Quality Universe

{{DC Database:Reality Template
 * Image                  = Police Comics Vol 1 1.jpg
 * EarthNumber            =
 * Title                  = Quality Universe
 * Aliases                =
 * Status                 = Retroactively destroyed during the Crisis on Infinite Earths.


 * Creators               =
 * First                  = Feature Funnies Vol 1 1
 * Last                   = Blackhawk Vol 1 107


 * History                =
 * This is the parallel reality on which most of the stories published by Quality Comics took place.


 * The Second World War went very differently on this Earth than was the case on Earth-Two, Earth-X, or our own Earth.

WWII, Preliminary Bouts
In the Quality Universe, the Second World War, itself, was preceded by several large-scale international wars.
 * In the late 1930s, the dictator Vlamir Koran conquered first Argentina then the entirety of South America, and then went to war against the USA, sending a fleet of bombers to destroy the locks of the Panama Canal, successfully. His agents also set off some destructive bombs in several east coast shipyards, but his naval forces were driven back by the U.S.Navy.  Eventually a South American patriot leader emerged, Emanuel Hasana, and his pro-democracy rebels drove Koran’s forces back into Buenes Airies.  By August of 1939 the Koranians were completely defeated, as shown in  Smash Comics #1 (Aug 1939).
 * In 1940 a world-wide conspiracy among corrupt munitions makers, Morgan Crooke, et. al., spawned a multinational coalition of tribal peoples, Aboriginal natives of Australia, Jivaros from Brazil, M’bangis from Africa, and other headhunters and cannibals from elsewhere, and forged them into a mercenary army of conquest. An unknown superhero and a company of French Foreign Legionnaires captured some of the unnamed coalition’s extremely-advanced long-range multi-purpose warplanes, and fought back on three widely-separated fronts, engaging them in North Africa, in Brazil, and over the Pacific Ocean near Australia.  By July of 1940 the entire conspiracy was smashed, as shown in  Hit Comics #1 (July 1940).
 * In late 1940, a gang of saboteurs, backed by an unnamed foreign power, blew up a bridge and a power plant in the New York City area, plus Fort Johnson, plus earlier took down a 20-story skyscraper, plus at least two other big buildings, plus a number of other military strongholds, as shown in Smash Comics #15 (Oct 1940).

WWII, Alliances and Alignments
In the Quality Universe, the United Nations included: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, British India, Canada, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, (Free) France, Greece, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, (Nygaardsvold) Norway, Poland, Solvonia, South Africa, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, United States, Yugoslavia, and others.

In the Quality Universe, the Axis Powers included: Aryania, Austria,  Barbaria,  Bothnia, Bulgaria, Croatia,  Darmania, Denmark,  Dunland, Finland, (Vichy) France, Germany,  Govania, Hungary, Italy, Japan,  Jarmania,  Kampfland,  Latavia,  Nordicha, (Quisling) Norway, North Germany, Romania,  Tokoya,  Tuvania, and others. Not all of these countries were voluntarily part of this alliance.

In the Quality Universe, neutral countries included Andorra, Argentina, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Quanalla, Ruina, San Marino, San Miguel, Slovia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Yadnovia.

In Quality Comics' comic books of 1940 and 1941, the Mongolians were a military threat rivaling that of Japan. After 1941-12, plus a time lag for publishing and distribution, only the non-fictional European countries appeared, and the Mongolians had been replaced by the Japanese.
 * In Crack Comics (#12), and in  (#18), the Red Torpedo fought "Mongolese" submariners, aviators, and soldiers, in the western Pacific Ocean.
 * In National Comics (#1, etc.), Wonder Boy fought a vast army of invading Mongolians on the eastern frontier of Europe.

