Nuke Me with the New!

New Universe Timeline

Unlike most comic book universes, in the New Universe events were supposed to take place in real time. Some writers interpreted this to mean a month passed between each issue; others that for every year of comics published, a year must pass. Either way, it allowed real dates to be given in the stories themselves without the worry of what would happen when the characters' ages had to been maintained, because they didn't have to be maintained.

There are three sources of information for this timeline. First, of course, are the stories in the comics. These are indicated by the title and issue number. Second is the official timeline published throughout the line in its later years. These are indicated by "Timeline" and the cover date. Last were the handbook-style character entries that appeared in the back of some titles in later years, which gave dates of birth and paranormality. These are indicated by "Profile" followed by the character and the issue.

This timeline is a work in progress. So far, only the following issues have been examined:

15th Century
A Dutch count was struck by the power of the Star Brand. He would later be known as the Old Man (Star Brand #12).
1935
Nelson "The Witness" Kohler is born (seen on tombstone in The Pitt).
September 27, 1961
Ken Connell is born (Profile, Kenneth Connell, Star Brand #13).
October 30, 1962
Jeffery John Walters is born (Profile, "Blur", D.P. 7 #19).
1964
Maddie "Debbie" Felix is born (seen on sign at grave in Star Brand #13).
1969
William Walters, father of Jeff Walters, dies (Profile, "Blur", D.P. 7 #19).
1980
Jeff Walters graduates high school (Profile, "Blur", D.P. 7 #19).
1984
The Old Man is killed in a mine cave-in, but was revived in a regenerative form by the Star Brand. Believing he was mutating into something non-human because of the Brand, he began attempting to transfer the Star Brand to other living, but non-sentient organisms. Each was consumed by the power, but he was always left with ten percent of the Brand's infinte power (Star Brand #12, flashback)

