Newuniversal

Newuniversal imagines concepts and characters that were introduced as part of Marvel's New Universe series during the 1980s. The New Universe was a set of eight linked titles launched in 1986 to celebrate Marvel's 25th anniversary, and championed by Marvel's editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. The New Universe comics were not a long-term success, with four titles canceled after a year, and the entire line canceled by the end of 1989. The original New Universe initially had no links to the Marvel Universe shared setting and did not present traditional superheroes. Instead, it offered "the world outside your window", a world that was identical to the real world in every respect until it was suddenly changed by the mysterious White Event, an incident that gifted some humans with inexplicable powers. Ellis has stated that he doesn't "think the original creators and editors realized until it was too late—it was all a single story. It shouldn't have been eight books (or whatever) that were eventually consolidated into ensemble miniseries. It was a single story that should have spun new series and serials off of it". Ellis has taken this approach to newuniversal, with his first storyline intentionally revolving around the four lead books of the original New Universe - Justice, Nightmask, Star Brand and Spitfire and the Troubleshooters. In December 2006, newuniversal #1 had sold out through Diamond Comic Distributors. A second printing was later released, with a new variant cover by artist Esad Ribic. newuniversal #2 had sold out and Marvel reissued the comic with a second printing again, with a variant cover by Esad Ribic. After issue #6, newuniversal went on hiatus and Salvador Larroca left the project. In 2008, the story was continued with a mini-series written by Ellis, newuniversal: shockfront, which was illustrated by Steve Kurth (penciller) and Andrew Hennessy (inker). The shockfront series was accompanied by two one-shot stories exploring the past of the newuniversal universe: newuniversal: conqueror and newuniversal: 1959. From the first issue of newuniversal: shockfront onwards, all newuniversal comics included a statement acknowledging that the series is based on original concepts by Jim Shooter, Archie Goodwin, Eliot R. Brown, John Morelli, Mark Gruenwald and Tom DeFalco, creators who worked on the original New Universe comics. In 2009, Warren Ellis lost his story files in a computer accident; he subsequently announced that the project is "basically dead". ==Setting==

Writer Warren Ellis describes the setting of newuniversal as "an alternate world where America is somewhat isolationist, Soviet Russia fell apart early and China took the lead in spaceflight"; In Newuniversal: Shockfront #2, Charlotte Yolanda Beck shows how history changed after Richard Nixon won the 1960 election. Aspects of the wider universe also play a direct role in the setting. The sudden changes to the world are triggered by the Earth's contact with the "newuniversal structure", an artificial web of strange matter. Each strand of the web is several light years across. The structure, assembled by a long-gone race, is mechanical in nature and deliberately alters several sentient beings on each world entering its strands, modifying them to perform specific roles. Ellis has confirmed that the alternate universe of newuniversal is also part of the larger Marvel Multiverse, designated as Earth-555. This is briefly touched upon in newuniversal #2, with a passing reference to the "Superflow for Universe 555". The first few issues of newuniversal state specific dates and times for their events, in keeping with the original New Universe concept—and quite different from the established Marvel Universe, where characters do not age in 'real time' and their histories are sometimes updated. ==Characters==

The main characters of newuniversal are based on the main characters from the original New Universe imprint, although Ellis felt that the New Universe "featured an awful lot of people with similar names, which I found odd -- Swensen, Remsen, Tensen" He then tracks down and kills the gang members who shot him, before embarking on a crusade as a vigilante, going so far as to slaughter a crowd of outwardly innocent people after determining that their sins outweigh their lives, and showing no apparent remorse over this act. Other characters • Philip L. Voight is the presiding officer of Project Spitfire, part of a government project tasked with monitoring and killing superhumans. He was originally a field operative and later the Director of the project. Before the White Event the government had only encountered three superhumans, created by the "Fireworks" in the 50s. In 1959, Voight was responsible for the deaths of these three, and also killed a baby, the child of two superhumans, in case he had inherited his parents' abilities. • Jack Magniconte is a quarterback for the New York Smashers Football team who strikes and kills an opposing player with a single blow during a charity exhibition game. This display of superhuman strength brings him to the attention of Project Spitfire and Philip L. Voight attempts to kill him by detonating a bomb left in a suitcase. It is not known if Magniconte survived the explosion, or if any civilians were harmed in the detonation. ==Creators==

• Warren Ellis (writer, newuniversal #1–6, newuniversal: shockfront #1–2) • Salvador Larroca (artist, newuniversal #1–6) • Steve Kurth (penciller, newuniversal: shockfront #1–2) • Andrew Hennessy (inker, newuniversal: shockfront #1–2) • Kieron Gillen (writer, newuniversal: 1959 #1) • Greg Scott (artist, newuniversal: 1959 #1) • Kody Chamberlain (artist, newuniversal: 1959 #1) • Simon Spurrier (writer, newuniversal: conqueror #1) • Eric Nguyen (artist, newuniversal: conqueror #1) ==Collected editions==

The initial newuniversal series has been collected into individual volumes: • newuniversal: Everything Went White (collects newuniversal #1–6, premiere hardcover, August 15, 2007, , softcover April 9, 2008, ) ==References==