Multiversity

>What is it?

After Final Crisis; Grant Morrison began work on writing a story that would be the culmination of all his work at DC.

Named “Multiversity” the 8 issue Maxiseries would focus on a tour of the Multiverse; shining a spotlight on six different worlds in the DCU as they band together against an unknown threat.

Each book is set in a different world, with a different artist and is a #1. They are 38 pages long with an 8 page backup.

These Six Books are sandwiched between “Multiversity” a book told in two parts that will focus of President Calvin Ellis, the Superman of Earth-23, leading together pan universal heroes such as the Zoo Crew against an unknown threat in a multiversal Superteam called The Multiversity.

As an addition; there will be an extra issue with 20 pages of story and background detail; showcasing a map of the DC Multiverse complete with dossiers on each Universe.

In the Spirit of Flash of Two Worlds; the debut of the DC Multiverse; each book in the series will have the previous one as a work of fiction within their universe; the characters will be reading the story just as you are; and this will provide insight in facing the unknown threat.

>When is it coming out?

“Next Year.”

Here's how it will go

Multiversity #0: President Calvin Ellis; the Superman of Earth-23, leads The Multiversity against an unknown threat.

Society of Superheroes #1: On Earth-22, a modern day pulp world of 2 billion, John Constantine, aka "Doc" Strange leads the S.O.S. along with Abin Sur, The Immortal Man, Mighty Adam, Thunderer, Lady Blackhawk, and her Black Hawks against an unknown threat.

The Just #1: A generation ago, the Superheroes solved all crime forever. Now, on Earth 11, there heirs; Connor Hawke, Damian Wayne, Wally West and others, live in a "The Hills " style celebrity utopia were they spend their days reenacting the days of their parents. But when an Unknown threat strikes, they must rise to the challenge.

Pax Americana #1: In an octivly styled Charlton World, the action heroes of Earth 4 have affected public society. When the Peacekeeper assassinates the President from an orbital weather balloon, we go back in time to trace the characters of this world and an unknown threat.

Thunderworld #1: In Earth-5, a PIXAR styled Fawcett world, an All-Ages ,All-Star esque Marvel Family faces an unknown threat .

Master Men #1: in 1938 of Earth-10, on the eve of war, A spaceship lands in the Occupied Sudenland while Hitler is reading Action Comics #1 on the toilet . The technology allows the Nazis to win the war, and by 1956, a young Overman burns Washington DC to the ground. Realizing the evils of his Nazi masters, Overman rebels and creates a utopia built on the bones of a Planetary Holocaust. Now the ruler of a Wagnerian Utopia were English is a dead language, he faces the terrorist Freedom Fighters; lead by Uncle Sam, built from the remnants of the holocaust featuring a Gay Ray, Jew Dollman African Black Condor & Roma Phantom Lady. As Overman faces a group hellbent on the end of his Society he knows deserves to die , he must fight an unknown threat .

Ultra Comics #1: Next year, DC Comics publishes Multiversity, by Grant Morrison. But the Seventh Part, Ultra Comics is haunted, and anyone who reads it dies. As the world uses cutting edge technology to create to wonders, we must face an unknown threat.

Multiversity #1: The Multiversity and the heroes from the Previous Worlds band together to defeat an unknown threat.

Here is a Timeline of it's development.

>2007

52 wraps up, New Multiverse; The 52 Gang gets the idea to do a series of books by each member for each verse. Johns for Earth-2 Rucka was to Earth-4, Waid for Earth-5. Morrison Earth-10

>2008

Final Crisis Comes out, Morrison drops seeds of Multiversity in Superman Beyond: 3D. With the other 52 writers starting to move on; Morrison starts writing Multiversity.

>2009

Morrison continues to write it. Multiversity is announced to come out next

>2010

Frank Quitely and Cameron Stewart announced as two of the artists.Morrison continues to write it. Multiversity Announced to come out next year.

>2011

Morrison passes on Script of Part 4 to Frank. Frank Quietly starts drawing Pax Americana; Multiversity Announced to come out next year.

>2012

Frank still drawing Pax Americana. Multiversity Announced to come out next year.

