The Supermen of the multiverse unite.
Pete Tomasi is one of the few DC writers who seems regularly willing to play in Grant Morrison's toy box and directly continue Morrison's stories. It's been great to see Tomasi and his various collaborators craft a sequel of sorts to Multiversity in "Multiplicity." Sadly, though, a three-issue structure doesn't appear to be enough to do justice to such ambitious, high-concept material.
After two issues of memorable build=up, "Multiplicity" merely chugs to the finish line in this final chapter. There's a lingering sense of "That was it?" after reading this issue. The multiversal trappings don't really disguise the fact that this becomes a story about a bunch of Supermen being captured by an all-powerful villain and then banding together to beat up said villain. The resolution is disappointingly straightforward, and that villain is never properly fleshed out. It's neat that this arc winds up playing into some of the larger DC Rebirth mysteries, but that lack of development becomes a major hindrance in the final pages.
That all being said, Tomasi has a real knack for conveying Superman's innate goodness and optimism, and that doesn't change in this issue. While the scope of the story comes up lacking, Tomasi does offer an emotionally resonant look at Superman's ability to inspire even his own counterparts from other worlds. Tomasi also strikes gold when it comes to exploring the bond between Clark and New Super-Man protagonist Kong Kenan.
Visually, this issue also struggles to live up to the standard set by the previous two chapters. Rather than featuring Doug Mahnke as originally solicited, this issue is a joint effort between Tony Daniel and Clay Mann. Unsurprisingly, many pages have a very rushed quality. Daniel's pages lack the scope necessary to convey the larger than life elements in Tomasi's script, particularly when it comes to the massive vessel that is Ultima Thule. That really hinders what should be one of the key dramatic moments in the story. Mann's pages are better in that regard, with some very striking framing choices on display, but the inking is very haphazard and overpowers Mann's normally feathered, intricate line-work.
The Verdict
Superman #16 is a disappointing read considering the quality of the previous two chapters of this story and the series as a whole. This issue lacks scope in terms of both the visual presentation and the way the final battle between good and evil unfolds. There are isolated character moments and images that stand out, but they aren't enough to wrap up "Multiplicity" in the way it deserves.
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