Marvel Comics Multiverse
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Universe/continuity
A Universe/continuity is a single reality, such as Earth-616, the mainstream Marvel Universe/Continuity. Note that in Marvel Comics, the concept of a continuity is not the same as "dimension" or "universe"; for example, characters like Mephisto and Dormammu hail from alternate dimensions and the Celestials from another universe, but they all nevertheless belong to Earth-616. A continuity should also not be confused with an imprint; for example, while the titles of some imprints, such as Ultimate Marvel, take place in a different continuity, some or all publications in other imprints, such as Epic Comics, MAX, and Marvel UK, take place within the Earth-616 continuity. Note that in context the Marvel Universe is often used to refer to the Marvel Multiverse or even the Marvel Megaverse.
Multiverse
A Multiverse is the collection of alternate universes, with a similar nature and a universal hierarchy. The Marvel multiverse contains Earth-616, most of the What If? worlds, as well as the vast number of the alternate Earths seen in the Marvel Universe.
The original term and concept were coined by Michael Moorcock for his "Eternal Champion" sequence where the lead characters are analogous to the Captain Britain Corps.
Megaverse
There are certain universes which are tied to the Marvel multiverse - such as the New Universe and the Ultraverse - which do not share any open similarities to it, and thus are not strictly part of the larger universal hierarchy that forms the Marvel multiverse, but at the same time, are not so far removed that they existed in a separate multiverse[3] The 21st century edition of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe posits the term Megaverse as the name for this larger grouping, though since there is always the chance that some future publications will increase the interactions between different Multiverses, this is a fluid definition.
Omniverse
The omniverse is the collection of every single universe, multiverse, dimension (alternate or pocket) and realm[4]. This includes not only Marvel Comics, but also DC Comics, Image, Dark Horse, Archie, and every universe ever mentioned or seen (and an infinite amount never mentioned or seen) including our own world. Everything is in the Omniverse, and there is only one Omniverse. According to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes, "It includes every single literary, television show, movie, urban legend, universe, realm, etc. ever. It includes everyone from Popeye to Rocky Balboa to Ronald Reagan to Romeo and Juliet to Luke Skywalker to Snoopy to Jay and Silent Bob, etc."
The term was coined by Mark Gruenwald in his fan publication, A Treatise in Reality in Comics Literature[2], and was also the name of the fanzine that he published for two issues before being hired by Marvel.
Alternate universes
The numeric designations of these alternate universes have been confirmed by Marvel Comics throughout the years and compiled in 2005's Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes, and in Marvel publications since the release of the Handbook. The prevalent method of numbering a universe is to derive numbers in some way from the publication date of an issue relating to the universe, usually its first appearance. This is, in turn, based on the mistaken belief that "Earth-616" derived its number from the publication date of The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961).