Warning! Spoilers ahead for Flashpoint Beyond #3
In the DC Universe, the Fortress of Solitude is the most iconic place Superman can be alone to clear his thoughts. But as it turns out, a better version of the Fortress exists in the Flashpoint timeline.
The Flashpoint Universe was created when Barry Allen traveled back in time to save his mother from being killed by the Reverse Flash. This decision rippled across the timeline, creating completely different versions of DC's heroes. As far as Superman goes, his family had sent him off to Earth because Krypton was going to explode. It's a similar situation to the regular Superman, except in this timeline Krypton hasn't exploded yet. Superman's father sent him to Earth in order to prepare it for Krypton's invasion so that kryptonians could live on when their planet was destroyed.
In this timeline however, as shown in Flashpoint Beyond #3 by Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams, Tim Sheridan, Xermanico, and Mikel Janin, Superman's Fortress of Solitude is far different. Rather than a palace of ice in the Arctic, Superman's Fortress is actually a refuge and oasis in the jungle. To make it even more interesting, this Fortress was made in conjunction with Flashpoint's version of Swamp Thing. Rather than Alec Holland though, Swamp Thing is Jason Woodrue, who goes by the villainous name of the Floronic Man in the regular DC Universe.
To make things even more interesting, Poison Ivy is there as well as she has become one with the Parliament of Trees. Rather than having created the Fortress alone, as Superman did in the main DC Universe, he made it in conjunction with representatives of the Green. This means that this Fortress is much more connected to the planet than the ice Fortress in the Arctic. Superman is obviously Earth's protector, but having a Fortress that is actually directly linked to a primordial force of the Earth gives this version of Superman more legitimacy as Earth's protector.
This is shown when Superman uses one of the Kryptonian crystals to communicate a message from his father. In the ice Fortress, messages would be played as a projection. But in this Fortress connected to the Green, plant life actually uses the crystal to create a plant version of Superman's father to play the message. This symbiosis between the Fortress and the life of Earth itself is unique to this Flashpoint universe. And it truly shows that although this Superman might not be the symbol of hope the standard one is, his Fortress is certainly more impressive.
Flashpoint Beyond #1 is available now from DC Comics!
