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The Multiversity #8
Ultra Comics #1
The penultimate chapter of the greatest adventure in DC’s history is here! The acclaimed FINAL CRISIS team of Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke reunite for a story so big it could only take place in the real world – that’s right, Earth-33 is back! With the Multiverse under attack, a team of scientists create one final savior to take on the otherworldly threat…and its name is Ultra Comics!
42 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,786 books4,597 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 12, 2016
Ultra Comics is the lodestone of Morrison's absorbing Multiversity meta-epic. on the narrative level, we discover the reasons behind the various attacks on various dimensions. on the thematic level, we have a fascinating examination of "cannibalism" in all of its forms - from the constant devouring & regurgitation & devouring again of comic book tropes and icons to the cannibalistic relationship between art & critic & audience to, well, actual cannibalism (very cleverly literalized as superheroes consuming other superheroes). on the ¡GRANT MORRISON MAGICK! level, we have a comic book as transcendent sigil, enticing comic book readers to come together and create something beyond panel and page with er the power of their imagination.
the art by Doug Mahnke is fine, sorta Frank Quitely light. and the rather large team of inkers and colorists certainly did a good job - everything really popped. the writing is smart, sardonic, and clearly energized by finally being able to spell things out to the audience and get to the heart of what makes The Multiversity tick.
Morrison hits his targets perfectly. too perfectly. on the nose x infinity. it was all pretty interesting to contemplate and there were many moments that amused and entertained, but overall it was less than compelling to actually experience. I like to read the text in search of the subtext; it turns out I'm not too big a fan of the subtext being front and center. sadly, it appears I can only take so much meta in my fiction.
that is the hero of Earth 33 - "Earth Prime" i.e. our world. this hero's name is literally Ultra Comics. he is talking to you, dear reader. to you and to me and to all the comic book readers of the world. unfortunately it wasn't my favorite sort of conversation. a bit cringey, to be honest.
July 31, 2024
When we finally get an issue to tie with another issue, it's this silly style of talking with the reader, make belief that we are part of the story when we really weren't, I didn't like it at all.
But yeah the monster that destroyed one of the earth's started here, and next issue is the end of it all.
I bet we collect the champions needed to beat that monster and either beat or save nix ouatan, sorry if the name is wrong, I am just remembering from memory.
But really wow 350 packed pages in a few days.
This isn't one of those fast read new dc comics, it's something for the ages.
Something DC and Grant Morrison and every artist who worked on it should be proud of forever.
But honestly reading this I am asking myself, does marvel ever do something this awesome?
I am not sure honestly, it seems DC with the creative freedom they give people like Grant Morrison is ahead in that regard.
Issue is even though I am mainly a marvel reader I didn't read much of the new marvel at all, so I am clueless.
And I actually read way more new DC comics because they keep resetting their world, and it's really easy to find a point to go back to, compared to Marvel who most of their resets are not complete resets but end up building on the last runs anyway.
So until I make heads or tails of the new marvel continuum, I will continue to believe that DC is the superior creators, just because of graphic novels like the Multiversity and the many things I am aware Grant did for them and Scott Snyder too.
But yeah the monster that destroyed one of the earth's started here, and next issue is the end of it all.
I bet we collect the champions needed to beat that monster and either beat or save nix ouatan, sorry if the name is wrong, I am just remembering from memory.
But really wow 350 packed pages in a few days.
This isn't one of those fast read new dc comics, it's something for the ages.
Something DC and Grant Morrison and every artist who worked on it should be proud of forever.
But honestly reading this I am asking myself, does marvel ever do something this awesome?
I am not sure honestly, it seems DC with the creative freedom they give people like Grant Morrison is ahead in that regard.
Issue is even though I am mainly a marvel reader I didn't read much of the new marvel at all, so I am clueless.
And I actually read way more new DC comics because they keep resetting their world, and it's really easy to find a point to go back to, compared to Marvel who most of their resets are not complete resets but end up building on the last runs anyway.
So until I make heads or tails of the new marvel continuum, I will continue to believe that DC is the superior creators, just because of graphic novels like the Multiversity and the many things I am aware Grant did for them and Scott Snyder too.
