MICHAEL MOORCOCK'S MULTIVERSEE

Reviewed by Steven H Silver

Michael Moorcock is well know for his ability to recycle his characters and concepts into a variety of forms. His graphic novel, Michael Moorcock's Multiverse, is confirmation of this ability. Originally published as a series of three tales in the magazine of the same name, this graphic novel weaves these disparate threads together well.

"Moonbeams and Roses" follows the adventures of Rose, who originally appeared in the novel The Revenge of the Rose (1991) and Sam Oakenhurst, hero of Blood (1995) and subsequent novels. "The Metatemporal Detective" portrays Sir Seaton Begg of Moorcock's ubiquitous Begg/Beq/von Bek family as a 30s era detective in the Sherlock Holmes vein. Finally, "Duke Elric" transports Moorcock's most famous creation, the albino Melnibonéan emperor Elric, to Europe at the turn of the first millennium. All of this is framed by the story of a friendly evening of gambling between Jack Karaquazian (Blood, etc.) and Moorcock, himself.

All three adventures focus on the quest for the elusive Silverskin, a king, underworld crime boss and possibly more. Eventually, as Moorcock's protagonists close in on Silverskin, their stories become more closely wrapped together in the manner with which Moorcock has always combined his characters. Even before the culmination, such characters as Count Zodiac, Sir Seaton Begg's enigmatic cousin, bear a striking resemblance to other characters, notably Duke Elric. Because of the varying settings of which Moorcock makes use, and the differences between the plots, different aspects of the novel will appeal most strongly to different readers. The events surrounding the Rose and Sam Oakenhurst are probably the most metaphysical of all the plotlines, while Sir Seaton Begg's investigations are set in a London and Europe which Moorcock has frequently examined in such works as Mother London (1988) and his "Between the Wars" sequence (1981, 1984, 1992).

The illustration is well done, using colours, styles and designs appropriate to each storyline -- each story having its own artist. Walter Simonson's artwork and frames have a tendency to get a little busy when portraying the story in "Moonbeams and Roses." Mark Reeve's pictures, which illustrate "The Metatemporal Detective," use a dark, moody style evocative of the period and setting. John Ridgeway's illustrations for "Duke Elric" range from Anglo-Saxon England to the lands of northern Africa and the introduction of a Melnibonéan dragon.

Because of its graphic novel format, it is quite possible that Michael Moorcock's Multiverse will draw new readers to his works.

Unfortunately, the book is not the best introduction to Moorcock's work. There are several concepts in Michael Moorcock's Multiverse which are better explored, and in greater detail, in his textual novels. A new reader approaching them for the first time in a graphic novel format may find himself at a loss for what Moorcock is attempting to say and do. While knowledge of all or most of the characters and their relationships from their textual adventures is a help, it is not necessary for the enjoyment of Michael Moorcock's Multiverse.

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