CREDIT: DC Comics
Rating: 5/5 – An Amazing Look at the DC Multiverse.
by ComicSpectrum reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
The Multiversity event takes us on a voyage through Earth-20 and the Society of Superheroes consisting of Dr. Fate, the Blackhawks, the Atom and many more. Where the opening chapter of Multiversity took us through multiple earths, this issue keeps the focus on just one (two if you count the invading earth), and because of that, feels tighter in it’s storytelling and gives you the sense of a complete story. It has a silver-age feel, not only because of the characters chosen to make up the team, but also in some of the ideas presented, the clean crisp art by Chris Sprouse, and even the title of the story, “Conquerors from the Counter-World”.
Reading through this issue reminded me just how great Sprouse’s artwork is, and I wish he was working on a monthly book. His layouts are fantastic and the way he choreographs the multiple action scenes throughout this issue give me the sense that I was watching a blockbuster movie. Aerial battles between the Blackhawks and the forces of Vandal Savage, and US forces being invaded by robots as well as zombies are just two of the scenes that demonstrate just how versatile Sprouse can be. His art is consistently great through this issue’s forty pages and I was sad that I won’t be able to return to this earth and Sprouse’s art next month since this is a one shot.
Although there were a few instances where the story presents some confusing ideas in relation to the multiverse and the Monitors, writer Grant Morrison can sometimes get very detailed, this is mostly a straight forward done in one tale that’s I thought will be accessible to all readers. This is the first we’re seeing of Earth-20 so it’s new to everyone, and Morrison did a great job of giving me a sense of the world, without having to detail everything and everyone. It’s an earth that seems to be from the 1940s with “Doc” Fate leading a team of heroes that seem less super, and more “pulp-like”. As Earth-40 and Vandal Savage attempt to invade and conquer, Doc Fate and his team make every effort to stop them.
Morrison’s writing at times can get complicated in its big meta ideas, but they’re introduced in a way that excited me as a reader, bringing me along for a wild ride. A knowledge of the DC Universe will help, but this is still a story that can be enjoyed by all readers. Two issues into Multiversity and it seems to be getting even better. In both issues the writing and the art has absolutely delivered on my high expectations, and in this issue it surpasses them. If the New 52 has left you feeling less than excited for DC as a whole, give Multiversity a try and reconnect with some of what made the pre-New 52 DC Universe so special.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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