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Marvel: What If...The Multiverse Was Doomed?
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26An upcoming book to be published by Penguin Random House.
- GenresAdult
496 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 4, 2026
About the author
DaVaun Sanders
46 books109 followersDaVaun Sanders (he/him) resides in Phoenix, Arizona. His short fiction has appeared in FIYAH, PodCastle, Broken Eye Books, Dancing Star Press, the New York Times bestselling anthology, Black Boy Joy, and elsewhere. He continues to expand his work in children's SFF, for his own twins and kids everywhere who deserve to enjoy inclusive stories. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @davaunsanders for Rottie shenanigans, #twinlife updates, and occasional writerly things.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for an advance copy of this new adventure featuring Marvel characters from all over the myriad universes combing to forma group to stop the actions of Doctor Doom, actions that mean the end of everything.
I have been reading comics for the longest time. However unlike many I am not a person who is stuck on continuity. Maybe it is because when I started comics, my only supplier was my grandmother buying them for me at a local candy shop. As such I would read the middle of an adventure, sometime the end, or even a beginning with no idea what happened. I'd get Spider-Man one month, Sad Sack the next, Superman, after that. Continuity is a problem for new readers. One shouldn't have to learn 50 years of back story to enjoy a comic book. Which is why I enjoy stories like What If...? Sure some of them are based on important events What if Gwen Stacy didn't die, or if Captain America was never found. Or my personal favorite Conan the Barbarian in the Marvel Universe. Many though feature characters coming together, having adventures with explanations along the way. And are a lot of fun. Like this novel series. Marvel: What If...The Multiverse Was Doomed? is the fifth book in the What If...? series this one by DaVaun Sanders dealing with the aftereffects of the previous book, and an emboldened Doctor Doom on a quest for ultimate power, and leaving a trail of destroyed universes behind him.
America Chavez is a hero with the ability to travel between worlds with a past and burden that has tested her as a hero. Recently Chavez has crossed path with a Kitty Pryde from an other universe, an X-Man but one who is now filled with the most destructive power in the universe the Phoenix Force. Chavez and Pryde are finally at rest, enjoying pizza, a burgeoning friendship, and some peace from universal destruction, Watchers giving orders. However they know this is only temporary. Doctor Doom is loose in the multi-verse, seeking power the way on Doom can. Destroying those weaker than him, leaving a path of obliterated universes, and Doom more powerful than before. Doom's goal is Franklin Richards, the son of the Reed Richards and Sue Storm Richards, an Omega level mutant with untapped potential. Chavez and Pryde must form a super group, an Avengers of the Multiverse with other universe-displaced heroes to stop Doom. For it might mean the end of all things, for if Doom can't win, no one else will either.
This is the fifth book in the series, so I would really suggest reading the others. DaVaun Sanders does a good job of catching new readers up, but with the other books all written by other authors, some things might be missed. The story is good, cosmic in scope, big in problems, and yet the characters are all well-developed and interesting. I must say the book starts out a little teen fiction-ish, but I am old so that could be me. There are a lot of minor and major changes with characters, so continuity is not an issue. These characters are explained enough for new readers, though familiarity with Marvel in general would be helpful. Not movie Marvel, though most of these characters have appeared, or will appear soon. There is a nice pace to the story, intro, what has happened, pizza party, and whomp the adventure begins. The ending is good, makes sense, and leaves the story open for more.
A nice adventure, similar to the early prose adventures from the 1990's where one just had to know a bit about the characters to enjoy. I think these are the way to go, as What If...? allows a lot more story potential without having to bog those familiar down with the same old character backgrounds to keep new readers interested. A lot of fun, and the first work by DaVaun Sanders that I have read, and an author I will have to look out for.
I have been reading comics for the longest time. However unlike many I am not a person who is stuck on continuity. Maybe it is because when I started comics, my only supplier was my grandmother buying them for me at a local candy shop. As such I would read the middle of an adventure, sometime the end, or even a beginning with no idea what happened. I'd get Spider-Man one month, Sad Sack the next, Superman, after that. Continuity is a problem for new readers. One shouldn't have to learn 50 years of back story to enjoy a comic book. Which is why I enjoy stories like What If...? Sure some of them are based on important events What if Gwen Stacy didn't die, or if Captain America was never found. Or my personal favorite Conan the Barbarian in the Marvel Universe. Many though feature characters coming together, having adventures with explanations along the way. And are a lot of fun. Like this novel series. Marvel: What If...The Multiverse Was Doomed? is the fifth book in the What If...? series this one by DaVaun Sanders dealing with the aftereffects of the previous book, and an emboldened Doctor Doom on a quest for ultimate power, and leaving a trail of destroyed universes behind him.
