Peacemaker’s Alternative Universe Might Be DC’s Most Controversial But it Has Decades of Comics History

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The much-anticipated return of “Peacemaker” on HBO Max doesn’t disappoint! Following closely on the heels of “Superman,” the series swiftly dives back into its compelling emotional narratives, catching up with the 11th Street Kids post their alien defeat in season 1. The second season’s premiere dropped a shocking revelation for fans – White Dragon possesses a gateway to another universe! This universe showcases the Smith family as dominant superheroes, and, on paper, appears to be an ideal fit for Peacemaker. However, viewers have made an interesting observation about this world – it’s remarkably devoid of ethnic diversity. The majority of scenes feature very few people of color, and in a twist, the racist White Dragon is popular here. This has sparked speculation among comic enthusiasts that this could be Peacemaker’s “best dimension ever” – the Earth-X universe, a world we’ve visited before through the comics.

The DC Multiverse has brought complexity to its stories, but it’s also introduced us to several parallel Earths. One such dark Earth is Earth-X, where the Nazis emerged victorious from World War II. On this Earth, a group of heroes known as the Freedom Fighters fought against the Nazi regime. The storyline of this Earth was altered in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” and since then, the Freedom Fighters have been integrated into the main DC Universe. However, the return of the Multiverse brought back Earth-X as Earth-10, but readers haven’t had much time to explore it yet. With fans speculating that this might be the alternate universe in “Peacemaker,” it’s worth delving into Earth-X and its rich history dating back to the Freedom Fighters.

Earth-X Was Very Different from Other DC Earths

The story of Earth-X originates from Quality Comics in the 1940s, where popular characters like Superman and Batman inspired numerous comic companies to join the superhero craze, giving birth to figures such as Uncle Sam, Human Bomb, Black Condor, Doll Man, Phantom Lady, and the Ray. However, the Freedom Fighters didn’t exist at that time; they wouldn’t be created until DC Comics acquired the characters and trademarks of Quality Comics in the 1950s, similar to their acquisitions of the Marvel Family from Fawcett and the Charlton heroes.

Initially, the Freedom Fighters’ books were typical superhero comics of the ’40s, featuring battles against supervillains and Nazis, although their world wasn’t controlled by the Nazis yet. This wouldn’t occur until the debut of the Freedom Fighters in Justice League of America #107 (a yearly team-up issue between Justice League and Justice Society) in the 1960s.

In this comic, the Freedom Fighters sought help from their counterparts across the multiverse, resulting in a joint effort against the Nazis. After completing their mission, the Freedom Fighters returned to their ongoing struggle against the Nazis, earning a 15-issue series in 1976.

Later, it was revealed that the Freedom Fighters hailed from Earth-Two and had traveled to Earth-X to fight the Nazis, as detailed in the late ’70s/early ’80s book All-Star Squadron, which takes place during World War II.

As a devoted comic book fan, I remember vividly how Earth-X first graced the pages of our beloved comics, presenting an alternate reality where the Nazi regime thrived. Although it had a modest following initially, its unique premise captivated many. However, with the catastrophic events in Crisis, it temporarily vanished from the scene.

Later, in All-Star Squardon, the Freedom Fighters found their way into the chronicles of the single DC Earth. The only constant being Uncle Sam, who embodies the enchanting power of freedom. Over time, legacy heroes took over the roles previously held by team members in our present day.

Following the reemergence of the multiverse in 52, it was just a matter of time before Earth-X resurfaced. This reappearance took place in The Multiversity in 2014, transporting us across various realms within the DC universe. In this renewed iteration, Earth-X became Earth-10 (as X is equivalent to 10 in Roman numerals, and at that time there were only supposed to be 52 Earths), and we witnessed this world through Mastermen.

Mastermen depicted a chilling scenario where Kal-El, the Kryptonian who would become Superman, landed in German territory and was raised by Adolf Hitler, allowing the Nazis to emerge victorious. Set in the present day, it portrayed Superman grappling with doubts about his life’s course, while the Freedom Fighters staged an attack against the Mastermen, the Nazi version of the Justice League.

It was hinted that Superman, or Overman as he’s known on his Earth, may have assisted the Freedom Fighters. Since then, we haven’t revisited Earth-10… at least not in mainstream comics.

Earth-X Explains Everything About Fishy About Peacemaker Season Two

For several decades, fictional accounts that explore scenarios where the Nazis emerged victorious from World War II have existed, but Earth-X was among the earliest. It served as a means for DC to incorporate characters they had recently acquired (the Marvel family found their home on Earth-S) and became a captivating aspect of the DC Multiverse between 1973 and 1985. Readers were afforded ample time to explore this realm, and since its initial appearance around a decade ago in “The Multiversity: Mastermen” #1 (published in 2015), it continues to captivate DC fans as one of the most intriguing Earths ever depicted in their history.

It’s speculated that the show Peacemaker might travel to other dimensions based on the trailer, and it seems like James Gunn is reviving the idea of Earth-X. While this is still just a theory, Earth-X aligns with what we’ve observed so far in Peacemaker (a flop from What’s Happening and no Kardashian fame, plus the predominantly white extras and absence of Leota Adebayo at ARGUS). Many Earth-X stories are hard to find now, but if you dig deep enough, you can still discover them by tracking down old collections of Crisis on Multiple Earths from the 00s. Hopefully, DC will reprint these stories soon, allowing new fans to understand why Earth-X was such a compelling dark universe.

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2025-09-13 19:10