15 Must-Read Sci-Fi Comics about Alternate Universes
The concept of alternate universes has long been used in fiction. Over the years, many comic books have been put out by DC, Marvel, and other independent companies, all of whom have portrayed alternate universes in a variety of ways. Stories about the possibility of a universe other than our own can excite almost every comic book fan.
For readers who wish to immerse themselves into alternate universes alongside the characters, however, there are great comic book options.
1. Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse (2022-2022)
Gwen Stacy gets bitten by a radioactive spider and gains arachnid-like superpowers and starts a crime-fighting career as Spider-Woman. The story explores various scenarios portraying what happens if instead, she picks up the enchanted hammer, Mjolnir? Or if she receives the Super-Soldier Serum? Or build a high-tech suit of armor? and some other possibilities.
Throughout the five-issue series by Tim Seeley, Spider-Gwen tumbles through time and comes face-to-face with herselves!
2. Earth 2 (2012—2015)
This 32-issue comic series features the greatest heroes on an alternate Earth, where the Justice Society struggles against a threat unlike any their world has ever faced that will set them on a collision course with other worlds.
3. Flash of Two Worlds (1961)
“Flash of Two Worlds” is a must-read, it introduced the science fiction concept of parallel universes in DC Comics, as the Flash learned of a way to use his super-speed to travel across dimensions to “Earth-2,” home of an older generation of heroes who began their crime-fighting careers in the 1940s.
Recreating a rope climbing trick, the Flash begins vibrating his molecules when he suddenly disappears from the stage. He later finds himself outside near an unfamiliar city, which he discovers to be Keystone City, the home of the Golden Age Flash. Keystone City is located on an Earth in a parallel universe.
4. World’s Finest, Vol. 1: The Lost Daughters of Earth 2 (2012-2015)
Power Girl, Superman’s cousin from a parallel-universe Krypton and Huntress, the daughter of a parallel-universe Bruce Wayne get marooned on earth. These two heroes from Earth 2 are forced to fight evil in strange new surroundings while working on a means to reopen the portal to Earth 2.
The story revolves around how Huntress and Power Girl got to our earth and what they’ve been doing the past five years, and then back to the present where they fight for the fate of millions against the Irradiated Man.
RELATED: Top 10 Bird Themed Comic Book Characters
5. Michael Moorcock’s Multiverse (1997-1998)
This twelve-issue comic book series features individual stories depicted as an independent series of events set across different locations and time-lines, by the conclusion of the title the three plot threads had converged in a logical manner centered on their mutual search for the Silverskin, an enigmatic underworld crime figure and recurring protagonist from Moorcock’s novels. The multiverse contains a legion of different versions of Earth in various times, histories, and occasionally, sizes.
6. Exiles Vol 1 (2001–2008)
The Exiles consist of heroes assembled from different dimensions and different points in history in order to save the universe by traveling to certain important periods in certain dimensions and performing specified missions. Led by Blink from the popular storyline X-Men: Age of Apocalypse, they must set events in each world on their proper course or risk themselves being ‘blinked’ out of existence.
7. The Adventures of Luther Arkwright (1978-1989)
Set in parallel universes, Luther Arkwright is a good read. The eponymous hero has the unique talent of being able to move between parallels purely by force of will and is aided by Rose Wylde, a telepath whose many incarnations across the parallels are able to communicate with one another.
Luther and Rose are agents of a parallel known as “zero-zero”, whose stable position in the multiverse has allowed the development of a world at peace with itself and sufficiently high technology to monitor the parallels for signs of the malign influence of the “Disruptors.”
RELATED: Humans aren’t going to Make It: 15 Post-Apocalyptic Comics You Should Read
8. Infestation (2011-2012)
If you are a fan of zombie stories, then you should add this to your reading list! An interdimensional portal to Dimension Z unleashes armies of zombies across the universes of Star Trek, The Transformers, Ghostbusters, G.I. Joe, and pocket god.
9. Kingdom Come (1996-1996)
Set in an alternate reality outside that of the mainstream DC Universe, this four-issue series is a classic. The story takes place in a dark alternate future of the DC Superhero Universe where the heroes have retired and all that remains are countless reckless metahumans who have little regard for humanity.
The continued recklessness of those young superheroes compels Superman and other old heroes to come out of retirement in order to help get the world back on the right track.
10. Gold Key: Alliance (2016-2016)
In the present day similar to the real world, there are alternate counterparts of four Gold Key original characters who co-exist but live different lives. One day, Magnus, Turok, Samson, and Solar are hunted by an alternate counterpart of Doctor Spektor, who warns them about the upcoming destruction of the multiverse.
11. Higher Earth (2012-2012)
The story of this comic takes place in a universe of interconnected Earths. Higher Earth is a world that has conquered 99 other Earths from alternative timelines. It tells the story of a girl named Heidi and a rogue soldier called Rex.
12. Pet Force (1998-1999)
In an alternate universe existing parallel to Garfield’s own, a team of five superheroes known as “Pet Force” serve Emperor Jon as protectors of his throne. The villain Vetvix takes away the powers of Pet Force and sends them to a ghostly dimension where they will be trapped forever, Jon is compelled to have his right-hand man, Sorcerer Binky, use a dimensional portal to find five alternate versions of the heroes to battle the universe’s most evil veterinarian.
13. RASL (2008-2012)
RASL is a must-read science fiction comic portraying the story of RASL, a scientist who has created a way to transverse dimensions based on Nikola Tesla’s scientific work. He is also an art thief who jumps to parallel universes in attempts to steal famous paintings but runs into trouble as he is followed by the authorities.
14. Spider-Verse (2014-2015)
This remarkable comic series features multiple alternative versions of Spider-Man in the Multiverse, all under attack by Morlun and his family, the Inheritors. The Superior Spider-Man accidentally transfers to alternate Earths, where he finds the bodies of alternate Spider-Men and decides to create a team of Spider-Men to fight the killer.
15. Star Trek/Planet of the Apes: The Primate Directive (2014-2015)
When the crew of the Enterprise discovers the Klingons are up to something, they decide to investigate. When their pursuit puts them into a slingshot maneuver, they find themselves in an alternate universe. In this universe, the Earth is ruled by Apes!
Is There an Alternate Reality from a Comic You Would Like to Live In?
Is there an alternate universe from a comic book you would like to live In? Have you read any of these comics?
Let us know on social media.
