Timeline of Earth-1 (1980 to mid-1985)
Return to Timeline of Earth-1
1980
January, 1980
- Scientist Alec Holland is killed by a bomb set by a criminal organization called the Conclave, but his bio-restorative formula is apparently responsible for bringing him back to life as a plant creature called the Swamp Thing (though in reality he was chosen by the Parliament of Trees to become the new Erl King). His wife Linda Holland is murdered a week later by the Conclave. Swamp Thing kills her murderers, but security agent Lt. Matt Cable of the DDI mistakenly believes Swamp Thing is responsible for the deaths of the Hollands, whom he had sworn to protect. [“Dark Genesis,” Swamp Thing #1 (October-November, 1972).]
- January 4: President Carter begins an embargo on the sale of grain and hi-tech to the Soviet Union because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
- January 29: Six U.S. embassy aides escape from Iran with Canadian help during the hostage crisis.
February, 1980
- The Spectre of Earth-Two is assigned to inhabit the body of Lt. Jim Corrigan of Earth-One when Corrigan is murdered by criminals who lock him in a barrel of cement and throw him to the bottom of the river. Brought back to Earth to avenge his murder, Corrigan is in full control of the Spectre, who acts with self-righteous vengeance, taking vengeance on murderous criminals in gruesome ways. Note: This takes place about eight months before the Spectre story in Adventure Comics #435, which takes place in October, 1980, and reveals that Corrigan's murder is similar to the Earth-Two Corrigan's murder. In an untold tale, Lt. Jim Corrigan meets and befriends the Batman in a case in which Batman discovers that Corrigan is the Spectre, according to The Brave and the Bold #116. The Spectre remains on Earth-One until after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, when he relocates to Earth-Two. [“The Spectre: Lingering Spirit, Chapter 1: A Necessary Connection”; “The Man Who Stalked the Spectre,” Adventure Comics #435 (September-October, 1974)]
- Christopher Chance becomes the Human Target, posing as those targeted to be killed. [ACTION #419}
- The Swamp Thing is kidnapped by the Un-Men, who bring him all the way to the Castle Arcane in Transylvania to meet the evil Anton Arcane, who promises to restore him to his human body. The occult process does change Swamp Thing back into Dr. Alec Holland, while Anton Arcane takes the form of the Swamp Thing, but after Holland realizes Arcane intends to use his new form to kill everyone in the village below, he undoes the transformation. Arcane falls off a precipice, followed by his loyal Un-Men, apparently to his death. Shortly after, the Patchwork Man (the former Gregori Arcane, brother of Anton Arcane and father of Abigail Arcane) escapes from his prison within Castle Arcane and battles the Swamp Thing, each thinking the other intends to harm Abigail Arcane. In saving her, the Patchwork Man falls into a cavern, while Swamp Thing hands Abigail over to Matt Cable, who has tracked him down there. Matt agrees to let Abby go with him back to America, and Swamp Thing trails along beneath their plane. [“The Man Who Wanted Forever,” Swamp Thing #2 (December, 1972-January, 1973); “The Patchwork Man,” Swamp Thing #3 (February-March, 1973).]
- Superman meets Valdemar of the Flame, a powerful Viking from a lost colony in Maine. [SUPERMAN #260]
- February 2: The FBI's Abscam (for Arab scam) undercover operation implicates public officials.
March, 1980
- Superman meets Captain Strong, a sailor-man who gains superhuman strength by eating a type of alien seaweed. [ACTION #421]
- Diana Prince becomes Wonder Woman again after I-Ching is killed and has all her powers restored; she begins working at the United Nations as a translator. She also meets her sister Nubia, who was raised to be her enemy by Mars. [WONDER WOMAN #204]
- March 17: Green Arrow and Green Lantern must face a threat on St. Patrick's Day. [March of the Vermin]
April, 1980
- The Joker makes it so Batman and Wildcat must box one another. [BRAVE & BOLD #118]
- Jimmy Olsen meets an old woman named Lena Lawrence, who helps him and Superman. [JIMMY OLSEN #158]
- Adventurer Johnny Peril has his first recorded case in a decade, now working primarily as a private investigator specializing in weird cases, sometimes accompanied by psychic Heather Storm, a friend. [Unexpected #200]
- While saving Rebecca and Jeremy Ravenwind from fanatic witch-hunters in Divinity, Maine, one of the townsfolk uses a scythe to cut off Swamp Thing's arm, which regrows from his body. Unbeknownst to Swamp Thing at the time, however, the discarded arm begins to grow a second, mindless Swamp Thing body guided only by instinct to seek out and rejoin with Swamp Thing. [“The Last of the Ravenwind Witches,” Swamp Thing #4 (April-May, 1973); “A Second Time to Die,” Swamp Thing #19 (October, 1975).]
- April 7: The U.S. breaks off diplomatic ties with Iran.
- April 12: American athletes withdraw from the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow due to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
- April 25: During an attempt to rescue American hostages in Tehran, eight U.S. servicemen are killed, and five are injured.
May, 1980
- Paul Kirk is brought back to life by the Council to become the Manhunter once more. [DETECTIVE #437]
- May 18: Mt. St. Helens in Washington State erupts, killing 57 people and costing the area $3 billion in damages. The explosion is 500 times greater than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
June, 1980
- Libra forms the Injustice Gang of the World. [JLA #111, 112]
- After Matt Cable and Abby Arcane are kidnapped by the Conclave, Swamp Thing travels to Gotham City and battles the Batman. A supposed philanthropist and friend of Bruce Wayne named Nathan Ellery falls to his death from a tower after he is identified as the head of the Conclave. [“Night of the Bat,” Swamp Thing #7 (November-December, 1973).]
- JLA and JSA help Sandman with Sandy. [JLA #113]
- Jimmy Olsen discovers that Lena Lawrence is really Lucy Lane, who had been working as a secret agent against the 100 but contracted a deadly jungle fever in South America and the cure had prematurely aged her drastically. She gets a job as a nurse and a freak accident restores her youth and beauty. Jimmy tries to reestablish their romance, but she decides to devote her life to helping others instead. [JIMMY OLSEN #160-161]
- The JLA help J'Onn J'Onnz fight for the freedom of Mars. [JLA #115]
- Lex Luthor accidentally transports himself to Earth-S, where he joins with Mr. Mind in a scheme to destroy Captain Marvel. [SHAZAM! #15]
July, 1980
- The Flash and E-2 Flash battle Rag Doll. [FLASH #229]
- Jack Nimball becomes the second Toyman, and the original Toyman teams with Superman to bring him in. [ACTION #432]
- Batman drawn temporarily into Kamandi's future by a shaman. Returns at end of adventure. [BRAVE & BOLD #121]
- July 27: The Shah of Iran dies at age 60.
