Editing Earth-One

{{Short description|Fictional setting in comic books published by DC Comics}}
{{distinguish|Earth Prime|Earth One (DC graphic novel series)}}
{{For|Earth's Moon sometimes known as "Earth I"|Moon}}
{{Infobox fictional location
| name        = Earth-One
| image       = 
| caption     =
| blank_label = [[:Category:Comics publishing companies|Publisher]]
| blank_data  = [[DC Comics]]
| first       = ''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' #123 September 10, 1961 <br/><small>Pre-[[Crisis on Infinite Earths|Crisis]] version: </small>''[[Detective Comics]]'' #225<ref>{{cite book|last=Mougin|first= Lou|last2=Waid|first2=Mark|title=The Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover Index|publisher=[[DC Comics]]|year=1986|page=1}}</ref> November 10, 1955, [[Retroactive continuity|retroactive]])<br/><small>Post-Crisis version: </small>''[[52 (comics)|52]]'' #52 July 10, 2007
| creator     = [[Gardner Fox]]
| people      = [[Silver Age of comic books|Silver Age]] [[Justice League of America]]
| races       = [[Human]]s, [[Amazons]], [[Kryptonian]]s, [[Atlantis (DC Comics)|Atlanteans]]
}}
'''Earth-One''' (also '''Earth-1''') is a name given to two [[fictional universe]]s (the Pre-[[Crisis on Infinite Earths|Crisis]] and Post-Crisis versions of the same universe) that have appeared in [[American comic book]] stories published by [[DC Comics]]. The first Earth-One was given its name in ''Justice League of America'' #21 (August 1963), after ''The Flash'' #123 (September 1961) explained how [[Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] ([[Earth-Two]]) versions of characters such as the [[Flash (comics)|Flash]] ([[Jay Garrick]]) could appear in stories with their [[Silver Age of Comic Books|Silver Age]] counterparts (Barry Allen). This Earth-One continuity included the DC Silver Age heroes, including the [[Justice League|Justice League of America]].

Earth-One, along with the four other surviving Earths (Earth-Two, [[Earth-Four]], [[Earth-S]], and [[Earth-X (DC Comics)|Earth-X]]) of the [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|DC Multiverse]], are merged into one in the 1985 miniseries ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]''. This Earth's versions of characters were primarily the Earth-One versions (i.e. [[Superman]], [[Batman]]), but some characters from the four other worlds were also "folded" in. In ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'', Earth-One was resurrected and merged with the primary Earth of the publication era to create a New Earth that brought back more aspects of Earth-One's original history. In 2007, a new version of Earth-One was created in the aftermath of events that occurred within the '' [[52 (comics)|52]]'' series.<ref name="Johns"/>

==Pre-Crisis version==
===Flash of Two Worlds===
[[Image:Flash v1 123.jpg|200px|thumb|''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' (September 1961), cover art by [[Carmine Infantino]] and [[Murphy Anderson]]]]
Characters from DC Comics were originally suggestive of each existing in their own world, as superheroes never encountered each other. This was soon changed with alliances being formed between certain protagonists. Several publications, including ''[[All-Star Comics]]'' (publishing tales of the [[Justice Society of America]]), ''[[Leading Comics]]'' (publishing tales of the [[Seven Soldiers of Victory]]) and other comic books introduced a "shared-universe" among several characters during the 1940s until the present day.

Alternative reality Earths had been used in DC stories before, but were usually not referred to after that particular story.  Also most of these alternative Earths were usually so vastly different that no one would confuse that Earth and its history with the so-called real Earth. That would change when the existence of another reliable Earth was established in a story titled "[[Flash of Two Worlds]]"<ref name="Dolan">{{cite book|last=McAvennie|first= Michael|last2=Dolan|first2=Hannah, ed.|chapter= 1960s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 103|quote = This classic Silver Age story resurrected the Golden Age Flash and provided a foundation for the Multiverse from which he and the Silver Age Flash would hail.}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Gardner Fox|Fox, Gardner]]| penciller= [[Carmine Infantino|Infantino, Carmine]]| inker= [[Joe Giella|Giella, Joe]]| story= Flash of Two Worlds!| title= [[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]| issue= 123| date= September 1961}}</ref> in which [[Barry Allen]], the modern Flash later referred to as Earth-One (the setting of the Silver Age stories) first travels to another Earth, accidentally vibrating at just the right speed to appear on Earth-Two, where he meets Jay Garrick, his Earth-Two counterpart.

