Previous Post Quote: There is a difference between alternate timelines and parallel universes, at least as far as DC-Comics is concerned (and I ignore the effects and the diverse reboots of the Crisis): Quote: The parallel universes existed from the beginning of the Big Bang as separate entities with their own complete space-time continuum, even if they had identical or mostly identical histories up to a point. There is no real divergent point where the timelines split ala Everetts Quantum Multiverse involved. Quote: The universes of Earth 1, 2, 3 always existed on their own. I don't think I'd agree with that. As in evolution, their similarities argue common ancestry.

I don't know how much they stick to the sourcematerial, but in the comics, the DC-Multiverse came into being, when an Immortal named Krona looked into the past before the Big Bang, watching the very act of creation, which was a big no-no. Usually, the people doing that would die. Krona being immortal, caused a backlash which splintered the singular space-time continuum into an infinite multitude of realities.
So in a way, you are right. A form of timetravel(but not physical, he was just watching from his era) was involved and there was point of divergence, but that was the Big Bang itself.

Same with later iterations of the DC-Multiverse, even the pitiful 52-verse. Whatever splintered or duplicated the realities had nothing to do with a Class 3 Multiverse.

The only Exception is Hypertime, but that was pretty much ignored later on, maybe because it renders all timetravel stories or stories ala COIE as non-sensical.