1986

Tuesday, July 22, 1986, 4:22 p.m. EST
The White Event
The Old Man attempts to transfer the Star Brand to an asteroid. The resulting explosion bathes the entire world in the Brand's energy in a white flash. The Old Man survives and manages to return to Earth in western Pennsylvania (Star Brand #12, flashback).
Nelson Kohler loses control of his car due to the White Event and crashes (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
[According to D.P. 7 Annual #1, the White Event occurred at 1:24 p.m. in Wisconsin (which should be CDT), but the Timeline in June 1988 issues says it was 4:22 p.m. EST. In either case, the time of 4:22 a.m. EST given in the Untold Tales of the New Universe issues is obviously wrong, as the White Event was shown happening during the waking hours of several characters in the United States, not the wee hours of the morning.]
Tuesday, July 22, 1986, shortly after 9:58 p.m. CDT
Maureen Kohler makes the decision to take her brain-dead husband Nelson's body off life support. Nelson Kohler becomes a disembodied spirit who will be called the Witness (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
July 25, 1986
Lenore Fenzl first manifests her power to steal people's energy (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
July 26, 1986
Ken Connell encounters the Old Man while riding his motorcycle in the Laurel Mountains of western Pennsylvania. The Old Man gives him the Star Brand (Star Brand #1; date from Profile, Kenneth Connell, Star Brand #13 and Timeline, Sep 1988).
July 27, 1986
The Clinic for Paranormal Research is opened by Phillip Nolan Voigt in western Wisconsin. Dexter Charne and Craig LaGraves are part of the staff (their respective Mini-Profiles, D.P. 7 #19).
Connell wakes up after his encounter and finds the Old Man, who appears dead and is in his regenerative state, making Connell mistake him for an alien. Connell buries his body, goes home and experiments with his new powers, then goes to the home of Myron Feldman to tell him what's happened. While there, he is attacked by the Old Man, masquerading as a different alien and who claims to want the Star Brand. Connell ultimately vaporizes his attacker with a large burst of power. He then goes to the home of Maddie Felix to stay the night (Star Brand #1).
July 28, 1986
Connell goes to check on the Old Man's body, but it it gone. In its place is a suit. That evening, he has a date with Barbara Petrovic at her apartment which ends when Connell hears a noise upstairs and discovers Laurie Petrovic apparently in a trance carrying a gun the alien had the night before (Star Brand #1).
July 29, 1986
Tracy Speck enters the Clinic as part of Therapy Group A (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
After a full day of work, Connell dons the suit that was left for him, and goes off to find the "alien" who attacked him two days before. When he does, he drives the "alien" off the planet in the alien's spaceship (Star Brand #1).
July 30, 1986
Tanis Newhouse joins the Clinic staff (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
July 31, 1986
Dr. Jane Semple joins the Clinic staff (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
August 2, 1986
Stephanie "Glitter" Harrington first manifests her powers to supercharge and heal others (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
August 11, 1986
Harlan Hackbarth joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group A (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
August 12, 1986
Orvile Upham joins the Clinic staff (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
August 13, 1986
Juris Ziegler joins the Clinic staff (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
August 19, 1986
Leland Sharp joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group A (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
August 20, 1986
Ken Connell discovers he can fly into space without ill effect (Star Brand #2).
August 21, 1986
Connell is invited to a therapy group by Myron Feldman, but storms out when he discovers it's all a ploy to help him deal with his new powers. He then reveals his powers to Maddie "Debbie" Felix (Star Brand #2).
August 22, 1986
Connell attempts to help 8-year-old Robby Donatelli who fell into a well. While trying to figure out how to help without revealing himself, Jenny "Spitfire" Swensen shows up in her MAX armor and rescues the child. Connell follows her back to her temporary base, but does not make contact. After a trip home to clean up and a call to ex-girlfriend Janet (who was at the therapy group meeting the day before), he decides to take on a group of terrorists with a nuclear bomb on a hijacked cruise ship. His rescue is interrupted by Delta Force and the bomb is set to go off. The commandos throw it off the ship and Connell takes it to the bottom, where he survives the blast and saves the ship. Afterwards he goes to speak briefly with Swensen and her Troubleshooters, then goes home to watch the news (Star Brand #2; date from Timeline, Feb 1989).
August 31, 1986
Dennis "Scuz" Cuzinski begins excreting a corrosive substance. (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
September 1, 1986
Geraldine Rumlow and Edward Zentner join the Clinic as members of Therapy Group A (Mini-Profiles, D.P. 7 #19).
September 3, 1986
Arthur Benway joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 5, 1986
Rodney Weigand joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 6, 1986
Sally Gallagher joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 8, 1986
Deborah Brownlea joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 9, 1986
Lenore Fenzl joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group C (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 12, 1986
Leland Sharp, Geraldine Rumlow, and Edward Zentner go to work for Phillip Nolan Voigt (Mini-Profiles, D.P. 7 #19).
September 15, 1986
Charlotte "Friction" Beck first manifests her control over friction (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
September 16, 1986
Curtis Smith joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 17, 1986
Martin Murken joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 18, 1986
George Mullaney joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group D (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 20, 1986
David "Mastadon" Landers begins to undergo incredible muscle growth (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
September 21, 1986
Pamela Leighton joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group B (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 23, 1986
Stephanie Harrington joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group C (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 24, 1986
Dr. Randy "Antibody" O'Brien first manifests an antibody (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
Dennis "Scuzz" Cuzinski joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group C (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 25, 1986
Charlotte Beck joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group C (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 26, 1986
Jeff Walters first manifests his superspeed (D.P. 7 Annual #1).
Randy O'Brien and David Landers join the Clinic as members of Therapy Group C (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 27, 1986
Jeffrey Walters joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group C (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
October 14, 1986
Terry Wilke joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group D (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
November 2, 1986
Merriam Sorensen joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group D (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
November 5, 1986
Dwight Frye joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group D (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
December 2, 1986
Evan Huebner enters the Clinic, but is not assigned a therapy group (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).

