Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, dan jurgens, dc comics, entertainment, grant morrison, mark waid, Multiversity: The Just

Go On – Let's Have An Annotated Reading Of Multiversity: The Just

By Sage Ashford

This is our first introduction to the heroes of Earth-16, a world where the "original" heroes did their job so well, all that's left for their successors is the life of celebrity.

…Or at least, that's how it seems on the surface.  The book has barely started and already the characters are under attack by horrors from "another world".  Curiously, it appears that evil hasn't so much been stomped out, but that merely that the characters have become cavalier about the threats because of the abundance of peace they've enjoyed.

Here Sasha Norman, daughter of the ultimate escape artist Mister Miracle (the Shiloh Norman version Grant featured in Seven Soldiers), has to perform her "ultimate escape" in order to avoid death, but it still doesn't inspire her to actually do anything other than call someone else to do the work for her.

Curiously, Ray Palmer is the only "original" hero we see in The Just.  We could chalk this up to Grant simply deciding not to use Ryan Choi, but I'm willing to bet this is a conscious choice.  "The Just" features a ton of really obscure 90's characters, and during the 90's Ray's age has been reduced to that of a teenager during the short time he was a part of Dan Jurgens' Teen Titans team.

Also worth noting: As an original hero, Ray's one of the few in the book who does any actual hero work.

Son of Bruce and former Robin, Damian Wayne has finally grown up to become Batman on this Earth and dates the daughter of Lex Luthor.  What is it with Bat-characters and their obsession with bad girls?

Our own Rich Johnston has already pointed out the interview where Grant Morrison discusses the idea of Batman being gay.  Of course, Grant's interview was about Bruce and this Batman is Damian, this perhaps speaks more to the very concept of Batman itself being gay.  Hmm…

Poking a bit of fun at the modern superhero comic, where every month seems to have a reality-ending threat to be overcome, to the point that the modern reader no longer has any reaction to it.  All while using the Red Skies from DC's original Crisis on Infinite Earths event to do it.

A bit of thinly veiled commentary on the "graphic novels" vs. "comic books" debate.

A cynical view on superheroes for a cynical world. We get a bit of discussion on the nature of creators working for corporations without proper remuneration, as well as what inevitably happens when a character heads to the big screens.

This panel also contains a hint as to what Grant intends to do with the haunted comic that's been spotted in three separate universes so far.

"All that stuff Batman likes".   When Batman isn't referred to as gay, people use the fact that he dresses up in all those tight, black outfits that resemble fetish-wear as a way to say he has a lot of issues with repressed sexuality, expressed through his dealings with all the disturbing villains of Gotham City.   Damian should really be free of this, but it seems he's so desperate to do everything the way his father did that this is the result.

Chris Kent, initially created by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner during their run on Action Comics back in 2006.  Originally the son of General Zod and Ursa, Chris was adopted by Lois and Clark, and in this world went on to become Superman.

The final fate of the original Superman for this Earth is revealed –he was taken down from a plot by Lex Luthor.  It's at this point I would like to note that aside from Ray Palmer, there appear to be no signs of the older heroes, begging the question of just how high a price was paid to create such a peaceful Earth.

Though the New 52 may have tossed this aside, on this "90's Earth" it appears that Kyle Rayner has his original origin–the last Green Lantern after the events of Emerald Twilight and (presumably) Zero Hour.

Ernie O'Brian, the son of Plastic Man, originally a creation of Mark Waid and Frank Quitely in The Kingdom: Offspring.  He's referencing the events of Multiversity #1, where Earth-8 was wiped out in an event battling against The Gentry.

Alexis is talking to Harlequin/Joker's Daughter, another character who made a brief appearance in Kingdom Come but also in The Kingdom: Offspring. The conversation itself is another example of the sheer apathy that exists on this planet, as the two discuss Kon-El's grim, eventual fate to become a Bizarro rather than actually do anything to save him.

The Gentry's attack on this world has already begun, but everyone's too disinterested in anything that isn't themselves to notice it.  Curiously, this could also be the reason for Kon-El's transformation–an attack through the dream world by monsters who corrupt everything they touch.

Alpha Centurion is another early 90's character. Created by Karl Kesel, Marcus Aelius is from an alternate timeline that Superman was transported to during Zero Hour.  On his world, he was the protector of Metropolis, and has likely taken up the job on this Earth with Superman having passed.

Natasha Irons was, at least pre-New 52, the niece of John Henry Irons, or Steel.   That she joined the Justice League on this Earth isn't terribly surprising, as Steel was a part of Grant Morrison's "expanded" fourteen member League.

