Ever since I really started reading comic books, I feel like I’vve been waiting for Multiversity. Each year since 2010, I read that this would be the year when Grant Morrison’s follow up to Final Crisis would come out. Multiversity became almost a mythical comic in my mind. I heard rumors of a page in it that had 300 panels, and that the series would change the way I read comics. Whether or not Morrison intended it to be, in my eyes Multiversity was going to be the writer’s magnum opus. With DC Comics’ New 52 revamp in 2011, I had all but given up hope of seeing the series. But here, at long last, it is. And it’s weird.

Multiversity is a 9-issue miniseries; so far 5 of the issues have been published. Each story is written by Morrison and set in a different universe with drawn by a different artist. The stories seem somewhat connected, but it’s not easy to summarize how. If I had to give a brief synopsis, I would say that Multiversity is a story about different universes, collectively known as the Multiverse, interacting with one another in the form of comic books (the comic books of one universe are the reality of another and vice versa). There is also a neigh-omnipotent evil force called The Gentry which may be the cause of the conflict in most issues. The eighth issue, titled Ultra Comics, while yet unreleased, seems to be cursed and may be the source of The Gentry.

If from my synopsis it sounds like I’m not exactly sure what’s happening in this series, then that’s pretty accurate. As with other titles that Morrison has free range on, Multiversity rides the thin line between brilliant and incomprehensible–often times leaning more towards the latter. The first issue, Multiversity #1, is particularly difficult to read (as does also the fourth, Pax Americana). Indeed, in both its tone and complexity Multiversity #1 is most directly reminiscent of Final Crisis; it shares the older book’s apocalyptic feel, strange characters, and bizarre ideas. The characters of this issue include Stubbs the pirate chimpanzee and Captain Carrot, who is basically Superman but a cartoon rabbit. The main character (if there really is a main character) is a “multiversal monitor” who travels between the comic books in a brightly colored, vibrating spaceship so as to fight threats to the multiverse. Despite all this silliness the first issue does a good job of instilling an eerie feeling of impending doom, partly through its unique (and distinctly Morrison) narrative style that directly warns the reader to “stop reading.”

Each issue of the series is so densely packed with information and ideas that a Dickinson humanities major could write an entire senior thesis on any of them. This is not necessarily a positive thing. Morrison’s style of storytelling can sometimes seem more like the ramblings of a madman’s diary that a finely crafted narrative. There are, nevertheless, certainly some stand out moments in this series. In Pax Americana for example, paired with longtime collaborator Frank Quitely (on art), we see Morrison really come into his prime.  Some pages can be read backwards (!) and the story itself–though it encourages many readings and still doesn’t always make sense–is engaging. All in all, it’s experimental, bizarre, and utterly fascinating.

Despite its flaws, I can still definitely recommend Multiversity. Although it certainly isn’t for everyone, in terms of unique ideas and interesting designs this comic is a breath of fresh air for DC comics. Whether or not you’ll feel it succeeds in pushing the envelope for superhero comics may depend on personal preference but it certainly tries. For my part, before I can offer a final judgment on this series I really need to wait till all the issues have come out. Then maybe I’ll read it backwards, alternating issues, or read it in one-minute intervals occurring only at noon and midnight, or read it while rollerskating through the Hub in a gorilla costume. This is the sort of experimental thinking that a series like Multiversity makes you consider. It’s shaping up to be either one of my favorite comics in recent years or a mish-mash of complete nonsense. Either way, every issue feels like another clue and I like to think that its leading up to something incredible that may have been there the whole time. It’s good to have you back, Mr. Morrison. I’ve missed you.