This section of the site details the known future of the Golden Age’s pre-original Crisis Earth-2. We have seen Batman (Bruce Wayne) travel to the future and been given glimpses of the future on several occasions in the comics. These instances are recorded here. However, it is wise to note that some of these flash-forwards showcased alternate futures that wound up ceasing to be and therefore are not included. Likewise, some of these time-treks highlighted jaunts to and from alternate Earths and are not included either. It is also worth re-iterating an important fact that I’ve mentioned before: During huge company-wide reboots that ostensibly and effectively end a universe (such as the original Crisis, which ends Universe-2) it’s not just the universe that is erased, the entire timeline associated the universe is erased. For example, the Universe-2 timeline doesn’t simply end with a cataclysmic reboot in 1985. If that were the case, then any reference to future tales or stories that occur after 1985 would be null and void. Because the DCU adheres to the tenets of determinism, the entire Universe-2 timeline is already complete. 1985 is simply the focal point of an event that sucks dry and evaporates the entire Universe-2 timeline from the before the Big Bang to the End of Time. To better understand this concept we must also adopt a general scientific view of time as another dimension of space—as a where instead of a when. In the case of the original Crisis, 1985 isn’t just a calendar year for our intents and purposes; it is also the point in time (or space-time) where the universe-collapsing anomaly occurs. Furthermore, it is indispensable knowledge that the event is exactly that, an anomaly (albeit one started by evil forces) that ceased to exist on the timeline until its very inception. As mentioned before, we should also view a reboot erasure less like a total obliteration and more like an archival process wherein which the timeline/universe in question gets concluded and stored away.
I’ve already acknowledged that there are some tales where a version of the future gets averted or relegated to an alternate reality thanks to something that happens in-story (usually time travel shenanigans). I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that a significant number of readers, critics, and scholars will regard all stories set in the future as being simply one of many possible futures i.e. as loosely canon or entirely non-canon. However, to reiterate the above, that’s technically not how my site functions, nor is it how I approach my personal headcanon (or a even a more concrete canon). Yes, there are myriad alternate futures attached to all continuities, but when it comes to any primary timeline, certain stories and characters definitively weave back and forth (again, sometimes via time travel, but also through other narrative means), making significant impact on the main line. Since this is true on all timelines from the 1930s through to present day, everything in the future must jibe and co-exist in an orderly fashion with everything else in the past. In another manner of speaking, the future must be as solid as your past and present day, for if it is not, then your timeline is completely unstable and untenable. This rule will be in effect here and on all other future sections of this website.
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Batman #59 Part 3 by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Lew Sayre Schwartz, & Charles Paris (1950)
–2050 CE
Batman #59 Part 3. In 1950, Carter Nichols accidentally sends Bruce and Dick one hundred years into the future, despite Bruce’s wish to visit 1850. In 2050, Batman and Robin face a hyper-futuristic Gotham complete with bizarre clothes, spaceports, and Rokej—Joker’s descendant that is now Gotham’s Chief of Police! After learning that someone has been sabotaging spaceships on behalf of a league of cosmic-pirates, Batman and Robin enter into a rocket ship regatta across the Solar System in a brand new Bat-Spaceship constructed for them by John Milman’s Comet Company. The Dynamic Duo not only wins the space race, but also outs one of Milman’s engineers as the saboteur before phasing back to 1950. (This item is also shown via flashback/flashforward from Detective Comics #165, although the textual narrative along with the image is incorrect. Also note, as per reference in Detective Comics #165, that Batman brings a space-suit back home with him after this adventure.)
