The Other History of the DC Universe writer John Ridley shed some light on the series' timeline, saying it will be a decade-hopping adventure with a focus on the Pierce family.
"We wanted to approach it as though it were a real, true timeline," he told DC Comics. "The timeline actually begins in the late 1960s with Jefferson Pierce talking about his childhood, and then taking it all the way to Anissa Pierce [Jefferson's daughter], where her story concludes around 2005 or 2006. It's treated as real history. Each of these characters reflects a particular decade: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and the early 2000s."
With the series covering such a vast time period, it is possible that it will incorporate some dark moments in American history, including the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. However, whether the series ends up delving into those events or not, Ridley wanted to keep the message of the story positive and hopeful.
"More than anything, I wanted it to be hopeful. I wanted to focus on successes," he said. "I wanted to focus on relationships. I wanted to focus on these various individuals — even though they may be tasked with their own challenges, together as people, we always rise."
Despite its long timeline and historical roots, Ridley still believes that the series will be relevant today. In fact, he believes that it will be relevant no matter when it is read.
"Obviously the things that are right in front of us, they inform how we see everything that's around us," he said. "But whether this had come out in the wake of Trayvon Martin, in the wake of Ferguson, in the wake of what happened in Baltimore—just think about how regularly we find ourselves looking at these issues."
"This is a series that would have shouldered a certain level of importance at any time," he added.
Announced back in early 2018, The Other History of the DC Universe reexamines key events in DC Comics history through the eyes of characters from minority and marginalized backgrounds. The series centers on the perspectives of Jefferson Pierce, a.k.a. Black Lightning; his daughter Anissa, also known as Thunder; Mal Duncan (Herald) and his wife, Karen Beecher (Bumblebee); Renee Montoya (the Question); and Tatsu Yamashiro (Katana). The Green Lantern John Stewart will also play a role in the story.
The Other History of the DC Universe Book One is now on sale from DC Comics. Book Two debuts on Jan. 26, 2021.
Source: DC Comics