March 28, 2015
Hey - hey, you! Yes, you! The one reading this review right now. Isn’t it weird to meet like this? My voice - or maybe your voice, or what you think my voice sounds like - is in your head right now. Right. Now. Inside your head. The most personal space there is. And even though I wrote this before you’re reading this now - maybe you’re reading this the same day, maybe a few days later, months, whatever - it’s like we’re talking across time, right here, right now. Scroll down to the next paragraph.
Is this sounding a bit weird? A bit irritating, a bit smug? Yeah I’m starting to hear it now too. But that’s what this entire comic is: one long fourth-wall-breaking dialogue between Grant Morrison/Ultra Comics (which is a character, the comic, and YOU!) and the reader. Y’know, I remember a time when Morrison didn’t need to rely on gimmicks for his comics...
The Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1 is the penultimate issue to the series and the big bad is about ready to invade Earth Prime. The question is whether the audience is fed up at this point or still interested. Me, I’m pretty much in the former, glad to see the end of this overlong ride.
I’ll give Morrison this: it is attention-grabbing to have a character, even one as paper-thin (pun intended) as Ultra Comics, talking to you directly. But the format works against it, even though it’s reliant upon it. I expect it’ll work better in the collected edition but in this single issue there are ads for other DC properties dropped in at the most inappropriate times.
For example: one of the early pages after the prologue introduces the main story with “Activate Ultra Comics’ debut adventure! A nakedly allegorical tale we just hadda call…”
and then you turn the page… to an ad for “The official prequel to the upcoming video game - Batman: Arkham Knight written by Peter J Tomasi, etc…”
and then on the next page you get the second half of that sentence: “... Out of His Box!”
It really takes you out of the story and shatters the effect Morrison’s trying to create.
But a lot of the captions addressing the reader - “Don’t Read This Comic!”, “Don’t Turn The Page!” - present the reader with a false sense of control that Morrison is pretending to give them. If you’ve read this far in the series, what, you’re not going to read this issue? You bought the comic but you’re not going to turn the page? And if you don’t, will that mean the next issue won’t come out because you’ll have saved the world? It’s like button prompts in games - you have to press “x” to continue the game or you won’t get any further, so why have the button prompt at all? The illusion of control.
Furthering the meta-narration, Morrison has the audiences’ opinions (mostly negative, so he’s self-aware at least) written into Ultra Comics’ thought-stream. “That’s it, I’m OUT.” and “This guy’s raped my wallet WAY too many times!” are just a couple of the comments but they carry on in that vein. Didn’t see any that reflected my thoughts: “Lame gimmickry never made for good comics, Grant. Don’t think I’m mistaking any of this shallow nonsense as fresh, ground-breaking or brilliant - this is disappointing stuff from a writer as gifted as you. You wrote All-Star Superman, dude, how did you get from that to this!?”
And that’s Ultra Comics - another weak addition to Multiversity, though the end is thankfully near. Still reading this review? Ok, I’ll end it in a similar self-satisfied tone Morrison does this issue. Stop reading this review… now.
Is this sounding a bit weird? A bit irritating, a bit smug? Yeah I’m starting to hear it now too. But that’s what this entire comic is: one long fourth-wall-breaking dialogue between Grant Morrison/Ultra Comics (which is a character, the comic, and YOU!) and the reader. Y’know, I remember a time when Morrison didn’t need to rely on gimmicks for his comics...
The Multiversity: Ultra Comics #1 is the penultimate issue to the series and the big bad is about ready to invade Earth Prime. The question is whether the audience is fed up at this point or still interested. Me, I’m pretty much in the former, glad to see the end of this overlong ride.
I’ll give Morrison this: it is attention-grabbing to have a character, even one as paper-thin (pun intended) as Ultra Comics, talking to you directly. But the format works against it, even though it’s reliant upon it. I expect it’ll work better in the collected edition but in this single issue there are ads for other DC properties dropped in at the most inappropriate times.
For example: one of the early pages after the prologue introduces the main story with “Activate Ultra Comics’ debut adventure! A nakedly allegorical tale we just hadda call…”
and then you turn the page… to an ad for “The official prequel to the upcoming video game - Batman: Arkham Knight written by Peter J Tomasi, etc…”
and then on the next page you get the second half of that sentence: “... Out of His Box!”
It really takes you out of the story and shatters the effect Morrison’s trying to create.