WWII, Multiple Beginnings
In the Quality Universe, the Second World War was marked by several false starts and false finishes: The historical sequence of these events is not known with certainty, and it is possible that some, but not all, of them occurred simultaneously.
 * In Smash Comics #5 (Dec 1939), the USA became so well-armed and powerful that all the nations in Europe decide to make peace rather than risk war with America. "The United States could wipe Europe off the map in a year. We must sign the peace pacts offered by their president, and disarm at once."
 * In  Smash Comics #7 (Feb 1940), after several Axis armadas had failed to fight their way past the Pan-American Caldwell Line, from Europe to the Western Atlantic, "the dictators capitulate and an armistice is signed in Geneva. World peace is now a reality."
 * In Smash Comics #9 (April 1940), upon Motler's death, world peace was declared, and Poland was restored.
 * In National Comics #1 (July 1940), Merlin wrestled the god Mars until he cried for mercy, at which time: "The peace is signed. ... In every city, great joy fills the streets as mothers, wives, and sweethearts greet their loved ones."
 * In Hit Comics #2 (Aug 1940), the European part of the war, and the career of Dictator Radolf, were brought to an end with a written declaration.  "The world rejoices as the tyrant's signature ends the war, and news of his retirement from public affairs reaches the people."
 * In Hit Comics #4 (Oct 1940), the Kampflandic invasion of North America was brought to an end with a non-aggression pact and a peaceful trade agreement, negotiated between the U.S.President and the surviving leaders of the Kampflandic army.  “The soldiers and tourists join hands in a firm understanding of peace and brotherhood.  Instead of the roar of guns, the lilting strains of dance music mingle with the chatter all along the ramp.”

WWII, American Entry
In the Quality Universe the Second World War began for the United States, in late 1941, when the Germans and Japanese coordinated their initial attacks on the U.S., as seen in National Comics #18 (Dec 1941).

Pre-War and Wartime Catastrophic Events:
In this parallel world, the Axis and its agents inflicted many more severe setbacks, to the United States and its allies, than was the case in "nearby" universes. Domestic criminals and terrorists were also an extremely grave problem during to the run-up to WWII, and during the war itself. These events had no close parallels on Earth-Two, Earth-One, or Earth-S. Most or all of these events were never mentioned again in any subsequent story. These included:
 * In 1940 an unidentified foreign power aerially attacked New York City, with a dusting of madness-inducing microscopic insanity spores, causing the deaths of several hundred citizens, and madness of thousands, along with untold amounts of property damage, over several days.
 * In early 1941, a gang of domestic terrorists built an advanced electronic device, set in a large tower in the northern woods, that could and did drain the power from every dynamo in North America. This went on for several weeks, during which time the U.S. Army sent planes and troops to attack the tower.  These were repulsed, with heavy casualties inflicted.  Some time later, a citizen's committee came to the tower, to plead for a deal; the conspirators not only didn't relent, they lowered their ray guns and fried the gathered throng.
 * For a brief period in early 1942, the Luftwaffe was able to execute several small-scale bombing raids on New York City.

Cold War, Alliances and Alignments
In the Quality Universe, the United World (UW), led by its World Council, in its unnamed capital city, acted as a world power, in the combined roles of the early UN and NATO and SEATO. Seemingly no dictatorships were members of UW. UW had its own armed forces. UW had, or seemed to have, direct authority over the Blackhawks.

In the Quality Universe, the United World included, or at least defended: Badarstan, Belgium, Bolania, Brosnia, Bulgania, Carabas, (Nationalist) China, Costa Marca, Denmark, Drozh, France, Grelhara, Italy, Kahara, Karlovna, Kimrouk, Kondida, Liberra, Lorphah, Luxembourg, Malkaria, Malvania, Marlanx, Monclova, Netherlands, Nurvania, Otero, Pangoy, Ranagia, South Korea, South Vietnam, Tacna, Ulma, West Germany, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Yugovia and others.

In the Quality Universe, the Communist Bloc included: Albania, Azaria, Bulgaria, (Red) China, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, North Korea, North Vietnam, Poland, Romania, Rugaria, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and others.

In the Quality Universe, unaligned Fascist Nations included: Spain, Viglandt, and others.

In the Quality Universe, officially neutral and otherwise unaligned nations included: Andorra, Austria, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Portugal, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, and others.

Cold War, Catastrophic Events

 * Azaria, 1951: At the World Council's direction, the Blackhawks dropped a nuclear weapon on the populated capital of Azaria, and destroyed it.
 * Rugaria, 1952: An armaments factory and its surrounding region were destroyed with a "horror bomb".
 * Brosnia, 1953: The largest and second-largest cities in Brosnia were set on fire with an orbiting solar weapon.
 * unnamed European democracy, 1953: a secret city, concealed in a vast cavern, was destroyed with a hydrogen bomb.
 * Russia, 1956: A missile base in the Ural Mountains was destroyed by five Russian ICBMs.

