We got some final issues to Marvel’s Blood Hunt tie-in books, DC’s Absolute Power event kicking into full swing, and a great first issue of Jed McKay’s post-Krakoan X-Men title. Even though the week was pretty good. Nothing really seemed to stand out of the list. But after a couple of days of thinking about it, I have to say the book that’s stayed on my mind after reading has to be…
Comic Book of The Week:
The Ultimates #2
Camp / Frigeri / Blee
When I heard Jonathan Hickman wouldn’t be writing this issue, i lost all confidence in this book. I figured it was another run where Hickman debuts it and then steps away… one of the problems i had with his early run on Krakoan-era X-Men. But I must admit, Deniz Camp really takes the ball and run with it. As we continue to build this version of The Ultimates, we get two new members in the form of Giant Man and The Wasp, as they all storm the White House with the entent of finally ‘saving America’. But they soon realize that ‘America’ in the reality has changed and is more of a corporation than a country. They face the villain (or president?) named Midas. He gives them a extended expositional monologue on the state of ‘America’ today, juxtipose with an early time of the newly thawed Steve Rogers reviewing the history of the country threw holographic videos. What initially feels kinda like the end of the first arc turns into a beatdown of this unexperienced team. Unlike the Avengers of Earth-616, the lack of training really shows, and it take everything they have to ‘stop’ Midas. The closing reveal is interesting, finding and rescuing (maybe, the 616 version of) America Chavez from Midas’ capture. Is she going to another member? Will she and her dimension-hopping powers be the link to the normal Marvel Universe? We get more questions than answers by the end of this book, and that’s the way i like it!
I’m impressed with Camp’s script (if he did write and not just polish Hickman’s story). Frigeri’s art is reminiscent of the original Ultimate Universe style, while putting his own spin on it. It made it easy to see these characters as different than the normals, even though they were wearing the same outfits.
As the end of each book, we get a countdown to when The Maker, the Reed Richards from the original Ultimate Universe and the manipulator of the universe, will be released from his prison. So the formation of these Ultimates are on a condensed timeline with only seven months left. The timer gives this book an extra sense desperation, as we can clearly see that The Ultimates are nowhere ready for a threat as dangerous at The Maker. With each book seemly being one month apart, I’m guessing this countdown will lead to this Universe’s first big crossover. How other books like Ultimate Spider-man, Ultimate Black Panther, and Ultimate X-Men will play into this? No idea, but I’m definitely curious.
Rating: 3.25/5
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