So, while he did “lift it,” It wasn't not at all measurable nor could it count as anything but grasping the nature of infinite pages.
Sorry for the long message
But...
The claim that Superman and Shazam merely "grasped" the book mentally or that it was a purely symbolic/mental challenge is inaccurate and overlooks the direct narrative, context, and visual representation of the feat.
1. Explicit Physical Interaction:
The scene clearly depicts Superman and Shazam physically lifting the Monitor (the book-shaped entity). The narration explicitly says:
“We’re touching it. Holding it up.” There is no ambiguity, they are not merely perceiving or understanding it; they are physically interacting with and supporting its weight.
2. Scale and Context Matter:
This "book" is no ordinary object, it is described as the Monitor, an infinite intelligence and living void that holds the entire multiverse inside itself:
“A conscious, living void! With our entire multiverse growing inside it.” This establishes the Monitor as a literal infinite structure containing all multiversal timelines and stories, not a metaphor or projection.
3. Narrative Emphasis on Feedback, Not Solely Mental Pain:
While the narration mentions feedback and how it affects their minds, it’s crucial to note that this is in addition to the physical interaction. The idea that the weight was “purely mental” is contradicted by the consistent emphasis on strain, effort, and the overwhelming scope of what they’re physically holding.
4. Comparison with the “Holding the Sky” Feat Is Misleading:
The feat with the Sky was part of a mythological arc and was semi-symbolic. In contrast, the Monitor scene occurs in a multiversal narrative context grounded in literal cosmology, where entities like the Overmonitor, World Forge, and the Monitors are established as actual cosmic constructs.
Literal Narrative Stakes:
This wasn't a hallucination or dream, Superman and Shazam were interacting with the Monitor's substance to save the multiverse. The threat and action were both real and physical. They were literally holding up a structure of infinite scale and intelligence.
Visual Symbolism Supports, Not Undermines, the Feat:
Yes, there’s symbolism, as is always present in comics, but that symbolism adds thematic depth and does not negate the literal weightlifting of an infinite construct. The story is not suggesting it’s only symbolic; it's showing a literal action with symbolic consequences.