1987

February 28, 1987
John Rost joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group D (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
May 6, 1987
Jim Walkins joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group D (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
May 10, 1987
Dionne McQuaid joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group E (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
May 18, 1987
Annie Stevenson joins the Clinic as a member of Therapy Group E (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
May 25, 1987
Ross Wexler comes to the Clinic and joins Black Powers (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
June 18, 1987
Lionel Berry comes to the Clinic and joins Black Powers (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
July 9, 1987
Heather Hanneman comes to the Clinic and joins DDTeens (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
September 1, 1987
Joel Larson comes to the Clinic and joins DDTeens (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
Early September 1987
Maddie "Debbie" Feilx calls Myron Feldman asking for help with Ken Connells fits of depression he's been suffering lately. Feldman convinces her Connell needs to go public (Star Brand #12, flashback).
September 12, 1987
Myron Feldman, with the help of and Maddie "Debbie" Felix, convinces Ken Connell to go public with the Star Brand powers (Star Brand #11).
September 16, 1987
Michael Crawley enters the Clinic (Mini-Profile, D.P. 7 #19).
Late 1987
Connell makes his public debut as the super hero "Star Brand" by foiling a terrorist hijacking at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Reports of his powers are met with skepticism (Star Brand #11).
Late 1987
Connell set out to prove he's real by flying the lower half of the Eagle lunar lander from the moon to the White House lawn, where he meets with President Reagan and gains full government support. Later, at Marvel Comics, John Byrne, Mark Gruenwald, Howard Mackie, and Mike Higgins discuss the development and its effect on the comic book industry. Meanwhile, Bobby ? sees the report on Connell and figures he can blackmail Connell by threatening to reveal his real identity (Star Brand #11).
Late November or early December 1987
Maddie "Debbie" Felix discovers she's pregnant (Star Brand #11).
December 18, 1987
After "a couple of weeks," Maddie Felix finally tells Ken Connell she's pregnant. He denies that he's the father. They fight and she drives to her mother's. Before going in, she decides her mother wouldn't understand and starts driving to her friends in Ohio (Star Brand #12).
December 19, 1987
Maddie "Debbie" Feilx arrives at the home of Roger and Jane Price in Mansfield, Ohio, looking for help after Connell refused to admit he was the father of her unborn child (Star Brand #12).
In Pittsburgh, at a comic book convention, Ken Connell is attending as Star Brand when the Old Man appears and attacks him. Their fight results in a explosive release of power, killing close to 5000 people, including Bobby ? and his girlfriend Cassie. Connell, in a regenerative form, manages to make it to Myron Feldman's home before collapsing (Star Brand #12).
December 22, 1987
The Pitt (a.k.a. The Black Event)
Ken Connell, now reverted back to human, wakes up. He relates the Old Man's story, which he now knows as if it happened to him, to Myron Feldman. It includes the origin of the White Event (see above). Feldman advises Connell to fly to the far side of the moon and attempt to transfer the Star Brand to a dumbbell, using the ten percent remainder of the power to keep himself safe. Instead, Connell flies about ten miles up and tries the transfer (Star Brand #12).
December 22, 1987, c. 6:00 p.m. EST
Justice meets Glen Baker, who has the power to see 48 hours into the future, but has been using it for personal gain instead of helping others. Baker has forseen the Black Event and is not scared of Justice. Although he has said he will not kill Baker, before Justice can pass sentence, the explosion takes place (Justice #18).
December 22, 1987, 6:06 p.m. EST
Everything within a 50 mile diameter sphere centered on Ken Connell is destroyed instantly, including the city of Pittsburgh, when he attempts to transfer the Star Brand to a dumbbell. The Witness is drawn to him just beforehand (The Pitt).
Amongst the dead of Pittsburgh are Jeff Walters mother Thelma, brother Dennis, and sister Michele (confirmed by Profile, "Blur", D.P. 7 #19).
December 22, 1987, 6:08 p.m. EST
The car carrying the Robinson family is pulled into the Pitt (The Pitt).
Glen Baker is killed when the chains of the swing he was in wrap around his neck and break it. Justice manages to grab an infant in a carrier and shield him from the ferocious winds blowing to fill the void of the Pitt (Justice #18).
December 22, 1987, time uncertain
Justice and the infant are thrown clear of the Pitt. Justice saves the infant, but passes out (Justice #18).
December 22, 1987, 10:02 p.m. EST
Jenny Swensen begins descending towards the Pitt in the Spitfire armor (The Pitt).
December 22, 1987, 9:03 p.m. CST
After seeing a news report, Jeff "Blur" Walters runs out of the Clinic for Paranormal Research in western Wisconsin toward Pittsburgh, where his mother, sister, and brother were visiting his aunt and uncle (D.P. 7 #18).
[According to the issue, it's December 23rd, but the amount of time given for the displaced paranormals' drive (16 hours) and the date given at the beginning of D.P. 7 #20 (Dec. 24, 1:52 p.m.) don't jibe. In general, events make more sense assuming December 22nd.]
December 22, 1987, 10:16 p.m. EST
The Witness descends into the Pitt where he seems to find Pittsburgh intact and is assaulted by the spirits of those killed in the blast (The Pitt).
December 22, 1987, 10:41 p.m. EST
Jenny "Spitfire" Swensen reaches the bottom of the Pitt (The Pitt).
December 22, 1987, time uncertain
At the Clinic in Wisconsin, Indigo attempts to kill Charlotte "Friction" Beck, but is stopped by Randy O'Brien's antibodies (D.P. 7 #18).
December 22, 1987, shortly after 11:02 p.m. EST
Swensen discovers the Robinson family alive in their car beneath the waters at the bottom of the Pitt (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 12:01 a.m. EST
Swensen exits the waters of the Pitt with the Robinson family in their car (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 12:19 a.m. EST
Swensen is forced to get the Robinson family out and ditch their car (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 1:04 a.m. EST
Swensen and the Robinson family finally reach the top of the Pitt (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 1:29 a.m. EST
Swensen debriefs Colonel Mac Browning on her findings (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 2:00 a.m. EST
The Witness rises above the Pitt and the spirits of its slain vanish (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, shortly after 3:18 a.m. EST
Swensen goes A.W.O.L. to look for more surviors (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 4:21 a.m. EST
Swensen and the Witness encounter each other, but each believes the other is probably a hallucination. Typically no one living can see the Witness, but apparently the conditions inside the Pitt have changed that, at least temporarily. After Swensen's departure, the Witness swears to find Ken Connell (although he doesn't know his name) and avenge Pittsburgh (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 4:57 a.m. EST
The news about the destruction of Pittsburgh finally leaks out (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987, 6:06 a.m. EST
As the sun rises, Col. Browning decides to go write his report (The Pitt).
December 23, 1987
At breakfast, Randy O'Brien notices Jeff Walters is missing. George "Mutator" Mullaney tells them what happened the night before. O'Brien, Charlotte Beck, Lenore Fenzl, David Landers, and Merriam Sorensen decide to go in search of Jeff. They drive 16 hours from Wisconsin to Pennsylvania, about 50 miles outside of where Pittsburgh was. George "Mutator" Mullaney stows away and is discovered by Charlotte Beck one hour into their journey (D.P. 7 #18).
[The caption claims they leave at night, but this is hard to resolve against it being "six hours before the sun comes up," just before they fall into the Pitt at the end of the issue.]
Justice awakens just after having a vision of Ken Connell causing the Black Event. He finds himself 30 miles east of the Pitt, in the home of Willie and Edna, who found him and the baby near their back yard. After watching news reports that reveal little about Pittsburgh, Justice goes to investigate. Willie and Edna loan him their car, asking that he check on their daughter and her family, who lived in Pittsburgh. Justice starts to fight his way through an army roadblock when Terrance Updike of the National Security Council, who knows about Justice, calls off the soldiers and lets him through. Justice uses his shields to walk above the Pitt. Realizing the scope of the disaster, he returns to Willie and Edna, telling them their daughter is gone and asking they look after the infant who was deafened by Pitt explosion (Justice #18).
December 24, 1987, about midnight
The displaced paranormals, unable to see well in the dark and smoke, accidentally fall into the Pitt (D.P. 7 #18). Charlotte Beck makes them stick to the Pitt wall and Randy O'Brien uses his antibodies to get everyone out but David Landers, who's too heavy. The rest go in search of Mirriam Sorensen and O'Brien's missing fourth anitbody so they can rescue Landers. They encounter Jenny Swensen in the Spitfire armor. After causing her to crash, the group of paranormals and Swensen talk. Swensen agrees to help them after fixing the minor damage from her crash. Meanwhile, Landers has slid down to the bottom of the Pitt where he finds Jeff Walters. Landers attempts to climb out with Walters, but the rock face gives way. Swensen and two antibodies come to their rescue just before they would have sunk into the lava at the bottom of the Pitt.(D.P. 7 #19).
In Winsconsin, Stephanie Harrington's husband arrives at the Clinic to see her. Although she's in a coma, he tells her he wants them to be a family again and she begins to stir (D.P. 7 #19).