America Chavez is a hero with the ability to travel between worlds with a past and burden that has tested her as a hero. Recently Chavez has crossed path with a Kitty Pryde from an other universe, an X-Man but one who is now filled with the most destructive power in the universe the Phoenix Force. Chavez and Pryde are finally at rest, enjoying pizza, a burgeoning friendship, and some peace from universal destruction, Watchers giving orders. However they know this is only temporary. Doctor Doom is loose in the multi-verse, seeking power the way on Doom can. Destroying those weaker than him, leaving a path of obliterated universes, and Doom more powerful than before. Doom's goal is Franklin Richards, the son of the Reed Richards and Sue Storm Richards, an Omega level mutant with untapped potential. Chavez and Pryde must form a super group, an Avengers of the Multiverse with other universe-displaced heroes to stop Doom. For it might mean the end of all things, for if Doom can't win, no one else will either.
This is the fifth book in the series, so I would really suggest reading the others. DaVaun Sanders does a good job of catching new readers up, but with the other books all written by other authors, some things might be missed. The story is good, cosmic in scope, big in problems, and yet the characters are all well-developed and interesting. I must say the book starts out a little teen fiction-ish, but I am old so that could be me. There are a lot of minor and major changes with characters, so continuity is not an issue. These characters are explained enough for new readers, though familiarity with Marvel in general would be helpful. Not movie Marvel, though most of these characters have appeared, or will appear soon. There is a nice pace to the story, intro, what has happened, pizza party, and whomp the adventure begins. The ending is good, makes sense, and leaves the story open for more.
A nice adventure, similar to the early prose adventures from the 1990's where one just had to know a bit about the characters to enjoy. I think these are the way to go, as What If...? allows a lot more story potential without having to bog those familiar down with the same old character backgrounds to keep new readers interested. A lot of fun, and the first work by DaVaun Sanders that I have read, and an author I will have to look out for.
July 6, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Again, prolly a 3.5 end of the day butttttttttttt
Ok, a lot of my criticism is gonna be personal, so to get objective and good things out of the way: well written, very distinct voices for each character, which is very important for a large ensemble like this (personally very big fan of America’s near constant use of Spanish) and the story is interesting and resolves in unique ways.
That said!
Oof this was a struggle to get through!
I think it can be tied to a very specific plot point that features the removal of my personal favorite of these What If characters from the back half of the book which happens to be when I felt when the story really dragged and I stopped reading this for like a month before I saw that my ARC was going to expire and I decided I still wanted to finish this. Cuz I love this series! All the others I read in like a couple of weeks! But I just kind of hit a wall here and had to actively push through to finish. And I think there we have my personal second problem and that’s that by default, as it’s the finale to the series, this is all more, not new, and longer as well. And I just didn’t feel as engaged.
It’s still good and a banger finale, I just didn’t run with it as much. And again, it’s mostly just cuz I didn’t like an early story choice and then that bled into my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
Oh also though, the pop culture references got very cloying. KPop Demon Hunters dates this book like crazyyyy (and I love that movie!) And when Doctor Doom referenced pop culture? That took me out every time
So yeah. I loved how this ended, wrapping up everyone’s story, and I’m soooooo glad those two got together at the end!!! But long stretches of eh in the middle really hurt my overall enjoyment.
Again, prolly a 3.5 end of the day butttttttttttt
Ok, a lot of my criticism is gonna be personal, so to get objective and good things out of the way: well written, very distinct voices for each character, which is very important for a large ensemble like this (personally very big fan of America’s near constant use of Spanish) and the story is interesting and resolves in unique ways.
That said!
Oof this was a struggle to get through!
I think it can be tied to a very specific plot point that features the removal of my personal favorite of these What If characters from the back half of the book which happens to be when I felt when the story really dragged and I stopped reading this for like a month before I saw that my ARC was going to expire and I decided I still wanted to finish this. Cuz I love this series! All the others I read in like a couple of weeks! But I just kind of hit a wall here and had to actively push through to finish. And I think there we have my personal second problem and that’s that by default, as it’s the finale to the series, this is all more, not new, and longer as well. And I just didn’t feel as engaged.
It’s still good and a banger finale, I just didn’t run with it as much. And again, it’s mostly just cuz I didn’t like an early story choice and then that bled into my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
Oh also though, the pop culture references got very cloying. KPop Demon Hunters dates this book like crazyyyy (and I love that movie!) And when Doctor Doom referenced pop culture? That took me out every time
So yeah. I loved how this ended, wrapping up everyone’s story, and I’m soooooo glad those two got together at the end!!! But long stretches of eh in the middle really hurt my overall enjoyment.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another fantastic read for Marvel fans. This is the third book in the ‘what if’ series set in the multiverse. Brings all the favourite heroes to life, with unique combinations you can only get within these novels and rare appearances not seen on film or tv. Really enjoyed this just like the previous two. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews