The Kingdom introduced a new element to the DC Universe: Hypertime. This appears to be a variation on the multiple earth/universe concept from prior DC canon, which was eliminated in 1985's 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths (the seeds are also sown for Infinite Crisis, as there is a brief scene where Kal-L, the original Superman, reflects on how he has come to regard his new reality as a prison, but is now aware of an exit that he may use at some future date).
Hypertime
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Hypertime is a fictional concept presented in the 1998 comic book series The Kingdom, both a catch-all explanation for any continuity discrepancies in DC Universe stories and a variation or superset of the Multiverse that existed before Crisis on Infinite Earths.
The basic premise of the idea was summed up by writer Mark Waid as, "It's all true." It presumes that all of the stories ever told about (for example) Superman are equally valid stories. Despite overt contradictions between the versions of the character (and his adventures, supporting characters, and setting) that appeared in the late 1930s and 1940s comics by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, portrayed by George Reeves in the 1950s TV series, depicted in 1960s and 1970s comics drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger or Curt Swan, portrayed by Christopher Reeve in the 1978 movie and its sequels, written and illustrated by John Byrne in the late 1980s, portrayed by Dean Cain in the 1990s TV series Lois and Clark, portrayed by Tom Welling in the 2000s TV series Smallville, or portrayed by Brandon Routh in the 2006 movie, no one of these versions supersedes any other as canon. This was a repudiation of the prevailing approach to continuity in superhero comics, in which only the currently-used version is considered valid, rendering prior stories which are inconsistent with this continuity officially apocryphal.
As it appears within comics stories themselves, hypertime is a superdimensional construct which—under very limited circumstances (proscribed by editors in the real world, and by various in-story rules within the DC Universe itself)—can allow versions of characters from one continuity to interact with versions from another. For example, in The Kingdom, a version of Superman extrapolated into the future briefly encounters the Siegel/Shuster version.
Basically, hypertime works like this: the main, or "official" timeline is like a river, with a nearly infinite number of tributaries—alternate timelines— branching off. Most of the time, these alternate timelines go off on their own and never intersect with the main timeline. On occasion, the branches return, feeding back into the main timeline - sometimes permanently, sometimes temporarily. Thus, history can sometimes change momentarily and then change back (or not). If characters from a very different Hypertimeline move into our own, this accelerates the process, causing more noticeable (but shorter) changes to the timeline (for example when the Titans were visited by their counterparts from The Kingdom, Jesse Quick was briefly replaced by a version who had taken her mother's Liberty Belle identity).
Some fans dislike the concept of hypertime, believing that it undermines the storytelling continuity that adds to their enjoyment of stories set in an ongoing shared universe. Other fans like the concept because it saves stories that they enjoyed from being officially discarded following a retcon which renders them inconsistent with the new continuity.
Other criticism stems from Mark Waid's involvement in the concept. While co-created by Grant Morrison, Waid was the first to use Hypertime in the controversial "The Kingdom" mini-series. Many fans believed Waid was using Hypertime NOT to address assorted continuity problems, but to bring back the Silver Age DC comics that Waid has long held as what he considers to be "good" comics. However, Waid himself was also the first to explicitly use Hypertime to explain continuity errors (when asked about certain characters in JLA: Year One), thereby angering fans who felt it was being used as an excuse for not checking continuity properly.
Originally posted by nvrbeenwthagirl
Now pay attention kiddies, Waid says " it's all true". Which means even else worlds funnest is true. And since mxy erased the multiverse, it's true. I win. Any questions.
Dude, I just came back, and your still here alone debating with your computer. 😆
You did your best, but it was all in vain.
Originally posted by Mr Master
Dude, I just came back, and your still here alone debating with your computer. 😆You did your best, but it was all in vain.
But that really is all you can say. Becuz you tried to discount what I said. and not that I just let you have it, all you have to say is it was all in vain. U R the worst debater ever. And ur argument now debunked does not stand up to true evidence. I will discredit every single thing you have said against my arguments until every one sees you for the fraud you are. who pretends to really be doing something but in the end, I just shot a big ass hole thru your entire attempt at making my argument not stand. YOU LOSE.
But wait, there's more!
Abandonment
Hypertime has been infrequently utilized in DC titles subsequent to its introduction in The Kingdom, perhaps as a result of its chief architects and proponents, writers Mark Waid and Grant Morrison, working elsewhere in the comics industry (notably for Marvel Comics) . While the concept was used in a multi-part story involving the Modern Age Superboy, many writers (such as "Teen Titans" writer Jay Faeber) found that their attempts to use Hypertime were either outright rejected or their stories severely altered to allow no attempt to further expand upon the concept.
