Signature Locations
So much of a superhero character is the world they inhabit. It’s impossible to think of Batman without thinking of Gotham. Or Superman without Krypton. The set-up for Absolute Overpower is that this reality is the Marvel 616 Universe, and while we know characters from DC Comics have found their way here, what about their locations?
The quick rule of thumb is that this reality remains mostly intact as currently written in Marvel Comics. Marvel Comics, for the most part, relies on real-world locations. It’s New York City and Berlin, Germany. There are some oddballs like Madripoor and Latveria, but much less to the extent that DC does where it has essentially two New York Cities in Metropolis and Gotham (and the list goes on and on).
So how does Absolute Overpower reconcile this? It will often be case-by-case, character and player-dependent. The guiding principle is that if it’s important to the character and player playing them, we make it fit, and if it’s not, we don’t. Back to the example of Gotham, sure Batman could exist in standard New York City, or even rub elbows with Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen. But then Batman loses a little something. He doesn’t have his dark little corner of New York City to watch over. Batman needs Gotham as much as Gotham needs him. Likewise, the destruction of Krypton is central to the Superman mythos so it existed in this reality and was destroyed.
Inversely, places like Keystone or Central City are little more than set dressing and can be removed without much harm.
Ultimately, whatever allows for the best stories to be told wins out.
Gotham
Gotham is critical to the force and function of Batman and many other characters. It exists in Absolute Overpower but as a borough of Marvel’s New York rather than its own city.
Metropolis
Metropolis is less critical to Superman than Gotham is to Batman and therefore doesn’t warrant inclusion outright. Giving Superman domain over all of NYC elevates him regardless.
Krypton
You don’t have Superman without the destruction of Krypton, so it existed in Absolute Overpower before it was destroyed. The inclusion of Marvel characters, however, offers some interesting ideas for how it might have been destroyed. What if it was a planet consumed by Galactus?
Arkham and Ravencroft
The two insane asylums serve the same function (as essentially, mirrors of each other) and don’t warrant both being retained in Absolute Overpower. It’s far more interesting to think of an Arkham Asylum holding Cletus Kasady alongside all those Batman rogues. In this case, Arkham is the insane asylum of record in the general NYC area.
Daily Bugle and Daily Planet
Unlike Arkham and Ravencroft, the idea of having both the Bugle and Planet is compelling, especially as rival news corporations.
Rann and Thanagar
These two planets (and their shared turmoil) are key components to many characters and should exist in Absolute Overpower. Thanagar would be an interesting planet within the bounds of the Shi’ar Empire.
Apokolips and New Genesis
Exist.
Oa
Exists
Nanda Parbat and Kamar-Taj
Nanda Parbat becomes a region of Kamar-Taj. Its function of rehabilitating evildoers remains.
Markovia, Symkaria and Latveria
Markovia gets consumed by Latveria. How very Doom.
Brimstone Dimension & Limbo
The Brimstone Dimension doesn’t exist and all its inhabitants and concepts are part of Marvel’s Limbo. The same extends to all DC’s concepts of Limbo.