Latest news with #multiverse
Geek Dad
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Review – New History of the DC Universe #1: At the Beginning
New History of the DC Universe #1 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: Uniting one of the top DC writers of all time with two of its most long-running artists, this book takes on an incredibly ambitious goal – retelling the entire history of the DCU according to the new all-encompassing timeline. The framing device finds Barry Allen, now retired as the Flash ever since he lost his powers due to Amanda Waller's machinations, collecting his notes for this book. After all, he's done the most traveling through time and the multiverse, and he knows it like no one else. And when we say it starts at the beginning, we mean it – this narrative begins long before superheroes, and long before Earth. The first few pages explain the history of some cosmic concepts like the Guardians, the Endless, the Parliament of Trees, and the New Gods – and how they're jockeying for power while Earth is still a smoldering ball and goes through several doomed civilizations at the very start. The archivist. Via DC Comics. And then, time speeds up. We cover millions of years in the first half of the book, and a few hundred in the back half as we see the first DC heroes emerge – first in the age of Camelot, as Shining Knight and Etrigan emerge from myth; and then in the Wild West as figures like Jonah Hex step onto the dusty plains. Characters like this are really more guardians than heroes, and the true superheroes we know don't really emerge until World War II – which is, of course, the era when the DCU as we know it really began. This issue takes us into the formation, rise, and fall of the JSA – and then uncertainty that comes after. But it stops right before a certain rocket arrives from Krypton. From now on, we're probably going to be seeing a lot more familiar moments, but this issue was a fascinating primer. It's definitely a sourcebook, but one with brilliant art and some very interesting insights. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Gundam GQuuuuuuX' Ends With Some Multiverse Magnificence
'Gundam GQuuuuuuX' has come to a fascinating end. The past few episodes of Gundam GQuuuuuuX took us down a multiverse rabbit hole, but the finale was something special. Obviously, heavy spoilers will follow, so if you've not seen the episode yet, you have been warned. I held off on covering the last few episodes because it was revealed that Lalah and her Elmeth had 'crossed over' into this universe. As I wasn't sure where this would end up, I wanted to see the whole arc before writing my thoughts up about it. While the initial batch of episodes were almost cut-and-paste monster-of-the-week affairs, they were mostly standalone. These last few episodes were different, though. In short, we have various nefarious plans by the Zabis, an all-new Newtype-powered super weapon, and the reveal that Lalah's grief created a multiverse. The grief in question was borne from Amuro killing Char in the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Except, in the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Amuro kills Lalah as she pushes Char out of the way. This act, and the Newtype bonding between Amuro and Lalah, intimating that they're soulmates, is the root cause of the animosity between Amuro and Char through the rest of their story, from Zeta Gundam to Char's Counterattack. In that, Char cannot admit that Lalah loves Amuro, and Amuro cannot get over the fact that he murdered his soulmate. It's a truly tragic aspect of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, but in this instance, it never happened. Instead, Char dies, and in her grief, Lalah shatters the universe to bring him back. This shattering pushes the Elmeth through multiple timelines, with some nerdy Mobile Suit Variation designs shown to denote that progression. However, it turns out that Shuji is somewhat the spirit or will of Amuro, and has been chasing Lalah to end her grief by killing her. In doing so, wiping the GQuuuuuuX timeline from existence. This is where things get interesting, as Machu and Nyaan want to not only save Shuji but also Lalah. Challia also figures out that Char is actually a hollow narcissist now that the Zabis are gone and realizes he will be no better in shepherding the future of Newtypes. The result is an Aura Battler Dunbine-infused final fight between a 'hyper' enlarged version of the RX-78-2, albeit in its Grey Ghost coloring (shown above), and Lalah awakening and taking herself and the original Gundam back to their own universe. Char and Challia have their 'last shooting' moment, in which Char understands that he needs to be a better person so Challia won't kill him. We end with a montage of Artesia taking the Zeon throne, which is a much better idea than Char, as we all know how his reign of Neo Zeon turned out in Char's Counterattack. Leaving with Nyaan and Machu on Earth at the beach, with Machu saying that the Gundam will help her find Shuji. As a finale, it's definitely a good one. It also addresses one of my main issues, that Char was treated as some kind of hero in this series. He was always meant to be a cautionary tale and to show the dangers of narcissism. It's clear that the team on this somewhat gets that, but I do still feel that they are overly pro-Char, which does come across as odd if you've seen the rest of Gundam. The latter point is also a noteworthy one; almost all of the above only really makes sense if you are very well-versed in Universal Century Gundam. It's likely why we started out with clan battle high school hijinks borrowed from Witch from Mercury, only to switch up at the end and leave all the newbies scratching their heads. Gundam GQuuuuuuX is definitely an interesting take on 'what if' certain events played out differently, and the multiverse element is also new for Gundam (kind of). I'm just not sure that it all sits together properly. Oh, there's also the neat aspect that the Gundam mobile suits in the GQuuuuuuX timeline all treat the core fighters as their main boosters. This was an idea Shoji Kawamori pioneered in his design of the GP-01 in Gundam 0083, although I doubt he will be credited here for that. Overall, Gundam GQuuuuuuX took a while to get good and interesting, but definitely delivered on the latter half of the series. I would strongly recommend you watch as much Universal Century Gundam as you can in order to 'get' all that's being referenced here, as it does go deep on the lore in a way that is great fun for nerdy Gundam fans like me, but may leave newer viewers at a loss. The series also ends in a rather open-ended way, with Shuji's fate unknown, and Machu and Nyaan teaming up and looking for him. I would be curious to see a second season, but only if they drop the entirely unnecessary clan battles and follow through on the multiverse aspects. Gundam GQuuuuuuX is now streaming worldwide via Amazon Prime Video. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
CNET
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
11 Great Horror Movies to Watch on Prime Video
Coherence is a huge favorite here at CNET and it's a terrifying watch. Not necessarily in the traditional, gory, horrific sense but more in terms of the concepts. It's a multiverse movie released before multiverses were cool and is not what you expect. Coherence is the kind of movie you'll finish and immediately rewatch to try to rewire your brain. It's a fantastic achievement and a must watch.