>2013 Cameron Stewart finishes Thunderworld in 2 months.

Frank still drawing Pax Americana with 9 pages to go.

Multiversity announcement not made. Presumed to be coming out next year.

edited 17th Oct '13 11:13:43 AM by HyperAlbion

Now some pages:

The Peacesign on fire evokes the Bloodied Smileyface of Watchmen, both "good" symbols (and of course both circles) marred with violence.◊

Pax Americana is designed to evoke the narrative architecure of Watchmen; if not it's themes exactly. Thus; rather than the classic EC Comics styled 9 grid panel as done by Gibbons; Grant and Frank use an 8 grid pattern; both evocative of the vibration structure of the DC Multiverse (Octaves as in music) and representative of the "8" theme of this work and this issue in particular.◊

Of course; unlike 9; 8 is a power of two; meaning the grids can be cut up into all manner of symmetrical and asymmetrical square and rectangular patterns.Morrison said this was like "Calculus" and contributed to the complexity of this book; one page has four hundred twenty panels.Note the "?/8/infinity" calling card of the Question and how the scene itself evokes Morrison's similarly themed character "The Fact" from Flex Mentalo. Morrison shifts the Dikto styled Objectvism of Rorschach for a Question who sees the world through the lenses of Spiral Dynamics. A theory that states that Human Psychology and civilization exist on an ever ascending Spiral of along a spectrum of 8 colors.Not only does this ever changing viewpoint evoke Rorschach (a psychologically themed aspect focusing on change) but it also captures the greater circular theme of Watchmen and Pax Americana while also fitting in the 8 theme; as well as shifting out Moore's Black and White character mindset for one more colorful.◊

Note the Particle Accelerator. It's a circle, fitting with the Watchmen graphic themes but it's also a wheel. Captain Atom sits enlightened in yoga pose within a Dharmacakra; the Buddhist 8 spoked wheel of life. Morrison conflating metaphysics with physics is a past time of his.The scene a well evokes Grant's transferring of Moore's themes. As we know, in Watchmen "God is real and he's American" look at the Polticos and Miltypes desperately coming to him, like Buddha on the hill or Jesus in the streets He is seen peacefully reading; in stark contrast to the mortals before him.What he's reading is important as well Multiversity 3: The Just. This brings back the Flash of Two Worlds idea of the Multiverse being tied by fiction but note the order.In Watchmen , born from the depths of 80s enui; postulated that with with real life Superheroes the people of that world read pirate comics.The Just is a Hills style Post-Superhero setting where crime was beaten and now all they do is revel in drama and reenactments.So instead of the Superbooks going out of style like they did in Watchmen, they instead adapt; changing in form the sate the vapid desires of a broken world while still providing a shining utopia to escape to.In the 1980s Comics turned to Piracy; in the 2010s, they turn to reality TV.◊

edited 17th Oct '13 11:28:57 AM by HyperAlbion

Multiversity is a project that I've really wanted to see since Morrison first announced it.

It seems like 2014 would be a good time to reveal it, since the Multiverse is getting revealed in the current canon; with the Crime Syndicate from Earth-3, to Power Girl & Huntress revealing Earth-2's existence to Superman & Batman, which may help them remember their own brief time there. Both of those wouldn't have impact on the story itself (unless Morrison decides to include Earth-0 in the mix somehow), but with the knowledge of the Multiverse would be fresh in the readers' perspective, so the story premise shouldn't be so esoteric enough to alienate newcomers.

>Earth-0

Oh god someone who actually got that right. I'm not the only one!

Isn't the main dc universe called prime earth now instead of earth zero?

Also I thought the Pulp world would be in the 1940's or 50's versus modern times.

Thank you Hyper for creating this thread can't wait for this book to come out.

I wonder if young justice is still part of the multiverse?

Prime Earth is it's name; Earth-0 is its designation.

Like how Mecha Earth is Earth-44.

The Pulp World I'd basically a Modern Day setting with Pulp sensibilities: they just had a World War and there are only 2 billion people. Imagine 1949 if it was today .

edited 18th Oct '13 12:50:14 PM by HyperAlbion

So the pulp world has 1940's tech and fashion with 2013 technology that's cool.

