Single universe or multiverse

[boltmonster]

Do you prefer a single universe for Marvel or a multiverse?

[jackolover]

Single universe. It’s less complicated. Multiverse is interesting, but it’s basically academic what alternatives are doing. I mainly concentrate my attention to one universe’s characters - the Prime universe.

[Grapeweasel]

Multiverse.

Not everything needs to be canon.

[Riv86672]

Multiverse.

Which is to say, things as they’ve always been. Marvel’s had alternate earths almost from the beginning (certainly as far back as WHAT IF...), and it’s all been handled well.

[XPac]

Definately multiverse. What If's can be fun, and alternate universes like the Ultimate Universe or the Supreme Powers Universe allows marvel to tell different sorts of stories they don't necessarily want to tell in the mainstream marvel universe.

From what I can tell there are no real downsides.

[Otto Gruenwald]

Multiverse forever. You can't make a superhero world without it. It's like having a superhero world without capes or magic.

[nnelg]

Multiverse

[Rosebunse]

I love having a multiverse, but I love the focus on 616 and its continued story. I'm haooy Marvel doesn't jump around kike DC does.

[Riv86672]

Definately multiverse. What If's can be fun, and alternate universes like the Ultimate Universe or the Supreme Powers Universe allows marvel to tell different sorts of stories they don't necessarily want to tell in the mainstream marvel universe.

From what I can tell there are no real downsides.

Then there are immigrants/refugees from other universes (there are a bunch running around the 616 right now), and books like EXILES, which are built around the Marvel multiverse.

[Sutekh]

Multiverse, all the way. I've always loved 'what ifs' and 'imaginary stories' and alternate histories. I also find it fun to see what a writer can do with a character that they are not allowed to really change (or kill!) in canon, if they've got complete freedom to follow their story, even if it results in significant change to the character, or to the world in which they reside, which, by editorial mandate, can't be changed noticeably for the long-term (as that would affect the long term of the IP, and impact all the other titles in that shared world setting).

And then there are fun stories like Exiles, where the multiverse is completely the point, and the setting, and the raison d'etre of the team, and it's just a fun ride.

[Sandy Hausler]

Do you prefer a single universe for Marvel or a multiverse?

Well, since Exiles was one of my favorite books, I'll go with multiverse!

[Phoenixx9]

Multiverse!!

" 'Nuff Said!"

[CentralPower]

I am more worried about the quality of the comics than I am about how well they fit together.

A multiverse is an editorial necessity (if only to paper over mistakes). But, comics that treat a multiverse as a necessity are generally not as good.

[Riv86672]

I am more worried about the quality of the comics than I am about how well they fit together.

A multiverse is an editorial necessity (if only to paper over mistakes). But, comics that treat a multiverse as a necessity are generally not as good.

That’s the main difference between Marvel and DC’s use of the multiverse concept.
At Marvel a reader doesn’t really have to think about the multiverse nearly as often, and it doesn’t drive the company’s direction for years at a time.
Not throwing shade at DC, but they’ve come to depend on the multiverse, and constant reboots where their entire line is just written out of existence/made into yet another reality in a huge, often confusing and sometimes off putting way.

You don’t see that at Marvel, and they’re better for it imho.

[Rosebunse]

That’s the main difference between Marvel and DC’s use of the multiverse concept.
At Marvel a reader doesn’t really have to think about the multiverse nearly as often, and it doesn’t drive the company’s direction for years at a time.
Not throwing shade at DC, but they’ve come to depend on the multiverse, and constant reboots where their entire line is just written out of existence/made into yet another reality in a huge, often confusing and sometimes off putting way.

You don’t see that at Marvel, and they’re better for it imho.

I think DC is at its best when it's about the one-offs, the one time stories and minies. While Marvel has that continued story which has made it so appealing for those of us who want to keep up with it.