SW10/REVIEW: Catalog of Earths, 2015 Update #4 of 5: Legacy Universes

[Scott Eiler]

--- PART 4:  Legacy Universes ---

UNIVERSE:  Godling

- Type:  Superhuman

- Chronicler(s):  Jochem Vandersteen

- Chronicler's Web Site:  apparently not

- Activity:  Every few months

- Relevance:  Minor; could interact with the Council, but not likely

- Threat Analysis:  Standard superhuman, as for last year.

- Critique:  Standard superhuman.  The original Godling is back, and 
it's hard to tell he was ever gone.  But the replacement has been given 
god-powers as well, admittedly suited to his vocation as a performer. 
The story has proceeded at more or less its regular pace, but has missed 
some opportunities for imagination.  (Like, what *does* happen when 
super-ninjas invade the Buddhist afterlife - other than Our Hero showing 
up to save the day?)  Also, Godling's world is full of guest stars; 
that's one of its strengths.  So it would be fun to see more of them in 
stories.

- Psychovant's Comments:  Well, I *dared* the gods to come down, and 
they did.  Now...  So what?

---

UNIVERSE:  Eightfold (Jolt City / Journey Into / Mighty Medley)

- Type:  Superhuman

- Chroniclers:  Tom and Mary Russell plus numerous guest writers

- Chronicler's Web Site:  apparently none

- Activity:  Roughly monthly

- Relevance:  Major; could easily interact with the Council

- Threat Analysis:  Incredible.  Previous series "Jolt City" and "Red 
Hart" are now complete, and "Orphans of Mars" is on hold.  The universe 
is now carried forward in the "Mighty Medley" series.  Imperial aliens 
known as the Pulse Collective have made their move to conquer modern-day 
Earth and exploit its cosmic connections.  They did not win at first, 
but they seem to have a backup plan.  Other reality-level threats 
continue to develop also.

- Critique:  The time-spanning end of Jolt City was impressive, 
especially for how it made the supporting characters important.  One may 
also be impressed by how quickly the Pulse War was fought.  Beyond that, 
the editors can be admired for the range of stories they allow.  This is 
the leading active shared-universe on RACC at present.

- Psychovant's Comments:  Shared-universe, huh?  Share THIS!  (insert 
photocopied portrayal of duck buttocks)

---

UNIVERSE:  Academy of Super-Heroes

- Type:  Superhuman

- Chronicler(s):  Dave van Domelen

- Chronicler's Web Site:  http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/ASH/

- Activity:  sporadic

- Relevance:  Minor; could interact with the Council, but not likely

- Threat Analysis:  Standard superhuman, mostly in eras removed from us. 
  Unchanged from last year.

- Critique:  Three stories were published this year.  They were set in 
1994, 2008, and 2026.  The series may be admired for providing 
full-spectrum history, but it's effectively ruled out interaction with 
the modern age.  Even in the future, the flagship series Academy of 
Super-Heroes has yet to follow up a story about the sun going out.

- Psychovant's Comments:  Oh, come on.  The Powernaut spews out a lot 
more stories than that, but he's ignoring the "modern age" pretty damn 
heavily too.


--- Next:  PART 5:  Recently-Discovered Universes ---

-- 
(signed) Scott Eiler  8{D> -------- http://www.eilertech.com/ ---------

When you *are* the leader... whatever goes wrong... whether you did it
or not... *you* are held responsible. - Barack Obama

I know. - Archie Andrews

- from Archie #617, March 2011, scripted by Alex Simmons.