August, 1980
- Matt Cable and Jefferson Bolt capture the Swamp Thing in his Louisiana bayou, then take him back to DDI headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, the Swamp Thing confesses to Matt Cable that he is Alec Holland, something Cable had long suspected but hadn't wanted to admit. He and Abigail Arcane decide to break him out of his prison and help him escape. Bolt tries to stop them at first, until Cable tells him what he learned from the Swamp Thing, and he agrees to help them with their plot to let Swamp Thing escape by burying him in the grave of the dead scientist who was killed trying to protect him, allowing Swamp Thing to later escape. When Swamp Thing doesn't later meet Cable and the others at their rendezvous point as they'd agreed, they begin searching for Swamp Thing anew. [“The Leviathan Conspiracy,” Swamp Thing #13 (November-December, 1974).]
- The Joker competes with Two-Face to steal some priceless gold doubloons. [JOKER #1]
- August 25-26: One night criminals break in to the Sterling estate and plant a bomb that goes off the next morning, killing textile mogul Adrian Sterling while he goes for his morning swim. Lt. Jim Corrigan interviews his daughter Gwendolyn Sterling, who is attracted to him. After Corrigan discovers that Sterling's partner Maxwell Flood arranged the murder, the Spectre kills each of the criminals involved. Gwen discovers that Corrigan is the Spectre but has already fallen in love with him. [“The Anguish of the Spectre,” Adventure Comics #432 (March-April, 1974)]
September, 1980
- Superman meets Captain Thunder, a super-hero from a parallel world, and sends him back. [SUPERMAN #276]
- Wonder Woman begins her “Twelve Labors” to prove herself worthy of JLA membership once more. [WONDER WOMAN #212]
- The Joker hooks up with Willie the Weeper. [JOKER #2]
- Golden Eagle gets his wings. [JLA #116]
- September 17: Ousted Nicaraguan ruler Anastasio Somoza Debayla is assassinated in Paraguay.
- September 19: The Iran-Iraq begins, lasting eight years.
- September 24: When Gwendolyn Sterling consults with Swami Seelal about being in love with a ghost, Lt. Jim Corrigan, the fake Swami arranges for Corrigan to be killed in a car explosion. As the Spectre, Corrigan instead saves Gwen and kills the Swami's henchman, then tells Gwen that as much as he cares for her, he cannot have a normal life. The Spectre then kills Swami Seelal during a seance. [“The Swami and the Spectre,” Adventure Comics #433 (May-June, 1974)]
October, 1980
- Hawkman and Hawkgirl return to Earth. [JLA #117]
- Paul Kirk (Manhunter) is killed in his attempt to bring down the Council. [DETECTIVE #443]
- Travis Morgan meets his grown daughter Jennifer. [WARLORD #38]
- The Creeper gets amnesia after a battle with the Joker and becomes persuaded to be the Joker's ally. [JOKER #3]
- October 22-23: Freelance writer Earl Crawford, recognizing a pattern of unusual deaths of criminals spanning the past eight months, pitches a story for Newsbeat Magazine. Convinced that the Grandenetti Mob will be the next victims, Crawford arranges for his editor to assign him with a police officer, Lt. Jim Corrigan, leaving out the real story. Crawford attempts to warn the Grandenettis to give themselves up to the police and live, but when they don't believe him the Spectre kills them in gruesome ways before Crawford's eyes. Note: A reference involving a police officer wondering if Clark Kent is really Superman can be discounted as a common-enough rumor on Earth-One, since Clark has been “proven” and “disproven” to be Superman several times over the years. [“The Man Who Stalked the Spectre,” Adventure Comics #435 (September-October, 1974)]
- October 31: Halloween in Rutland is always wild as the Atom, Hawkman and Hawkgirl can attest. [Atom and Hawkman: Spooks and Spells]
November, 1980
- Superman meets Vartox, a super-hero from another world. [SUPERMAN #281]
- Adam Strange marries Alanna on Rann (14th). [JLA #121]
- Dorcas Leigh becomes Godiva. [Bad Hair Day]
- November 4: Ronald Reagan is elected president of the United States.
December, 1980
- Green Arrow strives to rescue Dinah Lance from the Joker, who has fallen in love with her. [JOKER #4]
- December 8: John Lennon of the Beatles is shot dead in New York City.
- December 24: Green Arrow and Red Tornado work together on Christmas eve. [The Greatest Gift]
1981
- AIDS is first identified.
January, 1981
- The JLA and JSA battle the Injustice Society with help from some Earth-Prime writers. [JLA #123-124]
- Wildcat and the Creeper team up to face Proteus in San Lorenzo. [SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #2]
- Karen Beecher begins to work as an assistant for S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Dr. Blake Mansfield. [TW: Buzz Buzz]
- January 20
- President Ronald Reagan is inaugurated.
- A U.S.-Iran agreement ends the Iran Hostage Crisis, freeing 52 hostages held in Tehran since 1979.
February, 1981
- Mark Shaw becomes the new Manhunter. [FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL #5]
- The Joker competes with the Royal Flush gang to steal some valuable paintings. [JOKER #5]
- Wonder Woman completes her “Twelve Labors” and is readmitted into the JLA. [WONDER WOMAN #222 / JLA #128]
- Red Tornado is killed. [JLA #129]
- The first SSOSV is formed. [SSOSV #1]
- Green Lantern battles the Floronic Man. [FLASH #245-246]
March, 1981
- Superman and Jimmy Olsen once again become Nightwing and Flamebird in Kandor. [SUPERMAN FAMILY #173]
- Captain Comet returns to Earth. [SSOSV #2]
- An actor playing Sherlock Holmes believes he is the real deal after the Joker bops him on the head. [JOKER #6]
- Johnny Peril concludes his greatest case, the Quest of the Seven Stars, as he defeats an alien at the Temple of the Seven Stars in northern Canada. [Unexpected #211]
- March 30: President Reagan is wounded in an assassination attempt.
April, 1981
- Manhunter reveals it is Darkseid who formed the SSOSV to replace Intergang. [SSOSV #2, #3]
- Superman battles Solomon Grundy when he comes from Earth-2, and he encounters the criminal organization known as S.K.U.L.L. [SUPERMAN #301]
- Wildcat returns to Earth-2 permanently. [Lost Heroes]
- An experiment gone awry transfers Luthor's genius and sanity to the Joker, while making Luthor full of humor and insanity. [JOKER #7]
- April 12: NASA launches the first Space Shuttle, the first reusable spacecraft to be flown into orbit.
May, 1981
- Rip Hunter and his team (Jeff Smith, Bonnie Baxter, and Corky Baxter) arrive from the year 1965 and decide to remain in this time. While Bonnie and Corky enroll in school to catch up on their learning, Rip and Jeff begin to rework the time sphere's frame in preparation for their greatest trip, which will be to the dawn of time. [Action Comics #552]
- Karate Kid arrives from the 30th Century to live in New York City. [KARATE KID #1]
- The Dynamite Duo battles a pair of plant-themed foes in Washington DC. [Seeds of Discontent]
- The mindless Swamp Thing duplicate grown from Swamp Thing's discarded arm reaches Florida, where he is befriended by an two-centuries-old Seminole named Ho'tah Makinaw. Meanwhile, the real Swamp Thing is nearby and finds himself drawn uncontrollably toward his mindless duplicate, accidentally causing damage at a construction site for a future government compound. Matt Cable, Abby Arcane, and Jefferson Bolt are present when the construction foreman explodes a cliff, inadvertently destroying the Grotto of Eternal Youth that has kept Makinaw immortal. Enraged, Makinaw orders the mindless Swamp Thing to destroy all white men, and the mindless Swamp Thing attacks Cable before he finally runs into the real Swamp Thing; the two battle each other. In the nearby town, a store owner strikes Makinaw and accidentally causes his death, releasing the mindless Swamp Thing from his control. When Cable and the other reach town, the foreman uses an explosive to destroy the mindless Swamp Thing, whom everyone believes is Alec Holland. The real Swamp Thing leaves in peace. [“A Second Time to Die,” Swamp Thing #19 (October, 1975); “The Mirror Monster,” Swamp Thing #20 (December, 1975-January, 1976).]
