Superman 5G discussion/theory crafting thread

[Superlad93]

Hmm, interesting take on "Earth 1985" (right after I asked about it but I think you posted this before seeing my question, lol). It wouldn't surprise me. In such a situation, depending on how the other Earth was utilized, that could potentially become my new home, so to speak. I'd give it a chance at least. If it was literally on its own and not beholden to what the canon future of 5G is, leaving the possibilities of its own growth open and independent (and judging by the way these Earths are described by Johns at least, it would be), it could peak my interest even if not verbatim the idea I've had for so long.

Lol and it seems I posted my second reply before seeing this one. But I think we're good now haha

But yeah, that seems to be the idea given that DiDio echoed this even before issue 12 came out.

At least you can say you were more or less right on the money about them going back to the two Earth structure. Makes all the more sense given the fact that they don't seem interested in an actual Earth-2 with the Justice Society as it's main heroes anymore. And I doubt this Earth-1985 will have anything to do with the main Earth similar to how Earth-2 wasn't beholden to Earth-1.

I wonder if each line of books will have a Earth-1985 book? ("Superman 1985" and so on) Or if they'll go for like an anthology book or a set of anthology books?

[astro@work]

See my above post. You may not like it given that it kind of takes your idea but leaves out the New-52 part of it.

DiDio mentioned it when he was talking about the timeline and how 2G has yet to have all of its stories told. 2G being the point in the timeline where Earth-1985 branched off before 3G.

Basically, Earth-1985 aka the Silver/Bronze age become the new Golden age aka Earth-2 to Earth-5G aka Earth-0's Earth-1. Literally giving a space for readers still looking for new stories about the classics, and readers looking for new takes with new idea.

Expect, a homage to when that classic JLA cover where the teams of Earth 1 and 2 meet.

I don't know that we'll get regular ongoings on ALL of these Earths, but it sure would be fun to check in on these Earths periodically.

It would be a heck of a lot of fun to see the Earth-2 JSA team up with Earth-O JSA, or the Earth-0 JL team up with a previous incarnation JLA.

Having these Earths exist, INCLUDING a Earth-nu52 and Earth-1985 also gives us a way to believe all the stories we've read exist in a continuity that still exists "out there somewhere". Therefore I didn't waste my time reading the nu52 stories for 5 years, etc.

All that said, I'd like to see a solid history of Clark's backstory with the Prime Earth history intact. Seems like Jon's history is about the only one without questions around it.

[Superlad93]

I don't know that we'll get regular ongoings on ALL of these Earths

No not all the Earths. Not even most of them. I'm talking about just Earth-1985 and Earth-5G. Earth-5G is the forward movement of Earth-0 (main Earth), and 1985, as you'd imagine, is the continued adventures of the Silver and Bronze age heroes.

Given the fact that we know the main Earth will be revolving around 5G, and DiDio (and issue 12 of Doomsday Clock) both said that 1985 still has stories to tell, I imagine those are the two Earths we're dealing with in a classic Earth 1 and 2 split sort of way.

[Sacred Knight]

FWIW, the namedropped Earths in the explanation narration was classic Earth-2, Earth-1985, and Earth-52. I'm not saying that necessarily has to mean anything, those were just the examples used, but just throwing it out there.

[Superlad93]

I think that had more to do with relevance to the story rather than anything to come though. Earth-2 was the first time the timeline budded off into another Earth, and also the first time another Earth was discovered. And the Earth-52 was specifically relevant because it was the Earth created after Manhattan's experiments.

But Earth-1985 was specifically said to still have more stories to tell. No such wording for Earth-52 or Earth-2. And obviously 5G is framed as the continuation of Earth-0.

[Last Son of Krypton]

Earth-5G is an new earth "split" after "Superman's allies returns". It's basically a new earth keeping the 5G setting after it'll be over in the main continuity (Earth-0). Johns uses a similar wording also for the split of the Golden Age into Earth-2: "Earth 2 is born" "Earth-5G is born"

[Superlad93]

Right, but first it has to have it's time in the main continuity (Earth-0). And it will given how Legion of Super-heroes issue 2 continues to hint at it.

Basically it's DC going "okay, this is the direction we're heading in for our main line right now. Who knows how long it'll last, but whenever it's over it'll be out there like the rest of the past continuity, and we'll refresh. In the meantime, he's an Earth just for Silver and Bronze age stuff."

[Last Son of Krypton]

Right, but first it has to have it's time in the main continuity (Earth-0). And it will given how Legion of Super-heroes issue 2 continues to hint at it.

Basically it's DC going "okay, this is the direction we're heading in for our main line right now. Who knows how long it'll last, but whenever it's over it'll be out there like the rest of the past continuity, and we'll refresh. In the meantime, he's an Earth just for Silver and Bronze age stuff."

Yeah, as I mentioned in the previous page, DC plans (hopes?) to have 5G lasting till middle 2025 (according to the DDC tease). It'll be more than 4 years if it'll start in late 2020/early 2021 as rumored by BC.

