MultiVersus: Collision Detected

by Bryan Miller, Matt Herms (illustrator)

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Superheroes, Video Games

152 pages, Paperback

Published March 4, 2025

Reviews

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tie-in with the game, although it includes characters who never made it in (and some that are included appear in unconventional ways). Adequately entertaining but not exceptional overall. About halfway through, one issue gets some unexpectedly not-kid-friendly content after the Joker shows up, and it feels like a sprint to the end after that. (B)

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite enjoyable read. loved seeing the use of cartoons and Warner bros characters collide in this crossover

[Vail Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a very simple man: if I see a crossover between somewhat recognizable characters, 95% of the time, I will enjoy it. And while the game this is based on died before it could gain any traction, I got a tinge of seratonin seeing some wacky characters be in places they should not be.

That lil hit of happiness doesn't last long as they kinda lampshade it on the very first page on the very first issue: WHY? Lotsa cosmic shenanigans and multiversal mumbo-jumbo's involved, but overall, any port in a storm of nonsense. It's the false advertising and knowing the story will never be completed that gets it for me. False advertising because despite some of the covers, some classic recognizable faces under the WB umbrella DO NOT show up in the way you expect (robot drone facsimiles; a particular mad scientist invisibly controlling another character with a WUB A LUB DUB, etc) or not at all (Gizmo the Mogwai could've been the substitute for the OC critter and nothing really would've changed!).

But yeah, the humor is a highlight, the action is wacky, and most of the time the characters are true to form. And even if it ends on a To Be Continued with no hope of it actually concluding, it's still worth a look if you wanna see Bugs Bunny play off of Batman or the Wicked Witch of the West tussle with Wonder Woman in Gorilla City.

[JJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My general tendency to play games far after their release meant that I never got to play MultiVersus before it shut down. My understanding, however, is that there wasn't really a story mode -- it was basically an excuse to smash a bunch of Warner Brothers properties together in a fighting game. These six issues of Collision Detected are the closest to a story we get (note: as of this writing, the Goodreads page has a typo to call it "Detection" instead).

The promise of this sort of comic is basically getting to see all these different characters interact, and maybe a little background for why they're fighting. It's not super deep, but if you really do need a reason, there is a story in this comic -- it's not just a series of fights, or anything like that. If you really wanted to know why people are fighting in MultiVersus, this series will tell you.

The art is better than I expected from a tie-in comic like this. All the characters are expressive, colorful, and look good in motion. Not everyone is drawn in a completely identical style, but it's a good blend that finds the balance between looking how you'd expect and not looking jarringly different from one another. However, the panels don't always flow well and sometimes I was confused about who was talking or why a scene ended abruptly.

The characters are where this series really stumbles. The focus is on the DC "trinity" of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, with Steven Universe probably next in line for the most focus. You see other characters too (Bugs Bunny, Shaggy & Scooby Doo, and original character Reindog make appearances, for example) but this very much feels like a DC Comics superhero story with some other characters thrown in the mix. There are some particularly big omissions or teases on covers for characters who don't appear, as well. If you're here for any character other than the DC heroes or Steven Universe, you may leave disappointed.

Overall, Collision Detected is a serviceable miniseries that answers the question "Why is everybody fighting in MultiVersus?" and lets you see some beloved characters from various franchises interact. But it's not exactly a showcase that fans of every included franchise should immediately flock to. You might as well read if you're a fan of the game, but keep your expectations in check. Otherwise, no reason to read this one.

[Rhys Causon · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what this comic is, it’s does its job of being fun enough to tell its own story and somehow make these characters meeting each other make sense.

Though for me, it felt like some designs for the characters felt a bit off. I don’t know how close they are to the game counterparts but little things like the way Bugs held themselves, or Diana (and especially Barda) felt just a little too slim when they’re both warriors that can fight harder and longer than most. They didn’t scream warrior in their design.

But for the most part, the designs were good because even though I haven’t watched Steven Universe at all the art helped me understand what Steven’s character was like enough to enjoy their inclusion.

So did I expect to enjoy this as much as I did? No. Does that mean I was pleasantly surprised when reading this? Yes.

Just know what to expect going in and you’ll have a good time.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I reread the last chapter while waiting for a doctor's appointment and it finally hit me. Despite the to be continued, etc. on the last page this mini-series was over.

It was not a great series, but it was fun. DC broke out a lot of Warner's properties from various areas (Looney Tunes HB cartoons, Cartoon Network) and I wish that they had gone a little farther. I mean think about the Venture Brothers in the DCU.

This is a light read, and arguably aimed at a younger audience. A better crossover story than say Power rangers/Godzilla.

[Alex A · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fast-paced, shallow story lacking, as one would expect from this kind of thing, fun interactions between the characters. Many of the Multiversus characters don't even really appear.

The art is passable, but not great.

The trade paperback's greatest sins are that it doesn't clearly break up the issues and doesn't feature Dan Mora's fantastic cover art. (But it does contain Riley Rossini's nightmarish #1 variant :/)

[Jaq Greenspon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what the thinking was here. It might have been to merely show they had access to all these characters and wanted to throw them together in an adventure, but surely there would have been a better, more organic way to do it? And to top it off, the story itself isn't over - the book ends with a "to be continued."

[Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

The game that would not die...
Six issues that try and describe the thin premise of a free to play fighting game...

WB/DC properties crossover with very little explanation in an effort to describe a fighting game. Meh. 'To Be Continued' only because they haven't featured all the characters yet

[Robert Bussie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A confusing wafer thin story is highlighted by cartoon cameos and great art work.

[Arman Waggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome Crossover, I feel like there should be more comics about this with more characters from the game. Like, Finn and Jake and Tom & Jerry like in the cover and Rick, Too!

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Artwork was great in this collection.

[lem · Rating 3 out of 5]

very cute and silly

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this far more than I expected; what fun!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool also Fortnite Nothing?

Why didn’t um Rick show up

Or Finn and Jake

Or Tom and Jerry

Anndd idk who the green dog is

[Nicholas Dehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this lol it was a light, easy read that was both fun and funny

[Luke Yeomans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way better than I thought it would be. The art is amazing, I love the art style and the story is solid.

[Belfry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.25 stars