1988

January 26, 1988
During his State of the Union Address, President Reagan announces he will request Congress pass a law restructuring of the Selective Service Registration system the next day. Under the new system, all Americans between 18 and 45 will be asked to register. This is a direct result of the Black Event. It is believed that a foreign government must be responsible and the new draft will be to prepare for defense and possible retalitory action (Transcript of Address, Star Brand #13).
Mid-February 1988
Ken Connell visits Maddie "Debbie" Felix during the night. He admits the baby she's carrying is his and asks her not to abort it. During the conversation, Connell is visited by what appears to be the ghost of Myron Feldman, apparently the doing of the Witness (Star Brand #13, flashback). Feldman tells Connell he will be with Connell from now on, making sure he doesn't screw things up again.
February 29, 1988
Roger and Jane Price take Maddie "Debbie" Felix to the Pitt. They are attacked by a mutated plant, which is destroyed by Felix's baby, later to be known as the Star Child. The Star Child then breaks free of Felix's body, accidentally killing her in the process, and flies away. He is intercepted by a group of military jet fighters, which attack. The baby destroys them. (The destruction of the jets is revealed in a flashback in Star Brand #14.) Meanwhile, the Prices have just buried Felix's body when they are attacked by a mutated, wolf-like creature. A portion of the Star Child's conciousness returns to them and saves them by killing the wolf-creature. The Star Child talks to them, but withdraws after Jane accuses him of murdering Felix. The Prices are then found by a group of soldiers and taken into custody where they are held for observation after their exposure to "Pitt Juice" in the air around the Pitt (Star Brand #13).