- May 13: Pope John Paul II is wounded in an assassination attempt.
June, 1981
- Joker steals some fear-gas from STAR and competes with Scarecrow on whose fear weapon is mightier. [JOKER #8]
- Kobra makes his first public appearance. His brother Jason Burr must stop him and find out the connection they share. [KOBRA #1]
- Steve Trevor is brought back to life by Aphrodite; becomes Steve Howard. [WONDER WOMAN #223]
- In order to compete with GBS, UBC president Samuel Tanner orders Dr. Peter Silverstone to create a new super-hero, but is turned into Blackrock by the doctor himself as Superman's foe. [ACTION #458]
- The Swamp Thing returns to Alec Holland's home in Oregon, where he seeks the help of his older brother, Prof. Edward Holland, and meets Edward's assistant, Ruth Monroe. Edward studies Swamp Thing's body and comes up with a way to restore his humanity. Meanwhile, Sabre, agent of the criminal organization Colossus, tracks Swamp Thing down in Oregon and observes him. Edward recreates the circumstances that first created Swamp Thing in order to cure him, and then Sabre attacks, revealing himself to be John Zero, a former agent of DDI. Swamp Thing defeats him in a fight moments before his transformation back to Alec Holland is complete. Alec and Ruth begin an uncertain romance. Later, Alec and Ruth are attacked by another Colossus agent, Thrudvang the Earth-Master, whom Alec manages to defeat. [“The Solomon Plague,” Swamp Thing #22 (April-May, 1976); “Rebirth and Nightmare,” Swamp Thing #23 (June-July, 1976); “The Earth Below,” Swamp Thing #25 (August-September, 1976).]
- The Rogues hold a wake for the deceased Top. [FLASH #243-244]
- The Freedom Fighters of Earth-X travel (Uncle Sam, Doll Man, Phantom Lady, Black Condor, the Ray, and the Human Bomb) to Earth-1 for a vacation and end up being stuck there. [FREEDOM FIGHTERS #1]
- Robin tangles with the Joker's Daughter who allegedly stole a dead mystery writer's manuscript. [BATMAN FAMILY #6]
- The Sandman (Dr. Garrett Sanford) meets and befriends a young boy named Jed Walker. [The Sandman #1]
July, 1981
- Green Lantern and Green Arrow become a duo again. [GREEN LANTERN #90]
- The Joker and Catwoman compete for an actor's priceless cat. [JOKER #9]
- Batgirl and Robin battle the Huntress and Sportsmaster of Earth-1 (first appearance) [BATMAN FAMILY #7]
- Rory Regan debuts as the Ragman in Gotham City. [RAGMAN #1]
- The Teen Titans reform after being attacked by Dr. Light. [TEEN TITANS #44]
- The Atom is the first to battles the Calculator. [DETECTIVE #463]
August, 1981
- Black Canary battles the Calculator [DETECTIVE #464]
- The original Toyman comes out of retirement, murders the second Toyman and attacks Superman. [SUPERMAN #305]
- Cave Carson discovers a golden temple 15 miles underground, but after he is called in for a grand jury investigation and is forced to turn over all his photographs and documents of the discovery, he retires. [Action Comics #552]
September, 1981
- Robin faces Catwoman and Catgirl, the latter turning out to be the Joker's Daughter again. [BATMAN FAMILY #8]
- Black Lightning makes his debut. [BLACK LIGHTNING #1]
- The Teen Titans open a disco in Farmingdale, NY. [TEEN TITANS #45]
- The JLA and the JSA team-up with the heroes of Earth-S. [JLA #135-137]
- The Freedom Fighters and Wonder Woman battle King Sampson. [FREEDOM FIGHTERS #4-5]
- Batgirl and Robin together face the Joker's Daughter. Robin unmasks her and learns her true intentions. [BATMAN FAMILY #9]
- Elongated Man battles the Calculator [DETECTIVE #465]
- Prof. Vulko is crowned the new King of Atlantis. [ADVENTURE #448]
- The Teen Titans battle three sets of twin villains working for Two-Face. The Joker's Daughter joins the team. [TEEN TITANS #47-48]
- The Freedom Fighters flee to Albany and face the Flamesplasher twins. [Burning Vengeance]
- Hawkman battles the Calculator. [DETECTIVE #466]
- September 21: Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice.
