SOS! S.O.S.! Grant Morrison tosses us into Earth-20 and its very familiar Society of Super-Heroes who must battle Vandal Savage and other assorted villains from Earth-40 in a battle royal for the “fate” of their universes and ours! “The Multiversity” continues to crawl its way into our heads and our world!
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Chris SprouseThe biggest adventure in DC Comics history continues!
Grant Morrison joins modern legend Chris Sprouse (TOM STRONG, BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, ACTION COMICS) for a trip to Earth-20 starring a Society of Super Heroes unlike anything you’ve seen before! It’s pulp Super Hero action with a post-modern twist — you can’t afford to miss it!
Who is the demon-like Green Lantern protecting Earth-20? What secret does Doc Fate hold that could save the world? Who are the hand-to-hand and air-to-air combat queens known as the Blackhawks? And what happens when these heroes come face to face with their diabolical Earth-40 counterparts – led by Vandal Savage – for an epic war between parallel worlds? Find out all that and more in this exciting stand-alone issue which also acts as chapter two of the overall MULTIVERSITY storyline. Join us, if you dare, for THE MULTIVERSITY!
Grant Morrison and his epic Multiverse-traversing tale advances in an issue that’s just as fun as the title itself: “The Multiversity: The Society of Super-Heroes: Conquerors of the Counter-World” #1! You, dear reader, aren’t required to have read last month’s “The Multiversity” to understand or enjoy this adventure. If you love pulpy heroics, World War II-era influenced dialogue and characters, and gorgeous artwork that’s reminiscent of simpler times, then this book is right up your alley.
The issue begins with Immortal Man’s narration regaling the reader with his past and how he is about to answer Doc Fate’s “clarion call to adventurers of special talent.” The Doc sends out an “SOS”, which leads to the formation of THE “S.O.S.”: the Society of Super-Heroes! Having once saved the world before in a war against Herr Hex (possibly Jonah?) and his Desert Crescent Allies, Fate now requires the talents of heroes who can help him wage battle against a much greater threat: “a peril from a parallel Earth!” With Earth-40’s Vandal Savage leading such DC villains as Blockbuster into battle against the Society, the ramifications of their tussle is larger than the heroes can even imagine.
With so many reimagined characters from the DC pantheon popping up in this issue and the previous chapter, Morrison’s “The Multiversity” is not only a love letter to superheroes, but to the DC universe in particular. These heroes can be interpreted in any way and still be recognizable (like the wonderfully designed all-female Blackhawks led by Lady Blackhawk). This issue is bound to inspire child-like wonder when new yet familiar heroes and villains seem to appear on every page. Uninitiated DC readers are bound to be thrilled by the larger than life derring-do experienced by this cast of endearing superheroes. These heroes of Earth-20 not only deserve to exist, but demand to live in their own title.
Comic books and their heroes not only have power on the page, but wield influence in our real world as well. This becomes dangerously clear when our world and parallel worlds gloriously collide, as happens here and in the previous issue. By doing this, Morrison is able to expertly transform unconventional ideas into ones that are scarily and giddily possible without making them appear ridiculous. Magic, aliens, and a 1940s-era America are all elements that happily reside side by side.
The art must match the grandiosity of a story with such high stakes and iconic heroes and villains. A simple tale of good versus evil is a perfect fit for artist Chris Sprouse and he executes this issue with aplomb. Nearly every page has an appropriately large and dramatic panel, whether a villain bursts into a room or a plane flies over a stunning yellow sky. His artwork is never cluttered. The economy of art matches the economy of story and both combine to produce an indelible impact on the reader.
Sprouse’s superhero designs are also utilitarian and, at the same time, playful. The simplicity of Doc Fate and Captain Atom’s designs are appropriate for the 1940s era; I was reminded of the Rocketeer when admiring Fate’s outfit. Sprouse also adds playful touches to the costumes such as Captain Atom’s mask, which has a distinct atomic symbol that is a direct homage to “Watchmen”’s Doctor Manhattan and also proves what I mentioned before about Morrison’s love for DC’s characters.
Continued belowThe lack of sound effects during this issue’s fights is a prominent omission for a comic book. Yet it still gives the impression of the action springing forth from the page and into our world. Sprouse utilizes lines to convey motion emanating from Vandal Savage while he’s in the middle of one of his tirades. Gunfire is more intense when bursts of yellow convey the power of a weapon. When someone is knocked on the head with a rock, a red burst and stars circle his noggin. Whether it was an idea concocted by Morrison or Sprouse, it’s an artistic tool that succeeds in placing us in this world.
Dave McCaig’s muted colors also greatly enhance the feeling of the superheroics on the page being a complete possibility on our world. Like the omission of “biff!”, “bam!”, and “boom!”, the color choices are appropriate in the way they blend into our “real” world. The brushstrokes of a yellow sky are gorgeous and kinetic despite the perilous battle waged by the Blackhawks and enemy combatants. With the help of impeccable inking (credited to both Karl Story and Walden Wong), McCaig enhances a large panel bursting with billowing clouds colored a rich menacing green that appear behind Vandal Savage’s imposing plane.
Morrison set out to make us vital players in a series with consequences for our world and the other worlds of the Multiverse. He and his cohorts have succeeded in every aspect with the first two issues. Vastly different in style and scope from the previous chapter, “The Multiversity: The Society of Super-Heroes: Conquerors of the Counter-World: #1 (saying the title never gets old) is delightful fun. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing some of these heroes toward the end of Morrison’s (and ours) journey through the Multiverse.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Like last month’s jaunt through the Multiverse, this issue demands to be enjoyed numerous times in a row. Engaging characters, a straightforward adventure story, and gorgeous art beckon us toward further involvement in a mystery that involves superheroes and us!
