Doctor Sivana has devised an outrageously nefarious scheme to defeat Captain Marvel in “The Multiversity: Thunderworld”! Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart, and Nathan Fairbairn bring us another exciting chapter of “The Multiversity” that is required reading for any child, young and old!
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Cameron StewartThe fifth chapter of the greatest adventure in DC Comics history is here!
Acclaimed for their collaborations on BATMAN AND ROBIN, SEAGUY and SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY: THE MANHATTAN GUARDIAN, superstar writer Grant Morrison and renowned artist Cameron Stewart deliver some magic to THE MULTIVERSITY with a breathtaking journey to Earth-5 – A.K.A. Thunderworld!
With a single word, Billy Batson transforms from boy reporter for Whiz Media into the world’s Mightiest Mortal – Captain Marvel! Along with the other members of the Marvel Family, Captain Marvel battles dastardly villains like Mr. Mind and the Monster Society of Evil! But now, his greatest foe has attacked the Rock of Eternity – the source of the Marvel Family’s power – and it could mean the end of reality as we know it! What impossible villains are Sivana teaming up with who could spell doom for the Multiverse? From where did Sivana’s children get their newfound super powers? And what does the appearance of one mysterious comic book mean for the heroes of Thunderworld?
Find out all that and more in this exciting issue that acts as chapter five of THE MULTIVERSITY.
“The Multiversity: Thunderworld” features the classic character of the boy named Billy Batson who transforms into the superhero Captain Marvel by exclaiming one word: “Shazam!”. The creative team have produced a book that has a classic, yet timeless, aura about it that will have you grinning from ear to ear. As hokey as that sounds, it is an appropriate description for a character and story that places innocence and pure heroism above all else while being witty and delightfully meta at the same time. Morrison, Stewart, and Fairbairn bring the cheese to the Big Red Cheese in a familiar, yet magical, way and have given us a grand finale to 2014 that celebrates ideals that every generation craves: heroism, hope, and fun (above all else, of course!).
From the very first page, Morrison playfully uses comic book language of another era that sets the tone for the book. The first word boxes proclaim, “The Rock of Eternity! Poised at the dazzling, crystalline pinnacle of imagination’s loftiest empyrean peaks.” The same can be said for this book and the imagination that the entire miniseries is built upon. The wizard Shazam amusingly introduces himself to us as he’s working on his “omniscient narrator voice” and we immediately understand that we are observers of a fictional world mysteriously brought to life on the page. Shazam isn’t the only one who utilizes this classic comic book trope of old that has characters narrating their motivations and the plot. The evil Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana gleefully regales the reader with a plan that includes defeating Captain Marvel and ruling “the multiverse of creation!”
Morrison had genuine fun writing this issue and it is highly evident in every word. The lack of a complex plot allows him to focus on the epic ideas of family, teamwork, innocence, adventure, intelligence, and, naturally, good and evil. That’s a lot of ideas for a fun romp of a book. The issue is a love letter to not only a simpler time, but to the classic superhero genre and tropes in general. There is just as much worth, according to Morrison, in stories such as this as there is in more “adult” fare. The world of Earth-5 feels and sounds different because it’s so foreign to our scary world. Sometimes, according to Morrison, the spotlight needs to shine on lofty ideals. He does it, however, with an expert metatextual flare.
Stewart’s straightforward yet highly expressive art is perfect for a story and world that are larger than life. Splash pages are liberally utilized to express the grandeur and simplicity of a tale featuring heroes and villains that personify every characteristic that we expect from them. When Billy transforms into the adult hero Captain Marvel, he stands tall in a classic pose. There’s even a car that is clearly from the 1930s or 40s that sits parked behind him and highlights the timelessness of our hero. The sun shines bright on a character who embodies ancient heroic ideals as “the world’s mightiest mortal”. He is a timeless classic. However, where there’s good, there has to be evil and Sivana embodies villainy in a deliciously fun way. He is depicted as a short, mousy megalomaniac with glasses that hide his eyes and highlight the lack of a soul.
Continued belowBattles are focused on the actors involved and are devoid of background detail that would only detract from the purity and simplicity of the story. Punches are thrown, citizens are rescued, and monsters are confronted head-on by our hero and his “family” of fellow do-gooders. That artistic simplicity aids in also placing focus on characters’ heightened emotions. Surprise, stoicism, and child-like wonder burst from characters’ faces just as expressively and bombastically as Stewart’s battles and heroic or villainous posturing. The characters feel familiar and elicit grins because we can relate to their primal emotions. You will pine for more stories featuring every one of them, hero and villain alike.
Small, yet fun, artistic and lettering touches (by the distinctive letterer Steve Wands) contribute to the idea of comic books blending into the “real” world. One scene has the wizard observing Doctor Sivana from his point of view inside a cage. The wizard’s word balloon remains inside that cage while Sivana’s word balloons remain outside the cage and are partially hidden from view. We are in the cage with the wizard. This is just one example of perspective utilized by artist and letterer to imaginatively powerful effect. Another hilarious scene involves Captain Marvel spinning two villains around in a circle while their conjoined word balloon is encircling them and expressing their cries of helplessness. Morrison and his artistic team, once again, are having fun. Also, watch for when Captain Marvel whistles. Wands deserves recognition for that bit of brilliance.
Fairbairn’s color palette is just as unadulterated and devoid of distraction as story and art. The only truly colorful elements of the book are the heroes’ uniforms. The classic red, yellow, and white of Captain Marvel’s outfit inspires with its simple design and yellow lightning bolt emblazoned on his chest. The purple cosmic sky inspires mystery for the striking way it contrasts with the rest of the issue. In one two page spread, the proceedings burst with color that evokes both classic comic book coloring styles while the strangely modern art itself clashes with Fairbairn’s colors. Fairbairn’s somewhat subdued colors should not be overlooked and instead be recognized for the way he enhances Stewart’s art.
“The Multiversity: Thunderworld” debates the age old battle of magic versus science. One definitely wins out over the other at the end of this story. Morrison, Stewart, and Fairbairn are the magicians who have brought a classic character and his world to transcendent life. The mystery connecting each issue of this miniseries insinuates its way into Earth-5 and we can only hope the heroes of Fawcett City will still be standing when Morrison’s opus inevitably comes to an end.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Each issue of “The Multiversity”, although different in scope and style, has been a model of the endless possibilities inherent in the comic book medium. “Thunderworld” isn’t any different