But a lot of the captions addressing the reader - “Don’t Read This Comic!”, “Don’t Turn The Page!” - present the reader with a false sense of control that Morrison is pretending to give them. If you’ve read this far in the series, what, you’re not going to read this issue? You bought the comic but you’re not going to turn the page? And if you don’t, will that mean the next issue won’t come out because you’ll have saved the world? It’s like button prompts in games - you have to press “x” to continue the game or you won’t get any further, so why have the button prompt at all? The illusion of control.
Furthering the meta-narration, Morrison has the audiences’ opinions (mostly negative, so he’s self-aware at least) written into Ultra Comics’ thought-stream. “That’s it, I’m OUT.” and “This guy’s raped my wallet WAY too many times!” are just a couple of the comments but they carry on in that vein. Didn’t see any that reflected my thoughts: “Lame gimmickry never made for good comics, Grant. Don’t think I’m mistaking any of this shallow nonsense as fresh, ground-breaking or brilliant - this is disappointing stuff from a writer as gifted as you. You wrote All-Star Superman, dude, how did you get from that to this!?”
And that’s Ultra Comics - another weak addition to Multiversity, though the end is thankfully near. Still reading this review? Ok, I’ll end it in a similar self-satisfied tone Morrison does this issue. Stop reading this review… now.
March 26, 2015
There are so many layers to this short comic. You are always, in a sense, the hero in the stories you read; but in this you are literally the titular hero...and so is anyone else who reads it. You are Ultra Comics. I am Ultra Comics. We are Ultra Comics.
If you're feeling skeptical at all, fear not, Grant has included all of your criticisms, frame for frame, throughout the story as he demonstrates their silliness. Go ahead, open this one up, you may just learn a thing or two about yourself :).
If you're feeling skeptical at all, fear not, Grant has included all of your criticisms, frame for frame, throughout the story as he demonstrates their silliness. Go ahead, open this one up, you may just learn a thing or two about yourself :).
February 17, 2018
The cover for Ultra Comics is seen throughout from the first issue, so I was surprised at how meta this one was. Probably the most meta out of the lot. The connections also start to become more clear at this point as we head towards the end.
March 28, 2015
Wo, What the hell is this? Big Bat EGG! Big Bad Crisis! Boring new characters! and more in UltraSenseless comics
I liked how this issue started, the whole meta thing was interesting, and this story had been referenced to so much in the other previous comics that I had good hopes for this book, but after the first third of the book the whole meta connection is totally lost, and the only link that this seems to have with the other books is the Big Bat Egg, which was probably the lowest point in any of the other stories that it appeared in.
I read almost all of the other stories involved in Multiversity, and the whole thing is a big mess of nonsense. Really, what was this whole thing about? Nothing! new characters and new takes on old characters that speak like robots ( well, the little justice league seem to be robots after all) and all of them are so disconnected from any real feelings that they end up being the means of a senseless, uneventful trip. In each of their books all of the turn into this mechanical things after the first third of the book that I couldn´t care less for.
Pax Americana was the most interesting piece of the whole Multiversity thing, and it may be bacause it´s the one that doesn´t even try to connect with the other ones.
In order to like Gran Morrison you have to keep repeating to yourself that there is something really interesting interwoven in his writing , otherwise this stuff is really charmless and strange. ( I think that Sam Quixote stated something similar).
I like books that have several interpretation layers, but here the main reading is so ambiguous and so senseless that every attempt to decipher other layers will be pure free interpretation of the reader. Morrison just throws pieces of several jigsaws pretending to have some link among them. I would love to read the story that proves me wrong, and that settles the connections that don´t seem to exist.
I liked how this issue started, the whole meta thing was interesting, and this story had been referenced to so much in the other previous comics that I had good hopes for this book, but after the first third of the book the whole meta connection is totally lost, and the only link that this seems to have with the other books is the Big Bat Egg, which was probably the lowest point in any of the other stories that it appeared in.
I read almost all of the other stories involved in Multiversity, and the whole thing is a big mess of nonsense. Really, what was this whole thing about? Nothing! new characters and new takes on old characters that speak like robots ( well, the little justice league seem to be robots after all) and all of them are so disconnected from any real feelings that they end up being the means of a senseless, uneventful trip. In each of their books all of the turn into this mechanical things after the first third of the book that I couldn´t care less for.
Pax Americana was the most interesting piece of the whole Multiversity thing, and it may be bacause it´s the one that doesn´t even try to connect with the other ones.
