Earth-X’s Dark DC History, Explained

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The idea of a multiverse has been a key part of DC Comics since the 1960s. It was first used during the Silver Age to bring back older heroes from the Justice Society of America by creating different versions of Earth. These alternate Earths were all separate from the main DC Universe, and one especially damaged world from these alternate realities is now appearing in the new DC movies.

Earth-X is an alternate world where the Nazis won World War II and are now spreading fear globally. Despite this, a team of superpowered individuals continues to resist their oppressive rule and fight for liberty. This story is the latest version of a concept that has been explored in various forms.

DC’s Earth-X First Appeared in the Bronze Age

Okay, so I was reading some old DC comics, and I stumbled upon this alternate Earth called Earth-X. It first showed up way back in *Justice League of America* #107, created by Len Wein and Dick Dillin. It’s one of those stories where DC was really into exploring different universes, and in this one, the Justice League meets up with their versions from Earth-Two. Pretty cool stuff!

Using a special device that travels between dimensions, the heroes find themselves on Earth-X, a parallel world with a drastically altered past. Unlike their own world, Earth-X never saw the rise of superpowered individuals, and World War II played out very differently. President Roosevelt’s death allowed the Nazis to win the war, leading to even greater devastation. They also developed technology that could control minds, making them even more powerful. However, a few people were resistant to this mind control, and they were united by Uncle Sam to fight back.

Uncle Sam created a team called the Freedom Fighters, made up of lesser-known heroes from Earth-Two. This team was the one that first met the Justice League and Justice Society in 1973, and this version of events continued until later stories changed things. While not as frequently featured as Earth-Two itself, the Freedom Fighters often appeared in team-up stories within the *Justice League of America* comic book.

The second group of Freedom Fighters from Earth-X became strongly linked to that alternate world, often appearing with characters like Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady (who influenced later heroes), Human Bomb, Doll Man, Black Condor, Red Bee, and The Ray. However, this concept made the DC Multiverse overly complicated, creating a confusing mix of different realities. Eventually, it was abandoned after the *Crisis on Infinite Earths* storyline, though the idea of Earth-X was sometimes revisited even without the larger multiverse.

How DC Used Earth-X Without the Multiverse

The story arc *Crisis on Infinite Earths* aimed to streamline DC Comics’ complex history. It merged heroes from different universes into a single Earth with a completely new backstory. In this revised history, the Justice Society wasn’t from another world, but rather the team that came before the Justice League of America. During the ‘Golden Age’ – the time of World War II in this new reality – the Freedom Fighters occasionally teamed up with the Justice Society.

Because of these changes, many teams and heroes struggled to stand out compared to the original Justice League. The Justice Society of America didn’t regain popularity until the late 1990s—more than ten years after the *Crisis* event. Although the JSA eventually thrived with writers like James Robinson, David S. Goyer, and Geoff Johns, the Freedom Fighters didn’t experience a similar comeback. The multiverse was eliminated, taking Earth-X with it, but writers still found ways to navigate this limitation.

Even after the *Crisis* event, stories continued to explore strange, isolated dimensions and alternate worlds. One example appeared in *Swamp Thing* #153, depicting a world where the Nazis had won World War II. This reality was horrifying – all non-white people had been eliminated under the rule of Hitler’s son, who was married to Marilyn Monroe. Surprisingly, this Nazi-controlled world was presented as a twisted utopia, free from war and poverty and living in balance with nature. However, this world wasn’t developed much, and it didn’t seem to have any superheroes. Later, when the idea of a multiverse returned, another alternate world connected to Earth-X was featured in the *52* comic series.

Earth-10 was almost identical to Earth-X, except it had a larger population of people with superpowers. This world featured a twisted version of Superman called Overman, who was a key figure in helping the Nazis win World War II. Their victory was so complete that English ceased to be spoken, and German became the dominant language globally. But after realizing the horrors he’d caused, Overman became regretful and tried to make amends by creating a perfect world.

The idea appeared again in the *Multiversity* miniseries, within a parallel Earth that also featured versions of the Justice League aligned with Nazi ideology. This world even had its own version of Superman, but his backstory was significantly different from the one we know.

Earth-X In DC Comics Adaptations

Even though the world of Earth-X is often depicted as quite dark and tragic, it’s been used in many different DC Comics projects. A recent example is the show *Justice League Infinity*, which takes place within a larger multiverse.

In this alternate reality, Vandal Savage resurrected the Third Reich and the Nazi Party, and also captured the alien Kal-El, raising him as a powerful being called Overman. A team of Freedom Fighters – led by reformed versions of Superman’s enemies instead of the traditional Uncle Sam – fought against him. When Superman arrived from another universe, he joined their fight and helped defeat the Reich. Later, when Overman reappeared, he willingly surrendered, seemingly remorseful for his actions.

The Arrowverse featured an alternate Earth known as Earth-X. Unlike other alternate worlds, it wasn’t given a number, and was simply called “X” because other worlds wanted to pretend it didn’t exist. Earth-X was a world where the Nazis had won World War II, and Oliver Queen, as the Dark Arrow, was their leader. A team called the Freedom Fighters fought against them, including familiar members like Black Condor, Doll Man, and The Ray, as well as Vibe and a good version of Captain Cold. Earth-One’s heroes managed to stop an invasion from Earth-X, and the events of that world were ultimately erased from history during the Arrowverse’s take on *Crisis on Infinite Earths*.

The DC Universe now features a new take on the Earth-X concept, but it’s presented as Earth-2. This version appears in the series , which is set within the newly established DC Universe, separate from the previous DC Extended Universe. Peacemaker (Christopher Smith) travels to this alternate world using advanced fifth-dimensional technology. There, he learns (after a violent encounter) that his counterpart has a drastically different life – a positive relationship with his father and a still-living brother, with the three of them working together as a heroic team called the Top Trio.

So, as you play, you start to realize something’s seriously off about this world – it’s like the Nazis actually *won* World War II. It’s subtle at first, but you barely see anyone who isn’t white, which is a huge clue. You’re playing as Vigilante, who’s basically this world’s version of a superhero fighting against the regime – he’s part of a group called the Sons of Liberty, similar to the Freedom Fighters. We might eventually see the real Freedom Fighters show up, and they’ll probably call this place Earth-X, but honestly, this is the grimmest, most messed-up take on a Nazi-controlled DC universe I’ve ever seen in a game or show.

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2025-10-11 02:20