===Major events===
*''[[More Fun Comics]]'' #101 (1945): the first appearance of [[Superboy]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Jerry Siegel|Siegel, Jerry]]| penciller= [[Joe Shuster|Shuster, Joe]]| inker= Shuster, Joe| story= The Origin of Superboy| title= [[More Fun Comics]]| issue= 101| date= January–February 1945}}</ref> According to canon, the [[Superman]] of Earth-Two did not fight crime until reaching Metropolis as an adult, therefore this is the first appearance of Earth-One in comics.
*''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' #76 (1952): the first appearance of the Earth-One [[Batman]], teaming up with what must be Earth-One [[Superman]]. The two crime fighters meet for the first time in this story.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Edmond Hamilton|Hamilton, Edmond]]| penciller= [[Curt Swan|Swan, Curt]]|inker= [[John Fischetti|Fischetti, John]]; [[Stan Kaye|Kaye, Stan]]|story= The Mightiest Team in the World!| title= [[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]| issue= 76| date= May–June 1952}}</ref> Their Earth-Two counterparts knew each other from their time in the [[Justice Society of America]] in the 1940s (''[[New York World's Fair Comics]]'' #2 (July 1940) contained the first published picture of [[Batman (Earth-Two)]] and [[Superman (Earth-Two)]] together).
*''[[Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen]]'' #1 (1954): debut issue of spinoff title for supporting character from the ''Superman'' series.<ref>[[Alexander C. Irvine|Irvine, Alex]] "1950s" in Dolan, p. 73: "Jimmy Olsen got his own adventures in ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' #1. A comic remarkable for its inventiveness and longevity, it ran for 163 issues."</ref> Superman and Batman books unofficially switch from the Earth-Two characters to the Earth-One characters, though it was not apparent at the time.
*''[[Detective Comics]]'' #225 (1955): the first appearance of J'onn J'onzz, the [[Martian Manhunter]].<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 77: "The Martian called J'onn J'onzz debuted as a regular feature in ''Detective Comics'' #225. 'The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel', by writer Joe Samachson and artist Joe Certa, gave the origin for the lonely Martian Manhunter."</ref>
*''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #4 (1956): popularly the first Earth-One comic (though not mentioned in text as such), featuring the introduction of Barry Allen as [[Barry Allen|The Flash]].<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 80: "The arrival of the second incarnation of the Flash in [''Showcase''] issue #4 is considered to be the official start of the Silver Age of comics."</ref>
*''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #246 (1958): unofficially the first appearance of Earth-One [[Green Arrow]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[France Herron|Herron, France]]| penciller= [[George Papp|Papp, George]]| inker= Papp, George| story= The Rainbow Archer| title= Adventure Comics| issue= 246| date= March 1958}}</ref>
*''[[Wonder Woman (comic book)|Wonder Woman]]'' #98 (1958): unofficially the first appearance of Earth-One Wonder Woman.<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 90: "Wonder Woman's origin story and character was given a Silver Age revamp, courtesy of writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru."</ref> (See also [[Wonder Woman (Earth-Two)]].)
*''Adventure Comics'' #260 (1959): the first appearance of Earth-One [[Aquaman]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer=| penciller= [[Ramona Fradon|Fradon, Ramona]]| inker= Fradon, Ramona| story= How Aquaman Got His Powers| title= [[Adventure Comics]]| issue= #260| date= May 1959}}</ref>
*''Showcase'' #22 (1959): the first appearance of [[Hal Jordan]], the [[Green Lantern]] of Earth-One.<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 95: "DC had decided to revamp a number of characters to inject new life into the genre.  Writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane ensured that Green Lantern got his turn in October [1959]'s ''Showcase'' #22."</ref>
*''[[The Brave and the Bold]]'' #34 (1961): the first appearance of Katar Hol, the [[Hawkman (Katar Hol)|Hawkman]] of Earth-One.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Fox, Gardner| penciller= [[Joe Kubert|Kubert, Joe]]| inker= Kubert, Joe|story= Creature of a Thousand Shapes!|title= [[The Brave and the Bold]]|issue= 34|date= February–March 1961}}</ref>
*''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' #123 (1961): "The Flash of Two Worlds", a story in which Barry Allen meets Jay Garrick. This is the first story to explain the concept of the [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Multiverse]], namely that the two Flashes inhabited separate but similar Earths.<ref name="Dolan" />
*''Showcase'' #34 (1961): the first appearance of Ray Palmer, the [[Atom (Ray Palmer)|Atom]] of Earth-One.<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 103: "The Atom was the next Golden Age hero to receive a Silver Age makeover from writer Gardner Fox and artist Gil Kane."</ref>
