STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW! IF YOU CONTINUE TO READ THIS REVIEW THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL BE DESTROYED! I’m only joking of course….or am I? Since the birth of comics in the olden days there has always been a connection between our prime universe and whatever comic universe that an individual reader could be reading at any time. It’s a relationship unlike any other form of media that can’t be replicated regardless of the attempt. So the question is, what happens when the two universes begin to merge?
A recent trend in comics has been breaking the fourth wall, either through the character itself or caption boxes to tell a joke that only comic book fans will understand. Joke being the keyword, since most writers use this trope for comic relief and in the right hands it can be humorous. While Multiversity has used the themes of stories it hasn’t really broken the fourth wall. Outside of Ultra comics being the key to everything but only in those small doses. Similar to his final issues of Animal Man in the late 80’s Morrison does not shy away from how creepy breaking the fourth wall is.
The idea that someone is watching your life as it were some form of entertainment is downright horrifying, that and how Morrison works in the need of the reader to turn the page and work it into the story, implying destruction is pure brilliance. The main plot of this chapter centers around the hero who is whoever the audience wants to be, the character of Ultra. If you though that The Multiversity was filled with sub text and meta commentary on comics as a genre, then you haven’t had a chance to read the issue yet. Morrison tackles everything from the evolution of super hero comics to angry fans on social media and every nuance in between. It’s borderline overload but Morrison spaces out enough that the feeling isn’t reflected upon the reader.
Interestingly enough this chapter actually picks up the plot from the very first issue of Multiversity, so instead of seeing a different side of the DCU, we’re treated to a love letter of superhero comics, from their early beginnings to grim era to our current day where social media and comics are becoming more intertwined as we move forward. I’m honestly amazed that Morrison managed to perfectly capture everything in 40 pages, it’s quite an achievement.
The other half to this equation is Doug Mahnke on pencils who like previous artists in this illustrious series fits the subject matter perfectly. While Mahnke may have started out with a comedic flavor, he has grown into a great superhero artist (I would love to see him draw other subjects again) and his art just makes the surreal pop out when you transition from Ultra’s superhero antics to the comic screaming at a command at the reader. My personal favorite is the terrifying opening sequence of Ultra begging the reader to stop, as he perfectly captures the fear in Ultra’s face and body posture, that and his four panels of Ultra advancing from the Golden age to our current era.
This issue was everything I could have hoped for and then some. I enjoyed the creepy themes that Morrison played with along with Doug Mahnke on pencils added to the atmosphere of this fear inducing comic.
The Multiversity earns a 5/5
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