Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985–87), usually referred to simply as Who's Who, is the umbrella title for a number of comic book series which DC Comics published to catalogue information about their characters.
History Who's Who was the creation of Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Robert Greenberger, and its first incarnation (Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe) debuted in the last month of 1984 (cover dated March 1985) and ran for 26 issues until 1987 (cover-dated April 1987). It was essentially an encyclopedia in comic book form, listing the characters, places, and technology in the DC Universe, with a loose leaf format devised by editor Michael Eury. It began one month before the 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths began; therefore, the earlier issues discuss pre-Crisis versions of the characters, whereas issues released after the conclusion of the limited series discuss the post-Crisis versions. For example, while both the Flash and Supergirl died during the Crisis, the Flash's death is not mentioned as issue #8 predates his death, but Supergirl's death is recounted 14 months later in issue #22. Also, characters such as Superman and Wonder Woman were rebooted during the series' run, so their entries recounted their post-Crisis histories only, while their entire Silver Age histories (and all the unique elements of those characters during that time, such as Superman's Fortress of Solitude and Wonder Woman's powerless period) were ignored.
Who's Who was DC's answer to The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, which was published a few years earlier. Each character had an individualized logo instead of a standard typeface; figures were shown in action poses rather than full-body portraits drawn by individual artists; character histories and power descriptions were more vague; and characters from all of DC's various lines and imprints were included (such as out-of-continuity series like Camelot 3000 and Watchmen), not just those from its shared universe (although Who's Who Update '88 did limit its entries to in-continuity series only).
Various updated versions of the Who's Who have appeared over the years, including Who's Who Update '87 (five issues, cover dated August to December 1987) and Who's Who Update '88 (four issues, cover dated August to November 1988). Both books featured new entries, revised entries for characters in previous volumes, and an Appendix which included minor updates and corrections for previous entries. In 1989, most of the DC Annuals released that year included Who's Who entries. Many of these were revised versions of entries in the regular Who's Who series, but there were several new entries (particularly for supporting characters).
DC Comics also published two Who's Who spin-off series in the 1980s. The first was Who's Who in Star Trek, a two-issue series (cover-dated March and April 1987) which profiled characters and locations from the Star Trek franchise. As the series was released prior to the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, no information from that series was included.
The second spin-off was Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, a seven-issue series (cover-dated April to November 1988) which expanded on the Legion information included in the regular Who's Who and featured profiles on the various supporting characters, organizations, locations and villains which have appeared in Legion stories over the years. Some of the information contained in this book was post-Crisis instead of pre-Crisis. For example, the Superboy profile relates the post-Crisis origin of the character as a creation of the Time Trapper, and there is no profile for Supergirl, despite her many adventures with the Legion, since by this time she was written out of continuity.
In 1990, DC started over with a new Who's Who series titled Who's Who in the DC Universe (16 loose-leaf issues with binders sold separately, cover-dated August 1990 to February 1992). This book was not as comprehensive as the previous Who's Who (for example, there was no entry for the Atom, even though his character was undergoing major changes in the comic Suicide Squad), and some of the entries took on a less serious tone. One instance is an entry for Guy Gardner, which is written from the character's perspective. Another instance is a blank entry for Death, which has all the usual information headings crossed out and a blue marker scrawl stating simply "Someday you'll meet her. You can find out for yourself".
This series was followed up by Who's Who in the DC Universe Update 1993 (two loose-leaf issues, cover-dated December 1992 and January 1993). DC also released a Who's Who series for their Impact Comics line (three loose-leaf issues, cover-dated September 1991 to May 1992).
During the period from the late 1990s through the end of the 2000s, Who's Who was replaced with Secret Files and Origins, a series of one-shots devoted to particular characters or events in the DC Universe and which feature Who's Who-like profiles. DK Publishing released a number of Ultimate Guides as well as a book titled The DC Comics Encyclopedia, which serve a similar purpose.
In December 2009, DC announced a new Who's Who series to be published in 2010 as part of the company's 75th anniversary celebration. The series was later announced for 18 issues, 48 pages per issue, beginning in May 2010 with Robert Greenberger as sole writer and Bob Harras as editor. The series launch was subsequently delayed, but in October DC vice-president Dan DiDio stated that the series would be released after the 2011 DCU line-wide event, Flashpoint. Flashpoint and The New 52 rebooted the DC Universe, making a new edition of Who's Who unlikely in the short term because the histories of many characters were in a state of flux.
In 2022, The New Golden Age one-shot included 12 new Who's Who-style entries for Aquaman, Betsy Ross and Molly Pitcher, Cherry Bomb, Harlequin's Son, John Henry Jr., Ladybug, Legionnaire, Mister Miracle, Quiz Kid, Red Lantern, Salem the Witch Girl, and Boom.
In 2023, the DC Power: A Celebration one-shot included 10 new Who's Who-style entries: Amazing-Man, Aquaman (Jackson Hyde), Batman (Jace Fox), Batwing, Nubia, Green Lantern (Jo Mullein), Green Lantern (John Stewart), Kid Flash (Ace West), Thunder/Lightning, and Vixen.
The DC Power 2024 one-shot included five new Who's Who-style entries: Black Manta, Mister Terrific (Michael Holt), The Signal, The Spectre (Crispus Allen), and Val-Zod.