*''[[Justice League of America]]'' #21 (1963): "Crisis on Earth-One", the first team-up between the JLA and the JSA, which became a yearly feature in the Justice League of America comic. This is the story in which both Earth-One and Earth-Two were first given names.<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 109: "The two-part 'Crisis on Earth-One!' and 'Crisis on Earth-Two!' saga represented the first use of the term 'Crisis' in crossovers, as well as the designations 'Earth-1' and 'Earth-2'. In it, editor Julius Schwartz, [writer Gardner] Fox, and artist Mike Sekowsky devised a menace worthy of the World's Greatest Heroes."</ref>
*''[[Green Lantern (comic book)|Green Lantern]]'' (vol. 2) #85 (1971): "[[Snowbirds Don't Fly]]", a story focusing on drug addiction, showing Green Arrow's ward [[Roy Harper (character)|Roy Harper]] addicted to [[heroin]].<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 146 "It was taboo to depict drugs in comics, even in ways that openly condemned their use.  However, writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams collaborated on an unforgettable two-part arc that brought the issue directly into Green Arrow's home, and demonstrated the power comics had to affect change and perception.</ref> The story won the 1971 [[Shazam Award]] for Best Original Story.
*''Justice League of America'' #100 (1972), the story that establishes that the Green Arrow and Speedy appearing in the 1940s were the Earth-2 Green Arrow and Speedy. This annual JLA/JSA team-up featured the return of the Golden Age superhero team the [[Seven Soldiers of Victory]], of which the Golden Age Green Arrow and Speedy were members.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Len Wein|Wein, Len]]|penciller= [[Dick Dillin|Dillin, Dick]]|inker= Giella, Joe|story= The Unknown Soldier of Victory!|title= Justice League of America|issue= 100|date= August 1972}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic|writer= Wein, Len|penciller= Dillin, Dick|inker= Giella, Joe|story= The Hand That Shook the World|title= Justice League of America|issue= 101|date= September 1972}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic|writer= Wein, Len|penciller= Dillin, Dick|inker= Giella, Joe; [[Dick Giordano|Giordano, Dick]]|story= ..And One of Us Must Die!|title= Justice League of America|issue= 102|date= October 1972}}</ref>
*''[[Swamp Thing (comic book)|Swamp Thing]]'' #1 (1972): the first adventure of Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing.<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 153: "Following his debut in ''House of Secrets'' #92 in 1971, the Swamp Thing grew into his own series, albeit with a reimagining of his origins by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson."</ref> The story won the 1972 Shazam Award for Best Original Story.
*''Justice League of America'' #244 and ''[[Infinity, Inc.]]'' #19 (1985): the final team-up of the Justice League and the Justice Society before Earth-One and Earth-Two are merged.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Roy Thomas|Thomas, Roy]]; [[Dann Thomas|Thomas, Dann]]| penciller= [[Todd McFarlane|McFarlane, Todd]]|inker= [[Steve Montano (comics)|Montano, Steve]]| story= Last Crisis on Earth-Two| title= [[Infinity, Inc.]]|issue= 19| date= October 1985}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Gerry Conway|Conway, Gerry]]|penciller= [[Joe Staton|Staton, Joe]]|inker= [[Mike Machlan|Machlan, Mike]]|story= The Final Crisis| title= Justice League of America| issue= 244| date= November 1985}}</ref> 
*''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' #10 (1986): The issue in which Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-Four (the home of the [[Charlton Comics]] heroes), Earth-S (the home of the [[Fawcett Comics]] heroes), and Earth-X (the home of the [[Quality Comics]] heroes) were combined into one reality, known as New Earth.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Marv Wolfman|Wolfman, Marv]]| penciller= [[George Pérez|Pérez, George]]| inker= [[Jerry Ordway|Ordway, Jerry]]| story= Death at the Dawn of Time| title= [[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]| issue= 10| date= January 1986}}</ref>
*''[[DC Comics Presents]]'' #97 (1986): "Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter", the last official Earth-One story.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Steve Gerber|Gerber, Steve]]| penciller= [[Rick Veitch|Veitch, Rick]]| inker= [[Bob Smith (comics)|Smith, Bob]]| story= Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter| title= [[DC Comics Presents]]| issue= 97| date= September 1986}}</ref>
*''Superman'' #423 and ''[[Action Comics]]'' #583 (1986): "[[Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?]]", the last story of the Superman of Earth-One,<ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 220: "In 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?', a two-part story written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Curt Swan, the adventures of the Silver Age Superman came to a dramatic close."</ref>  though it is classified as an [[Elseworlds#Imaginary Stories|Imaginary Story]] and not an official Earth-One story. It features cameos by several other Earth-One heroes.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Alan Moore|Moore, Alan]]| penciller= Swan, Curt| inker= Pérez, George| story= Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?| title= Superman| issue= 423| date= September 1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Moore, Alan| penciller= Swan, Curt| inker= [[Kurt Schaffenberger|Schaffenberger, Kurt]]| story= Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?| title= [[Action Comics]]| issue= 583| date= September 1986}}</ref>