CNET
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
11 Great Horror Movies to Watch on Prime Video Now
Coherence is a huge favorite here at CNET and it's a terrifying watch. Not necessarily in the traditional, gory, horrific sense but more in terms of the concepts. It's a multiverse movie released before multiverses were cool and is not what you expect. Coherence is the kind of movie you'll finish and immediately rewatch to try to rewire your brain. It's a fantastic achievement and a must watch.
Washington Post
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Journey to other realities in June's best speculative fiction books
Multiverses rule pop culture right now, because we love imagining that the world might be better than this one — or at least different. This month's best science fiction and fantasy books include an alternate version of real-life history, plus two books where portals allow people to visit wildly different realms. Forget superheroes meeting other versions of themselves — these books offer truly earth-shattering thrills. In Patel's version of the 1960s, the British Empire never abandoned India — instead, it brutally slaughtered Gandhi, Nehru and others in the 1930s. Kalki is a young woman whose long-missing father was a leader of the Indian Liberation Movement, and now she's ready to step up and fight to free her country. Scenarios in which things turned out worse are a staple of the alternate-history genre (see Robert Harris's 'Fatherland'), but Patel takes a subtle approach to the trope, exploring the dehumanizing logic of colonialism and what it takes to fight back. 'Ten Incarnations of Rebellion' might remind readers of Season 2 of the Star Wars series 'Andor,' thanks to the one-year gaps between each of the 10 sections, but also to its unflinching look at the costs of liberation. Patel's brilliantly observed story stands alone, though, showing both the empire's brutal tactics and the social dynamics of the colonized. Some Indians collaborate for their own gain, and the British use Hindu-Muslim tensions to divide and conquer. One of Kalki's allies is a low-caste Dalit, who fears more caste-based oppression in a postcolonial India. Patel cleverly demonstrates how great uprisings come from small acts of defiance, like sharing traditional songs and displaying Hindu myths. It's uplifting but also harrowing and at times distressing. Toward the end, Kalki looks at her friends and realizes, 'The empire had changed us all for the worse.' In Patel's version of the 1960s, the British Empire never abandoned India — instead, it brutally slaughtered Gandhi, Nehru and others in the 1930s. Kalki is a young woman whose long-missing father was a leader of the Indian Liberation Movement, and now she's ready to step up and fight to free her country. Scenarios in which things turned out worse are a staple of the alternate-history genre (see Robert Harris's 'Fatherland'), but Patel takes a subtle approach to the trope, exploring the dehumanizing logic of colonialism and what it takes to fight back. 'Ten Incarnations of Rebellion' might remind readers of Season 2 of the Star Wars series 'Andor,' thanks to the one-year gaps between each of the 10 sections, but also to its unflinching look at the costs of liberation. Patel's brilliantly observed story stands alone, though, showing both the empire's brutal tactics and the social dynamics of the colonized. Some Indians collaborate for their own gain, and the British use Hindu-Muslim tensions to divide and conquer. One of Kalki's allies is a low-caste Dalit, who fears more caste-based oppression in a postcolonial India. Patel cleverly demonstrates how great uprisings come from small acts of defiance, like sharing traditional songs and displaying Hindu myths. It's uplifting but also harrowing and at times distressing. Toward the end, Kalki looks at her friends and realizes, 'The empire had changed us all for the worse.' Type-A personality Brenda and rebellious slacker Kat might seem like opposites, but it turns out Kat lives in a different world than ours: one of magic and mystical creatures. Kat and Brenda spark a romance, thanks to mysterious portals that keep opening between their two versions of Los Angeles. But Kat is the Chosen One in a prophecy, destined to sacrifice her life to save her city, and Brenda finds clues to a conspiracy that threatens both realities. I was expecting 'Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe' to be similar to 'Spells to Forget Us' by Aislinn Brophy, another romance between a magic-user and someone who knows nothing of magic. Lee, however, takes a different path, showing how Brenda and her friends rejoice in learning about magic — and eventually change how Kat thinks about it, too. A great romance is partly about characters expanding their worldview, and Lee deftly uses her characters' love affair to explore their fictional world, slowly unveiling a complex mythos. In Kat's world, magic has been domesticated