Whereas with both Earth-8 and Earth-20, the invasions were more direct and visceral, on Earth-16 the Gentry have taken a more subtle path, choosing to invade minds on this Earth with their attack.  "We want to make you like us."  Curiously, the Gentry has yet to attack any Earth as directly as they did Earth-8 in Multiversity #1, choosing instead to send agents.   Is this still a part of the "game" they challenged Nix Uotan to?

Also, Kyle Rayner is referring to the death of his first girlfriend, Alex DeWitt by supervillain Major Force.  This graphic, violent death is where the term "Women in Refrigerators" originated.

Another creation by Mark Waid, Argus was a federal agent who gained the ability to turn invisible after being bitten by a parasite during the DC's 1993 "Bloodlines" event.  Based out of Keystone, he often found himself butting heads with Flash. With Batman refusing to join the Justice League, Argus taken his place as "stealthy ninja guy".

Artemis of the Bana-Mighdall tribe of Amazons had very brief period of actually being Wonder Woman after Hippolyta saw a prophetic vision in which Wonder Woman died and tried to save her daughter by passing the mantle of Wonder Woman on to someone new.    Seemingly, on this Earth the mantle was passed after Diana passed.

When "Earth-Me" was officially announced as "Earth-16", Grant claimed that he had already created a workaround.  So, here it is–on this Earth, Young Justice is actually a video game series.

Offspring's reaction after hearing of the death of his girlfriend has been avoidance.  It's almost as if he's internalized the reaction normal comic fans have when a character dies–he's continuing on with his life without mourning because he believes like most superhero fans do that she'll eventually come back from the dead.  It's only when this belief is shaken that his reaction ever changes.

Menta is the daughter of Doom Patrol's Steve Dayton, also known as Mento.  Steve's helmet, passed on to his daughter, gave a boost to his psychic abilities, granting him telepathy and intangibility, amongst other powers .  It seems the heroes appear to be aware of the Gentry on some level, even if they aren't actively fighting against them yet.

Pieter Cross is the third Doctor Midnite, created at the tail end of 1999 by Matt Wagner, while Bloodwynd is a necromancer created by Dan Jurgens during his time as writer/artist of Justice League of America.   With the notable exception of Chris and Damian (pushed as the "next generation" during the late 2000's just before Flashpoint), all of the main characters of this world appear to be either new or limited to the 90's.

The Kingdom element is strong with this book. Planet Krypton was a restaurant that originally appeared in Kingdom Come, run by Booster Gold and emphasizing a superhero theme, making its waiters and waitresses dress up as classic heroes.

Cissie King-Jones, daughter of Bonnie King, a would-be sidekick of Oliver Queen from the 60's.  She did a stint as Arrowette in Peter David's Young Justice comic of the late 90's as one of its earliest members.   It seems on this Earth Bonnie dated Oliver Queen's son Connor instead (which has strange implications considering she originally had a thing for Oliver).  Ironically, it was originally Cissie's mother that was obsessed with her daughter being famous and a superhero rather than Cissie, who eventually quit the hero business entirely after a bad experience with the costume.

Chris and Damian get to see the events of last month's Society of Super-Heroes #1.  Interestingly, it appears the Gentry may yet have the jump on our heroes as the book is simultaneously referred to as the way each earth communicates with the rest, but also possessing a form of powerful mind control, activated by reading the comic.

Hypothesis confirmed.  But is it only the "Ultra Comic" that's haunted, or do they all possess the ability to infect the readers?

The Transmatter Symphonic Array, last seen in Multiversity #1. It appears Luthors of all universes are being called to create devices like this, for some unknown purpose…

The ultimate villain of this world stands revealed.  But her reason for doing evil is as petty and empty as the lives of the heroes–because she wasn't invited to the party.   Additionally, Infinite Crisis suddenly comes to mind with this scene: no matter what world, a Superman and a Luthor will always be enemies.

Jakeem "Jay Jay" is actually another creation of Morrison's, the inheritor of Johnny Thunder's 5th dimensional imp, Thunderbolt.

And so as the Gentry send their agents to begin the true destruction of Earth-16, our teen heroes start the Party of the Century, while Superman lies unconscious and Batman is trapped by Jakeem and his girlfriend Alexis.  Uh-oh…

See you guys next month to visit Earth 4 in Pax Americana.

Sage Ashford is a college kid with far more hobbies than he has free time.  You can find him on Twitter @SageShinigami, but also at his own blog Jumping in Headfirst.

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