What Is DC Comics Earth-31 (Millerverse)?

February 2, 2024 ComicBookWire

The DC Comics Multiverse is a wild and wonderful place filled with a variety of interesting worlds. One of these is Earth-31. This is the home of one of the most famous stories in all of DC Comics history and even all of comic book history. It is an Earth that helped change the face of the comic book landscape and redefine one hero forever. This Earth is the Dark Knight Universe, the Millerverse, and the Earth where The Dark Knight Returns (Reading Order) takes place.

So, what is Earth-31? What is the Millerverse? Why is it so important? Keep reading to find out the answers to all of these questions and more.

Earth-31 Origins

Cover for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns — The Dark Knight Returns started the entire Earth-31 Universe

Earth-31 was created by writer and artist Frank Miller, who is widely regarded as one of the most influential and acclaimed comic book creators of all time. It was created in 1986, when Miller moved from Marvel to DC and was first given the reins to write Batman. This resulted in a four-issue premium miniseries called Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

This story eschewed the traditional DC Universe in favor of a dystopian future separate from other comics. In this world, Batman has retired from crime-fighting, but decides to return to action when Gotham City is overrun by gangs, terrorists, and a corrupt government. Along the way, he faces old enemies such as the Joker and Two-Face, as well as new allies such as a female Robin named Carrie Kelley and a reformed Catwoman. He even clashes with his former friend Superman, who has become a pawn of the government.

The story was an instant hit and had immediate influence. From that point onward, Batman was generally portrayed in a darker, more serious light. Even the comic book industry started to change, as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen (Reading Order) are held as two of the main examples of the industry starting to shift toward telling more serious and dark stories. In the end, this single comic book series is widely considered as one of the greatest and most influential comic books of all time, and has inspired many adaptations and homages in various media.

Miller later returned to the world of Earth-31 with a series of different sequels and prequels. These all expand on the world of Earth-31 and continue the story of its characters. These comics include the prequel, Batman: Year One, Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, All-Star Batman and Robin, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race, The Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade, The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child, and Superman: Year One.

What Makes Earth-31 Unique?

Batman rides in the Batmobile in The Dark Knight Returns — The Batmobile from Earth-31

Earth-31 is best known for its setting. This is a dystopian future that serves as a dark reflection of the traditional DC Universe. It is a world where crime, corruption, and chaos are rampant, and where the heroes and villains are more extreme and violent than their counterparts in other worlds. It is also a world where the public opinion and the government are hostile and oppressive towards the superheroes, who are either forced to retire, go into hiding, or work for the authorities.

The heroes of Earth-31 are often more like anti-heroes than traditional heroes, as they use lethal force and questionable methods to achieve their goals. They are also often loners, who have few or no allies or friends. The villains are even worse. These characters are often genuine psychopaths, who revel in their evil deeds and have no remorse or redemption.

The most prominent and influential character of Earth-31 is Batman. Specifically, this world has a version of Batman that is depicted as being more dark and grim than usual. His focus on fighting crime and injustice goes beyond what it normally is and leads to obsessive and aggressive behavior. Some of this comes from the fact that this Batman is older than other versions and, thus, has become more disillusioned with his previously high-minded ideals. Some of it comes from the nature of the world itself.

The Legacy of Earth-31

Earth-31, specifically the events of The Dark Knight Returns, has had a massive influence on a number of properties. As already mentioned, it is commonly regarded as one of the comics that pushed the industry in a darker, more serious direction. You’ll also find references to this comic in plenty of other comics, specifically references to Batman’s signature pose on the cover of the first issue.

However, the influence goes beyond comic and enters related media. This has led to adaptations and homages in various media, such as movies, TV shows, video games, and novels. Some of the most notable examples are:

The Dark Knight Rises (Watching Order). This film also features a Batman who takes a break from fighting crime only to return later.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Watching Order). Director Zack Snyder stated that this film borrows a number of elements from The Dark Knight Returns. It also features an aging Batman who has grown more cynical with the passage of time. It also features a confrontation between Batman and Superman that has some elements that are similar to the comic.
The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 and Part 2 (Watching Order). The comic was directly adapted into two animated movies. These essentially follow the same story as the comic.

How to Read Earth-31 Comics?

If you want to explore the world of Earth-31, we recommend simply starting with The Dark Knight Returns. Reading this will give you a basis in the world and serve as your jumping off point for any more reading.

From there, we recommend following along with our The Dark Knight Returns Reading Order. This lists every comic in the Earth-31 universe and puts them in order. It also gives some general details about each comic and the connections between them.