Warning! This article contains SPOILERS forNew History of the DC Universe #1The long and complicated history of theDC universe, multiverse, and omniverse is compiled and documented by none other than Barry Allen, who may deliver some surprising reinterpretations of certain convoluted details.
In the four-issue miniseriesNew History of the DC Universe #1, written by Mark Waid, former Flash Barry Allen takes up the challenge of chronicling the ever-changing history of the universe he inhabits. There’s no better character to do this, as Barry’s knowledge of time travel and its consequences has made him well acquainted with the countless paradoxes and contradictions that have turned his reality into a collection of universes and multiverses. Barry compares this quality of DC’s history to"a story given subtle differences by multiple narrators."
In his attempt to give DC’s history a defined structure, Barry Allen needs to choose a specific angle on each event. As a result, some versions of each concept and each character’s origins must be overlooked, merged, or streamlined.
The New History Of The DC Universe Suggests Darkseid Was Granted His Power
Barry Allen’s Explanation Of The New Gods' Origins Ignores Darkseid’s Rebellion
The New History of the DC Universe#1 reinterprets Darkseid’s origins by suggesting that“the Source granted its residents a form of godhood,”which marks a sharp departure from Jack Kirby’s original vision.In the foundational Fourth World mythos,Uxas becomes Darkseid by betraying his family and usurping the Omega Force.Darkseid’s transformation into Apokolips’ tyrant is traditionally self-made, whereasThe New History of the DC Universe#1frames his godhood as something granted by the Source, which implies that Darkseid’s rise was the result of divine selection. It reshapes Darkseid from a self-determined villain into a product of cosmic design.
DC has gradually complicatedDarkseid’s identity and lorethroughout the years.Final Crisispresents a high-concept version of Darkseid where his true self resides in the God Sphere above the multiverse, meaning that the Darkseid that appears in regular stories is merely a fragment of his higher essence. In stories likeKingdom Come, alternate versions of Darkseid live and die independently.The New History of the DC Universe’s divine-bestowal explanation complicates the mythos further by framing the New Gods, Darkseid included, as chosen agents of a cosmic source, which seemingly reduces their higher power.
All Changes In The DC Multiverse Are Canon To Some Degree
New History of the DC Universe #1; Written by Mark Waid; Art by Jerry Ordway, Todd Nauck, Matt Herms, and John Kalisz
As Barry Allen explains, the origins of the DC Universe have evolved significantly over the decades, reshaped by continuity reboots and crisis events that have rewritten the multiverse.Originally, DC’s sole universe was a patchwork of continuity with no unified timeline. Golden Age characters like the Justice Society of America existed on Earth-2, while Silver Age heroes like the Justice League lived on Earth-1.DC’s multiverse concept was formalized in 1961’sThe Flash #123withThe Flash of Two Worlds, which explained how multiple Earths housed different versions of DC characters. There was no singular origin point, and each Earth had its own history, Big Bang, and age of heroes.
All versions of Darkseid’s origins and rebellion may also be valid, especially considering he’s plays an essential role in the equilibrium of every iteration of the multiverse.
After DC’s first major reboot, 1985’sCrisis on Infinite Earths, the Anti-Monitor’s destruction of the multiverse caused a new Big Bang and created a unified timeline. Other events like 1994’sZero Hour, 2005’sInfinite Crisis, 2011’sFlashpoint, and 2016’sRebirthfragmented and reshaped the DC multiverse. In 2020,Dark Nights: Death Metalpresented the Omniverse, where every version of DC history is canon and all versions of the DC universe’s origins began to coexist. Barry Allen’s description of DC history as"malleable"is an accurate descriptor of the status quo established by 2023’sDawn of DC, where the DC multiverse is well understood and mapped.
The New History Of The DC Universe’s Biggest Changes Are Yet To Come
Barry Allen Will Likely Settle Some Of DC’s Most Significant Retcons
The biggest reveals inNew History of the DC Universemight come after Barry explains the multiverse’s origins. Across DC’s many reboots, Superman, The Flash, and the whole Justice League have undergone much bigger reinventions. For example,Crisis on Infinite Earthsmarked the first major reinvention for Superman, with the removal of his Superboy days and the Kents being alive well into Clark’s adulthood.The New 52introduced a newer version of Wally West who wasn’t tied to Barry and a Justice League formed in response toDarkseid’s first invasion. And inRebirth, the Speed Force was framed as one of the fundamental forces of theDC Universe.
New History of the DC Universe #1will be available August 11, 2025 from DC Comics.