In fact, promotional talks at the 2005 San Diego Comic-Con (July 2005), DC Executive Editor Dan Didio effectively disavowed the concept of hypertime, stating it would no longer be used in future DCU titles. [1] Although DC Comics has announced they will no longer use it as a concept, there are still groups who use it as "doctrine."
The Infinite Crisis series appears to solve the continuity problem in a different way, according to DiDio, who in a Newsarama interview said "The great part about Crisis is that all mistakes and retcons are time anomalies." [2]
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Spoiler:
DiDio's solution, as seen in the pages of Infinite Crisis, postulates reality-changing "continuity waves", generated by Superboy-Prime punching the walls of his extradimensional prison.
Originally posted by nvrbeenwthagirl
But that really is all you can say. Becuz you tried to discount what I said. and not that I just let you have it, all you have to say is it was all in vain. U R the worst debater ever. And ur argument now debunked does not stand up to true evidence. I will discredit every single thing you have said against my arguments until every one sees you for the fraud you are. who pretends to really be doing something but in the end, I just shot a big ass hole thru your entire attempt at making my argument not stand. YOU LOSE.
nopity
Originally posted by rotiart
But wait, there's more!Abandonment
Hypertime has been infrequently utilized in DC titles subsequent to its introduction in The Kingdom, perhaps as a result of its chief architects and proponents, writers Mark Waid and Grant Morrison, working elsewhere in the comics industry (notably for Marvel Comics) . While the concept was used in a multi-part story involving the Modern Age Superboy, many writers (such as "Teen Titans" writer Jay Faeber) found that their attempts to use Hypertime were either outright rejected or their stories severely altered to allow no attempt to further expand upon the concept.In fact, promotional talks at the 2005 San Diego Comic-Con (July 2005), DC Executive Editor Dan Didio effectively disavowed the concept of hypertime, stating it would no longer be used in future DCU titles. [1] Although DC Comics has announced they will no longer use it as a concept, there are still groups who use it as "doctrine."
The Infinite Crisis series appears to solve the continuity problem in a different way, according to DiDio, who in a Newsarama interview said "The great part about Crisis is that all mistakes and retcons are time anomalies." [2]
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Spoiler:
DiDio's solution, as seen in the pages of Infinite Crisis, postulates reality-changing "continuity waves", generated by Superboy-Prime punching the walls of his extradimensional prison.
Originally posted by rotiart
But wait, there's more!In fact, promotional talks at the 2005 San Diego Comic-Con (July 2005), DC Executive Editor Dan Didio effectively DISAVOWED the CONCEPT of HYPERTYME, stating it would no longer be used in future DCU titles. [1]
You see children what happens when you go on a rant without measuring your enemy,
Like the flames in a skull a light falls upon you, for all to see you...
rot = 😎
Originally posted by Mr Master
You see children what happens when you go on a rant without measuring your enemy,Like the flames in a skull a light falls upon you, for all to see you...
rot = 😎
Originally posted by Mr Master
How did he lose?Your whole argument was based on Hypertime, or have you forgotten he proved Kingdom was NOT CANON!
Actually he didnt. The editor at the time, NEVER retconned the kingdom. AFter the statment was made, there was even a superboy story where hypertime was used.
Originally posted by nvrbeenwthagirl
Show me where he said Hypertime wasn't true and that DC was retconning it. Hyper time was even used in a Superboy story, AFTER this statement. So um yeah, You still lose. HYpertime was never retconned.
There you go my child...
Although DC Comics has announced they will no longer use it as a concept, there are still groups who use it as "doctrine."
They just use it for sentimental purposes, like...well...What if's.
Originally posted by Mr Master
There you go my child...Although DC Comics has announced they will no longer use it as a concept, there are still groups who use it as "doctrine."
They just use it for sentimental purposes, like...well...What if's.
No that is not what was said. DC did not say it would no longer use this concept. get ur wording right. dont' twist it to fit. they said it would no longer be used from this point on. They didn't say anything about retconning it, or taking it back. they didnt' retconn it. which means it still holds true.
In a interview with executive editor Dan Dido....
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/InfiniteCrisis/counseling7.html
Q: Post Crisis...So Hypertime doesn’t exist anymore?
DD: One world, with a new past and future. Everything essential has been blended together and is acknowledged as we move through a single continuity. Why would we need Hypertime?
Current continuity... all essential material has been blended together and acknowledged... hypertime does not exist...
So at one point Kingdom could have been incontinuity, while Hypertime was allowed.. but a new world.. a new timeline.. the essentials blended..... You really think that "Kingdom" was one of those essentials? 😉