Omniverse was a fanzine produced by Mark Gruenwald in the Fall of 1977.It dealt with making sense of comic book universes and cohesive histories.How parallel worlds,time travel or alternate dimensions played a part in the universal scope of fiction.2 issues came out before Mark was hired by Marvel to work full-time with that company and he never went back to revisit his fanzine. I have not looked at the magazines either since I read them almost 37 years ago.I have recently pulled them out of the closet after all that time and would like to share with you what was contained within
 
It was a professionally produced b&w slick cover fanzine.44 pages for $1.50. Interestingly the associate editor was Dean Mullaney would would soon found Eclipse Comics.Also on staff was Mike Gold who later became editor of First Comics.Jerry Ordway did interior art,Pete Poplaski did the first issue cover.I'll deal with the cover subject first,The Superman and Batman of Three Worlds.It was not like I thought I remembered.The subject was only dealt with in a 1 and 1/2 page segment,part of a bigger article.

This was an attempt of incorporating Bob Haney's World's Finest Super-Sons stories into continuity.But by doing so it also helped make sense of other problems within Supes and Bats histories.The Super-Sons were shown as teenagers in the 1970s. They couldn't be part of the Earth-1 having never appeared beforehand in the silver age.Nor were they part of Earth-2 never being alluded to in the JSA appearences or any other crossovers and the fact that the Suoerman and Batman of Earth-2 looked much older than the fathers apperaing in the super-sons stories.So a different parallel earth seemed to be the answer and Gruenwald designated it as Earth-E. He broke down the characteristics of the 3 different earths as such

 Superman Earth-2
Rocket lands in 1920
Kal-El is a few months old
Raised by John & Mary Kent
No Superboy career
Former reporter,now editor of Daily Star
Married Lois in 1949
No Children
Semi-retired from crimefighting
Cousin-Powergirl
No Children
Luthor has red hair
JSA member

Superman Earth-E
Rocket lands in 1930
Kal-El is a 2 years old
Raised by Johnathon & Martha Kent
Superboy career
Is a reporter for the Daily Planet
Married Lois in 1960
Son:Clark Kent Jr
Still active as a crimefighting
No Cousin on Earth
Kryptonite present
Luthor is bald and older
No group affiliation

Superman Earth-1
Rocket lands in 1938
Kal-El is a 2 years old
Raised by Johnathon & Martha Kent
who were rejuvenated by alien ray
and died in 1955
Superboy career
Ex- reporter ,nowWGBS newscaster
Not married
No Children
Still active as a crimefighting
Cousin-Supergirl
Kryptonite turned to iron but returning
Luthor is bald
JLA member

Batman Earth-2
Parents murdered in 1920s
Began career in 1938
Former playboy,now police commissioner
Married Selina Kyle in 1955,she died 1976
Daughter Helena Wayne born 1957
Retired crimefighter
Partner:Dick Greyson ambassador
Lives in Gotham City townhouse
Black Bat emblem
Friends:Julie Madison,Linda Page,Alfred Beagle
JSA member

Batman Earth-E
Parents murdered in 1930s
Began career in 1950
Playboy.Brother Thomas Wayne deceased
Married Kathy Kane by 1960
Son Bruce Wayne Jr
Active crimefighter
Partner:Dick Greyson college professor
Lives in Wayne manor
Black Bat emblem w/yellow circle in late career
Friends:Vicki Vale,Batgirl,Bat Hound,Bat Mite
No group affiliation

Batman Earth-1
Parents murdered in 1950s
Began career by 1960
Socialite/head of Wayne Foundation
Not married
No children
Active crimefighter
Partner:Dick Greyson Teen Titan
Lives inpenthouse in Gotham
Black Bat emblem w/yellow circle ex. early year
Friends:Barbara Gordon,Silver St Cloud
JLA member

Please note that this only accounts for known stories thru Fall 1977 and only pre-crisis
Also important to note that there is no clear cutoff dates from one version to the next
A given adventure may also apply to more than one counterpart
An example:Batman met the Scarecrow in World's Finest #3 and again in Detective #73.These are obviously Earth-2 stories.He next appeared in Batman #189 which would mean Earth-1.But a mention was made that they met beforehand.So a number of tales occurred to more than one counterpart although we only read one version of it
Wonder Woman,Green Arrow and Aquaman very probably have Earth-E counterparts.Other 1950s candidates for Earth-E could include Captain Comet,the 1960s Plastic Man,Robby Reed,Bwana Beast,Nightmaster,Sea Devils,Enchantress-all sorts of characters who never seemed to be incorporated into Earth-1 mythos.One of the many versions of Sandman as well

For me,I could buy much of this theory just because the Jack Shiff Batman is so unique between what came before and after.

Next:Does Howard The Duck come from the same universe as Donald and Uncle Scrooge?