Friday, July 2, 2010

The Batman ... and Time

Just doing a little bit of organization here (In that sort of "Where were you on the night of August the 14th of the Year 9,000 B.C.? kind of way.)

9050 B.C. - Metron gives Anthro the gift of fire. Anthro begins telling stories.
(Estimated because 50 years of age would have been a ridiculous lifespan for a Cro Magnon but Anthro clearly makes it to a ripe old age and becomes "Old Man".)
9000 B.C. - Bruce Wayne arrives at the Bat-Cave, summoned by Anthro's need for a hero against Savage. Anthro dies. His son dies. His grandson, Kong the Untamed, founds the Bat-Tribe.
(Red Robin confirms that Bruce's cape (which is CURSED by Doctor Hurt) appears to be about 11,000 years old. 2000 A.D. minus 11,000 years = 9000 B.C.)
1618 A.D. - Jack Valor "claims" that the original Black Pirate died this year.
This is entirely possible, as Jon Valor (the first Black Pirate) was said to live in the 16th Century (The 1500's). However, at over 100 years prior to Jack's claim, it's more likely that Jon was his GREAT-Grandfather, not his Grandfather.
1640 A.D. - Bruce arrives further down the Wayne Estate, summoned by Annie's need for a hero against persecution (from Mordecai and Nathaniel Wayne.)
(Not estimated. Bruce Wayne surmises that "Yesterday it was 1640 ... something.)
1670 A.D. - Martin Van Derm is now an old man, and hands Annie's book, and Mordecai's portrait, down to his daughter.
(Estimated by Van Derm's age - He looks to be in his 60's, his daughter middle-aged, and Gotham Colony has grown large and profitable. He may have become wealthy.)
1718 A.D. - Bruce arrives in Bristol Bay when Jack Valor prays to his grandfather (Jon Valor) for help.
(Bruce figures out exactly what date it is based on evidence at hand. Jack Valor is 15.)
1734 A.D. - Jack Valor finally gets around to recording his journal. By now, he's 31, just got married and had a baby with his wife, and spent about 17 years as the Black Pirate.
(We see his young wife, and baby, the next Black Pirate?)
1765 A.D. - Jack Valor delivers Bruce's notes to a brother and sister in Gotham - either the Van Derms, or Thomas and Dominique Wayne.
(Estimate it's this year, because 1765 is the year that the Satanic cult ritual occurred in Dark Knight, Dark City (as written about by Stockwell, but not specified until Alfred explained in detail the year to Damian back in Batman and Robin # 10.)
1777 A.D. - Sometime after the American Revolution begins, in its 12 years, Darius Wayne becomes a war hero, saves Gotham, and becomes famous.
1793 A.D. - Jacob Stockman finally writes about the horrible night of the demon summons in his journal.
(Date is mentioned right in the journal.)
1795 A.D. - Darius Wayne, war hero, commissions Nathan Van Derm to build Wayne Manor.
(So says Alfred, when talking about specific dates of Wayne Manor.)
1799 A.D. - Wayne Manor is completed, I imagine.
(1799 is the original date listed for Wayne Manor being built. It probably took a few years. It's the same time period the MacDubhs (Bruce's family) drive the Sliths across the Atlantic.)
1855 A.D. - Alan Wayne builds his elaborate crypt in the Wayne Family Cemetery that just happens to be the same cemetery where some serious Cult Worship happened 100 years prior. They use it as an Underground Railroad.
(1855 is the alternative year suggested for Wayne Manor's construction, however, it's been mentioned that the "Grave of Death" was constructed in the 19th Century. That's a big addition to the Manor, so one presumes Alan Grant added a lot more to the place. Alan, I take it, is Judge Solomon and Joshua's father.)
1876 A.D. - Batman arrives in Gotham City and faces Jonah Hex. UNKNOWN SO FAR.
(1876 is the best guess, because the "Dead Man's Hand" that Hex flashes was invented that year, the year Wild Bill Hickok died. It's entirely possible we'll learn that it's NOT 1876, give or take a year or two. But 1876 seems to be the earliest possible year it could be, and is certainly during the "Peak" of Jonah Hex's career.)
"25 Years Ago" - Batman arrives in Film Noir, Private Eye Gotham.
(This one doesn't hold as an actual real world year. It's the "years" of Batman's parents, Thomas and Martha, a pastiche of current "parent's, or grandparent's" past. It's vaguely 1940's through 1970's. Probably a bit of Maltese Falcon meets Dirty Harry. Since Batman's comic book "year" shifts year to year to remain modern and in the present, so his parent's lives must shift along with it.)
Present - DC Comics Continuity, duh.
Vanishing Point
(Not that much to it. Except everything. Vanishing Point is the last point on the line before it stops. The timeline. The storyline. The end of time. More pending ...)

1 comment:

  1. This is excellent,
    I was thinking something like this was needed. I'm going to link to it.

    ReplyDelete