DC Animated Universe - Timeline (v2.0)

[iceman109]

Is that the same with the comics as well?

 

[Pro Bot]

Yep, Frank Miller's DC Universe includes both stories... and a lot of terrible garbage too, but we don't talk about that.

 

[iceman109]

When is Year One set if Dark Knight Returns is 1986?

 

[Megatron]

When is Year One set if Dark Knight Returns is 1986?

1955.

 

[iceman109]

1955.

Why 1955?

 

[Megatron]

Why 1955?

if i'm not wrong TDKR should be Batman Year 31.

 

[Pro Bot]

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Earth-31The stories are set to reflect the time they were published, even if most of them are prequels of stories set in the 1980's. For example "All Star Batman and Robin" makes references of text messages and other technological advances that sets it in the 21st Century, but in "The Dark Knight Returns", Ronald Reagan is president of the United States and Batman seems surprised that a thirteen year old like Carrie Kelly has knowledge of computing, setting it sometime between 1981–1989.

So, I think we could probably argue that Earth-31 just has different technological advancement compared to most realities. If the comics don't care, why should we? I bet there's dates in All-Star Batman and Robin that place it in contemporary times, but I think if I was doing an Earth-31 timeline I'd just place it based on the 1986 setting of the original comic.

 

[iceman109]

I remember @Pro Bots saying a few months ago that Year One was 1957 I'm pretty sure

if i'm not wrong TDKR should be Batman Year 31.

 

[Pro Bot]

I remember @Pro Bots saying a few months ago that Year One was 1957 I'm pretty sure

Bruce starts out as Batman age 25 in Batman: Year One. The Dark Knight Returns begins with him at age 55. Year One spans almost a full year, so I just assume it's 1956-1957. Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[iceman109]

Bruce starts out as Batman age 25 in Batman: Year One. The Dark Knight Returns begins with him at age 55. Year One spans almost a full year, so I just assume it's 1956-1957. Maybe I'm wrong though.

Was he 25 at the very start of the comic in January or is he about to turn 25?

 

[Pro Bot]

Good question... I don't remember.

 

[iceman109]

Let's assume that he was 25 going on 26 when he returned to Gotham. Maybe the Earth number is his year of birth so that would be 1931 perhaps?

1957: Batman: Year One
1986: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Personally, I consider the following DC animated movies to be a universe:

- Justice League: The New Frontier (1953 - 1960s)
- Batman: Soul Of The Dragon (1970s)
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1983)

Bruce's age actually matches up with this and it works. I also count the Superman animated serials of the 1940s as prequels to The New Frontier since Superman shows up.

 

[selfishmisery]

Alternate universe technological advancements. Just like @selfishmisery pointed out with the Ford Mustang in Gotham. Sure, it was intended to be set in modern day, but it's also intended to be connected to The Dark Knight Returns. Since The Dark Knight Returns' timeline is 1986 and a very solid placement, if we're not giving it the sliding timeline of the comics here, we can just ignore the modern setting of Year One and move it back in time. At least, that's the way I see it.

What's interesting about the Ford Mustang in Gotham...it looks more-modern, especially for the early 90s, but the amount of horsepower that Alfred mentioned it had was waaaay behind what the actual Ford had by 2015-2018; so it's still a dated car.

Gotham has flip phones also...but Supergirl (TV show) said that cell phones were around for 40 years in Season 5. So that's a confirmed technological advancement for A DC world, which should extend to Gotham's world as well.

One more thing:

 

[JudgeDreddpool]

Yep, Frank Miller's DC Universe includes both stories... and a lot of terrible garbage too, but we don't talk about that.

... seriously? Can you call THIS iconic panel garbage? /jk

 

[Pro Bot]

... seriously? Can you call THIS iconic panel garbage? /jk
View attachment 3086

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Batman_(Frank_Miller)

 

[selfishmisery]

... seriously? Can you call THIS iconic panel garbage? /jk
View attachment 3086

 

[iceman109]

Is it possible that after World War 2 Gothams universe went through a tech boom?

 

[barryh]

Gotham has flip phones also...but Supergirl (TV show) said that cell phones were around for 40 years in Season 5. So that's a confirmed technological advancement for A DC world, which should extend to Gotham's world as well.

It's par for the course in animated Batman too e.g. The Long Halloween - gangsters in suits toting tommy guns and driving 40s cars, but somehow also carrying smartphones. Or BTAS where the cops flew airships, TV broadcasts were in B&W and the Riddler worked as a VR software designer.

 

[iceman109]

In universes where it's technologically ahead it's usually something that happened during the Industrial Revolution that made it that way

 

[selfishmisery]

Is it possible that after World War 2 Gothams universe went through a tech boom?

Pennyworth (Gotham's prequel) had WW2 end per usual with Germany losing but since UK made peace with them in 1940, there was no Allied Control Council to remove the last bit of power from the Reich so they still existed in a far more minuscule state until at least the 70s.

So that gives some idea of it not being reflective of our world.

 

[iceman109]

The Reich had probably had tech similar to Wolfenstein

 

[iceman109]

What would the 2025 of the Gotham Universe look like you think?

 

[Dallas Kinard]

It's par for the course in animated Batman too e.g. The Long Halloween - gangsters in suits toting tommy guns and driving 40s cars, but somehow also carrying smartphones. Or BTAS where the cops flew airships, TV broadcasts were in B&W and the Riddler worked as a VR software designer.

Yep, since it's all fiction, we can really pretend whatever we want. So if we want to assume the Year One movie is in some alternate 1950s with color TVs, 90s tech and modern clothing, we can!

 

[Pro Bot]

What would the 2025 of the Gotham Universe look like you think?

I know it's a boring canon answer, but the Pennyworth tie-in comic I guess.

 

[iceman109]

I know it's a boring canon answer, but the Pennyworth tie-in comic I guess.

Is that a good visual indicator?

 

[Pro Bot]

I mean... not entirely, but it is a present day Gothamverse story.

 

[iceman109]

I got a question, is it possible that the Corto Maltese Revolution of Earth 89/96/203 had similar circumstances to the DCEUs version of the Corto Maltese Coup?

 

[iceman109]

@Pro Bots, what details would change for the Gothamverse's version of V for Vendetta?

 

[barryh]

It's par for the course in animated Batman too e.g. The Long Halloween - gangsters in suits toting tommy guns and driving 40s cars, but somehow also carrying smartphones. Or BTAS where the cops flew airships, TV broadcasts were in B&W and the Riddler worked as a VR software designer.

The Flash visits Gotham:

Barry: "What timeline am I in now?!"
Dick: "Huh? This city's always been like this."
Barry: "Is this Zoom's doing? Savage?!"
Bruce: "I'm Batman"