WELCOME TO A VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF DOC’S CORNER!
This week DC gives us our first look at their newest version of the Universe’s timeline. Forget a five year plan or even a one universe for all plan. And when you’re going back to the past (and especially the Golden Age) you know I’ll be there! Barry Allen is no longer the Flash but he does know his Multiverse when he sees it. In a home office filled with momentos such as Ma Hunkle’s Red Tornado helmet, a bottle of Ralph Dibny’s Gingold, and Jack O’Lantern’s mystic handled orb, he sets about to make sense of the DC Universe. And after calling out a bit of BS on page 2 (I simply do not agree with the whole Perpetua thing!) we jump right in with a rather straight forward look at DC as a whole. Guardians of the Universe, Manhunters, Green Lantern Corps, Darkstars just to start. New Gods, Arion, and Atlantis keep the timeline rolling forward. Primitive man like Anthro, along with Immortal Man and Vandal Savage keep us moving to such epic characters as the Viking Prince and the Shining Knight. And who could forget the Black Pirate and Captain Fear? Cowboys? Have we got western stars galore! And then we are here in the Golden Age. And with DC absorbing so many other comic companies, we get heroes from Fawcet, Quality, Charlton, etc. Pages where the Blue Beetle appears next to Spy Smasher while Miss Victory transforms. Both versions of the Freedom Fighters are represented as well as a little blurb for the Young All-Stars. DC Comics’s war comic characters are given a fair shake as well as their magic users. And how many of us remember Tales of the Unexpected with Automan and Tiger-Man. I know I do and I know expect DC to put out a Justice Alliance mini-series (and not the Earth-D version.) And while the years pass by very quickly, Mark Waid does a good job or representing the characters of those times. Ending his issue #1 on the arrival of the J’Onn J’Onzz, the Martian Manhunter. Which is exactly how it should be as the times were changing and the heroic world of DC was about to go all scientific as we entered the Silver Age. And having Todd Nauck & Jerry Ordway as the artistic team was pure genius! Can’t say enough about this one. Sure there were one or two discrepancies I might have issue with, over all this does justice to all that came before it. Whether we are talking the Who’s Who directory that appeared in the pages of the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes 100 page Super Spectacular or the two part History of the DC Universe from 1986-1987. 10+ out of 10 Grahams. 
AND NOW FOR THE TRICKY BIT! SO HAD MULTIPLE FOLKS CHALLENGE ME ON THE SCOTT KOBLISH WRAPAROUND COVER. HOW MANY OF THESE CHARACTERS COULD I NAME? (ANSWER: ALL OF THEM IN TIME) EXTRA CHALLEGE: WITHOUT THE INTERNET AND USING ONLY THIS EVENING FOR TIME. WELL, 4 PAGES OF NOTEBOOK PAPER AND A WHOLE LOT OF TYPING LATER, LETS SEE WHAT WE CAN PULL OFF …
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER …
Manhunter I
Phantom Lady
Wildcat
Sandman
Lady Luck
Solomon Grundy
Vigilante
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman’s Horse (Might be Serge who was Diana Prince’s horse in the golden age but he was brown haired. So I’m just going to go with random horse.)
Air Wave
Star-Spangled Kid
Stripsey
Jay Garrick Flash
Johnny Quick
Al Pratt Aton
Miss America
Mr. America
Sargon the Sorcerer
Superman
Captain X
Joker
Penguin
Jimmy Olsen
TNT
Dan the Dyna-mite
Tigress I (Zatara Villain)
Per Degaton
Plastic Man
Woozy Winks
Goitrude
Dr. Fate
J. Wilbur Wolfingham
Taratula
Starman
Neptune Perkins
Jester
Hop Harrigan
Giganta
Icicle
Psycho Pirate
Captain Triumph
Dr. Occult
Huntress I
Minute Man
Mr. Scarlet
Pinky
Bozo the Robot
Hugh Hazard
The Clock
Gay Ghost
Gary Concord, the Ultra-Man
Red Tornado
The Cyclone Kids (Sisty Hunkel & Dinky Jibbet)
Midnight
Ghost Patrol (Fred, Pedro, & Slim)
Hiram (Stretch) Skinner
Zatara
Black Pirate
The Whip
Red, White, & Blue
Winky, Blinky, & Noddy
Scribbly
Johnny Thunder(bolt)
Thunderbolt
Neon the Unknown
Hawkman
Hawkgirl
Mr. Mxyzptlk
Captain Marvel
Mary Marvel
Alan Scott, Green Lantern
The Gentleman Ghost
Batman
Robin
Ian Karkull
Shining Knight
Winged Victory
Wotan
Captain Marvel Jr.
Ibac
Mr. Atom
The Wizard
The Fiddler
Ghost of Flanders
Catwoman
Dr. Sivana
Wonder Boy
Wildfire
Cheetah
Evil Star
Dan Garrett, Blue Beetle
Hercules
Quicksilver
Red Torpedo
Spy Smasher
Bulletman
Bulletgirl
Black Condor
The Ray
Blackhawk
Lady Blackhawk
Olaf
Andre
Chuck
Hendrickson
Stanislaus
Chop-Chop
Rip Carter
Andre Chavard
Alfie Twidgett
Jan Haasan
Brooklyn
Little Boy Blue
Tubby
Toughy
Slam Bradley
Ragdoll
Riddler
Dan Hunter
Espionage (Black X)
Justin Valor (Son of the Black Pirate)
Firebrand I
Spy Smasher
Manhunter II
Magno
Pow Wow Smith
Red Bee
Rex the Wonder Dog or possibly Streak
Green Arrow
The Dummy
The Guardian
Gabby
Big Words
Scrapper
Tommy
Black Canary
Ibis the Invincible
Aquaman
Kid Eternity
Mr. Keeper
Mr. Talky Tawny
Uncle Sam
Wing
Rex Tyler, Hourman
Robert Crane, Robotman
Liberty Belle
Dr. Mid-Nite
Hooty the Owl
Terry Sloan, Mr. Terrific
Doll Man
Doll Girl
Dr. Togg (Hourman villain)
Lois Lane
Peachy Pet
Sabbac
Fatman
The Spectre
Percival Popp, the Suiper Cop
160 so far! Not bad if I do say so myself! I’d say I’ve got about 60 more to go.