===Destruction===
''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' (1985–1986) was an effort by DC Comics to clean up their continuity, resulting in the multiple universes, including that of Earth-One, combining into one. This involved the destruction of the multiverse, including Earth-One and the first appearance of the post-''Crisis'' Earth.

==Post-''52'' version==
{{main|Earth One (DC graphic novel series)}}
At the end of ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'', the realigned world is called "New Earth". There are now 52 universes: "New Earth" (a.k.a. Earth-0), and Earths-1 to 51. In the final issue of the ''[[52 (comics)|52]]'' weekly series, it is revealed that fifty-two duplicate worlds have been created and all but New Earth have been altered from the original incarnation.<ref name="Johns">{{cite comic| writer= [[Geoff Johns|Johns, Geoff]]; [[Grant Morrison|Morrison, Grant]]; [[Greg Rucka|Rucka, Greg]]; [[Mark Waid|Waid, Mark]]| penciller= [[Keith Giffen|Giffen, Keith]]; [[Eddy Barrows|Barrows, Eddy]]; [[Chris Batista|Batista, Chris]]; [[Justiniano]]; [[Mike McKone|McKone, Mike]]; [[Pat Olliffe|Olliffe, Patrick]]; [[Darick Robertson|Robertson, Darick]]| inker= [[Drew Geraci|Geraci, Drew]]; [[Andy Lanning|Lanning, Andy]]; [[Rodney Ramos|Ramos, Rodney]]; Robertson, Darick; [[Walden Wong|Wong, Walden]]| story= A Year in the Life| title= [[52 (comics)|52]]| issue= 52| date= July 2007}}</ref>

Earth-1 is featured in the ''[[Superman: Earth One]]''<ref name="Straczynski1">{{cite book|last = Straczynski|first = J. Michael|author-link = J. Michael Straczynski|author2=Davis, Shane |author-link2=Shane Davis |title = [[Superman: Earth One]]|publisher = DC Comics|date = October 2010|pages = 144| isbn = 978-1401224684}}</ref><ref name="Straczynski2">{{cite book|last = Straczynski|first = J. Michael|author2=Davis, Shane|title = Superman: Earth One Vol. 2|publisher = DC Comics|date = November 2012|pages = 136|isbn = 978-1401231965}}</ref> and ''[[Batman: Earth One]]''<ref name="Johns1">{{cite book|last = Johns|first = Geoff|author2 = Frank, Gary|author-link2 = Gary Frank (comics)|title = [[Batman: Earth One]]|publisher = DC Comics|date = July 2012|pages = [https://archive.org/details/earthone0000john/page/144 144]|isbn = 978-1401232085}}</ref> graphic novels.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2009/12/07/dcu-in-2010-welcome-to-earth-one |title=DCU in 2010: Welcome to Earth One |date=December 7, 2009 |publisher=DC Comics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903165935/http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2009/12/07/dcu-in-2010-welcome-to-earth-one |archive-date=September 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 1, 2012 }}</ref>