World’s Finest Comics #91 by Edmond Hamilton, Dick Sprang, & Stan Kaye (1957)
–2957 CE
World’s Finest Comics #91. In 1957, Rick Harben unleashes a trap upon Batman, Superman, and Robin that consists of a mysterious gas of possible magickal or alien origin. The gas puts the trio into suspended animation while stopping their aging in its tracks. Harben then causes a rockslide that traps the sleeping heroes inside a mountain cave. Batman, Robin, and Superman are then awakened by strange scientists and once fully revived, are shocked to learn that a thousand years have passed! It’s the year 2957! Batman tells Superman to use his time-traveling powers to go home, but Superman refuses to leave the Dynamic Duo. Thankfully, the future scientists have a time-traveling apparatus. But unfortunately, when they go to get it out of lockup, it has vanished. The number one suspect is super-criminal Rothul, distant relative of Lex Luthor! The heroes of 1957 are honored by the multiple inhabited planets of the Solar System, but attacked by Rothul several times. Eventually, Rothul kidnaps one of the scientists, Lora, and takes her to his HQ on the moon. There, the heroes defeat Rothul and rescue Lora. Back on Earth, Lora admits that she hid the time-machine because she wanted dreamboat Superman to stay in 2957. The three heroes hop in the time-machine, which beams them back into their own bodies one minute before they were ambushed by Harben in 1957, allowing them to get the jump on the bewildered villain. So be aware that Batman, Robin, and Superman spend a chiliad (1957 to 2957) in suspended animation only to then get zapped back to a few minutes before going into suspended animation, thus allowing them to continue on our timeline unscathed! Also note that the world surely would have taken a drastic turn for the worse with its greatest heroes disappearing in 1957 without a trace—but returning from 2957 would have altered the timeline so that things got on the correct track again. Thus, we don’t really know what the world of 2957 is definitively like because time was altered at the end of the story. In other words, the world of 2957 that we see in WFC #91 is a world where Batman, Robin, and Superman disappeared in 1957 never to be heard from again. Thus, their return to their correct era must have caused a butterfly effect that changed a significant portion of that world as we see it in WFC #91. However, we do know, that the world of 2957 exists in some form because Superman keeps a souvenir from that era when he goes back home.
–Circa 3040s CE
Batman #26 Part 3. In 3000 CE, an army of aliens from Saturn, led by the malevolent warlord Fura, invaded and enslaved Earth. Over forty years later, Fura’s reign continues. In Gotham of the 3040s, a wealthy socialite Brane Taylor—Bruce’s future namesake, actually named Bruce Wayne (or possibly Bruce Wayne Taylor)—and his nephew Ricky unearth a time capsule from the 1939 New York World’s Fair that contains film of Batman and Robin in action in 1939.[1][2] Inspired, Brane and Ricky become Batman and Robin and lead what will ultimately become the revolution that frees Earth and ends the reign of Fura and his Saturnian hordes. Batman #26 Part 3 tells us that Brane is a direct descendant of the 20th century Bruce Wayne, which would mean that Helena Wayne must have had a child at some point in late 1985 (prior to her death).
–NOTE: Moving forward, Brane (and any other future Batmen) will commit to daily and annual traditions, although they won’t be listed with as much detail in the “future section” as compared to the main chronology.
Batman #67 Part 3 by Bill Finger, Dick Sprang, & Charles Paris (1951)
–3051 CE
Batman #67 Part 3. In 3051, super-criminal Yerxa robs a few cargo ships owned by Brane Taylor (Batman), injuring Robin in the process. (Again, it’s totally up to you if you want to consider this Brane/Robin duo a different Brane/Robin duo from the one we just met, but the Batman Chronology Project doesn’t take that stance.) Using a time-sphere, Brane Taylor visits 20th century Robin in the Batcave! Brane explains that he needs the Robin of 1951 to substitute for his Robin. Robin agrees and goes to 3051. Brane and Robin track Yerxa to an asteroid mining colony/penal colony called Vulcan, which hangs in orbit between the Sun and Mercury and is complete with robot guards, strange dinosaur-like creatures that have human faces, and a breathable atmosphere (likely due to some sort of oxygen bubble). Once there, the heroes pose as enslaved convicts and work with the other prisoners, known collectively as the Lost Legionnaires. Eventually, Brane and Robin defeat both Yerxa and the telepathic super-villain known as The Dome. At Yerxa’s trial, the calculated criminal, having been informed by the Dome, reveals 3051 Batman’s identity as Brane Taylor! Luckily, Robin has used the time-sphere to retrieve Batman (Bruce Wayne) from 1951, who shows up and dispels everyone’s belief that Brane is the Dark Knight. Afterward, the Dynamic Duo of 3051 drops the Dynamic Duo of 1951 back home. The 31st century heroes leave behind a super-radio in 1951 that can be used to contact them in the future (as referenced in Detective Comics #216). This entire adventure is also briefly glimpsed via flashback from Detective Comics #216, although it incorrectly lists it as occurring in 3054 instead of 3051.