I just prefer to use the numbered version. I mean we know its not Earth One (Earth-1, which I'm still waiting for more installments in).

@warrior, DC is nervous to officially use the term Earth-0 because they think it will cause confusion with people thinking about the pre-reboot Earth. And I'm nearly 100% sure that Young Justice is still Earth-16, it made it to show and comic.

edited 18th Oct '13 12:55:04 PM by biznizz

I can't wait for a sequel to Batman Earth One and I hope they eventually introduce Robin.

I wonder if they'll ever do a earth one green lantern or flash?

Just repeating; 420 panels.

The Current "Prime Earth" title comes from the Infinite Crisis Game.

@Warrior, if they're managing to do a Wonder Woman title, then almost anything is possible. (Not to knock Wondie, but you have to admit her IP is lower than GL or Flash).

I recall that after Flashpoint they used some different terms for, what is essentially, Earth-0. "Main DCU Earth", "Prime Earth", "New Earth". They weren't really consistant so their attempts to not confuse Earth titles ended up being confusing.

You think that Earth-22 Superman (Super-President) would reference his story in Action Comics against Super-Doom?

I dont think "IP" is the term you're going for. Q score maybe?

In anycase ; Calvin is from Earth-23; and it's like Taxonomy; one Earth Designate could have many names. 'Prime Earth' was chosen because the IC staff needed snappy,cool sounding, one word terms for the worlds they were using and Prime was the best they could do.

I mean is that aside from her role in DC's Trinity, her book has never really reached, let alone surpassed, Green Lantern or Flash.

And yeah, messed up which Earth that Super-Prez is from. But multiple names do confuse new time readers who don't know that Earth-0, Prime Earth, and Main DCU Earth are all the same thing.

edited 18th Oct '13 9:58:13 PM by biznizz

That statement is incorrect on several levels.

If we want (I dont) we could produce a sales chart of the titles across time. WW has topped them several times.

In fact; the oyl reason she is in the trinity in the first place was because she was one of just three books to not be canceled in the golden age collapse; and in any case; she's a far more profitable character than Flash OR GL; hell before Johns, probably could beat both of them together.

Oh, I know. I'm talking about in the last 10 years, from practically a whole generation of comic readers' perspective.

I just wonder who the flash or green lantern of Earth One would be?

Hopefully they either use original characters or they use Kyle and Wally anything but Barry and Hal.

No one likes extended Myopia

Why not?

I would be hoping for something a little bit more original than having the same flash and green lantern characters and origins from the New 52.

Take a look at Batman: Earth One; it's still Bruce Wayne, but enough of his origin has been changed to be fresh.

You could have stuff like Barry never joining the police or Hal being like a lawyer or something.

Green Lantern and Flash are more legacy characters than Batman and Superman.

Besides I want to see more of Wally West in comics.

edited 19th Oct '13 3:12:04 PM by warrior93

A bit off topic, but since DC is bringing Stephanie Brown back, and they have been talking about Wally ("And yes, even you Wally"), there's a good chance he might be back next year.

I find it hypocritical that for all the blood Wally Fans are calling for; they never asked for Bart Flash back.

Shows it's not about bullshit "legacy" or any other airs; just what Flash they personally want. They're all for the status qou and so-called "regressive storytelling" when it serves their intersts

edited 19th Oct '13 3:29:50 PM by HyperAlbion

Was there some question about that? I should think it was obvious that the people who wanted Wally back just wanted him back 'cuz they liked him. Remember, Wally was the Flash for 22 years — 1986 to 2008 — which is only 4 years less that Barry Allen's tenure (well, since his re-emergence I suppose it'd add some years to Barry's tenure, but still). Bart was only the Flash for 13 or so issues.

If people are saying that they want him back for obscure, esoteric reasons like "give the legacy characters a chance" then I'd find that suspect. Still, I don't think it's hypocritical for them not want Bart back; "their" Flash is Wally, while other folks' Flash is Barry. I'd be surprised if Bart was anybody's favorite Flash.

Well yeah; but you cant argue a point on just emotivism.