Jun 1, 1938 CE
Superman Debuts in Action Comics #1
The first superhero, Superman, appears, launching the Golden Age of Comics and the DC Universe. #comics #superheroes
Chronological Storyline (35 Milestones)
May 1, 1939 CE
Batman Debuts in Detective Comics #27
Batman first appears, becoming a cornerstone of the DC Universe. #comics #batman
Aug 1, 1940 CE
Justice Society of America Forms
The first superhero team, the JSA, appears in All-Star Comics #3, introducing the concept of shared universe. #comics #jla
Oct 1, 1956 CE
Barry Allen Becomes the Flash in Showcase #4
The Silver Age begins with the debut of the new Flash, reviving the superhero genre. #comics #flash )
Mar 1, 1960 CE
Justice League of America Forms
The Justice League debuts in The Brave and the Bold #28, uniting major DC heroes. #comics #jla
Sep 1, 1961 CE
Flash of Two Worlds Introduces the Multiverse
In Flash #123, Barry Allen meets Jay Garrick, revealing Earth-2 and the DC Multiverse. #comics #multiverse
Jul 1, 1962 CE
Earth-3 and the Crime Syndicate Debut
Justice League of America #29 introduces Earth-3, an antimatter world with evil counterparts. #comics #crime_syndicate
Jan 1, 1963 CE
First Crisis: Crisis on Earth-One
Justice League of America #21-22 features the first crossover crisis between Earth-1 and Earth-2. #comics #crisis
Nov 1, 1970 CE
Jack Kirby's New Gods Saga Begins
Kirby's Fourth World introduces New Genesis and Apokolips, expanding DC's cosmic mythology. #comics #jackkirby )
Apr 1, 1985 CE
Crisis on Infinite Earths Launches
The 12-issue series consolidates the DC Multiverse into one universe, killing the Flash and Supergirl. #comics #crisis
Oct 1, 1986 CE
Man of Steel Reboots Superman Post-Crisis
John Byrne's Man of Steel miniseries redefines Superman for the modern age. #comics #superman )
Aug 1, 1994 CE
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time
A temporal crisis reboots DC's continuity, streamlining the timeline. #comics #crisis )
Aug 1, 1999 CE
The Kingdom Introduces Hypertime
Mark Waid's sequel to Kingdom Come establishes Hypertime as a multiversal concept. #comics #hypertime )
Aug 1, 2004 CE
Identity Crisis: Murder Mystery Shakes DCU
Brad Meltzer's limited series explores the ethical costs of superhero life, leading to Infinite Crisis. #comics #identitycrisis )
Dec 1, 2005 CE
Infinite Crisis Reshapes the Multiverse
Geoff Johns's sequel to the original Crisis restores the multiverse concept. #comics #crisis
May 1, 2006 CE
52 Weekly Series Explores the New Multiverse
A year-long weekly series follows the DC Universe without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, introducing new Earths. #comics #multiverse )
May 1, 2008 CE
Final Crisis: Darkseid's Victory
Grant Morrison's epic sees Darkseid win, leading to the death of Batman and the return of the New Gods. #comics #crisis
Jul 1, 2009 CE
Blackest Night: Undead Corps Rises
Geoff Johns's event features the Black Lantern Corps and the resurrection of dead heroes. #comics #blacklantern
May 1, 2011 CE
Flashpoint Alters the Timeline
The Flash changes history, leading to a war between Atlantis and Themyscira and the New 52 reboot. #comics #flashpoint )
Sep 1, 2011 CE
The New 52 Relaunches DC Universe
All DC titles are rebooted with new #1s, compressing the timeline and simplifying continuity. #comics #new52
May 1, 2012 CE
Earth 2 Series Debuts
A new Earth-2 is introduced with younger heroes, exploring an alternate world. #comics #earth2 )
Jul 1, 2013 CE
Trinity War Unites the Justice Leagues
A conflict between the three Justice Leagues (main, Dark, and America) sets up Forever Evil. #comics #justiceleague
Nov 1, 2013 CE
Forever Evil: Crime Syndicate Invasion
The Crime Syndicate from Earth-3 takes over the DC Universe, leading to the Justice League's defeat. #comics #crime_syndicate
Aug 1, 2014 CE
The Multiversity: Grant Morrison's Map
A series of one-shots exploring the 52 parallel Earths, defining the multiverse's structure. #comics #multiverse
Apr 1, 2015 CE
Convergence: The Multiverse Battle
A massive event where cities from different timelines are transported to Battleworld by Brainiac. #comics #convergence )
May 1, 2016 CE
DC Rebirth Restores Hope
A one-shot relaunch acknowledges the New 52's flaws and restores legacy and the original multiverse. #comics #rebirth
Aug 1, 2017 CE
Dark Nights: Metal Begins
Scott Snyder's event introduces dark multiversal Batmen and the power of the Metal. #comics #darkmultiverse
May 1, 2018 CE
No Justice: Rebuilding the Universe
A four-issue miniseries where heroes and villains unite to save the multiverse from the Omega Titans. #comics #justiceleague
May 1, 2019 CE
Year of the Villain: Lex Luthor's Offer
Lex Luthor offers villains power from the Totality, setting up Dark Nights: Death Metal. #comics #villains
Jan 1, 2020 CE
Dark Nights: Death Metal Concludes
The climax of Snyder's saga restores the multiverse and introduces the Justice League Incarnate. #comics #deathmetal
Mar 1, 2021 CE
Infinite Frontier Launches
A new era begins with an expanded multiverse and the return of classic characters. #comics #infinitiefrontier
Jun 1, 2021 CE
Justice League Incarnate: Multiversal Guardians
A team protecting the multiverse from threats like the Great Darkness. #comics #justiceleague
May 1, 2022 CE
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths Begins
A sequel to the original Crisis, with the Justice League dead and the multiverse at risk. #comics #crisis
Mar 1, 2023 CE
Dawn of DC: A New Chapter
DC's new publishing initiative focuses on legacy and hope, following Dark Crisis. #comics #dcuniverse
Sep 1, 2023 CE
Titans: Beast World Ramps Up
An event where a Starro spore transforms people into animal hybrids, testing the Titans. #comics #titans