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The Multiversity Projections #13: Piece by Piece

By | August 7th, 2013
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Welcome to The Multiversity Projections, our monthly column focused on the Image Comics series “The Manhattan Projects” from Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra. Each month, we’ll be taking a look at the most current issue of the series and comparing notes from actual history and the alternate version presented in the book, and trying to use actual historical data to predict where the series is going next. This is a spoiler-heavy column, so if you have not yet read the most current issue of “The Manhattan Projects”, be warned that many major plot points will be discussed.

The column logo is designed by the incredible Tim Daniel, whose work can be found here.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in either science or World War II history; all of the information I will be using in this column is either easily found on the internet or is purely my opinion.

If you’ve been granted security clearance, read on for your briefing.

Piece by Piece

This issue basically updates us on what exactly is going on with the various plans the Projects put into motion in #11, “Building.” We get a peak at what the scientists have in store for the world, along with some hilarity and a truly touching moment.

The Golden Key, Part 1

“Clavis Aurea: the Recorded Feynman” is excerpted three times per issue. The Golden Key (the English translation of the book’s title) deals with those quotes.

This month, we get two Oppenheimer quotes, and one Feynman quote about Oppenheimer.

“Earth, fire, water, air…all of these at my command” – Oppenheimer

The first of the Oppenheimer quotes is a hubris-filled quote of a madman. It is also the least hubris filled or maniacal quote of the bunch.

Funeral for a Friend

The issue begins with the burying of Fermi, not long after Einstein chainsawed him to death for being an alien traitor. The image above is one of the classic Pitarra splashes from this series, packed with hilarity and detail. Feynman eating, Harry devastated, Laika in a suit, the grave stone (Here Lies Enrico Fermi, Man of Science, Traitor), to Helmutt being respectful in the distance, this image almost completely defines the characters in one page.

The Golden Key, Part 2

“The Earth, the sun, the stars, forever…all of these, in my hand.” – Oppenheimer

The elements are one thing to want to achieve control of – the universe and the time space continuum? That’s a whole other story.

Gaia

Project Gaia has involved the FDR AI cataloging all the aliens that the Projects captured, killed, or discovered, with the goal of creating chimera, or two different fertilized zygotes coming together to create one organism. Basically, Gaia is about playing God with genetics. The objective is to make humans stronger, more durable, less disease prone – essentially, to create superhumans, or adapt humans into superhumans.

By using alien DNA, the possibilities are almost limitless. I can’t imagine what could go wrong.

Ares

Project Ares has taken off (pun intended), and sent Laika into space to be both a guinea pig and an information gatherer. His rocket will take him at least as far as Jupiter, if not further. von Braun is talking about having humans on board the next ship. Could this be the Forever Class Frigate UTDF von Braun we’ve heard about before?

Vulcan

Project Vulcan has succeeded in creating a large energy source, and it appears that Daghlian is the key to this technology, as he can actually go into the lava, or magma, or whatever it is, and manipulate it. This project is headed up by Groves and Ustinov, who share a conversation about their roles – as scientists, sinners, or both – within the Projects.

Plus, we get this great image of Rocket Red next to a Justice Jogger. Or, Ustinov and Groves. Whichever.

Continued below

Charon

Charon is the most mysterious of the projects, but it appears to involve giant pods of some sort. More on this in the projections later.

The Golden Key, Part 3

“We knew the endless Oppenheimer and it terrified us. Imagine our terror when we discovered he was infinite.”

Let’s briefly discuss the difference between an endless thing and an infinite thing. Things that are endless are eternal, and shall live forever. Things that are infinite means that there are more of them than could ever be counted. So, Oppenheimer is not just eternal, but multiplying at a rate beyond what could ever be imagined.

5 Projections

1. The Oppenheimers have become physical…

In this image, we see Oppenheimer carrying one of the giant pods of Project Charon. In the above image of the project, we see the spectral projections of the various personalities working – actually holding tools and welding things. So, this begs the question – are they still spectral? Or is that what Project Charon has done – has it given Oppenheimer a way to physically create his multiple personalities?

2. …and he’s trying to recreate his consciousness on Earth

Is his new goal to be the sole inhabitant(s) of Earth – especially now, as Feynman mentions in our final quote, that he is now endless? Will the Earth soon resemble his consciousness from issue #10?

3. Kennedy is going to spiral out of control

Oppenheimer thinks he’s using Kennedy as a hammer to smash the other scientists, but he’s underestimating what a coked up whoremonger in a job handed to him by General Groves is actually capable of – very little. Instead, Kennedy is going to make things worse for Oppenheimer before they get better. That cocaine isn’t a good thing for Oppenheimer. It rarely is for anyone.

4. Einstein will be found out

Luckily for ol’ Albrecht, he is the one handling, along with Feynman, the biological piece of the Projects. But Feynman is no dummy. He’s been described as a “wormholer” in the cast section of the book since issue #4 – perhaps it is a trip through Einstein’s doorway (essentially a wormhole) that he eventually finds out that Albert is really missing?

5. Laika Isn’t Coming Back

As much as this breaks my heart to type, I can’t see Laika coming back, or if he does come back, being the same at all. 35 dog years of solitude and solar radiation can’t be too kind to the old boy. And boy, oh boy, will Gagarin cry when that day comes. Heartbreaking.

