner showing up in FANTASTIC FOUR No. 4. Or Captain America being found in the ice in THE AVENGERS No. 4. Or Batman and Robin remembering an old foe called the Riddler. Or Batman and Robin remembering an old foe called the Scarecrow. Or the original Star Sapphire showing up in FLASH & GREEN LANTERN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. Or Scribbly showing up in the pages of SUGAR & SPIKE.

Even if I had no knowledge of these past characters or hadn't read their comic books, I still always felt the excitement of seeing them return to continuity.

[The Darknight Detective]

I'm sorry you feel that way. For myself--and I think for a lot of comic book fans--this suddenly remembering stuff from the past and having those bits of reality revived is one of the major narcotics that comics give us for free (so we will pay through the nose for that same drug later on).

Having George Taylor or Inspector Henderson show up in a Superman comic years after they had last been active gave me such a high. Or seeing Roy Raymond T.V. Detective working at WGBS. Or Captain Comet returning to Earth after years in outer space. Or Barry Allen reading old comic books and naming himself after the original Flash and then going to another world where that Flash actually exists--and then the whole Justice Society actually existing on that world. Or the Sub-Mariner showing up in FANTASTIC FOUR No. 4. Or Captain America being found in the ice in THE AVENGERS No. 4. Or Batman and Robin remembering an old foe called the Riddler. Or Batman and Robin remembering an old foe called the Scarecrow. Or the original Star Sapphire showing up in FLASH & GREEN LANTERN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. Or Scribbly showing up in the pages of SUGAR & SPIKE.

Even if I had no knowledge of these past characters or hadn't read their comic books, I still always felt the excitement of seeing them return to continuity.

Except that's not what I was talking about, Jim. I'm talking about a character (not a fan) recalling something from the DCU that happened that isn't part of the current timeline now. Your examples don't fit that bill, since those characters were still part of that timeline.

[Jim Kelly]

Except that's not what I was talking about, Jim. I'm talking about a character (not a fan) recalling something from the DCU that happened that isn't part of the current timeline now. Your examples don't fit that bill, since those characters were still part of that timeline.

Nope. How you describe it isn't how it really works--not in the situations I've mentioned. Those characters were in limbo--that timeline either didn't exist or was in a suspended state. Once the character returns to continuity--bringing all their stories with them--then a "new" timeline has been established where those characters now exist once more and they retroactively have always existed in the timeline of other characters.

Like when the Blonde Phantom returned to comic books in SHE-HULK--now she wasn't in limbo anymore. But before John Byrne had the idea to use Blonde Phantom that timeline didn't exist.

Someone like Adam Blake--Captain Comet--didn't need to exist in the same continuity as the Justice League. His STRANGE ADVENTURES stories could have existed in a world all of their own. It was only when he returned to Earth in SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS that he now retroactively existed in their timeline. And by existing that naturally altered how we saw all those stories. Likewise with Roy Raymond.

Often in these stories it's a current character remembering a past event that then flashes back to something that happened in an old comic book. The fact that Batman remembers it having happened means that his timeline now includes that past event. And as readers we never knew that before. So it's pretty exciting to discover this comic book, that we thought had nothing to do with the present mainstream comics, actually is connected. And then that old comic book goes up in price because it's considered a key issue.

[D.Z]

Glad everyone agrees with me and my facts and info, time to close up this thread.

[HsssH]

Nope. How you describe it isn't how it really works--not in the situations I've mentioned. Those characters were in limbo--that timeline either didn't exist or was in a suspended state. Once the character returns to continuity--bringing all their stories with them--then a "new" timeline has been established where those characters now exist once more and they retroactively have always existed in the timeline of other characters.

So how long character has to stay in limbo before his timeline stops existing or is put in suspended state?

[The Darknight Detective]

Nope. How you describe it isn't how it really works--not in the situations I've mentioned. Those characters were in limbo--that timeline either didn't exist or was in a suspended state. Once the character returns to continuity--bringing all their stories with them--then a "new" timeline has been established where those characters now exist once more and they retroactively have always existed in the timeline of other characters.

Like when the Blonde Phantom returned to comic books in SHE-HULK--now she wasn't in limbo anymore. But before John Byrne had the idea to use Blonde Phantom that timeline didn't exist.

Someone like Adam Blake--Captain Comet--didn't need to exist in the same continuity as the Justice League. His STRANGE ADVENTURES stories could have existed in a world all of their own. It was only when he returned to Earth in SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS that he now retroactively existed in their timeline. And by existing that naturally altered how we saw all those stories. Likewise with Roy Raymond.

Often in these stories it's a current character remembering a past event that then flashes back to something that happened in an old comic book. The fact that Batman remembers it having happened means that his timeline now includes that past event. And as readers we never knew that before. So it's pretty exciting to discover this comic book, that we thought had nothing to do with the present mainstream comics, actually is connected. And then that old comic book goes up in price because it's considered a key issue.

Jim, I'm talking about, i.e., Batman recalling his first battle from a previous continuity that didn't happen in this new one. What you're talking about isn't the same thing. What you're suggesting isn't something I have a problem with in the slightest.

[Jim Kelly]

I'd like to respond but D.Z. has called for this thread to be locked, so I gotta respect that. Sorry.

[The Darknight Detective]

I'd like to respond but D.Z. has called for this thread to be locked, so I gotta respect that. Sorry.

But since it won't be locked by me, you may respond at any time, Jim.

[SuperX]

Shouldn't Conner Kent, wally west, and composite superman remember everything now, and im pretty sure Conner and superman have huge segmwtbs of their past they don't remember

[married guy]

It's pretty clear DC has no freaking idea!