Editing Fictional universe (section)

==Fictional continuity==

In a 1970 article in ''[[CAPA-alpha]]'', comics historian [[Don Markstein]] defined the fictional ''universe'' as meant to clarify the concept of fictional continuities. According to the criteria he imagined:<ref name=Markstein>[https://archive.today/20190531164542/http://toonopedia.com/universe.htm "THE MERCHANT OF VENICE meets THE SHIEK OF ARABI"], by [[Don Markstein]] (as "Om Markstein Sklom Stu"), in ''[[CAPA-alpha]]'' #71 (September 1970); archived at Toonopedia</ref>

# If characters A and B have met, then they are in the same universe; if characters B and C have met, then, [[transitive relation|transitively]], A and C are in the same universe.
# Characters cannot be connected by real people—otherwise, it could be argued that [[Superman]] and the [[Fantastic Four]] were in the same universe, as Superman met [[John F. Kennedy]], Kennedy met [[Neil Armstrong]], and Armstrong met the Fantastic Four.
#Characters cannot be connected by characters "that do not originate with the publisher"—otherwise it could be argued that Superman and the Fantastic Four were in the same universe, as both met [[Hercules]].
# Specific fictionalized versions of real people—for instance, the version of [[Jerry Lewis]] from [[DC Comics]]' ''[[The Adventures of Jerry Lewis]]'', who was distinct from the real Jerry Lewis in that he had a housekeeper with magical powers—'' can'' be used as connections; this also applies to specific versions of public-domain fictional characters, such as [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Marvel Comics' version of Hercules]] or [[Robin Hood (DC Comics)|DC Comics' version of Robin Hood]].
#Characters are only considered to have met if they appeared together in a story; therefore, characters who simply appeared on the same front cover are not necessarily in the same universe.