October, 1981
- Wonder Woman meets the Earth-2 Wonder Woman of 1943. [WONDER WOMAN #228]
- The Manhunter clone dies while battling Darkseid. Sinestro causes a San Francisco quake.[SSOSV #5]
- To settle a dispute on whether the Huntress should become a heroine or remain a villainess, she and the Sportsmaster arrange a baseball game between a team of heroes and a team of villains. [DC SUPER-STARS #10]
- Jonny Double aids Jason Burr against Kobra. [KOBRA #5-7]
- The Joker's Daughter becomes the Harlequin. The Bumblebee join the Titans. [TEEN TITANS #49]
- Tommy Tomorrow and his starship are pulled into Earth's past by a passing comet where the crew encounters dinosaurs. It also opens a time-rift that allows dinosaurs into the 20th Century. Captain Comet, the JLA and Chronos deal with them. [DC SPECIAL #27]
- Vandal Savage crosses over to Earth-1 from his native Earth-2 (where it is December, 1976). [ALL-STAR #65]
- Roger Corben, SKULL member and brother of the original Metallo, becomes a second Metallo with a kryptonite heart and battles Superman. [SUPERMAN #310]
- Batman and the other JLA members stop the Calculator. [DETECTIVE #468]
- Deimos has his body restored by the Evil One but loses his powers. He uses Jennifer Morgan as bait to trap the Warlord. [WARLORD #50]
- Batman's away, so Commissioner Gordon seeks help from an odd source. [Takes One To Know One]
- Hawkman meets Swamp Thing. [Of Hawks and Hauntings]
- The JLA encounter the Manhunters. [JLA #140-141]
- In the bottle city of Kandor, scientists Van-Zee and Ak-Var first become Nightwing II and Flamebird II in order to stop the scientist Zal-Te and a monster he controls. [“Beginnings,” Superman Family #185]
- Three JLA members battle the Construct. [JLA #142]
- The Joker squares off with the Trickster. [Tricks and Treats]
- The Freedom Fighters in Rutland, Vermont. [FREEDOM FIGHTERS #6]
November, 1981
- Lois Lane meets a new super-hero called the Human Cannonball (Ryan Chase). [SUPERMAN FAMILY #183]
- The Metal Men battle Eclipso. [METAL MEN #48-49]
- Captain Comet begins to track down the SSOSV members lose. Teams up with Black Canary against the three “Captains”. [SSOSV #6]
- The JLA meets the Privateer (Mark Shaw) and almost breaks up. [JLA #143]
- Green Arrow reads up on the true origin of the JLA. [JLA #144]
- Aquaman battles the Marine Marauder. [ADVENTURE #449]
- Batman battles the Quakemaster (1st appearance) [DC SPECIAL #28]
- November 2-3: The Challengers of the Unknown solve the mystery of a haunted inn. Corinna Stark, one of the replacement members, breaks the spell trapping a man from the 1860s by agreeing to live with him in his own time. As a result, she is utterly unknown and forgotten by anyone who ever knew her in the present, including her fellow Challengers. [“Challengers of the Unknown: Times Past, 1981: The Forgotten”]
December, 1981
- The Vigilante's old partner Stuff is kidnapped and murdered by the Dummy; the Vigilante adopts Stuff, Jr. [WORLD'S FINEST #246-248]
- The JLA battle Count Crystal and his carnival of souls. [JLA #145]
- Red Tornado returns from the dead, and Hawkgirl joins. [JLA #146]
- Superman and the Flash battle Nam-Ek, a survivor of Krypton with a Rondor horn. Amalak, meanwhile, creates “journalist's disease” and inflicts it on the world. Superman and Supergirl stop Amalak, who kills himself. Nam-Ek is sent into the Phantom Zone. Superman meets a new Blackrock, infused into the body of comedian Les Vegas. [SUPERMAN #311-315]
- Batman tries to get Plastic Man out of a case of holiday depression. [BRAVE & BOLD #148]
- Lex Luthor takes over the SSOSV and has a trio of sorcerors attack the Superman movie set in Japan. Captain Comet and Hawkgirl stop the villains. [SSOSV #7]
- December 24
- Karate Kid spends the holidays in the 20th Century and gets some surprise visitors. [An Old Fashioned Christmas]
- Red Tornado meets the young orphan Traya on Christmas eve. [JLA #152]
- December 25: The Sandman and Jed Walker rescue Santa Claus from the Seal Men. [The Best of DC #22]
1982
January, 1982
- Power Fist battles Black Lightning. [BL: Fist Raised In Anger]
- The Wizard secretly hires the SSOSV to locate the Sorceror's Treasures. Kid Flash, the Creeper and the Trickster get involved with the usual cast. [SSOSV #8, #9]
- Ashira teaches Jennifer Morgan the ways of magic. [WARLORD #53]
- The JLA and the JSA meet the LSH and battle Mordru. [JLA #147 -148]
- The Global Guardians are formed. [Global Guardians: Heroes of the World, Unite!]
- The Teen Titans and the Titans West team up. [TEEN TITANS #50 - 52]
February, 1982
- Superman teams up with Karate Kid. [DCCP: A Matter Of Mind]
- Four-year-old Arthur Curry, Jr. (Aquababy) dies due to Black Manta's actions. [ADVENTURE #452]
- The Flash first battles the Golden Glider. [FLASH #250-251]
- Lana Lang returns to Metropolis from Europe and becomes Clark Kent's co-anchor at WGBS. [SUPERMAN #317]
- Five JLAers are attacked one by one by a new SSOSV line up. Captain Comet helps the heroes. [DC SPECIAL SERIES #6]
- A new Solomon Grundy is created from slime left by the Earth-2 Solomon Grundy, and is used by the Parasite against Superman. [SUPERMAN #319-322]
- The Atom takes a Time Pool trip to 1876 to discover why a prototype telephone created by Alexander Graham Bell appears to be a phony. [DC SPECIAL SERIES #1]
- Snapper Carr returns as the Star-Tsar and battles the JLA. [JLA #149-150]
- A relaxing vacation is anything but for the Flash. [Flash: Frozen Concentrate]
- Hal Jordan, son of Larry, becomes Air Wave II. [GREEN LANTERN #100]
March, 1982
- The Atom searches for the kidnapped Jean Loring. Gets help from Flash and Supergirl [SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #11], Green Lantern and Hawkman [SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #12], and Captain Comet [SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #13].
- Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein become the composite nuclear man known as Firestorm. [FIRESTORM #1]
- Superman and Muhammad Ali have a boxing match under a red sun. [ALL-NEW COLLECTORS EDITION #C-56]
April, 1982
- June Robbins becomes the fifth member of the Challengers. [CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #81-82]
- The Atom finally rescues Jean Loring with Wonder Woman's help. [SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #14]
- Superman creates his Supermobile. [ACTION #481]
- Aquaman enlists the aid of Batman and Green Lantern to battle Kobra. [AQUAMAN #61]
- Alec Holland – who has lived a normal life as a human for nearly a year, with Ruth Monroe as his girlfriend – finds himself beginning to slowly change back to his Swamp Thing form, so he begins creating an active bio-restorative formula once more in an effort to reverse the change. Dustin Clayburne recruits Alec to help the Challengers of the Unknown against the minions of M'nagalah, but as he does so, he rapidly changes back into Swamp Thing, this time irreversably. Shortly after, Swamp Thing's mind is taken over by Multi-Man, who uses him to break him out of jail. The Challengers and Deadman free Swamp Thing, who joins the team for a short while as they search for a cure for his condition. [“Seven Doorways to Destiny,” Challengers of the Unknown #83 (October-November, 1977); “To Save a Monster,” Challengers of the Unknown #84 (December, 1977-January, 1978).]
- After boxes containing fearsome monsters from the future begin appearing all over, the Challengers of the Unknown and Swamp Thing rescue Rip Hunter and his team from the Sunset Lords in the far future year of 12 million A.D., where they have been stranded ever since their last known appearance in 1965. Meanwhile, the Challengers recruit the Justice League of America and various heroes to defeat the time-monsters in the present. Upon their return to the present, the Challengers, Swamp Thing, Deadman, and Rip Hunter and his team each part ways. Note: The Challengers claim Rip Hunter has been missing for more than 10 years, but it's actually more than 15 years. [“The Creature from the End of Time,” Challengers of the Unknown #85 (February-March, 1978); “The War at Time's End,” Challengers of the Unknown #86 (April-May, 1978); “Twelve Million Years to Twilight,” Challengers of the Unknown #87 (June-July, 1978).]
- The Wizard gets his hands on the Sorcerer's Treasures and escapes from prison. He gathers a new SSOSV to attack the JSA. [SSOSV #11, #12]
- A series of floods puts Aquaman on the case. [Aquaman: Washout]
- The Teen Titans disband. [TEEN TITANS #53]
- Superman teams up with the just disbanded Teen Titans. Gnarrk is killed by Chronos. [DCCP: Times of the Titans book 3]
- Karate Kid returns to the 30th Century after a side trip to Kamandi's time. [KARATE KID #15]
May, 1982
- Robotman teams with Tempest, Celsius and Negative Woman to form the New Doom Patrol. [SHOWCASE #94-96].
