Attempting to identify various time travel devices in a comic book image

Question

Time travel comic

In a Star Trek and DC Comics crossover comic that came out today, there is this image featuring various time travel and dimensional travel devices from tons of different movies/tv shows/etc. My friends and I on another forum site are trying to name them all. This is the most recently-updated labeling we have done. We now know that the little space ship with the spherical cockpit is from a Star Trek episode. The purple sphere on the balcony is NOT one of the devices. The ones we are stuck on are: the two items on the pedestals next to the Pocketwatch, the ramp-like object next to the pedestals, and that muddy pool under the balcony. Can anyone help out?

UPDATE: The two items on the pedestals have been identified as "Atavachron and Data Disk" from an episode of the original Star Trek series. I mentioned the ramp-shaped Time Pod in error as it had already been identified. That just leaves the pesky mud puddle... ALso, does anyone think the two empty pedestals next to the Time Sphere have any significance?

enter image description here

The spherical cockpit one isn't really a time travel device. It's from The Alternative Factor from ST:TOS, and it is used to go into an alternate universe. — Tango, Feb 15 '12 at 19:34
Could you post a bigger close up on the items on the pedestals? It's really hard to make them out. — Tango, Feb 15 '12 at 19:35
Can't really see the things on the pedestals, but I am curious what the muddy pool turns out to be... — eidylon, Feb 15 '12 at 19:36
They totally missed the opportunity for a Primer reference. — Ian Pugsley, Feb 15 '12 at 19:45
I think TangoOversway is right with the Round ship with the hole in it; and it's LISTED as a 'Timeship'; http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Lazarus%27_spaceship -- For some reason, though, I want to say the same prop may have been reused on the Quantum Leap "Future Boy" episode, but I haven't been able to find pictures to confirm yet. — K-H-W, Feb 15 '12 at 20:03
@eidylon, shawn -- the muddy pool.. Possibly the entrance to The Cave of Time? (first of the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books). Or possibly an enlarged version of The Time Pool from DC Comics? (http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Time_Pool) — K-H-W, Feb 15 '12 at 20:08
@gnovice - I'm struggling with the urge to edit and prepend "URGENTLY" to subject — DVK-on-Ahch-To, Feb 15 '12 at 21:27
@KeithHWeston: Are you sure you don't mean Tae Kwon Leap: Boot to the Head? — Tango, Feb 15 '12 at 23:47
@TangoOversway It's been years since I've seen it, but the summary for Lazarus's episode does say he is a time traveler from the past, and the dead world the Enterprise is orbiting is his planet. — Izkata, Feb 16 '12 at 00:17
@Izkata: Okay -- forgot that. Even though I hadn't seen it for a few years and it's not one of my favorite episodes, so maybe I didn't want to remember it. I just remembered it being used to go to the other alternative universe. — Tango, Feb 16 '12 at 00:22
@TangoOversway I'm preeeetty sure we only have Lazarus's word that he's a time traveler. I'm quite certain it wasn't used as such in the episode itself. — Izkata, Feb 16 '12 at 02:03
@Izkata & TangoOversway - From Memory Alpha, it's Lazarus' claim, and given that he sacrifices himself (being locked in eternal combat with his alternate) I'd be inclined to give credit to his statement. — K-H-W, Feb 16 '12 at 15:52
@KeithHWeston Yeah, that's what I saw. The summary doesn't make it completely clear whether it was the sane one from the antimatter universe that claimed it - him, I'd believe. The crazy one from our universe, not so sure. — Izkata, Feb 16 '12 at 19:04
Isn't the time tunnel actually from Austin (frickin') Powers? — Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE, Feb 16 '12 at 19:45
The puddle is not the time pool. It is far too large. The time pool was only large enough to allow a six inch Atom to pass through it. — Thaddeus Howze, Sep 08 '12 at 01:55
It seems the puddle is just where the artist had to remove the Guardian. It doesn't appear that he's replaced it with anything recognisable. — Valorum, Sep 18 '14 at 20:54

Valorum · Answer 1 · 2014-11-17T21:21:14.653

I've found an updated labelled image from 4Chan. As you can see, they're broadly in agreement on everything but the glowing puddle which they've labelled as a "Future DC Plot Device"

I asked Jeff Moy (the original comic-book artist for the picture above) for a Word of God answer regarding the puddle. It seems that it was originally going to be the Guardian of Forever's plinth until he ran into licensing issues.

"I originally had the Guardian of Forever in that spot, but was asked to remove it by IDW, because I guess Harlan Ellison would rise from his grave and throttle me"

The plinth was then replaced by a non-descript pool of water resembling the pool from Ranma 1/2

"...to answer your question, the pool is just a pool. Maybe I was thinking it could be a pool from Ranma 1/2, but those usually just change the person and isn't a time portal..."

To explain the empty pillars they've added the 'Vortex manipulator' from the Doctor Who which they've labelled as "currently in use" (by River Song).

The other empty pedestal contains 'The Power of Q' which was used by Flint/Vandal Savage (AKA Vandar the Stone) to change the timeline in the DC Crossover 'Star Trek - Legion of Super-Heroes"

enter image description here

Note that the pool is missing from the original pencil sketch which has the "Guardian of Forever" in the same space;

enter image description here

Excellent job finding the original pencil sketch and I would vote LotL too for the pit. Either way this was a great answer to a great question. As goofy as this series was I loved it! They also did a Trek/Doctor Who crossover and it's well worth reading, if only to see the 4th Doctor banter with Kirk and Spock =] — 22nd Century Fza, Jan 18 '14 at 08:24
I think Harlan Ellison is still alive. Which is actually worse - he's more likely to sue you than haunt you. — Joe L., Sep 18 '14 at 23:18
@JoeL. - I'm unsure why/how they felt they could use everything else apart from that. — Valorum, Sep 19 '14 at 06:07

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 16 '12 at 20:13

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I don't think it is a puddle. I think it is the Guardian of Forever from The City on the Edge of Forever.