In order to like Gran Morrison you have to keep repeating to yourself that there is something really interesting interwoven in his writing , otherwise this stuff is really charmless and strange. ( I think that Sam Quixote stated something similar).
I like books that have several interpretation layers, but here the main reading is so ambiguous and so senseless that every attempt to decipher other layers will be pure free interpretation of the reader. Morrison just throws pieces of several jigsaws pretending to have some link among them. I would love to read the story that proves me wrong, and that settles the connections that don´t seem to exist.
April 11, 2015
So... we are infected with a virus that disguises itself as a comic book or something like that? I mean it tells you something, the issue interacts with you, but not to the point that it will hypnotize you and make you kill or something like that.
I was hooked after reading the first three pages as Morrison tries to convey the thesis that we are part of this, part of the actual Multiverse. Yet after that, everything went downhill and just became a generic mash of weirdness.
I was hooked after reading the first three pages as Morrison tries to convey the thesis that we are part of this, part of the actual Multiverse. Yet after that, everything went downhill and just became a generic mash of weirdness.
December 20, 2017
I liked the concept behind this. Really liked the art.
Felt a little more on the trying-too-hard side than the this-is-really-thought-provoking one, buuuuut...
Honestly, it was kind of reminiscent of the superhero rides at Universal's IoA. You're a "part" of the rides, in that all of the videos while waiting in line sort of address you as participants in an experiment or other endeavor, and then you're THAT group of people being attacked by the villain. I liked that parallel, because, apart from really digging roller coasters, I've always enjoyed that more inclusive side to the IoA rides.
This comic fell into that same vein, and, even if you wouldn't normally pick up something so blatantly fourth wall-breaking, it's still worth the quick, fun read.
Felt a little more on the trying-too-hard side than the this-is-really-thought-provoking one, buuuuut...
Honestly, it was kind of reminiscent of the superhero rides at Universal's IoA. You're a "part" of the rides, in that all of the videos while waiting in line sort of address you as participants in an experiment or other endeavor, and then you're THAT group of people being attacked by the villain. I liked that parallel, because, apart from really digging roller coasters, I've always enjoyed that more inclusive side to the IoA rides.
This comic fell into that same vein, and, even if you wouldn't normally pick up something so blatantly fourth wall-breaking, it's still worth the quick, fun read.
November 25, 2020
Don't read this comic book.
August 12, 2015
Wow. What the hell was that? Sadly, this Multiversity run has had more down than ups and Ultra Comics is really scraping the bottom of an already well-scraped barrel. I mentioned in some earlier reviews of this arc that maybe Morrison was being too clever. Not sure this even applies anymore. Pax Americana was the high point for me and one or two other interesting issues. This however took a completely utter and nonsensical turn for the worst. Even by Grant Morrison standards this is a weird book. Tried to be existential and ended up a hot mess. How Multiversity can be considered a story arc is beyond me. Maybe I'm too obtuse for Morrison now or maybe I'm right on the money. Either way I've no clue as to what just happened, what was supposed to happen, and if I even enjoy his work anymore.
October 31, 2015
Sencillamente genial.
December 13, 2020
...Y si miras a Ultra Comics, Ultra Comics te devolverá la mirada.
December 26, 2020
Un "Elige mi propia aventura" metametatextual y críptico pero muy bien dibujado por Mahnke.
¡Cerrá el comic!
¡Cerrá el comic!
October 23, 2024
Este cómic fue vendido durante todos los cómics de Multiversity anteriores como un cómic maldito y el más importante de todos para entender lo que sucedía a través del mutiverso. Sin embargo, tras leerlo, no es la gran cosa. Es una pelea medianamente interesante entre Ultra y su contraparte que también se llama Ultra. Ultra es un personaje salido de la Tierra 33, Tierra Prima, donde no existen superhéroes, y esto hace que se transforme en un personaje que puede trascender la cuarta pared de los cómics, debido a que la Tierra 33 es de donde emanan todas las historias de los cómics, sin que haya un solo superhéroe en dicho lugar.
February 17, 2019
A strange and wonderful read
This was one Tripping ride !!!
clever & inventive story telling
comic books the way they should be
This was one Tripping ride !!!
clever & inventive story telling
comic books the way they should be
December 26, 2020
Metacomic un poco difícil de leer pero más difícil todavía de soltar.