Bibliography of Who's Who series Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe VolumeInfoCover dateIAbel to AuronMarch 1985II Automan to Blackhawk Plane/IslandApril 1985IIIBlack Lightning to Byth RokMay 1985IVCadre to Chris KL-99June 1985VChronos to CyclotronJuly 1985VIDaily Planet to Doctor PolarisAugust 1985VIIDoctor Psycho to FastbackSeptember 1985VIIIFatal Five to GarguaxOctober 1985IXGarn Daanuth to Guardians of the UniverseNovember 1985XGunner and Sarge to HyenaDecember 1985XIIcicle to Jonni ThunderJanuary 1986XIIJonny Double to Kong the UntamedFebruary 1986XIIIKrona to LosersMarch 1986XIVLuthor I to Masters of DisasterApril 1986XVMatrix-Prime to Mister Tawky TawnyMay 1986XVIMr. Terrific to NightmasterJune 1986XVIINightshade to PersuaderJuly 1986XVIIIPhantom Girl to PursuerAugust 1986XIXPuzzler to Roy RaymondSeptember 1986XXRubberduck to Shining KnightOctober 1986XXIShrinking Violet to StarfingerNovember 1986XXIIStarfire to SyonideDecember 1986XXIIISyrene to Time TrapperJanuary 1987XXIVTim Trench to UniversoFebruary 1987XXVUnknown Soldier to Witch BoyMarch 1987XXVIWizard to Zyklon, plus Angel and the Ape to The 1,000April 1987
Who's Who Update '87 VolumeInfoCover date1All-Star Squadron to CatalystAugust 19872Catwoman to GoldstarSeptember 19873Gray Man to Lion-ManeOctober 19874Lois Lane to RampageNovember 19875Reaper to Zymyr, plus AppendixDecember 1987
Who's Who Update '88 VolumeInfoCover date1Amazing-Man to HarlequinAugust 19882Icemaiden to NightwingSeptember 19883Parliament of Trees to TridentOctober 19884Ultra-Humanite to Zuggernaut, plus Abby Cable to General Wade Eiling and AppendixNovember 1988
Who's Who 1989 Annuals IssueInfoCover dateAction Comics Annual #2Entries for Cat Grant and MatrixJune 1989Batman Annual #13Entries for Alfred Pennyworth, Barbara Gordon, Batman, Commissioner Gordon, Robin (Dick Grayson), Robin (Jason Todd) and Vicki ValeJune 1989Blackhawk Annual #1Entries for Andre Blanc-Dumont, Blackhawk, Blackhawk Express, Carlo "Chuck" Sirianni, Grover Baines, Keng Quan Chee a.k.a. "Mairzey", Lady Blackhawk (Natalie Reed), Olaf Friedriksen and Weng ChanMay 1989Detective Comics Annual #2Entries for Catwoman, Clayface, Joker, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Ra's al Ghul, Riddler, Scarecrow and Two-FaceSeptember 1989Dr. Fate Annual #1Entry for Dr. FateSeptember 1989Flash Annual #3Entries for Chunk, Flash (Jay Garrick), Flash (Barry Allen), Flash (Wally West), Jerry and Tina McGee, Joan Garrick, Kapitalist Kouriers, Mary West, and Mason TrollbridgeJune 1989Green Arrow Annual #2Entries for Black Canary, Green Arrow, James Cameron, Shado and SpeedyJuly 1989Justice League International Annual #3Entries for JLI Embassy staff members (Anatole "Bob" Blazac, Boris Dmitravich Razumihin, Catherine Colbert, Cyndy Kurahara, Ernesto Lopez, Esteban Sanchez, Inada Akatsu, Joshua Barbazon, Michael and Lisa Morice, Rodan "Duke" Katatami, Rosa and Dana Rubikskova and Tasmanian Devil)July 1989New Titans Annual #5Entries for the Titan Seeds, the Titans of Myth and TroiaAugust 1989Question Annual #2Entries for Aristotle Rodor, Isadore O'Toole, Lady Shiva, Myra Fermin, and the QuestionJuly 1989Secret Origins Annual #3Entries for Antithesis, Bumblebee, Flamebird, Gargoyle, Golden Eagle, and HeraldMay 1989Swamp Thing Annual #5Entry for the Swamp ThingAugust 1989Wonder Woman Annual #2Entry for the Mayer AgencySeptember 1989
Who's Who in Star Trek IssueInfoCover date1 Entries from Andorians to Leonard McCoy plus Appendix entries for Balok, Lt. Boma, Charlie Evans, Zefram Cochrane, the planet Cheron, John Gill, Landru, Angela Martine, Marlena Moreau, Admiral Harry Morrow, Nomad, Omicron Ceti III, Lt. Carolyn Palamas, Andrew Stiles, Captain Stiles, the Tholians, Trelane, Zarabeth, and ZetarMarch 19872 Entries from Marla McGivers to the Vulcans plus Appendix display of command symbols and the environmental jacketApril 1987
Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes IssueInfoCover date1History of the Legion (part one), plus entries for Absorbency Boy to Dr. Gym'llApril 19882History of the Legion (part two), plus entries for Dr. Mayavale to High Seer of NaltorJune 19883Planets of the 30th Century, plus entries for Heroes of Lallor to Legion of Super-RejectsJuly 19884Homeworlds of the Legion, plus entries for Legion of Super-Villains to Mon-ElAugust 19885Tour of Legion Headquarters, plus entries for Mordru to Science PoliceSeptember 19886The Wonders of Metropolis, plus entries for Sden to Timber WolfOctober 19887The Nik Feelds Show, plus entries for Time Trapper to ZorazNovember 1988
Who's Who in the DC Universe