[Sacred Knight]

One of my first thoughts with the Earth-1985 thing was that it could be a meta statement for how the line took some time to get their eggs in a row after COIE. There was that confusing buffer period where not everything published was post-Crisis continuity right away. Maybe that's what Johns means by it being "largely unexplored" in the sense it represents that transition period that didn't last. I'd be down with the other idea, that Johns is hinting at DC going back to it in particular, but just throwing out different possible interpretations here.

[Superlad93]

Yeah, as I mentioned in the previous page, DC plans (hopes?) to have 5G lasting till middle 2025 (according to the DDC tease). It'll be more than 4 years if it'll start in late 2020/early 2021 as rumored by BC.

I'm not really taking those as ACTUAL-in-real-life time tables for what they've got planed. I mean, if that were the case, then 5G won't be here for another 6 real life years, but that doesn't seem likely. What seems very likely is that we're getting a time skip at the end of 2020/start of 2021. Just like Earth-1985 will likely be set in the DC comics 80s, with our unmarried and young heroes, Earth-0 (5G) will be set in the year 2026.

The rest of that kind of just seems like Johns getting across the general idea of "we've had a lot of reboots, and we'll likely have more. It's part of our history and its part of the nature of these characters". That's not Johns saying that they actually have stuff planned out till 2062, you know?

[Sacred Knight]

Come to think of it, my first impression of what Earth-1985 was supposed to be above might just be the same thing as the continuation of the Bronze age without COIE. I dunno, I think about it too much and I just hurt my brain. :shrug: Either we'll find out in due time or we won't, depending on what plans are.

[Superlad93]

One of my first thoughts with the Earth-1985 thing was that it could be a meta statement for how the line took some time to get their eggs in a row after COIE. There was that confusing buffer period where not everything published was post-Crisis continuity right away. Maybe that's what Johns means by it being "largely unexplored" in the sense it represents that transition period that didn't last. I'd be down with the other idea, that Johns is hinting at DC going back to it in particular, but just throwing out different possible interpretations here.

I doubt it was just a sentiment on actual past history on Johns part because when DiDio revealed the timeline this year he pointed to Generation 2 aka where Earth-1985 split off from, and he point blank said that there were stories to tell here.

[Last Son of Krypton]

I'm not really taking those as ACTUAL-in-real-life time tables for what they've got planed. I mean, if that were the case, then 5G won't be here for another 6 real life years, but that doesn't seem likely. What seems very likely is that we're getting a time skip at the end of 2020/start of 2021. Just like Earth-1985 will likely be set in the DC comics 80s, with our unmarried and young heroes, Earth-0 (5G) will be set in the year 2026.

DDC points at 2025 as the return of Superman's allies and the creation of a separate 5G Earth. The initiative will be over by then. I don't get why a time skip is even needed. 5G starts in 2021 and ends in 2025, and spin out a new earth inspired by it in 2026 (what seems to be their overall plans right now anyway).

[Sacred Knight]

I doubt it was just a sentiment on actual past history on Johns part because when DiDio revealed the timeline this year he pointed to Generation 2 aka where Earth-1985 split off from, and he point blank said that there were stories to tell here.

Ah, I see, I had forgotten about that quote. Well like I said, if its planned to be explored its definitely something that could be for me so I'd give it a shot.

But yeah, Last Son's explanation here seems to fit more with what Johns's explanations were saying and the application of how the future might be approached. It seems what Johns is saying is that (considering all goes to plan, which in of itself I always consider a question mark but I'll put that aside for now), 5G as an initiative starts, lasts 5 years or so, then a new event (described here as Time Masters) rewrites continuity again bringing Superman and the rest of the classics back to the forefront. And per the logistics of the meta/multiverse as Johns explains it, Earth-0 divdes again, 5G becomes its own world, and the new/refreshed/insert-adjective-here continuity takes over the constant that is Earth-0. And on and on.

I don't think all that referenced stuff 2026 forward--the hunt for Bruce's daughter, the Secret Crisis--is supposed to be referencing Jon-as-Superman still. Per the set up, by that time Jon's time as Superman is over and is now within its own world. So it makes more sense that Manhattan is referencing Clark back in his role. Manhattan is telling this all from the point of view of Clark in specific, after all.

[Last Son of Krypton]

But yeah, Last Son's explanation here seems to fit more with what Johns's explanations were saying and the application of how the future might be approached. It seems what Johns is saying is that (considering all goes to plan, which in of itself I always consider a question mark but I'll put that aside for now), 5G as an initiative starts, lasts 5 years or so, then a new event (described here as Time Masters) rewrites continuity again bringing Superman and the rest of the classics back to the forefront. And per the logistics of the meta/multiverse as Johns explains it, Earth-0 divdes again, 5G becomes its own world, and the new/refreshed/insert-adjective-here continuity takes over the constant that is Earth-0. And on and on.

Exactly. It's simple, not need to complicate it further.

I don't think all that referenced stuff 2026 forward, the hunt for Bruce's daughter, the Secret Crisis, is supposed to be referencing Jon-as-Superman still. Per the set up, by that time Jon's time as Superman is over and is now within its own world. It makes more sense that it references Clark back in his role. Manhattan is telling this all from the point of view of Clark in specific, after all.

Jon is a non-factor in the whole DDC.