Editing Elseworlds (section)

===''Elseworlds'' imprint===
The first ''Elseworlds'' title was ''[[Gotham by Gaslight]]'' (1989), written by [[Brian Augustyn]] and drawn by [[Mike Mignola]], which featured a [[Victorian Age]] version of the [[superhero]] Batman hunting [[Jack the Ripper]], who had come to [[Gotham City]]. The title was not originally published as an ''Elseworlds'' comic, but its success led to the creation of the ''Elseworlds'' imprint and this title was retroactively declared the first ''Elseworlds'' story.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/comics/batman-gotham-by-gaslight |title=Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Comics |publisher=IGN |access-date=2015-04-06}}</ref> The first book to feature the ''Elseworlds'' logo was ''[[Batman: Holy Terror]]'' in 1991.{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}} In 1994, the ''Elseworlds'' imprint was used as the theme for the [[annual publication|annual edition]] comic books of that summer.{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}}

DC sporadically published various ''Elseworlds'' titles from 1989 to 2003. In August 2003, editor [[Mike Carlin]] mentioned that DC had scaled back the production of ''Elseworlds'' books in order to "put the luster back on them".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sullivan|first1=Michael Patrick|title=CHICAGO DAY 2: New 'Challengers of the Unknown', Richard Corben Monthly Announced, DC Teams with Aspen|url=http://www.cbr.com/chicago-day-2-new-challengers-of-the-unknown-richard-corben-monthly-announced-dc-teams-with-aspen/|website=Comic Book Resources|access-date=2015-03-10|date=2008-08-10}}</ref> Several titles that were announced as ''Elseworlds'' books prior to this, such as ''Superman & Batman: Generations IV'' and ''The [[Teen Titans]] Swingin' Elseworlds Special'', were cancelled.{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}} The planned ''Teen Titans'' tale was released in January 2008 as the ''Teen Titans Lost Annual''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=Teen Titans: The Lost Annual Review|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/01/09/teen-titans-the-lost-annual-review|website=IGN|access-date=2015-03-10|date=2008-01-09}}</ref>

In September 2009, [[Dan DiDio]] revealed the return of the ''Elseworlds'' imprint as a series of Prestige Format books, with the approach of taking the basic concepts and origins of DC characters and twisting them in various ways.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rogers|first1=Vaneta|title=20 Answers & 1 Question with Dan Didio|url=http://www.newsarama.com/3834-20-answers-1-question-with-dan-didio-9-14-09.html|website=Newsarama|date=2009-09-14|access-date=10 January 2015}}</ref> The only ''Elseworlds'' story released under the initiative was the three-issue miniseries ''[[Superman: The Last Family of Krypton]]'', published from August to October 2010, which told the story of baby Kal-El reaching Earth with his mother and father and how the world handles the emergence of a superpowered family.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/comics/superman-the-last-family-of-krypton |title=Superman: The Last Family of Krypton |website=IGN |access-date=2015-03-10}}</ref>

After a 14-year absence, DC relaunched the imprint in 2024 with six titles confirmed:<ref>{{cite web|last1=McMillan|first1=Graeme|title=DC revives the fan-favorite Elseworlds imprint in 2024|url=https://www.thepopverse.com/dc-relaunches-elseworlds-imprint-2024|website=Popverse|date=2023-10-12|access-date=12 October 2023}}</ref>

* ''[[Gotham by Gaslight]]: The Kryptonian Age'' by [[Andy Diggle]] and [[Leandro Fernández (artist)|Leandro Fernández]] 
* ''Batman the Barbarian'' by Greg Smallwood
* ''[[Dark Knights of Steel]]: Allwinter'' by [[Jay Kristoff]] and Tirso Cons
* ''[[Green Lantern]]: Dark'' by Tate Brombal and [[Werther Dell'Edera]]
* ''[[Batman]]: Nightfire'' by Clay and Seth Mann
* ''DC vs. Vampires: World War V'' by [[Matthew Rosenberg (writer)|Matthew Rosenberg]] and Otto Schmidt

====Relationship to DC continuity====
Although the ''Elseworlds'' imprint was created to feature stories separate from DC continuity, concepts from various ''Elseworlds'' stories were incorporated into DC continuity at various times.

''[[The Kingdom (comics)|The Kingdom]]'' miniseries in 1999 brought the 1996 ''[[Kingdom Come (comics)|Kingdom Come]]'' miniseries into DC continuity as part of a series of alternate timelines known as [[Hypertime]], which included some of the alternate worlds depicted in various ''Elseworlds'' titles.<ref>''The Kingdom'' #2 (Feb. 1999)</ref>

A new [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Multiverse]] was introduced at the conclusion of the ''[[52 (comics)|52]]'' weekly series that includes alternate worlds that were previously seen in various ''Elseworlds'' titles.<ref>''52'' Week Fifty-Two (May 2007)</ref>