Guardian of Forever

answered Feb 16 '12 at 20:13

Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE

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Nope. Word of god says that it isn't. – Valorum Nov 17 '14 at 20:05
@Richard: what? – Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE Nov 17 '14 at 20:13
The guy who drew it says that it isn't the Guardian; https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1849695907755558713&postID=1217484282185918541 – Valorum Nov 17 '14 at 20:18
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@Richard: great link, could be used for an answer. Now I understand your comment. But I don't think it is worth a downvote, it was originally the Guardian. – Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE Nov 17 '14 at 21:04
I've downvoted because your answer is (at present) "not useful". – Valorum Nov 17 '14 at 21:06
@Richard - thanks for explaining. – Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE Nov 17 '14 at 21:17

Julian · Answer 3 · 2014-01-18T08:07:54.607

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I think the 'glowing puddle' might be the pool from The Magician's Nephew.

It's pictured here on the dustcover of a reprint edition;

enter image description here

edited Jan 18 '14 at 08:07

answered Jan 16 '14 at 20:08

Julian

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Which of the devices is that and how can you support that guess? (e.g. include a picture from comics please) – DVK-on-Ahch-To Jan 16 '14 at 20:42
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No worries. For the record I'm pretty sure you're wrong. The portals in Narnia were spatial, not temporal. – Valorum Jan 18 '14 at 08:52
The question says "various time travel and dimensional travel devices". I'm content that the pools were not devices, but they were 'dimensional' travel - not spatial but to different worlds. They also only worked if you had the rings so I would expect the rings to be somewhere. So, probably not this, but could be. – Julian Jan 18 '14 at 16:08
Oh - and for the record, you can't have a (useful) time machine that doesn't do space travel. At the very least you have to go to where the planet has moved to. – Julian Jan 18 '14 at 16:13
The stargate isn't a time-travel device, either. – Joe L. Sep 18 '14 at 23:23
@JoeL. The Stargate can catapult a traveler through time when a solar flare interferes with the path of a wormhole – Izkata Sep 18 '14 at 23:28
@Julian Good point; Lazarus's spaceship is unmistakable and has nothing at all to do with time travel (it could travel between our matter universe and an antimatter universe) – Izkata Sep 18 '14 at 23:30
I just recalled - Narnia runs at a different time rate than our world. In the first book (The Lion, the Witch etc.) the kids live out a lifetime, well into adulthood, but when they return they're kids again. So, still a sort of time-travel if you squint a li'l. – Joe L. Sep 18 '14 at 23:39
Nope. Sorry. Wrong. – Valorum Nov 17 '14 at 20:06
Well, if Jeff Moy says it's meant to look like Nyannīchuan, I'm pretty pleased with my error! – Julian Nov 18 '14 at 10:09
@Julian - Honestly I'm unimpressed with his answer :-) – Valorum Nov 27 '14 at 21:23
@Richard - I'm pretty unimpressed with Douglas Adam's explanation as to why the bowl of petunias thought "Oh no not again", but my disappointment doesn't stop it being the definitive statement. – Julian Nov 29 '14 at 16:37

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 29 '12 at 16:48

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The orientation doesn't look right for the Guardian of Forever (the item looks horizontal and fairly two-dimensional.) Someone on another messageboard suggested it was the "heart of the island" from the TV show LOST, but it doesn't look quite right for that either, at least to me.

answered Feb 29 '12 at 16:48

Damon Griffin

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Nope. It's not. – Valorum Nov 17 '14 at 20:06

score -1 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 16 '14 at 18:19

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the time pool that the Atom (Ray Palmer) used to use sometimes ?

answered Jan 16 '14 at 18:19

Lee Falls

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Which of the devices is that and how can you support that guess? (e.g. include a picture from comics please( – DVK-on-Ahch-To Jan 16 '14 at 18:39
That's a good guess but I couldn't find an image of it anywhere. I did find this definition in the DC Database which would suggest the size of the pit in the image is too large: The Time Pool is an invention of Ivy Town University Professor Alpheus Hyatt. It is a small portal that serves as a gateway through time. Because of its size, only small objects can pass through it. Ray Palmer a.k.a. the Atom is small enough and has used the Time Pool to travel through time on numerous occasions. – 22nd Century Fza Jan 18 '14 at 08:28
Nope. Wrong, I'm afraid – Valorum Nov 17 '14 at 20:06

score -3 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 08 '12 at 01:13

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I think the Time Sphere you have is actually from the Terminator Films.

answered Sep 08 '12 at 01:13

Mitch

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I disagree, the appearance of the Time Spheres in the Terminator films isn't established, we just see the time travelers arrive in those films. That Time Sphere in the image is a standard DC Comics Time Sphere. – Sep 08 '12 at 04:07
I'm pretty sure you're wrong. On the picture (above) the sphere has a silver band with writing on it and a silver base - http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120531230852/bluebeetleandboostergold/images/6/6a/Time_Sphere.jpg – Valorum Jan 01 '14 at 12:43

Attempting to identify various time travel devices in a comic book image

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