This section provides information on the variation of character interpretations both pre-Crisis and in iterations since Crisis. Focus is on characters defined by their given name (Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, etc.) rather than code name (Green Lantern, Flash). Emphasis is on interpretations where the character had a major role versus a cameo or non-essential story role to minimize clutter.
Johnny Thunder
Prior Earth-0
Johnny Thunder's history, minus his interaction with Earth-2 variants of Superman, Batman etc., was largely similar to Earth-Two's history. As the Crisis on Infinite Earths ended, Johnny joined his JSA teammates in their efforts to protect the multiverse. When the JSA was summoned by the Spectre to enter Limbo and forestall Ragnarok, Johnny and his Thunderbolt were among them (Last Days of the Justice Society #1). During the JSA's time in Limbo, the magic of the island nation of Badhnesia began to disappear. Most of the residents left the island, seeking employment and brighter futures abroad. Pol St. Germain, a sociopolitical theorist, acquired the island, which was by this point uninhabited. At the request of Kiku, a native Badhnesian, and Johnny, the JSA journeyed to Badhnesia to investigate the activities of St. Germain, who had supposedly created an island utopia from the original Badhnesia. Germain was found to be generating an image of a utopia by imprisoning the weak, sick, and elderly out of the sight of the more affluent natives of the island. The JSA overthrew St. Germain, the island of Badhnesia was destroyed, and Kiku, the last of the Badhnesians, was adopted by Johnny and developed an affectionate relationship with the the Thunderbolt (Justice Society of America #6-7). Even more recently, Johnny's memory has begun to fail, to the point that he has forgotten how to summon the Thunderbolt (The Spectre vol. 3, #20).
During Zero Hour, Johnny joined the rest of his JSA comrades in the first assault on Extant. Like them, he was aged to a frail condition closer to his chronological age. With age, Johnny's memory losses have progressed to full-scale Alzheimer's and his never-very-sharp mind has decayed into reminiscences and faulty memories (The Flash vol. 2 #134).
It was later revealed that William Twotrees may be Johnny Thunder's illegitimate son by an affair in the 1960s, and that control of the Thunderbolt may have been passed on to Kiku (Primal Force #12). Most recently, the Thunderbolt of this timeline was implied to be a resident of the 5th dimension, the denizens of which are known to traffic with humans, notably Mxyzptlk (Superman vol. 1 #30) and Qwsp (Aquaman vol. 1 #1). The Thunderbolt linked to Johnny Thunder is named Yz (revealed in JLA #27) and Yz was revealed to be trapped in an ink pen belonging to Johnny, an ink pen which has been inadvertently given away to a young child (Flash vol. 2 #134). Whether Kiku ever possessed control of the Thunderbolt is unclear. That child, the erstwhile J. J. Thunder, temporarily controlled the power of not only Yz, but his 5th dimensional counterpart Lkz who had merged with Yz (JLA #27-31). Later, the Ultra-Humanite seized control of Johnny Thunder's mind and through him, the Thunderbolt. After being defeated by the JSA, Johnny Thunder's mortal body died but his spirit was fused to the Thunderbolt and continued with Jakeem. Later still, as the Spectre sought to purge magic from the Earth, the Thunderbolt displayed no trace of Thunder's character and was seen with Thunderbolt's named Shocko and Peachy Pet. What happened to Johnny Thunder is not obvious.
Earth-One
The Johnny Thunder of Earth-1 had no contact with the Badhnesians in his childhood and grew up to be a petty criminal. When the Earth-Two version of Johnny Thunder became curious as to whether he, like his team mates, had a double, the Thunderbolt took him to Earth-1, where he was immediately out-maneuvered by the Earth-1 version who took control of the Thunderbolt. Using the Thunderbolt to change history, the criminal Johnny created a new time line (Earth-A), in which the Justice League was composed of criminals until the JSA intervened and set things to right (JLA vol. 1 #37-38). Several years later, the Earth-1 version again seized control of the Thunderbolt in collusion with the Crime Champions but was again defeated by the JLA, JSA and Sargon the Sorcerer (JLA vol. 1 #219-220). His ultimate fate is unknown.
Earth-22
The history of the Johnny Thunder of Earth-22 is largely similar to that of Prior Earth-0 during the war years. In later years, Johnny became involved with Senator Tex Thompson's office (secretly the Ultra-Humanite) and was manipulated by him. At a final catyclysmic battle with Hitler and the Ultra-Humanite, Thunder orders the Thunderbolt to kill Hourman, an order which he could not obey (The Golden Age LS). Whether the Thunderbolt ever returned to Johnny Thunder is unclear. In the early 21st century as metahuman affairs fell to bedlam, a rogue hero called Thunder who resembled Jakeem Thunder emerged and was ultimately captured and incarcerated by Superman and the Justice League. He survived the cataclysmic battle in Kansas that wiped out most of the world's metahuman population. He was last scene in residence on Paradise Island. (Kingdom Come LS).
Earth-40
Johnny Thunder is a super-powered operative, presumable with the control of a Thunderbolt as he is does in other timelines. He is murdered by unknown agents, likely Zod in 1948 (JSA: The Unholy Three #1).