- Dr. Albert Michaels of STAR Labs, the leader of SKULL, becomes the Atomic Skull and battles Superman. [SUPERMAN #323-324]
- Superman battles Blackrock III. [SUPERMAN #325-326]
- Microwave Man comes out of retirement after 40 years, and Superman battles him, deliberately losing; Microwave Man then dies of old age. [ACTION #487-488]
- Rocky Davis proposes to June, the team splits. [CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #87]
- While imprisoned, an impersonator takes Travis Morgan's place. [WARLORD #57]
- Captain Comet chases the Wizard's SSOSV to Earth-3. [SSOSV #13-14]
- The JLA men have an early bachelor party for the Atom. [JLA #151]
June, 1982
- Green Lanterns from E-1 and E-2 battle the Starheart. [GREEN LANTERN #111-112]
- The Wizard takes the SSOSV to Earth-2 to battle the JSA. [SSOSV #15, JSA: the Redundant Rogues]
- Jimmy Olsen and the Newsboy Legion comes to Gabriel's Horn seeking info about the original Guardian. [SUPERMAN FAMILY #191]
- JLA goes to Earth-Prime and meets Ultraa. [JLA #153]
- Marilyn Jiwe Macabe becomes the Vixen. [VIXEN #1, CANCELLED COMICS CAVALCADE #2]
- Green Lantern tracks the Tattooed Man down in Greece where he has been hiding out for months. [Love Inks]
- Wally West graduates High School. [DC SPECIAL SERIES #11 - FLASH SPECTACULAR]
- Jim Rook returns from Myrra. [Whatever Happened to Nightmaster?]
- “There Shall Come a Gathering” The assembled heroes of Earth – including a few citizens of Earth-12 – unite to stop an alien being from towing the planet out of orbit. [SHOWCASE #100]
July, 1982
- While testing new scuba equipment in the Bahamas, the Sea Devils and Dolphin (independently of each other) discover a golden temple underwater and are temporarily detained by U.S. Customs agents. Dolphin is captured by U.S. government agents but manages to escape. [Action Comics #552]
- Steve Trevor (Steve Howard) dies again. [WONDER WOMAN #248]
- The Freedom Fighters find a way to return to Earth-X after battling the Secret Society of Super-Villains. [CANCELLED COMICS CAVALCADE #2]
- Air Wave moves to Dallas to live with his Uncle Jack and Aunt Jan in Dallas. [ACTION #488]
- Superman and Supergirl team with Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel. [ALL-NEW COLLECTOR'S EDITION #C-58]
- The Metal Men appeal to Diana Prince for aid, and take their case for cizenship to the United Nations. [METAL MEN #56]
- Jimmy, Lois, Speedy and Superman learn the truth about cloning at Project: Cadmus. [SUPERMAN FAMILY #194]
- Carl “Moosie” Draper, who went to Smallville High School with Clark Kent and had a crush on Lana Lang, becomes the Master Jailer. [SUPERMAN #331-332]
- Orana becomes the new Wonder Woman but dies shortly afterwards. Diana Prince resumes her role as Wonder Woman and begins working for NASA. [WONDER WOMAN #250-251]
- Julie Madison, ex-actress and love interest of Bruce Wayne, marries Prince Jon Relondes of Portia. [WORLDS FINEST #253]
- Barry Allen attends his 15th Year high school reunion. [ADVENTURE COMICS #459]
- Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Adam Strange team up to liberate Thanager from the Shadow Thief and Kanjar-Ro's control. [SHOWCASE #101-103]
August, 1982
- Ray Palmer marries Jean Loring [JLA #157]
- Black Lightning battles Heat Wave. [BL: Dog Days Of Summer]
- Wonder Woman sets Sargon the Sorcerer finally free from the evil influences of a ruby twin of his own Ruby of Life. [ADVENTURE #462]
- Travis Morgan, freed from the dungeon, confronts his impersonator in a sword duel. [WARLORD #60]
- Batman teams up with the Metal Men to find the missing Dr. Will Magnus. [The Brave and the Bold: Batman and the Metal Men: True Mettle]
September, 1982
- Green Lantern first meets Kari Limbo. [GREEN LANTERN #117]
- The Lord of Time uses heroes from through out history to battle the JLA and JSA. [JLA #159-160]
- Diana Prince resumes working for the U.N. [WONDER WOMAN #257]
- The Swamp Thing arrives in Metropolis to find the Earth-1 Solomon Grundy with the hopes of finding a way to restore his humanity, but he soon discovers Grundy isn't truly alive. After numerous new Grundys are suddenly spawned, Superman destroys all of them despite Swamp Thing's misgivings. [“The Sixty Deaths of Solomon Grundy,” DC Comics Presents #8 (April, 1979).]
October, 1982
- Zatanna joins the JLA, and the League helps her search for her mother. [JLA #161 - 165]
- Mal and Karen close up the east coast Gabriel's Horn. [TW: Last Days of Disco]
- Kandor is finally enlarged once more on the planet Rokyn (New Krypton), but the city itself crumbles to dust shortly afterwards, forcing the citizens to rebuild. The planet, which is a phase-world, then slips into another dimension with the shifting of the cosmic axis. [SUPERMAN #338]
- Batwoman (Kathy Kane) is murdered by the League of Assassins, using Bronze Tiger as a weapon. [Detective Comics #485]
- Lex Luthor creates a Superman clone with all his memories to do his bidding. [ACTION #500]
- Barbara Gordon campaigns for re-election of her Congressional seat. [DETECTIVE #487]
- The LSH comes to the past to convince Superman that Jon Ross must be turned over to an alien race to help insure a peaceful future. Pete Ross protests and tries to kill Superman as Superboy. [DC COMICS PRESENTS #13 - 14]
- The Wizard's SSOSV returns from Earth-2 [JLA #166-168].
November, 1982
- Barbara Gordon fails to be re-elected to her Congressional seat. [DETECTIVE #488]
- Kari Limbo calls off the wedding between she and Hal Jordan. [GREEN LANTERN #122]
- Wonder Woman encounters Quakemaster at a Thanksgiving day football game. [Fifty Yard Fault Line]
- November 10-15: Leonid Brezhnev dies at age 75. He is succeeded as Soviet leader by Yuri Andropov.
