We continue our look at the secret geography of the DC Universe courtesy of our pal Jeff Reid's DC Heroes roleplaying manuals. Given yesterday's glimpse at the breadth and width of America, we now know the location of many of our favorite vigilantes' hometowns. Today we zero in on the cities themselves.
What I love most about these maps is the level of absolute mundanity. Were you to frame and mount these images in an office or classroom, it might take a bit before anyone notices they're fictional locations. The black and white images are especially banal, verging on clinical. No bright colors, over-the-top typography, or graphics of Lex Luthor pilfering two-score cakes.
Let's start with Metropolis, the southern Delaware home of Superman, The Daily Planet, Project Cadmus, and Jimmy's mother Sarah Olsen in northernmost Oaktown. Did you know Metropolis includes a series of islands?
Another bit of trivia from yesterday. We now know that the Gotham City of the DCU circa 1990 sits roughly…in Atlantic City. But what does it look like? Well, Jeff was also thoughtful enough to include a point of comparison for us.
The Gotham City of 1990. Or, as it's known provincially, "The good ol' dying manatee." Note the location of Stately Wayne Manor in the posterior ventral fin, item C. Or wait…the compass is kinda batty. Does that mean Bristol is technically in the Southernmost region of Gotham? Magnets. How do they work?
Now let's take a look at Gotham City circa 1999. Here's the city map included in the first trade paperback collection of Batman: No Man's Land. Wayne Manor remains in Bristol in the north, roughly the same distance from Arkham Asylum as it enjoyed in the past. But the earthquake seems to have straightened out the city's scoliosis.
Star City blew up and turned into a forest recently. Which happens. But what did Green Arrow's fair hamlet look like twenty years ago?
Hey, what's New York look like in this brave new world? Next time I'm in Brooklyn, I'm gonna keep an eye out for Titans' Tower.
But the Atlas takes us well beyond the United States. What does the Middle East look like in 1990's DCU? Remember when the Joker served as our Quraci ambassador. Yeah.
Tomorrow? Root, root, root for the home teams!
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Star City is a West Coast Chicago.
The Teen Titans live in my neighborhood.
Love these. Keep them coming, please.
I love that Gotham map from NML. I still instinctively picture it when reading Batman stories.
The Atlas‘s Gotham City map is interesting because, as the map’s compass clearly shows, we’re looking at Gotham at a weird angle. North is to the left on the map. Since the game designers were cleary just making all this up as they went, why not make North be, y’know, up?
Weird, Times Square is like north of Central Park.
Apparently I live in the JLI embassy.
Awesome.
Thanks Paul- I love this kind of stuff.
There’s an Otisburg in Gotham?
@JeffR Whoa, I didn’t notice that. I did notice that the No Man’s Land map is slightly askew, but….weird.
so, I didn’t mention this yesterday because my mind went to baseball, as it typically does. But I am a high school geography teacher. These maps are just making my week, and they WILL be used next year in some way. thanks for posting these.
@tomkaters Great eye on that it is like they just took a mirror image of Chicago and called it Star City. Neighborhood names did not even change.
Apparently as a resident of southern Delaware I have been living in the shadow of Metropolis my whole life! Actually the largest “city” in my part of the state is barely 50,000 people. So Superman has a pretty easy job protecting our little corner of the world.
Qatar is not an island in the DCU and Bahrain seems to be non-existent. I know, it’s comics and DC is set loosely in our world.
apparently i’ve spent many childhood summers on the beaches of Metropolis. Never saw Superman once. Total rip off…but that Salt Water Taffy, and Crab Cake sandwiches were all time super.
Ahh yes, good ol’ Times Square, located in the heart of Harlem!
Also, why is there a section of Metropolis named Hell’s Gate? That just seems to be asking for trouble. And a Charon section of Gotham?
Also… there’s a Batman museum near the graveyards of Gotham, but according to the map not a Superman museum! Simply amazing.
The “Batman Museum” is actually a corner where, for about an hour each Thursday, Batman punches you in the chest and says something mean about your parents. “Understand now? Pay what you may.”
I’m pretty sure that the Batman Museum is funding by a grant from the Wayne Foundation. Mostly it’s just in response to Barry and Wally going on and on about the Flash Museum during various JLA functions.
What about “The Narrows” in Gotham…was that invented for the movies?
Metropolis has some great areas…Suicide Slum and Hells Gate…geez uplifting place. Those most have some interesting housing projects.
Topical! Qurac gets a mention as Rayhan’s home country in this week’s Power Girl.
Is Hell’s Gate any worse than Hell’s Kitchen?
Great piece, Paul, but please explain your Batman Museum gag for a poor, ignorant Brit …