Other Forgotten Catastrophes
In the Quality Universe, in addition to the Second World War and the Cold War, there were a number of Other Catastrophic Events, including successful terrorist attacks and large-scale criminality, perpetrated by renegade scientists, criminal masterminds, international terrorists, and other non-governmental entities. These events also had no close parallels in "nearby" universes, and most or all of them were never mentioned again in any subsequent story. These included:
 * In 1940, four coastal fortresses, a U.S.Naval task force, a squadron of U.S. bombers, and a regiment of U.S. troops were destroyed by an American mad scientist's explosives-detonating "invisible ray."
 * In 1941, ten tall buildings in Washington, D.C. were knocked down by an American renegade general's remote-control bombs, presumably killing and injuring hundreds or thousands of local people.
 * In 1941 the Capitol Building was set on fire by a raging mob of misled citizens, under the influence of a traitorous demogogue.
 * One week in 1954, the Pacific Island of Katung, and a remote stretch of the Chilean Andes, were both destroyed in the testing phase of a renegade scientist's advanced atomic explosive.

Unusual Geography:
A significant number of alien outposts, secret kingdoms, lost civilizations, and populations of extinct species existed uniquely in the Quality Universe, and many of these had no direct counterparts on "nearby" parallel worlds such as Earth-Two or Earth-S. Examples include:
 * Africa:
 * In M'Bangi country, in Northern Africa, a phosphorescent oasis, where tigers live. Its waters had unique properties, and transformed one dying Foreign Legionnaire into an extremely powerful superhero.
 * In Ethiopia, on the side of the volcano Ras Dashin, was the impregnable fortress city of the M'Bujies, a race of superbeings. The city was destroyed in a volcanic event.
 * Arctic:
 * Polar City, in a valley under tons of ice, and warmed by hot spring geysers, with mine shafts for gold, silver, and pitchblende. Polar City was destroyed when its insane ruler uncapped the hot geysers and allowed them to soften the overhead ice.
 * A lost tropical valley, within a few miles of the magnetic north pole, under tons of ice, with primitive humans and non-dinosaur giant animals.
 * Atlantic
 * In 1940 a Transatlantic Bridge was completed, from Europe to America. Later that year the bridge was severed by an unknown superhero, and shortly later was repaired.
 * Europe:
 * Castle Galwain: a lost settlement of medieval fake-Crusaders, in a blockaded narrow valley in a steep mountain range, undisturbed for 800 years, between Bulgania and (President Valga’s country). Castle Galwain was destroyed in an avalanche resulting from the blasting from a road-building project.
 * Karlovna's Underworld was, for many generations, literally a subterranean settlement of dwarfish primitive "Dragon People".
 * In Greece, the lost city of Vespis, the five ancient cities buried beneath Vespis, and the futuristic city buried beneath those.
 * Latin America:
 * South America's unnamed isolated Inca city, with a helium mine nearby.

Residents

 * 711
 * Ace of Space
 * The Black Condor
 * The Black X
 * Blackhawk
 * Bozo the Iron Man
 * Captain Triumph
 * The Clock
 * Death Patrol
 * Destiny
 * Doll Girl
 * Doll Man
 * Firebrand
 * The Ghost of Flanders
 * The Great Defender
 * Hugh Hazzard
 * The Human Bomb
 * The Invisible Hood
 * The Jester
 * Joe Hercules
 * Madame Fatal
 * Magno
 * Manhunter
 * The Marksman
 * Merlin
 * Midnight
 * Miss America
 * The Mouthpiece
 * Neon the Unknown
 * Phantom Lady
 * Plastic Man
 * Quicksilver
 * The Raven
 * The Ray
 * The Red Bee
 * The Red Torpedo
 * The Spider
 * The Spider Widow
 * Tor, the Magic Master
 * Uncle Sam
 * USA
 * The Voice
 * Wildfire
 * Wizard Wells
 * Wonder Boy
 * Zero, Ghost Detective

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 * Notes                  =
 * Although Kid Eternity was originally published by Quality, his stories take place on Earth-S (as revealed in ).
 * Quality's "funny animal" stories take place in the Quality Funny Animal Universe.
 * Trivia                 =
 * Links                  =