December, 1982
- Christopher Chance hired by Dane and Judy Dorrance (of the Sea Devils) to find out which of Dane's two friends killed another person and injured Dane. [DETECTIVE #496]
- Batman discovers Kamandi is back in our time, then manages to send him back to his future. [BRAVE & BOLD #157]
- Kole Weathers, given the power to spin crystal by her father Prof. Abel Weathers using promethium, is kidnapped and enslaved by Thia the Titan and taken to the realm of the Olympian gods. There she builds a crystal fortress in order to eventually imprison both gods and Amazons when they are defeated by Thia. [“Crystal Nightmare,” The New Teen Titans v2 #9 (June, 1985)]
1983
- While on a mission in outer space, Supergirl is struck unconscious by green kryptonite and rescued by an alien superhero named Salkor of the planet Makkor, hundreds of light years from Earth. Since she has temporary amnesia, Salkor calls her Jasma. The two become a team and quickly fall in love in a matter of days, and they are married. Soon after they each donate genetic material to have a child. But after they battle a villain called Naxx, Supergirl sustains injuries from the battle, and the next morning Salkor discovers that she has gone, since Supergirl has regained her old memories and no longer remembers her time on Makkor. Salkor spends the next two years trying to track down his wife. Note: The flashback in this story is stated to take place approximately two Earth years before the Crisis. [“Supergirl: Bride of X?” Superman #415 (January, 1986)]
January, 1983
- Speedy (Roy Harper) begins working undercover for the government in the DEA program.
- Jonathan Kent gets a second, brief chance at life in order to see his grown up son. [ACTION #507-508]
February, 1983
- After Wonder Woman returns to Paradise Island, fed up with the hopelessness of her mission to “Man's World”, her memories of Steve Trevor are erased by Aphrodite by the wish of Queen Hippolyta. Then the Steve Trevor from the parallel world of Earth-S crashes on Paradise Island, and Wonder Woman brings him back to Man's World; all memory of the former Steve Trevor is removed from the Earth. Diana Prince and Steve Trevor are then reinserted into the USAF with some help by Aphrodite. [WONDER WOMAN #269-271]
- Superman retrieves Jon Ross from the aliens with the help of the Phantom Stranger. [“Judgment Night,” DC Comics Presents #25 (September, 1980).]
- The Suicide Squad – Col. Rick Flag, Dr. Karin Grace, Dr. Hugh Evans, and Jess Bright – has its last mission as it parachutes into Cambodia, where it encounters a sasquatch and then a golden temple. Two days later, the U.S. government disbands the Suicide Squad. [Action Comics #552]
March, 1983
- Mr. Terrific is killed aboard the JLA satellite. [JLA #171-172]
- Athlete Victor Stone nearly killed by an alien. His father saves his life with cybernetic parts. [TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #1]
- March 23: President Reagan proposes the Strategic Defense Initiative Program, also known as Star Wars.
April, 1983
- Black Lightning declines JLA membership. [JLA #173]
- Lex Luthor marries a clone of a dead woman named Angela Blake. [ACTION #510-512]
- Batman helps Man-Bat who is trying to save his daughter Rebecca. [BRAVE & BOLD #165]
- Priscilla Rich, the original Cheetah, dies. Her niece, Deborah Domaine, is made to become the new Cheetah by Kobra. [WONDER WOMAN #274]
- Thomas Tresser, using his impersonation skills, becomes the Nemesis. [BRAVE & BOLD #166]
- Aquaman and Mera relocate to New Venice, Florida. [WORLD'S FINEST #263]
- Karen Peterson secretly designs a new costume for Air Wave. [ACTION #511]
- The New Teen Titans is formed when Princess Koriand'r freed from slavery. [NEW TEEN TITANS #1]
May, 1983
- The Atom and Air Wave first team up to battle the Red Dart. [ACTION #513-514]
- Deathstroke battles the New Teen Titans for the first time. [NEW TEEN TITANS #2]
- Lois Lane has her memories removed by a criminal called the Extractor, but regains them afterward with the help of Superman. [SUPERMAN FAMILY #203-206]
- Iris is killed by Professor Zoom. [FLASH #275]
- Superman battles Vandal Savage, who changes the world's history in his favor. [ACTION #515-516]
June, 1983
- Firestorm joins the JLA. [JLA #179-180].
- Green Arrow resigns from the JLA. [JLA #181]
- Dr. Mist unites the JLA and the Global Guardians to battle the Conqueror [JLA: When Comes the Conqueror]
- Chris King and Vicki Grant (both age 13) discover a pair of H Dials in Fairfax, Maine. [LSH #272, ADVENTURE COMICS #479]
- The Fearsome Five is formed. [NEW TEEN TITANS #3]
- June 18: Sally Ride becomes the first female American astronaut in space. Note: Lois Lane was actually the first American woman in space as of July, 1976.
July, 1983
- Batman teams up with Nemesis for the first time. [BRAVE & BOLD #170]
- The JLA battles the New Teen Titans. [NEW TEEN TITANS #4]
- Superman first faces the threat of Mongul, with the help of the Martian Manhunter, Supergirl and the Spectre. [“The Key That Unlocked Chaos,” DC Comics Presents #27 (November, 1980); “Warworld,” DC Comics Presents #28 (December, 1980); “Where No Superman Has Gone Before,” DC Comics Presents #29 (January, 1981).]
August, 1983
- New Teen Titans defeat Trigon [NEW TEEN TITANS #6]
- Superman meets a new heroine - the Vixen. [ACTION #521]
- Lois Lane and Lana Lang contract the same disease which caused the deaths of Jonathan and Martha Kent, but Superman finds a cure. [SUPERMAN #362-363]
- The Flash first battles the Rainbow Raider. [FLASH #286]
- The JLA and JSA aid the New Gods in their battle with Darkseid. [JLA #183-185]
- Trial of Sabrina Sultress. [JLA: Trial By Hellfire]
- Animal-Man discovers a golden temple in the jungles of Brazil, only to discover that his passport is revoked soon afterward. [Action Comics #552]
- Green Arrow and the Flash team up against the Rainbow Archer and the Rainbow Raider. [The Brave and the Bold: Green Arrow and the Flash: Times Past, 1983: The Rainbow Connection]
- August 30: A South Korean airliner bound for Seoul strays into Soviet airspace and is shot down. All 269 people aboard are killed.
September, 1983
- The Atom battles the Calculator again. [ACTION COMICS #522-524]
- The Superman clone created by Lex Luthor becomes the new Dan Reed after the original dies in an accident. [ACTION #524]
- Nat Tryon, one of Luthor's hirelings, becomes a nuclear-powered villain called Neutron, and attacks Superman. The Daily Planet globe is returned to the top of the GBS building in a special ceremony which President Reagan attends. [ACTION #525-526]
- Superman becomes the pawn of two sorcerors from the future, Lord Satanis and Syrene. [ACTION #527]
- Batman sent back in time by Professor Carter Nichols to 1862. [BRAVE & BOLD #171]
- New Teen Titans battle the Titans of Myth. [NEW TEEN TITANS #11-12]
October, 1983
- Starro invades the Earth again. [JLA #189-190]
- Mars transforms Helena Alexandros into the Silver Swan to battle Wonder Woman. [WONDER WOMAN #288]
- The Phantom Zone villains use Charlie Kweskill (Quex-Ul) in a bid to escape, sending himself and Superman into the Zone and freeing the criminals. The Phantom Zone villains attack the JLA and Supergirl on the Earth and build a huge Phantom Zone projector in order to send the entire planet into the Zone. Meanwhile Superman and Quex-Ul head into the heart of the Zone in order to escape, and Quex-Ul sacrifices his life in the process. As the villains begin to ruthlessly attack the planet, Superman and his allies stop them and send them back to the Zone, saving the Earth in the process. [PHANTOM ZONE #1-4]
- Just before the Phantom Zone case, Darkseid strikes a bargain with General Dru-Zod to clone Superman, but he is forced to settle for a clone of Supergirl instead after Superman is sent into the Phantom Zone. Darkseid uses Zod's cloning matrix to begin cloning Supergirl at this time, but the cloning process is not completed until August, 1984. [“Superman: The Apokolips Factor, Chapter 4: The Phantom Zone Revisited”]
- The Swamp Thing realizes he is slowly dying when he can no longer regrow a severed limb. After befriending a young girl with psychic powers named Casey (Karen Clancy), Swamp Thing is briefly captured by men working for the Sunderland Corporation, who seek Alec Holland's bio-restorative formula. He and Casey escape. Having being injected and sprayed by a formula, Swamp Thing discovers his regenerative powers have returned. [“What Peace There May Be in Silence,” Saga of the Swamp Thing #1 (May, 1982); “Something to Live For,” Saga of the Swamp Thing #2 (June, 1982).]
