Crude Combined Marvel/DC timeline to use as backstory to a Supers campaign

[Korvar]

Ehn. If DC can kill Superman, so can you. I was actually thinking that, given all the Silver Age Superboy and Superman Junior stories, it might be a nice touch for the Golden Age Superman to die as Lois Lane is pregnant with their child. Naturally the boy is also named "Clark" after his father, is mostly raised by his grandparents in Smallville since Lois is a globe-trotting workaholic and eventually he makes his debut as Superman II in 1986 saving a space shuttle from disaster. (Giving a nod to the Byrne reboot).

Don't forget the Super Sons - he could adventure with Batman II

[David Johnston]

Don't forget the Super Sons - he could adventure with Batman II

Him, I'd rather forget. Bruce Wayne never struck me as having the makings of a family man. Particularly since the only women he's attracted to are supervillains.

[assault]

Him, I'd rather forget. Bruce Wayne never struck me as having the makings of a family man. Particularly since the only women he's attracted to are supervillains.

OK, then. Replace Batman Jnr with the (pre-Crisis) Huntress.

[McCoy]

OK, I need opinions. 1948, the London Olympics. Rich American Bruce Wayne makes the American team, despite Wayne's advanced (for an athlete) age of 34 and no history of competative athletics since college.

What sport would he be compeating in, and why didn't he medal?

I'm thinking Boxing. Could be Wrestling, or Gymnastics, maybe Fencing? Ju Jitsu would be a no-brainer, but not an Olympic sport in 1948. Am I overlooking a good choice?

[OddHat]

I'd go with Boxing. Not fencing; I don't remember Golden Age Batman using a sword in the reprints I've read, and while he might have it wouldn't have been in many stories.

He didn't medal because, in a straight boxing match with no options to trick a much younger opponent, he ended up losing on points. Had he been allowed to grapple or kick his opponent wouldn't have had a chance. However, he never went down, and again in a real fight without rounds or gloves his opponent would have fallen first.

At the same Olympics, the mysterious Batman put in an appearance, stopping the wanted Nazi war criminal Albrecht Krieger from kidnapping Winston Churchill.

[wcw43921]

McCoy, how about the Decathalon or the Pentathlon? I think Bruce Wayne would want to be good at everything as is humanly possible, especially athletics.

The marksmanship aspect of the Pentathlon might be a problem for him, given his aversion to firearms. I figure either he messes up so badly there as to affect his overall score, or he does well and says to himself, "There. I don't ever have to use a gun again."

Who says he can't medal, especially in the Pentathlon? How many people can name who won the Pentathlon in the last Olympics, let alone the 1948 Games? I imagine he could win, then just dismiss it off-handedly as part of his "spoiled playboy" cover--

GORDON: "You actually won an Olympic medal, Bruce?"

WAYNE: "Yes, a silver, in Modern Pentathlon. Some Spanish chap won the gold. What can I say? It was something to do, and now it's done. Have you tried the hors d'oeuvres?"

Hope that helps.

[McCoy]

McCoy, how about the Decathalon or the Pentathlon? I think Bruce Wayne would want to be good at everything as is humanly possible, especially athletics.

The marksmanship aspect of the Pentathlon migth be a problem for him, given his aversion to firearms. I figure either he messes up so badly there as to affect his overall score, or he does well and says to himself, "There. I don't ever have to use a gun again."

Who says he can't medal, especially in the Pentathlon? How many people can name who won the Pentathlon in the last Olympics, let alone the 1948 Games? I imagine he could win, then just dismiss it off-handedly as part of his "spoiled playboy" cover--

GORDON: "You actually won an Olympic medal, Bruce?"

WAYNE: "Yes, a silver, in Modern Pentathlon. Some Spanish chap won the gold. What can I say? It was something to do, and now it's done. Have you tried the hors d'oeuvres?"

Hope that helps.

Bob Mathias won the decathalon at the 1948 Olympics, as well as 1952. I knew that without looking it up. Did have to look up Ignace Heinrich, Floyd Simmons, William Grut, George Moore, and Gösta Gärdin.

The events of the modern pentathlon are épée fencing, pistol shooting, 200 m freestyle swimming, a show jumping course on horseback, and a cross-country run. Does seem like less a test of overall athleticism and more who is the rich twit with the most time and money, which would certainly fit Bruce's "image." But none of those really seem like Batman's forte.

[OzMike]

Bob Mathias won the decathalon at the 1948 Olympics, as well as 1952. I knew that without looking it up. Did have to look up Ignace Heinrich, Floyd Simmons, William Grut, George Moore, and Gösta Gärdin.