==Characters==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width=10%| Earth-One<br /><small>(1961–1985)</small>
!width=50%| Notes
!width=10%| [[List of DC Multiverse worlds#The 52|New Earth]] / [[List of DC Multiverse worlds#The New 52 and DC Rebirth|Prime Earth]]<br />counterpart
|-
| [[Superman (Earth-One)|Kal-El/Clark Kent]]
| Since Superman was one of several DC characters continuously published throughout the 1950s, there is not a clear dividing line between the Earth-One and Earth-Two versions of Superman. Several stories published before the mid-1950s took place on Earth-One. Also, any Superman stories published before the mid-1950s that featured or mentioned Superboy also took place exclusively on Earth-One, as the Earth-Two Superman, per the earliest Superman comics, never had a Superboy career. His first appearance in comics was in ''More Fun Comics'' #101 (January 1945). This version of Superman remained in publication until 1986, as the miniseries ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' (1985–86), he was written out of continuity with John Byrne's miniseries [[The Man of Steel (comics)|''The Man of Steel'']].
| [[Superman]]
|-
| [[Batman#Silver Age|Bruce Wayne]]
| Batman is not significantly changed by the late 1950s for the new continuity. Batman is not significantly updated in the manner of other characters until ''Detective Comics'' #327 (May 1964), in which Batman reverts to his detective roots, with most science-fiction elements jettisoned from the series. Details of Batman's history were altered or expanded upon through the decades. Additions include his upbringing by his uncle Philip Wayne after his parents' death. In 1969, Bruce moves from his mansion, Wayne Manor into a penthouse apartment atop the Wayne Foundation building in downtown Gotham City, to be closer to Gotham City's crime. Batman spends the 1970s and early 1980s mainly working solo, with occasional team-ups with Robin or Batgirl. Batman's adventures also become somewhat darker and more grim during this period, depicting increasingly violent crime. This version of Batman remained in publication until 1986, as the miniseries ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' (1985–86), he was written out of continuity.
| [[Batman]]
|-
| [[Lex Luthor#Silver Age|Alexis "Lex" Luthor]]
| Luthor grew up in the suburbs of Smallville with his parents and sister. As a teenager, Luthor learned about the existence of Smallville's own hometown hero, Superboy. After a fire in his lab, which resulted in losing both his hair and all of his experiments. Superboy saved him from the fire but Luthor accused the hero of destroying his experiments on purpose out of jealousy. From that moment onward, Lex Luthor became the sworn enemy of Superboy. Fearing that their son would never reform his ways, Lex's parents decided to move away from Smallville and changed their name to "Thorul" in hopes to raise their daughter in a relatively peaceful life away from the evil Lex. During one of his outer space explorations, Luthor discovered and moved to a planet dubbed Lexor before it is destroyed in his battle with Superman.
| [[Lex Luthor]]
|-
| [[General Zod#Silver Age|Dru-Zod]]
| Zod is a megalomaniacal Kryptonian, in charge of the military forces on Krypton. He knew Jor-El, when he was an aspiring scientist. When the space program was abolished after the destruction of the inhabited moon Wegthor, he attempted to take over Krypton. He was sentenced to exile in the Phantom Zone for 40 years for his crimes. Zod was eventually released by Superboy when his term of imprisonment was up. However, he attempted to conquer Earth with his superpowers acquired under the yellow sun. With his threat now obvious, Superboy was forced to oppose him and ultimately returned him to the Zone.
| [[General Zod]]
|-
|}

==In other media==
*Batman's Earth-One costume is available for download in ''[[Batman: Arkham City]]'' (2021).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/715006/new-batman-arkham-city-bonus-costumes-revealed-earth-one-the-animated-series-batman-beyond-and-more/ |title=New ''Batman Arkham City'' Bonus Costumes Revealed – Earth One, ''The Animated Series'', ''Batman Beyond'', And More |first=Leah |last=Jackson |date=August 1, 2011 |publisher=G4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113111103/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/715006/new-batman-arkham-city-bonus-costumes-revealed-earth-one-the-animated-series-batman-beyond-and-more/ |archive-date=January 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 8, 2012 }}</ref>
*In [[the CW]] series ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]'' (2014–23), the Flash team encounters metahumans and doppelgangers of friends and colleagues from another inter-dimensional Earth, which they dub "Earth-2" while referring to their own as "Earth-1". [[Harrison Wells]] of Earth-2 takes some umbrage at this; although he generally accepts the terminology, he occasionally reminds [[Cisco Ramon (Arrowverse)|Cisco Ramon]] and [[Barry Allen (Arrowverse)|Barry Allen]] that his Earth can, from his perspective, be called Earth-1.
*A variation of Earth-1 appears in ''[[Justice Society: World War II]]'' (2021). This universe is also the setting of ''[[Superman: Man of Tomorrow]]'' (2020) and ''[[Batman: The Long Halloween (film)|Batman: The Long Halloween]]'' (2021).

==See also==
* [[List of DC Multiverse worlds]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://toonopedia.com/earth1-2.htm Earth-One, Earth-Two, Crisis on Infinite Earths] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20240527210357/https://www.webcitation.org/6hzYNsTZT?url=http://toonopedia.com/earth1-2.htm Archived] from the original on June 3, 2016.

[[Category:1961 in comics]]
[[Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1961]]
[[Category:DC Comics dimensions]]
[[Category:DC Comics planets]]
[[Category:Fiction about Earth]]