- New Teen Titans search for the Doom Patrol. [NEW TEEN TITANS #13-15]
- The New Teen Titans battle the Parasite. [NTT: Power To Plunder]
- October 23: A terrorist explosion kills 237 U.S. Marines in Beirut.
- October 25: U.S. and Caribbean allies invade the island of Grenada.
November, 1983
- A time-travelling ally of Universo's steals an anti-matter egg from the past, but Batman travels to the 30th Century to help the LSH stop him. [BRAVE & BOLD #179]
- The Titans meet Francis Kane. [NEW TEEN TITANS # 17]
- The JLA and JSA battle a new SSOSV. [JLA #195-197]
December, 1983
- Congo Bill is guiding a photo safari through Africa when bandits attack. In the body of Congorilla, Congo Bill defeats the bandits and discovers a golden temple in the jungle, but later discovers that his passport is revoked. [Action Comics #552]
- The Titans battle Starfire from Russia. [NEW TEEN TITANS # 18]
- Zatanna is doing her act on a cruise ship line. [WORLD'S FINEST #274-275]
- Alanna accompanies Adam Strange to Earth, her first time. [GREEN LANTERN #138]
- Superman meets the Dial H duo. [“The Man Who Created Villains,” DC Comics Presents #44 (April, 1982).]
- The Omega Men are formed. [GREEN LANTERN #141-143]
- Tattooed Man killed by Goldface's mob. [GREEN LANTERN #144]
- Hawkgirl changes her name to Hawkwoman [WORLD'S FINEST #274]
- Five JLAers go back in time to meet four Western heroes. [JLA #198-199]
- Lana Lang prepares to leave Earth to marry Vartox, but Vartox's enemy Syreena sabotages their plans. [SUPERMAN #373-375]
- The JLA faces the Appellax aliens once more. [JLA #200]
- The Huntress (of E-2) visits her “uncle Bruce” for Christmas. [BRAVE & BOLD #184]
- Green Lantern begins his year long exile in space. [GREEN LANTERN #151]
- Prince Ra-Man learns at long last the fate of Mark Merlin. [“Whatever Happened to Mark Merlin and Prince Ra-Man?” DC Comics Presents #32 (April, 1981).]
- The Titans and Hawkman battle forms of Vishnu, the Hindu diety. [“The Light Fantastic,” The New Teen Titans # 19 (May, 1982).]
1984
February, 1984
- JLA versus Major Disaster. [WORLD'S FINEST #281]
- The Supermen of Earth-1 and 2 team up to battle the two Luthors and Ultraman of Earth-3. [“Crisis on Three Earths,” DC Comics Presents Annual #1 (1982).]
- February 9: Yuri Andropov dies, succeeded as Soviet leader by Konstantin Chernenko.
- The Justice League of America team up with the Justice Society of America of Earth-2 and the Sentinels of Justice of Earth-4 to stop a plan by the rulers of Earth-1's Magic Land, Earth-2's Fairyland, Earth-4's Land of the Nightshades to conquer all three parallel Earths. At the conclusion of this case, Doctor Fate causes everyone on all three Earths and related dimensions to forget that this case occurred at all. [“Justice Society of America: Times Past, 1982: Crisis on Earth-Four”]
March, 1984
- The JLA, JSA and All-Star Squadron battle Per Degaton. No memory after. [JLA #207-209]
- Titans first face Brother Blood [NEW TEEN TITANS #21-22]
- Superman and Superboy's minds are exchanged briefly. [SUPERMAN #380-382]
- Batman helps the Metal Men discover what has become of Nameless, their long-lost member. [BRAVE & BOLD #187]
- Irwin Schwab first becomes Ambush Bug, originally as a villain. Superman and the new Doom Patrol battle him. Negative Woman is forced to cover her skin with protective bandages. [DC COMICS PRESENTS #52]
April, 1984
- In space, the Titans and Omega Men defeat Blackfire. [NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1]
- Lexor destroyed. Luthor vows revenge.[ACTION #544]
- Rip Hunter and his team travel to the dawn of time, where they discover a golden temple, but upon returning to the present, they find that they have been drastically aged. Rip begins contacting others who also encountered these golden temples in various places, hoping to discover what links them together. Cave Carson and Dane Dorrance of the Sea Devils join Rip at his laboratory in the Grand Canyon. [Action Comics #552, 546]
May, 1984
- Firestorm reveals his dual identity to the JLA. [FURY OF FIRESTORM #4]
- Brainiac in his new form attacks Earth. [ACTION #544-546]
- Swamp Thing is reunited with Abby Arcane, now married to Matt Cable. [SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #17]
- Philip Conrad becomes the Planeteer and battles Superman. [SUPERMAN #387-ACTION #547]
- Terra joins the Titans [NEW TEEN TITANS #30]
- 12-year-old circus performer Jason Todd is orphaned when Killer Croc murders his parents. Jason is taken in by Bruce Wayne, who trains him to eventually become the new Robin. [“All My Enemies Against Me,” Detective Comics #526 (May, 1983)]
June, 1984
- A time-exchange ray displaces Superman back to 1967 and brings Superboy to 1984, where the Boy of Steel teams with Batman to fight Mr. I.Q. [BRAVE & BOLD #192]
- Batman teams up with Nemesis for the second time to battle the Council. Nemesis apparently dies. [BRAVE & BOLD #193]
- Superman meets Kristin Wells, the Superwoman from the future. [DC COMICS PRESENTS Annual #2]
July, 1984
- Superman gets help from the Freedom Fighters on Earth-X. [DC COMICS PRESENTS #62]
- Karate Kid comes back to the 20th Century to say goodbye to his old girlfriend and ends up teaming with Batman to save her from Pulsar and the terroris Black Hearts. [BRAVE & BOLD #198]
- Wonder Woman proposes to Steve Trevor, then fakes her death as Diana Prince. At the wedding, however, Steve confesses that he has feelings for Diana Prince, and the wedding is off. Diana Prince is soon found to be okay. [WONDER WOMAN #300]
- Swamp Thing discovers that he was supposedly never Alec Holland, but is a unique plant-life. [SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #21]
- Batman quits the JLA to rescue Lucius Fox from Markovia, a country caught in revolution. He forms the Outsiders using various new heroes, Black Lightning and Metamorpho. [BATO #1-3]
- July 28: The Soviet Union withdraws its athletes from the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games.
