DC’s Most Powerful Character Has Never Changed Thanks to Unofficial Rule

The universe of DC Comics is vast and full of incredibly powerful entities, but perhaps the most powerful are their Gods. The various Greek Gods such as Zeus and others from various different mythologies have the power to eliminate the more terrestrial heroes in seconds – but even they are not as powerful as the might of DC editorial edicts. An incredulous unwritten law in DC Comics stipulates that no single character can be more powerful than the Judeo-Christian God.

References to the Jude0-Christian God began as far back as the Golden Age of Comics. However, thanks to conservative sensibilities of the 40s (and the Comics Code Authority of the 50s), they were limited to the occasional exclamation or veiled reference without invoking the names Jesus, Yahweh and Allah. Eventually the notion of the Judeo-Christian God would be found in the form of DC’s “The Presence,” an unimposing man in an old suit – but just as often a disembodied voice or celestial hand. He is also known as The Voice or The Source – essentially making him DC’s version of Marvel’s One Above All.

In a 2008 interview concerning DC’s latest magnum opus “Crisis Crossover” at the time, Final Crisis, longtime DC writer Greg Rucka revealed the company’s odd policy regarding the various Gods and other deities. “The sort of unspoken rule in the DCU is that the Judeo-Christian God sits above all others.” said Rucka. “And then below that you can have your New Gods and your Greek gods and whoever else you want.” Thus does DC place the God of Abrahamic religions above all others, fictional or otherwise.

DC is an American company created during the Golden Age of Comics, and as such would almost certainly use this rule to elevate the Judeo-Christian God above all others in accordance with the quasi-theocracy that Americans insists the country maintains (unofficially, at least). But in 2022, is this law not outdated? While the majority of the world’s religious individuals practice some form of monotheism, but not necessarily the Abrahamic version; Sikhs, Hindus, Shinto practitioners and others make up a large part of the world (and always have). DC’s law, perhaps, belongs in the past.

It is important to note that Rucka described this practice as an unspoken rule (and presumably unwritten rule). As such, it shouldn’t be too difficult to change. The Presence can maintain their existence, but DC Comics is not required to elevate the Judeo-Christian God in their own fictional universe.

Source: CBR.com