Hey guys, quick question here! How do you comic creators deal with your comics' timelines and continuity, if at all? Do you set a specific time period for when your story takes place, or do you prefer a more timeless setting? For example, in Mari's stories, the "present" is set in the year 1989. Although I have storylines that span back to the Middle Ages (and even involve cross-universe elements), the main plot I'm currently telling unfolds in 1989. The rest are side stories (like Akemi's set in early 19th-century Japan) or more speculative tales (such as "Mary Milf").
Sometimes, establishing a specific time period can confuse readers. I remember @SovietTiger asking me about the perceived inconsistencies regarding the Stargazer characters' ages, based on the information I provided on my blog. He questioned whether the characters' ages were accurate, given their birth years ranged from the 1920s to the 1960s, and wondered if they shouldn't be in their late 50s or even 90s by now. I explained that the "present" in my story's continuity is the 1980s.
"Timeless" stories don't face this problem. For instance, Ash Ketchum has remained 11 years old for over 30 years. Batman has been depicted as around 40 years old since the 1930s! His earliest stories featured technology, fashion, and geopolitics from the 1940s, while his most recent adventures incorporate elements from the 2020s, as if it's always been that way.
Why 1989? Well, I'm an 80s kid, and I love the culture of the 80s and early 90s, which shaped my childhood and early adolescence. Besides, 1989 is a year rich with potential for a spycraft narrative, given the Cold War context and everything happening around that time.
What about the settings for characters like Serena, Mizumi, and others? Compared to "real-world" stories like Mari's, these characters are set in specific time periods within their own fictional universes. However, the historical context is less noticeable because their stories aren't grounded in our "real-world" history.
Well, Mari's story isn't entirely grounded in the "real world" either. Aside from the obviousreason, like I can't call her right now, in her version of Earth, Gorbachev was assassinated during his visit to the US in 1987, causing the Cold War to rekindle dangerously. Plus, her world includes psionics, werejaguars, ghost-possessed dolls, super-soldiers, and mutants.
How about you? Are your stories set within a specific timeline and continuity, or do they have a more timeless approach? Why?