August, 1984
- The Immortal Man from Earth-2 gathers a group of Forgotten Heroes (Rip Hunter, Cave Carson, Animal-Man, Dane Dorrance, Dolphin, Congo Bill, Congorilla, and Rick Flag) with Superman to battle Vandal Savage (his arch-enemy)'s plans. [ACTION #552-553]
- While on assignment, Roy Harper meets, falls in love with, and impregnates an international terrorist known as Cheshire (real name Jade).[NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #2]
- Adrian Chase becomes the Vigilante II [NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #2]
- Chris King and Vicki Grant meet the Master and the Wizard, two split entities that make up Robby Reed, the original H Dialer. Nick Stevens given Robby's dial. [NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #49]
- Superman and some JLA friends face Kryptonite Man and Ultra Man. [JLA: Crisis of the Kryptonite Criminals]
- Darkseid completes his supposedly perfect clone of Kara Zor-El and attempts to replace the real Supergirl with her, but instead a series of circumstances leads him to believe that his clone is the real Kara Zor-El and that the real Supergirl is the clone. [“Superman: The Apokolips Factor, Chapter 4: The Phantom Zone Revisited”]
September, 1984
- On her 13th birthday, Amy Winston discovers she is a Princess of the House of Amethyst. [LSH v2 #298]
- Amethyst summoned to Gemworld to battle Dark Opal. [AMETHYST #1]
- The JLA and JSA learn Black Canary's true origin. [JLA #219 -220]
- Chris King, Vicki Grant and Nick Stevens begin high school in Fairfax.
- The Titans and the Outsiders team up to battle the Fearsom Five. [NEW TEEN TITANS #37 & BATO #5]
- The Flash kills Professor Zoom. [FLASH #324]
- Stuntman Dan Cassidy becomes the Blue Devil while filming a movie of the same name. [FURY OF FIRESTORM #24]
- The JLA votes on whether the Flash should remain a member pending his murder trial. [FLASH #327-329]
October, 1984
- Amethyst halts the wedding of Topaz and Sapphire [AMETHYST #7]
- The JLA aids Swamp Thing against the Floronic Man. [SAGA OF SWAMP THING #24]
- The Justice League of America teams up with the Justice Society of America of Earth-2 and the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X to stop the Cosmic Tree. [DC Universe: Seeds]
- Dick Grayson gives up being Robin. Wally West puts away his Kid Flash costume. [NEW TEEN TITANS #39]
- Superman and Captain Marvel face a super-powered Sivana. [DC COMICS PRESENTS Annual #3]
- October 31: Indira Gandhi is assassinated by two Sikh bodyguards and is succeeded by her son, Rajiv. During the anti-Sikh riots that follow, 1,000 people are killed.
November, 1984
- Superman discovers the Sword of Superman. [SUPERMAN ANNUAL #10]
- Superman and his father Jor-El's minds are switched briefly through time. [SUPERMAN #402]
- JLA headquarters is destroyed by a Martian invasion. [JLA #228-230]
- Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing. Jericho joins the Titans. [TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #44]
- Terra betrays the Titans. [NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #3]
- November 6: President Reagan is reelected for a second term.
December, 1984
- Superman teams up with the New Teen Titans. [DCCP: Times of the Titans book 4]
- Supergirl aids Queen Hippolyta. [ Daughter of Paradise]
- Ray Palmer divorces Jean and heads off to the Amazon. [SWORD OF THE ATOM #1-4]
- Batman and the Outsiders meet the Phantom Stranger on Christmas Eve to find out why babies are turning into old people. [BATO #8]
1985
January, 1985
- Lord Chaos arrives from a future alternate timeline and takes over New Cronus, awakening the sleeping Titan Seeds (Argent, Joto, Mirage, Nightrider, Prysm, Redwing, and Risk) and having them trained for battle through endless war. To do this, Chaos transforms much of the planet's landscape into a copy of his future era and creates two warring factions, the Force Elite and the rebels (which he secretly leads himself), from the Eldings and the Seedlings. [“The New Titans: Quest, Chapter 6: Seeds of Chaos”]
- Batman and the Outsiders first battle the Masters of Disaster. [BATO #9-10]
- Aquaman and J'Onn form a new, dedicated JLA [JLA ANNUAL #2, #233 -236]
- The Flash is on trial for the murder of Professor Zoom. [FLASH #341-349]
- Green Lantern returns to Earth. Hal returns to work as a pilot for Ferris Aircraft. Battles Javelin. [GREEN LANTERN #173]
February, 1985
- The Outsiders first battle the Force of July. [BATO ANNUAL #1]
- February 28: Superman exposed to “black mercy” by Mongul. Note: This story ostensibly takes place on February 29, but since 1985 is not a leap year, it must take place on February 28. [SUPERMAN ANNUAL #11]
March, 1985
- Donna Troy gets married. [TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #50]
- Cheshire (Jade) gives birth to Lian, Roy Harper's daughter.
- The Outsiders travel into the ancient past to rescue Metamorpho. [BATO #16-18]
- While GL is away from Earth, the Demolition Team attacks Ferris. The Predator stops them. [GREEN LANTERN #178-179]
- Superman teams up with the Outsiders to battle the Outsider. [DC COMICS PRESENTS #83]
- March 11: Upon the death of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the new leader of the Soviet Union.
April, 1985
- Titans face Trigon again. [NEW TEEN TITANS vol 2 #1-5]
- Hawkman and Hawkgirl fight off a secret invasion from Thanagar. [SHADOW WAR OF HAWKMAN #1-4]
- Hal Jordan quits the GLC. John Stewart takes over. [GREEN LANTERN #181-182]
- The Outsiders seek Halo's true origins. [BATO #22-23]
- Swamp Thing and Abby Cable declare their love. [SWAMP THING #34]
May, 1985
- Kole joins the Titans [NEW TEEN TITANS vol 2 #10]
- Kid Devil debuts. [BLUE DEVIL #13]
- The Outsiders battle Kobra. [BATO #25-27]
- The JLA tracks down and defeats Amazo. [JLA #241-243]
- Carol Ferris becomes Star Sapphire again. [GREEN LANTERN # 192]
- The JLA stops a hostage attempt in Detroit. [JLA: Breaking The Mold]
June, 1985
- June 23: Metamorpho marries Sapphire Stagg. [BATO ANNUAL #2]
Go to Timeline of Earth-1 (mid-1985 to late 1980s)
Timeline of Earth-1: prehistory to 18th century | 19th century to 1940s | 1950s to 1960s | 1970s | 1980 to mid-1985 | mid-1985 to late 1980s | 1990s to the future | Special timelines: Timeline of Earth-1 during the Crisis | alternate timelines