until it looks just like technology, and it takes people from a world of tech to see how magic can be used more creatively. 'Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe' is a slow boil: It takes almost 90 pages for Kat and Brenda to spend time together. But after that, the book picks up steam and becomes endlessly fun, especially once you get to the adorable miniature dragon. Lee's book stands apart from the recent flood of fantasy romances thanks to its clever interweaving of high stakes with a heartfelt love story. Type-A personality Brenda and rebellious slacker Kat might seem like opposites, but it turns out Kat lives in a different world than ours: one of magic and mystical creatures. Kat and Brenda spark a romance, thanks to mysterious portals that keep opening between their two versions of Los Angeles. But Kat is the Chosen One in a prophecy, destined to sacrifice her life to save her city, and Brenda finds clues to a conspiracy that threatens both realities. I was expecting 'Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe' to be similar to 'Spells to Forget Us' by Aislinn Brophy, another romance between a magic-user and someone who knows nothing of magic. Lee, however, takes a different path, showing how Brenda and her friends rejoice in learning about magic — and eventually change how Kat thinks about it, too. A great romance is partly about characters expanding their worldview, and Lee deftly uses her characters' love affair to explore their fictional world, slowly unveiling a complex mythos. In Kat's world, magic has been domesticated until it looks just like technology, and it takes people from a world of tech to see how magic can be used more creatively. 'Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe' is a slow boil: It takes almost 90 pages for Kat and Brenda to spend time together. But after that, the book picks up steam and becomes endlessly fun, especially once you get to the adorable miniature dragon. Lee's book stands apart from the recent flood of fantasy romances thanks to its clever interweaving of high stakes with a heartfelt love story. Seven doors appear around the globe, each of them opening periodically to reveal an otherworldly realm. Ayanna's father belongs to a cult that worships the doors, but her Catholic mother believes the doors to be a hoax — and after a divorce, Ayanna's sister, Olivia, goes to live with their mom, while Ayanna stays with their father. A fateful encounter traps one sister on the other side of a portal while the other starts being able to communicate with ghosts. 'Meet Me at the Crossroads' has a lot to say about grief and living with the constant presence of the dead — but it's ultimately a life-affirming book about overcoming depression. Giddings has an unparalleled ability to write about upsetting events while still capturing the tiny joys of being alive. Chief among those joys is finding a group of friends who see you and are willing to help you do foolish things to help you heal. She explores religion as both a response to grief and a nourishing fellowship. A subplot about an abusive ghost feels at times as though it belongs in a different book, but it eventually pays off beautifully. All in all, 'Meet Me at the Crossroads' sparkles with humor and insight, confirming Giddings as one of the best current authors of speculative fiction. There are so many quotable lines, including a description of velociraptors as never needing vacations, because for them 'stillness was death. Their religion was momentum and feasts.' Seven doors appear around the globe, each of them opening periodically to reveal an otherworldly realm. Ayanna's father belongs to a cult that worships the doors, but her Catholic mother believes the doors to be a hoax — and after a divorce, Ayanna's sister, Olivia, goes to live with their mom, while Ayanna stays with their father. A fateful encounter traps one sister on the other side of a portal while the other starts being able to communicate with ghosts. 'Meet Me at the Crossroads' has a lot to say about grief and living with the constant presence of the dead — but it's ultimately a life-affirming book about overcoming depression. Giddings has an unparalleled ability to write about upsetting events while still capturing the tiny joys of being alive. Chief among those joys is finding a group of friends who see you and are willing to help you do foolish things to help you heal. She explores religion as both a response to grief and a nourishing fellowship. A subplot about an abusive ghost feels at times as though it belongs in a different book, but it eventually pays off beautifully. All in all, 'Meet Me at the Crossroads' sparkles with humor and insight, confirming Giddings as one of the best current authors of speculative fiction. There are so many quotable lines, including a description of velociraptors as never needing vacations, because for them 'stillness was death. Their religion was momentum and feasts.'