Dispatches from Inside Outside the Projects

Every month, I check in with Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra to discuss something in the series. This month, I wanted to do something different. Instead, I polled some of my Multiversity brethren, and I asked them a simple question about the book:

Now that the book is full steam ahead into its third arc, where do you see the book going and, more importantly, what do you want out of “The Manhattan Projects?” What will make year three even more satisfying than years one and two?

Matthew Meylikhov, Editor in Chief: Truth be told — and, gosh, this is going to seem like such a cop out answer — but I just want to see whatever the book has planned, nothing in particular. At MOST, maybe some more single issue stories, perhaps something that establishes how the world outside of the Projects perceives what is happening at the Projects? I’d also like to see into some of the doors from the first issue.

But, generally and honestly, I think the book is running at a very smooth pace; every issue feels rather fresh every time I pick it up and the book has been good about remaining accessible per issue, so as long as the book stays on track and the issues come out with a few less delays I’ll be the happiest camper at Manhattan Projects Summer Camp for Bad Science.

Continued below

David Harper, Associate Editor: I have to say, one of the things that I love about the Manhattan Projects is I never really know where it’s going. I mean, I didn’t expect Enrico Fermi to go nuts and try to destroy the program, I didn’t expect Laika to have guns, and I certainly didn’t expect what we got out of Truman. But that all makes it awesome, and I love the way Hickman and Pitarra continuously turn my expectations on their head. It’s the book I never knew I wanted, so I guess what would make it even more satisfying is keep defying my expectations. I want them to tell the story they want, and I want to pick up the book and let the surprise wash over me each month.

Well, and with that said, I’d like it to have a more monthly release schedule and for Laika to stay alive. I’m flexible on the monthly part.

Walter Richardson, Editor Emeritus and Contributor: I have complete trust in Hickman and Pitarra. Every issue has been something I wasn’t expecting, and I hope they keep up their great work. However, while I don’t have any particular requests for the main series (beyond “stay good”), there’s one (or more) thing(s) that I have been dying to see from “The Manhattan Projects” since the first few issues: some kind of spinoff. The world that Hickman and Pitarra have created is massive, and has plenty of room for stories outside of the main narrative. Whether it’s an anthology with Manhattan Projects stories from various writers and artists or a full-fledged Hickman-verse, I think this could be more than just an ongoing series. Much more.

James Johnston, Columnist: There’s no way the Projects aren’t going to implode in on themselves. Feynman can’t stop looking in the mirror, Von Braun cares about nothing but his rockets, and Groves almost definitely thinks of himself, or at least what he represents, as “The Righteous.” Pretty much all of Hickman’s characters have some sense of hubris in them (Fantastic Four and New Avengers stand to light as some of the most prominent examples), but none more so than The Manhattan Projects. The best part about following characters with so much hubris within them is watching them fall all the way back down. Don’t get me wrong, I love every character in this book. Unfortunately, my sense of love means that I want to see the characters I adore most get torn to pieces; sometimes physically, often mentally and always emotionally. That’s basically what Hickman seems to have been building up to since the series started and I cannot wait for that descent to truly get underway. (After a years worth or so more of the Projects’ misadventures of course.)

David Henderson, Staff Writer: When it comes to creator owned works like “Manhattan Projects”, I try not to think too much about what I want from it so I don’t fall into the trap of second guessing the narrative Hickman and Pitarra are telling. However, that being said, I’d like to see something bring the team back together as the characters have spread out a lot more over the last few issues. I’d also like to see a more in depth examination of Einstein and his motivations, which I’m pretty sure is coming anyway. After the whole Star City shebang, I think what I’d most like to see is a more direct threat to the Projects and see how that would affect character dynamics.

Vince Ostrowski, Staff Writer: First of all, I’d love to see more Ryan Browne art in this world. Browne and Pitarra trading off duties feels like more riches than we all deserve.

Second of all, as far as the story goes, my favorite aspect of the book is how Hickman culls urban legend to supplement the real life characters in the story. I want to see even more dabbling in the occult, freemasonry, symbolism, and mythology – and the ways that those ideas mix with science-minded characters. Those are the moments of “The Manhattan Projects” that really make it feel larger than life, for me. They’re also the moments where the art absolutely sings.

Continued below

But whatever Hickman does is fine with me. This might be the best comic book going right now.

Parallels

In issue #9, the Illuminati was revealed, and the scientists took them down. Here, the plans are revelaed for Ares, Gaia, Vulcan and Charon. What will take them down?

Next Month

Next month, “Upward Bound,” promises a “fracturing” of the Projects. Sounds fun!

Final Thoughts

Godspeed, Laika.

Thanks for reading, and share your comments below!


//TAGS | The Multiversity Projections

Brian Salvatore

Brian Salvatore is an editor, podcaster, reviewer, writer at large, and general task master at Multiversity. When not writing, he can be found playing music, hanging out with his kids, or playing music with his kids. He also has a dog named Lola, a rowboat, and once met Jimmy Carter. Feel free to email him about good beer, the New York Mets, or the best way to make Chicken Parmagiana (add a thin slice of prosciutto under the cheese).

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