Editing Phantom Zone (section)

==Fictional history==
===Pre-''Crisis''===
The Phantom Zone is a "pocket universe" used as a humane method of imprisonment due to Krypton abolishing the [[death penalty]] years prior.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman |date=2007 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-4012-1389-3 |pages=267–270}}</ref> The inmates of the Phantom Zone reside in a ghost-like state of existence from which they can observe, but cannot interact with, the regular universe.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |pages=309–312}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Wells |first=John |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64 |date=2015 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490458 |page=54}}</ref> Most have a particular grudge against Superman because his father [[Jor-El]] discovered the Zone and was often the prosecutor at their trials.

In the 1982 miniseries ''The Phantom Zone'', the Phantom Zone is revealed to be the home of Aethyr, a malevolent deity who presides over it and manifests as a disembodied, dog-like head.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=186}}</ref><ref name="Phantom Zone #3 March 1982">''Phantom Zone'' #3 (March 1982). DC Comics.</ref><ref name="Phantom Zone #4 Apr 1982" /><ref>''DC Comics Presents'' #97. DC Comics.</ref>

===Post-''Crisis''===
[[File:Phantom Zone Criminals.png|thumb|upright|Phantom Zone criminals pictured from left to right: [[Ursa (comics)|Ursa]], [[General Zod]], and [[Non (comics)|Non]]. Art by Gary Frank and Jonathan Sibal.]]
In post-''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths|Crisis]]'' continuity, various species have independently discovered the Phantom Zone and given it different names. It is called the "Buffer Zone" by the [[Phantom Girl|Bgztlians]], the "Still Zone" by the [[White Martian]]s, the "Stasis Zone" by Loophole, the "Ghost Zone" by [[Prometheus (DC Comics)|Prometheus]], and the "Honeycomb" by [[Queen Bee (comics)|Queen Bee]].<ref name="adventures460">{{cite comic |writer=[[Dan Jurgens |Jurgens, Dan]] |penciller=Jurgens, Dan |inker=[[Andy Kubert |Kubert, Andy]] |story=Be It Ever So Deadly |title=[[Superman (comic book) |The Adventures of Superman]] |issue=#460 |date=November 1989 |publisher=DC Comics |location=New York}}</ref><ref name="adventures461">{{cite comic |writer=[[Dan Jurgens |Jurgens, Dan]] |penciller=Jurgens, Dan |inker=[[George Pérez |Perez, George]] |story=Home |title=[[Superman (comic book) |The Adventures of Superman]] |issue=#461 |date=December 1989 |publisher=DC Comics |location=New York}}</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' #825. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' #845. DC Comics.</ref>

''[[Supergirl (comic book)|Supergirl]]'' #16 shows a form of life native to the Phantom Zone. They are enraged over the use of their universe to house criminals and seek revenge on the one responsible.<ref>''Supergirl'' (vol. 5) #16 (June 2007)</ref>

In the "New Krypton" storyline, the Kryptonians in [[Kandor (comics)|Kandor]] capture Superman's enemies to throw them into the Phantom Zone, including [[Parasite (comics)|Parasite]], [[Silver Banshee]], and [[Toyman]].<ref name="Superman 682">''Superman'' #682. DC Comics.</ref> They are later freed by Superman.<ref>''Superman'' #684. DC Comics.</ref>

In ''[[52 (comics)|52]]'', [[Mister Mind]] consumes the Phantom Zone after transforming into the Hyperfly.<ref>''Action Comics'' #874. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' #886. DC Comics.</ref> In ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' (vol. 2) #11, [[Reep Daggle|Chameleon Boy]] and Superman restore the Phantom Zone.<ref>''Adventure Comics'' (vol. 2) #11. DC Comics.</ref>

===''The New 52''===
In ''[[The New 52]]'', Jor-El uses the Phantom Zone in a failed attempt to escape Krypton's destruction.<ref>''Action Comics'' (vol. 2) #5. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' (vol. 2) #13. DC Comics.</ref>

===''DC Rebirth''===
In ''[[DC Rebirth]]'', Superman theorizes that the Phantom Zone is a [[permeable membrane]] between the main universe and the Dark Multiverse.<ref>''Dark Days'' #3. DC Comics.</ref>