The events of the modern pentathlon are épée fencing, pistol shooting, 200 m freestyle swimming, a show jumping course on horseback, and a cross-country run. Does seem like less a test of overall athleticism and more who is the rich twit with the most time and money, which would certainly fit Bruce's "image." But none of those really seem like Batman's forte.

I agree that the modern pentathlon looks good, but are we talking old or new Batman or a mish mash? Plus let's not forget he is rich and has travelled etc... anyway, here's my thoughts and ramblings on the matter...

épée fencing - I'm pretty sure Wayne trained in fencing during his travels... he trained in swordplay no matter which modern origin stuff you look at

pistol shooting - old used to carry a pistol - he'd want to be good with it or he'd shoot folks who didn't deserve it. New? Aversion.

200 m freestyle swimming - Wayne would be able to do this.

a show jumping course on horseback - don't know how often we see him ride a horse, but Miller's Dark Knight Returns has an old Bats mounting a horse and riding pretty damn well.

and a cross-country run - a shoo-in. See Bats Run. See Nip Fluff.

[McCoy]

pistol shooting - old used to carry a pistol - he'd want to be good with it or he'd shoot folks who didn't deserve it. New? Aversion.

On further research, the "pistol" involved is a 4.5mm air pistol at a range of 10 meters.

A BB gun.

Interesting twist, I had assumed that like the equestrian events, the contestant provided their own horse. Turns out the horses are assigned by drawing 20 minutes before the jumping course.

Think I'm probably going to go with boxing. Like Oddhat says, lost an early match on a split decision. Should have continued in that bracket for the Bronze*, but didn't show for his next match. Forfeit, and elimination. He also didn't show for the closing ceremonies, or the boat ride home (flew commercial at his own expense). The USOC sent him a rather brusk note thanking him for his past support, but saying no matter how large a donation he might make in the future, don't bother trying to qualify for a future US Olympic team.

*I am assuming a single-elimination tournament with a losers bracket for Bronze, can anyone confirm or deny?

[Shaft]

On further research, the "pistol" involved is a 4.5mm air pistol at a range of 10 meters.

A BB gun.

Hmmm, maybe he adapted a compressed air pistol to fire the Batlines later on.

Also, it's possible he may have participated in the Decathlon, even if he didn't win it.

[Squall]

Keep in mind, even though Bats has an "aversion" to firearms, he still knows how to use them (and has trained his Robins in how to do so, as well, on a range in the Batcave). "Know your enemy," and all that. And rich white-bread upper crust types like the Waynes likely do a fair amount of sport shooting, clay pigeons, duck hunts, and that sort of thing -- so it's not like it's breaking character for him to be able to handle a firearm.

[Shaft]

Somehow, the topic of discussion always comes back to Batman...

Has Batman fathered any children in mainline continuity? I believe in Earth 2, Helena Wayne was his daughter (and as I recall he was married to Selina Kyle) and in Animated continuity, Terry McGuiness is his clone. Am I missing anyone?

[assault]

Has Batman fathered any children in mainline continuity? I believe in Earth 2, Helena Wayne was his daughter (and as I recall he was married to Selina Kyle) and in Animated continuity, Terry McGuiness is his clone. Am I missing anyone?

None in mainline continuity.

Bizarrely, the writer of the Supersons stories actually did try to insist that they happened in what was then mainstream continuity, but DC basically ignored him, and explicitly overruled him a few years later.

But you can still use Batman Jnr if you want.

There were probably some Batkids in various imaginary stories. There were, apparently, some descendents of Bruce Wayne in some stories set in the distant future, too, but these stories are distinctly "pre-Crisis", and actually pre- the 1964 reboot as well.

Another oddity is Wendy from the Superfriends! Apparently, she would refer to Batman as "Uncle Bruce" in the cartoon. It was later explained in the associated comic that she was actually the niece of one of the guys that trained Batman. Make of that what you wish...

[McCoy]

Another oddity is Wendy from the Superfriends! Apparently, she would refer to Batman as "Uncle Bruce" in the cartoon. It was later explained in the associated comic that she was actually the niece of one of the guys that trained Batman. Make of that what you wish...

In one issue, Brave and Bold I believe, it was established that bruce had an older brother, Thomas Wayne Jr, that had been institutionalized all his life (decades before Rainman). But again, that was pre-Crisis.

[Superskrull]

Apparently, the graphic novel Batman:Son of the Demon wavers in and out of continuity. In that one, Batman & Talia have a son, though she tricks him into thinking she miscarried and places the child up for adoption. apparently Denny O'Neil says that Zero Hour bumped it out of continuity. The kid is known variously as Ibn al Xu'ffasch, Damien Wayne & in one elseworld as Tarrant Wayne.

This summer, Grant Morrison did a story arc using that graphic novel as the basis. Voila! Back in continuity it goes.

This means only one thing, Superboy Prime's Retcon Punch strikes again.