Multiverses are all the rage in pop culture, and Marvel has gotten a lot of attention for theirs. While Marvel's multiverse is nowhere near the first in comics, with DC's beating it by decades, it's been responsible for some pretty amazing worlds. The stories set in these worlds have wowed fans for years, with many of them becoming a big deal to the regular 616 universe.
Marvel bringing more attention to their multiverse is always a good thing. It can be very different from their distinguished competition's, giving Marvel unique places to set stories that allow readers to see their favorites in new ways.
10 Otherworld Is A String Of Worlds Full Of Magic And Intrigue
The X-Men comics have often showcased multiple fan favorite alternate universes. One of the most unsung is Otherworld. First introduced in Fantastic Four #54, Otherworld would come to prominence in Exaclibur, a mutant book set in the British Isles. It allowed creators to play with Arthurian myth, as well as other British mythological traditions.
The Starlight Citadel is the center of Otherworld, with other worlds like the Holy Republic of the Fae, Amenth, Dryador, Roma Regina, and more surrounding it. It's proved to be a fertile ground for stories, taking readers to new places.
9 Limbo Has Long Played A Role In Magical Events In The Marvel Multiverse
There are many Marvel dimensions that all times and places share in the Multiverse. The most famous is Limbo. Limbo is a dimension where the detritus of other realms and magic all show up. Time and space run differently in Limbo; the linearity that heroes and villains are used to outside of Limbo is non-existent within the realm's boundaries.
Ruled for years by Belasco, he was deposed by Illyana Rasputin. As Magik, Illyana held power over the demons of Limbo but has recently abdicated her throne to Madelyne Pryor. Limbo doesn't get used much outside of the X-Men books, but it's quite unique in the Multiverse.
8 The Marvel Zombies Universe Is Good In Moderation
The tale of Marvel Zombies is a cautionary one for Marvel alternate universes. A superhero zombie apocalypse is an idea that paid dividends for Marvel and fans for a time, especially since in Marvel Zombies, the heroes were zombified. It was a good twist on a tried and true trope, allowing readers to see how the other half lived, as it were.
Great stories have come out of the Marvel Zombies universe, but so have some bad ones. It's a universe that works in moderation, but Marvel took it way too far for too long. It can still be a fun place to visit, but it should be used sparingly.
7 The Marvel Cinematic Universe Has Become Its Own Multiverse
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most popular current superhero universe, and it's now a multiverse itself. It's impossible to talk about Marvel without bringing up the MCU, even though its popularity is hit or miss among comic fans. However, looking at the MCU objectively, while it and its multiverse are often flawed from a writing standpoint, there are some great stories there.
The most interesting thing about the MCU is that it used to be considered a part of the comic multiverse, Earth-199999. However, with the introduction of its own multiverse, it's now the Earth-616 in that multiverse.
6 Earth-4023 Is The Home Of King Hyperion
Hyperion is Marvel's best multiverse character, with various versions in multiple universes. Sometimes, he's the greatest hero of his world. One memorable time he escaped his dying universe, came to the 616, and became the most powerful Avenger. On Earth-4023, Hyperion became a monster, slaughtered every hero and villain on the planet, and ruled over the resulting necropolis as King Hyperion.
Earth-4023 premiered in Exiles, giving the multiversal hero team an all-powerful enemy to battle. King Hyperion is a wonderfully insane villain, making him a great foil for any hero or group of heroes. Earth-4023 stories definitely follow a trope, but it's a trope comic fans love.
5 Age Of Ultron Introduced A Hank Pym-Less Universe That Was Intriguing
Age Of Ultron introduced a terrifying alternate future where Ultron had destroyed nearly all of humanity. Most readers forget about the alternate universe introduced in the book, though. After Wolverine and Sue Storm traveled back in time and killed Hank Pym, it created an alternate world where the Avengers became the Defenders, while Doctor Doom and Morgan Le Fay were fighting a war to the death.
Multiple crossover comics laid out what this universe looked like. It was very different from what fans were used to and didn't exist long enough to get its own Earth number, but it's fun for readers to revisit. It would be great to see it again in the multiverse.
4 The Ultimate Universe Changed Marvel History Forever
The Ultimate Universe was hugely influential on Marvel. Debuting in 2000, books like Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men, and The Ultimates became some of the best-selling in the industry. While it mostly fizzled out eventually, everyone agrees that Ultimate Peter Parker and Miles Morales's stories were well worth the existence of Earth-1610.
The Ultimate Universe was meant to be an opportunity for fans to experience the beginning of a Marvel Universe all over again. It was often edgier than it needed to be, but there are still some great stories from the Ultimate Universe, with its early days still holding a lot of fan esteem.
3 Marvel 2099 Has Always Been Beloved
Marvel 2099 started out as yet another Marvel alternate future. Embracing cyberpunk instead of the more run-of-the-mill dystopias, it introduced fan favorites like the Miguel O'Hara Spider-Man, the X-Men 2099, and the saga of Doom 2099. Eventually, it got its own Earth in the Multiverse, Earth-928, and has been revisited by Marvel many times.
Earth-928 has come back into vogue again. Led by Spider-Man 2099, there are so many opportunities for stories in its cyberpunk environs. Cyberpunk is a rich genre, and mixing it with Marvel's heroes of the future is an idea with legs.
2 Old Man Logan's Wasteland Has Proven A Fertile Ground For Stories
Old Man Logan's Wastelands has become massively influential. A future dystopia where the villains rose up en masse against the heroes, defeating them utterly and taking over the US, it introduced the fan favorite Old Man Logan. Since then, Marvel has used the Wastelands to tell stories with multiple future versions of other surviving heroes.
The Wastelands has allowed creators to give readers stories they'd never had before. Dystopian futures are a dime a dozen, but the Wastelands have a different feel to them, one that has allowed creators to take the trope in different directions.
1 The Age Of Apocalypse Is An All-Time Great
The Age of Apocalypse is Marvel's most influential story of the '90s. The story was the blueprint for every long-form alternate universe that came after it and dominated sales charts in 1995, spanning ten miniseries and two bookend issues. Age of Apocalypse took place in a universe where Professor X was killed before ever founding the X-Men, and Apocalypse took over the US; it was a story that had it all.
Few alternate universe stories were as fleshed out as Age of Apocalypse. It's a universe that has stood the test of time because of how much work was put into it. Even decades later, it's still everyone's favorite alternate Marvel Universe.