10 Best Alternate DC Earths

DC Comics didn’t invent the concept of the multiverse in fiction, but they brought it to comics before Marvel even existed as we know it in the present day. For decades, the DC Multiverse was one of the most unique part of their comics, and defined the stories of the publisher in the ’60s and ’70s. Crisis on Infinite Earths would end the old multiverse, but it wasn’t long before we got the Elseworlds stories, taking readers to all kinds of Earths and keeping the multiverse idea around. Since then, we’ve gotten the multiverse back (and the MCU have tried to pass off the idea as their own for casual fans), and DC feels like DC again.

Over the history of the company, we’ve been introduced to some of the coolest alternate Earths ever. These have given us amazing alternate versions of DC greats, and given readers stories they never would have gotten otherwise. These are the ten best alternate DC Earths, legendary alternate worlds full of amazing characters and unforgettable stories.

10) Absolute Earth

DC Comics is at the top of the sales charts right now and it’s all because of the fantastic line of Absolute DC books. Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Absolute Superman, Absolute Flash, Absolute Green Lantern, and Absolute Martian Manhunter have taken readers to an Earth where Darkseid is God and evil wins, and it’s been fantastic. We’re close to two years in, and the books show no sign of slowing down. This Earth is quite different from what we’ve gotten before, and its future is as bright as the sun.

9) Flashpoint Earth

DC fans have been complaining about the New 52 for almost 20 years now, and Flashpoint, the story by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert that led to the change, has caught a lot of strays. However, it introduced readers to an awesome alternate Earth. This world had no Flash, changing the superhero community, and took readers in so many amazing directions. The various tie-ins to the story introduced numerous cool changes to the characters and, honestly, it would have been amazing to spend more time there. We got to return to it in Flashpoint Beyond, and without the baggage of the New 52 attached to it, it showed how cool this Earth could be.

8) The Dark Knight Returns Earth

The Dark Knight Returns helped change comics forever, and introduced readers to one of the most beloved Earths. This future world where Reagan was president for years and the superhero community had been put under the thumb of the government and their enemies was a perfect place to tell an excellent Batman story. It allowed writer/artist Frank Miller to talk about superheroes and pop culture in new ways, and while an argument can be made that it lost some of its luster as the sequels came out, even these have some cool ideas and show just how interesting this Earth can be.

7) Pax Americana Earth

Watchmen was based on the Charlton heroes, who were folded into the DC Universe after Crisis on Infinite Earths. In the New 52, DC put out The Multiversity, a comic that took readers to new versions of classic alternate Earths, and one of the best of them came from The Multiversity: Pax Americana, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. We only spent one issue on this Earth, but it was amazing. Morrison took the ideas of Watchmen, turned them on their ear, and introduced us to captivating new versions of heroes we had known for years. This is an amazing Earth, and the sooner we get back to it, the better.

6) Thunderworld

Speaking of amazing single issue Grant Morrison stories that introduced new alternate Earths, I present to you The Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures. This book, with artist Cameron Stewart, took readers to a new version of Earth-S, with the class Marvel Family (none of that Shazam stuff here) battling against their old schools villains on a hopeful, Silver Age-tinged world. The story captured the perfect retro feel you would expect from the Shazam family of characters, in a bright, shiny Earth full of true heroes and dastardly villains. This is another Earth I’d love to revisit, and it’s sad that it’s not as beloved as it should be.

5) JLA: The Nail Earth

JLA: The Nail took place on an Earth where Superman was never found by the Kents. The superhero and supervillain communities basically grew up without him there, and the whole thing had a delightfully Silver Age feel to it. Even without Supes, there’s something familiar about this Earth, yet the differences are as stark as they come in other ways. JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail presented this Earth and its heroes in all of their glory, taking familiar characters in entirely new directions, giving us two unforgettable stories. If you haven’t even experienced this Earth, it’s long past time you hunted these two books down, because it’s definitely worth the visit.

4) Kingdom Come Earth

Kingdom Come is a beloved DC classic, and gave readers the best alternate Earth introduced in the ’90s. Mark Waid and Alex Ross’s alternate future story took readers to a world where the heroes of the present gave away to a violent new breed, leading to a world where the innocent suffered as the “heroes” fought their pointless battles for clout. The whole point of this story was to show that the ’90s breed of violent antiheroes could never compete with classic DC hero goodness, and it definitely succeeded. This Earth is a favorite of many generations of fans, and has been returned to numerous times over the years, cementing its status as a best of all time alternate Earth.

3) Watchmen Earth

Watchmen is comics’ greatest moment in the minds of many, when Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons brought mature ideas and storytelling to comics. This story took us to an Earth where the superheroes first popped up in the ’40s, albeit without powers, faded away, and then saw a resurgence after the debut of Doctor Manhattan, the first superpowered man. This Earth is one that has grabbed fans’ imaginations since it premiered in the mid ’80s. Even when the books aren’t great (looking at you Before Watchmen), fans still give them a try because of just how well-built this Earth was.

2) Earth-Three

Earth-Three was the second major DC Earth introduced to readers, acting as the home of the Crime Syndicate. This was the world where all of the heroes were villains, and the world was ruled by the strongest, which was the Syndicate. There have been numerous versions of this Earth in DC history — Earth-2 in post-Crisis DC and Earth-3 in later versions of the multiverse — but the best of them will always be the original. It was the first “evil” Earth in comic history, kicking off a trend across superhero comics that is still extant to this day (also, I will go to grave screaming about how cool Earth-Three Lex Luthor was for the short time we had before Crisis on Infinite Earths).

1) Earth-Two

Earth-Two is the original DC Earth, the home to the Justice Society of America, and the place where Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all began their legends. Earth-Two became the main alternate Earth that fans visited in Silver Age and Bronze Age comics, with the Justice Society and Infinity Inc. battling the worst villains of their Earth (they even eventually got their own books in the late ’70s and ’80s). Much like Earth-Three, we’ve gotten several more versions of this Earth, but none of them beat the original. This is the greatest alternate Earth not just in DC, but in comics in general.

What’s you favorite alternate DC Earth? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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