–3055 CE
Detective Comics #216. Brane Taylor is contacted by Bruce Wayne in 1955. (As stated above, it’s totally up to you if you want to consider this Brane a different character from the Brane featured in Batman #26 Part 3, but the Batman Chronology Project does not take that stance.) Bruce has injured his arm and needs a temporary replacement. Brane shoots back to 1955 in his timesphere and plays substitute. However, when Brane meets Vicki Vale, he goes all Zapp Brannigan, showing off his macho ladies’ man personality. Vicki begins to suspect that he is an impostor. While Brane and Robin chase villains, Vicki tags along. Robin does all he can from distracting her while Brane, against the Boy Wonder’s wishes, uses future technology, such as a jet pack, truth vapor spray, and an invisibility refractor. Eventually, Brane and Robin bust the baddies they are chasing, but Vicki is still suspicious, especially since Robin did all the detective work during the case. Not only is Brane a subpar detective, he is noticeably taller than Batman! Before Vicki can figure it out, the real 20th century Batman shows up (healed thanks to a 31st century scientific massage technique) and dispels her thoughts, stating that he was wearing special lift boots. Brane eagerly returns to 3055.
Batman #105 Part 3 by Arnold Drake, Sheldon Moldoff, & Charles Paris (1957)
–5000 CE
Batman #105 Part 3. The date is purely conjectural. The technology exhibited by this era’s Batman seems to imply that it is at least a thousand years or more beyond the time of Brane Taylor. We aren’t told much, but we know that this era’s Batman wears a costume similar to the Golden Age Batman, but with a larger Bat-symbol, goggles with dual antennas attached to them, and no cape. He has been directly inspired by the Batmen of the past, specifically the Batman of the 20th century, learning much about him by using a time-telescope, which allows the viewer to literally peer into the past. Using a rare and dwindling resource known as a chromium unit, Batman-5000 sends his primary mode of transportation, the Bat-Missile, back to 1956 to assist Batman and Robin with a case. The Bat-Missile, a small rocket-ship shaped like a missile, is piloted by a telepathic link to its user and can phase through any object. After the Dynamic Duo of the 20th century uses it to bust some crooks, Batman-5000 uses his era’s final chromium units to travel to 1956, where he greets the original Batman, retrieves the Bat-Missile, and returns home.
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- [1]COLLIN COLSHER: Notably, Batman #67 Part 3 and Detective Comics #216, which are coming up on our timeline in only a few years from now, will show a Brane Taylor and his nephew Ricky as Batman and Robin. While some site contributors and some internet sources regard the Brane and Robin of Batman #26 Part 3 as wholly different characters than the Brane Taylor and Robin of Batman #67 Part 3 and Detective Comics #216, it’s not so cut-and-dry. While it’s possible that Brane/Ricky and Brane Taylor/Robin are different sets of characters, the only real difference between the duos is their hair color, and hair color can easily be changed or it can be chalked up to artistic liberties. Not to mention, both duos exist in basically the same time period. I can’t say with any amount of certainty whether or not Brane/Ricky are also Brane Taylor/Robin, but, if they are the same duo, it requires less explanation and actually makes more sense. For instance, if they aren’t the same duo, then we require a fanwank to explain what happened to Brane and Ricky to cause both to be replaced by Brane Taylor and a new Robin. Or was Robin Ricky the whole time? And if they are different duos entirely, how do we explain two similarly aged (and similarly named) Branes and Robins both equipped to take on these superhero roles back-to-back? Again, I’d argue against two separate sets and say that Brane is Brane Taylor and this era’s Robin is his nephew Ricky. But both are valid interpretations, and it’s your personal headcanon decision to make!↩
- [2]PROMETHEUS W: The DC Database (Fandom/Wikia site) goes for the Branes being separate characters, but the Batman Wiki (Fandom/Wikia site) has Brane and Taylor being the same guy. An interesting thing about the case of Brane and Brane Taylor is that, in Batman #26, Loral (Brane’s fiancée) says that, “in this modern age,” people get called by a combination of their first and last names to streamline things, hence why Bruce Wayne is called “Brane” and why Lora Hall is called “Loral,” However, it seems that Brane Taylor’s naming doesn’t follow this custom, so this could give credence to the idea of two Branes. Otherwise, though, it could be that the combination of names ceased before 3050, something that was unique to the era of Saturnian domination, or it could be a regional thing. I’m inclined towards the first option, as trends can change over time. In further defense of the Branes as two different characters, in Batman #26, Brane calls himself a “direct descendant” (being the twentieth Wayne that is called Bruce at that point), which points to his family being descendant from Helena. In the case of Brane Taylor, he could be a distant relative as he’s never called a direct descendant in Batman #67 or Detective Comics #216. Either way, the biggest question is: Who is Helena’s baby daddy? And as a final defense of the concept of two Branes, while Ricky’s relation to Brane is never specified in Batman #26, one could argue that he’s his ward or protégé, not blood related, because of the way they interact. In Batman #67 and Detective Comics #216, Brane Taylor’s Robin is his unnamed nephew. Nevertheless, as you say, both concepts are valid interpretations.↩
Interesting, i was always under the impression that Brane Taylor from 3051 and “Brane” (the 3040’s Bruce Wayne from issue #26) were two separate characters, because of their names, one has the Wayne surname, and the other is a Taylor, also they don’t share the same hair color or facial structure, with Brane being much closer in appereance to the original Bruce than Taylor.
