Recently, one of the big interesting to dos has been regarding DC’s release of a comprehensive list of half of the “earths” in the new Multiverse. Naturally, everyone has their own take on the subject.
Daddy Will of Bread and Roses responds to his own opposite perspective.:
I find it funny that same fans who are able to suspend disbelief and swallow that an extraterrestrial who looks remarkably like a white dude could become a demigod because of yellow solar radiation and that a technology could exist that translates will power into hard light objects, are not able to suspend disbelief long enough to accept that every omnipotent force in the Multiverse would not be constantly mucking about. (Of course, I fall into this too, asking stupid questions during Superman Doomsday like “Where is the Justice League???!”) While we all have a our fan quirks, comic book fans should struggle to relax and realize: Hey, it’s just a story anyway.
David Brothers at 4th Letter! does not particularly care for the list:
Just in case you’re keeping score at home, here are the genuinely new Earths, ones that we’ve never seen before: Earth-15: World of heroes realized (Donna Troy as Wonder Woman; Jason Todd as Batman) (Countdown #30 - the earth of this universe was destroyed in Countdown #24) Earth-17: A post WWIII, apocalyptic universe (first appearance 52 #52) Earth-48: Forerunner’s world (Countdown #46)
There are three new Earths out of 26 announced now, one of which has already been destroyed and the other I think is barren of life or populated by Forerunner’s race or something stupid like that?
Good going, DC. You have the opportunity to create a gang of new characters, settings, and stories and you go right into Fanboy Masturbation territory.
While Diamondrock is starting to warm to the multiversal concept:
I should say that — despite Countdown not living up to my expectations — I think I’m starting to be won over (slightly) by the multiverse concept. Though that could have more to do with the prospect of a ginormous war between Monarch, his multiversal thugs, and the Monitors.
I’d pay to see that.
Oh, wait. I am going to pay to see that.
So what do you think?
December 1st, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I don’t understand why anyone would have no problem with the current Marvel earth being numbered 616, and there even being an ongoing book about the Marvel multiverse where characters travel throughout the different dimensions, yet get all bent out of shape when DC says they have 52 - and only 52.
December 1st, 2007 at 5:33 pm
I love the multiverse. I think people sometimes get the wrong idea about it. For example, people think of Earth-19 as the Gotham by Gaslight world where Batman protects Victorian era Gotham. But it’s a lot more than that, or at least it could be. Gotham is just ONE city, there can be stories told about New York, Metropolis, Stat City, Central City. Is there a Checkmate on the world? Is there a Question? A Wonder Woman? It’s the same as saying New Earth Superman sent from Krypton to Earth as a baby, found by kindly couple becomes a hero. Is that all there is to the main DCU? Of course not.
All of these Earths have the potential to go way Way beyond the one story we identify them by.
December 1st, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Nez, those probably aren’t the same people. Some people are complaining about the Marvel stuff and some people are complaining about the DC stuff. That doesn’t mean they’re the same group.
December 1st, 2007 at 10:33 pm
It seems like a mistake to put a number limit on your parallel Earths and then set about filling it up with the various Elseworlds that have been popular in recent years. It does put some creative limitations on what they have for no reason. Are there really that many ‘Gotham by Gaslight’ stories left to be told? Why say you’ve got a Multiverse of new possibilities and then fill it up with the same old stuff?
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:32 pm
The thing is Earth-19 could fall to a successful Kryptonian invasion which would make it vastly different from New Earth. I think it’s not just what’s on these Earths but also what can be done to/on those worlds. Things that would never ever happen to the main Earth.
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:44 pm
So, possibly my only beef with the new Multiverse is that Earth 19 and Earth 34 are different Earths. On one you have Victorian Batman and another Victorian Wonder Woman. Since Victorian Blue Beetle chills out on Earth 19, why doesn’t Victorian Wonder Woman?
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:39 am
Seriously did anyone at DC proof-read or copy edit their own list. They list “Earth-13: World of dark and archane heroes (Arena #1]” when it’s Earth-33 and it first appeared in Countdown to Adventure #3.
It’s not a good example for the rest of the editorial staff when the Editor-in-Chief makes such a big blunder.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:43 am
I LOVED the multiverse back pre-crisis…but a funny thing happened in the last 20 years, I grew to enjoy the “one true” universe just as much.
Maybe I’m just old and crotchety, but this whole multiverse nonsense has left me cold. Infinite Crisis had a lot of promise which it never really lived up to, 52 was a fantastic concept with a fairly weak ending, and Countdown and all of its myriad crossovers have been increasingly horrible (anyone reading Extremists? Maybe the worst book being published today).
The whole thing is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I miss the days when things were simpler and I didn’t need a score card to read a freakin’ comic!