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Earth Prime (orEarth-Prime) is a term sometimes used in works ofspeculative fiction, most notably inDC Comics, involving parallel universes or amultiverse, and refers either to the universe containing "our" Earth, or to a parallel world with a bare minimum ofdivergence points from Earth as we know it — often the absence or near-absence ofmetahumans, or with their existence confined to fictional narratives likecomics. The "Earth Prime" of a given fictional setting may or may not have an intrinsic value to or vital connection to the other Earths it exists alongside (although it appears to be the case that such Prime Earths — and sometimes the 'central universes' in which those Prime Earths exist as well — are portrayed in fiction to be vital to the existence of the other Earths).
| Earth Prime | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First appearance | The Flash #179 (May 1968) |
| Characters | Superboy-Prime Legion of Super-Heroes (2004 team) Ultraa |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
In theDC Multiverse Earth-Prime is the true Earth from which all the other worlds within the Multiverse originate, the "actual" reality where the readers of DC Comics live (and where DC Comics operates as a publisher), and is an Earth where all superheroes are fictional. Earth-Prime does, however, become an alternate reality in its first appearance inThe Flash #179 (May 1968), when theFlash accidentally travels there from Earth-One by being pushed by a creature calledThe Nok. The Flash, stranded, contacts then-DC Comics editorJulius Schwartz,[1] who helps him construct acosmic treadmill to return to Earth-One. Eventually, it was stated that the writers of DC Comics of Earth Prime subconsciously base their stories on the adventures of the heroes on Earth-One and Earth-Two.
InThe Flash #228 (July/Aug 1974),[2] Earth-Prime'sCary Bates travels to Earth-One, where he discovers that the stories he writes are not only based on events on Earth-One, but can actually influence these events as well. This power turns for the worse inJustice League of America #123 (October 1975),[3] when Bates is accidentally transported to Earth-Two. The interdimensional trip temporarily turns Bates into a supervillain, and he kills theJustice Society of America. Fellow writerElliot S. Maggin, with the help of the Justice League and theSpectre, restores matters on both Earths inJustice League of America #124 (November 1975).[4]
The first superhero of Earth-Prime is Ultraa, introduced inJustice League of America #153.[5] Like Superman, Ultraa was the sole survivor of a destroyed alien world, rocketed to Earth-Prime as a baby. After his first encounter with the Justice League, Ultraa decided Earth-Prime was not ready for superheroes and relocated to Earth-One. Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, when there was no longer an Earth-Prime or greater Multiverse, Ultraa was retconned into being from the planetAlmerac, homeworld ofMaxima.
The second superhero (later turned super-villain) of this Earth is Superboy-Prime, revealed as the true Superman from which all the other Supermen originate. He first appeared inDC Comics Presents #87 (Nov. 1985). This Superboy's powers first manifested around the time of the passage of Halley's Comet in 1985.[6] Just after manifesting his powers, Superboy-Prime met Earth-One's Superman. Soon after, Earth-Prime was destroyed inCrisis on Infinite Earths #10. Superboy-Prime escaped his universe's destruction and later joined Earth-Two'sSuperman andLois Lane and Earth-Three'sAlexander Luthor in traveling to another dimension.
InInfinite Crisis, a now anti-heroic Superboy-Prime convinced Luthor that Earth-Prime was the ideal world and urged him to draw his inspiration for making a new Earth from Earth-Prime. Luthor began searching through the myriad Earths for Earth-Prime and, in a metatextual nod to Earth Prime's original status as the keystone Earth, looks directly at the readers and reaches out towards them to grab our reality.
In 2004, DC revisited the Earth-Prime concept in theminiseriesSuperman: Secret Identity. WriterKurt Busiek states in the introduction to the collected volume of the series that the original appearance of Superboy-Prime was the inspiration for his graphic novel.
The 2008Final Crisis tie-in seriesLegion of Three Worlds makes various references to Earth-Prime during a time that Superboy-Prime is still looking to make his "Perfect Earth". He starts by rebuilding theLegion of Super-Villains to fight Superman and the three versions of the Legion of Super-Heroes. During the battle,Element Lad createsKryptonite that unexpectedly affected Superboy-Prime; the Kryptonite of New Earth had previously had no effect onSuperman (Kal-L) and or Superboy-Prime duringInfinite Crisis.
At the end of the miniseries, it is revealed thatEarth-Prime has been reborn and that Superboy-Prime was returned there. It was also revealed that the Threeboot Legion are from Earth-Prime's future.
In September 2011,The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new multiverse, Earth-33 is introduced inGrant Morrison'sThe Multiversity series as the additional designation for Earth-Prime. This Earth continues the tradition of having minimal superhero activity – in this case, the minds of Earth-33's comic book readers have empowered a superhero named Ultraa, who is the only metahuman on Earth-33, fighting the encroachment of the "Gentry" (the series' lead villains) by confining their presence on "our" world to the pages of an 'entrapment comic book' built around the title character.
In the fictionalMarvel Universe, the 'Earth Prime' of that setting is designated by extradimensional cartographers as Earth-1218,[7] where real-life readers buy Marvel Comics. On some occasions, various characters of the Marvel Universe, looking for their version of God, encounter 'real world' figures such asJack Kirby andStan Lee. Other characters (such asShe-Hulk andDeadpool) are capable of breaking thefourth wall, addressing the readers directly. Still others, such as the Earth'sWatcher,Uatu, possess the ability to see all alternate Earths in the Marvel Universe setting at will, including the real one in which they and all other beings are fictional characters. Having a similar name, "Prime Earth" is the new designation of "Earth-616".[8]
Earth Prime, as used in the television showSliders, is the name of the alternate Earth where the four original sliders (Quinn Mallory, Wade Welles, Rembrandt Brown, and Maximillian Arturo) started their journey. This Earth was the same as ours until 1997 or 1998, when the Kromaggs slid onto Earth Prime and conquered it.
Much of the action in the last few books ofStephen King'sDark Tower series takes place in "the keystone world", essentially the Earth Prime concept under a different name, complete with appearances by King himself as a character.
Though not using the term "Earth Prime",Roger Zelazny'sThe Chronicles of Amberfantasy series features a similar concept. In the Amber stories, Amber is the only true world; all others, including ourEarth, are but "shadows" of the tension between it and Chaos.
In theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesmade-for-TV film,Turtles Forever,Ch'rell (or2003 series's version ofThe Shredder) took thetechnodrome from his1987 series counterpart andKrang and upgraded it with Utrom technology. He later decided to destroyTurtle-Prime to destroy themultiverse. He was stopped by the three teams of turtles from the Prime, 1987, and 2003 universes. The true "Earth Prime" of the film would be that inhabited by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in the closing shot, shown putting the finishing touches on the first issue of theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book.
In the final episode ofSpider-Man: The Animated Series, after saving the multiverse fromSpider-Carnage, an evil version of himself from an alternate Earth,Spider-Man briefly visits Earth Prime and meets his own creator,Stan Lee.[9]
Trapped on 'Earth-Prime', the Flash knew only one man could possibly help him: DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz.
This issue set into motion the life of Earth-Prime's youngest superhero, a major player in theCrisis on Infinite Earths saga, and the brutal adversary at the heart of 2005-2006'sInfinite Crisis limited series.
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