I always assumed that they were simply two different distant descendants of the Wayne family (much like how Charlemagne’s descendants would be apart from each other today and not sharing a last name).
Is there a specific source that links the two characters, or is this done here to simplify the chronology of the future Bat-men, seeing as how they are merely 10 years apart from each other? My idea was that “Brane” died before 3050, and was replaced by Brane Taylor as the next Batman, but i can see how that could be counter-intuitive as it would cut Brane’s Batman career very short and leave Taylor’s origin off-page.
Also, given how Helena died in 1986 in the Crisis, seemingly before she got a stable relationship and had children, i wonder how the future Wayne family tree even works in Earth-Two, do you have any specific ideas on the matter?
Hey Prometheus. I didn’t combine the Branes out of convenience or anything like that. I simply have always read those stories as being the same Brane! Never even occurred to me that there were two Branes. But it looks like most of the internet agrees that they are two different guys. I’ll make an adjustment! And as they are both descendants of Bruce, that means that yes (another thing I hadn’t previously thought about), Helena must have had a kid in late 1985. Or Brane is a distant relative.
Actually, the more I think about this, the more insane the timeline is if there are two back-to-back Branes and Robins. I’m sticking with my guns on this one. Brane is Brane Taylor, only one. It requires wayyyy less caveats, fanwanks, and explanation, which I’ll detail in my update. Thanks!
I think both are valid interpretations, and like i said not all of the internet agrees with me, as the Batman Wiki also has them as the same character.
Ah gotcha, thanks, again!
No problem! It’s always a joy to discuss continuity with you.
Likewise! Didn’t mean to come off too authoritative there 🙂 These discussions help make the site so much better. Talk to you soon!
Hey there, Collin, interesting that you always read it like that, i always saw every iteration of future batmen as alternate futures before encountering your timeline, which sold me on the idea of a concrete future for each publishing era, which is better for the integrity of the stories. From the looks of things, the “DC Database” goes for them being separate characters, buit the “Batman Wiki” has Brane and Taylor being the same guy.
Another weird thing about the case of Brane and Brane Taylor is that, in Issue #26, Loral (Brane’s fiancee) says that “in this modern age”, people get called by a combination of their first and last names to streamline things, hence why Bruce Wayne is called “Brane” and why Lora Hall is called “Loral”, however it seems that Brane Taylor’s naming doesn’t follow this custom, it could be that the combination of names ceased before 3050, something that was unique to the era of Saturnian domination, or it could be a regional thing, i’m inclined towards the first option, as trends can change over time.
In the issue Brane also calls himself a “direct descendant” (being the 20th Wayne that is called Bruce at that point), so i think this points to his family being descendant from Helena, the case of Brane Taylor could be a distant relative as he’s never called a direct descendant.
The biggest question i think is: who is the daddy? As far as i remember i don’t think Helena ever got a consistent love interest in her stories, not that it has to be a named character but i always saw her as single.
As a side note, while Ricky’s relation to Brane is never specified (but most likely to be his ward or protegee, not blood related, because of the way they interact), Brane Taylor’s Robin is his unnamed nephew, so while it could be interpreted as Ricky being Brane’s nephew, i feel that if that were the case they wouldn’t have such different names.