April 4, 2015
Again, this series is flawed, but full of so many good ideas that you hope DC is smart enough to capitalize on all these new toys Grant has given them.
The whole meta-bit was all over the place, from interesting, to pretentious but seeing this gimmick used, not as a gag, but as an actual narrative structure kept me reading.
The main story thread still never feels solid, still feels like something slapped on just so Grant can do all these one shots, but when it takes the spotlight all you can think is Grant is ripping himself off.
Or if you're me, you keep wondering when the yellow aliens from Animal man are going to show up?
As a comic geek, the group shot of all of DC's Ultra characters was enough to get me to forgive some of the flaws.
Not perfect, still feels like just a set of ideas, rather than a solid story, but it's Grant so it at least feels that it's worth the ride.
The whole meta-bit was all over the place, from interesting, to pretentious but seeing this gimmick used, not as a gag, but as an actual narrative structure kept me reading.
The main story thread still never feels solid, still feels like something slapped on just so Grant can do all these one shots, but when it takes the spotlight all you can think is Grant is ripping himself off.
Or if you're me, you keep wondering when the yellow aliens from Animal man are going to show up?
As a comic geek, the group shot of all of DC's Ultra characters was enough to get me to forgive some of the flaws.
Not perfect, still feels like just a set of ideas, rather than a solid story, but it's Grant so it at least feels that it's worth the ride.
September 30, 2016
Questo volume, contrariamente a quanto comunicato sulla copertina, deve essere letto assolutamente da ogni fan del medium fumetto, essendo, ad oggi, una delle espressioni del meta-fumetto più complesse e riuscite di sempre.
Nonostante gli straordinari livelli di Hype generati dalla presenza di questo stesso fumetto all'interno di ogni altro numero della serie, Morrison riesce a non deludere ancora una volta.
Nonostante gli straordinari livelli di Hype generati dalla presenza di questo stesso fumetto all'interno di ogni altro numero della serie, Morrison riesce a non deludere ancora una volta.
March 31, 2015
This was my first Multiversity book and it confused the hell out of me. Intentionally, I think. As the reader, you get directly addressed and take part in the story in a wonderfully unique way. It's confusing and weird and absolutely brilliant. My brain is basically twisting in itself trying to figure out what just happened but it's so worth it. Must-read!
June 8, 2015
This is ok, but demands rereading together with the rest of the Multiversity books. I confess to more interest in DC's Multiversity than DC's Convergence series... but writer Morisson is always interesting. Doug Mahnke's art and Todd Klein's letters are great too.
Recommended.
Recommended.
Read
February 18, 2016+19 Multiversity; +14 Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Four; +2 Robin War #2; GLC: Edge of Oblivion #1; +2 Superman: American Alien #2-3; GL #48; Red Hood / Arsenal #7; We Are Robin #7; Robin - Son of Batman #7; Teen Titans #15; Swamp Thing #1
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2015
Morrison-y to the max.
I believe Grant Morrison tries too hard to make his comics cerebral. He crosses that border into pretentiousness, sucking the joy out of the story.
I believe Grant Morrison tries too hard to make his comics cerebral. He crosses that border into pretentiousness, sucking the joy out of the story.
March 31, 2015
Ay Dios. ¿qué es esto?
April 2, 2015
Normally I'm a fan of Grant Morrison's work, but this particular issue just failed on every level for me.
The artwork was noteworthy, but the story just didn't grab my attention.
The artwork was noteworthy, but the story just didn't grab my attention.
May 13, 2015
Yes, as the author himself points out, this has been done before. But read this comic (twice, as a necessity) and it'll be clear how fun that meta-textual trickery can get.
December 27, 2015
Historieta con trampa. Trampa en la que caí, no entendí, reví, y sé que terminaré releyendo de corrido cuando me le anime a una lectura íntegra y ordenada de Multiversity.
April 5, 2015
Basically Grant Morrison's "The Monster at the End of This Book"
March 27, 2017
This is a fantastic comic! I was immediately drawn in by the meta-conversation and its critique on how we consume media. That said, the story lags somewhat in the middle and seems to lose its meta-narrative. This was surprisingly frustrating given that the beginning was so strong. The end is an improvement on the dragging middle, but it does not quite live up to the promises made in the first few pages.
In the end, I highly recommend this, though it is definitely not for everyone.
9/10
In the end, I highly recommend this, though it is definitely not for everyone.
9/10
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