Reviewer: Tim Byrne
Story Title: N/A
Written by: Warren Ellis
Penciled by: Trevor Hairsine
Inked by: Nelson
Colored by: Frank D’Armata
Lettered by: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Ultimate Nightmare has had a difficult time of it. Not only was it an extraordinarily slow-moving series, but it was plagued by significant and chronic lateness.
Any enjoyment which I may have had (and did have) in reading the last episode was measurably lessened by the problems which had preceded this final issue.
The team of the Ultimates and X-Men finally penetrate deep into the mysterious complex, and discover an Ultimatized (and significantly altered) version of one of the Ultimates / Avengers who explains the true meaning of the message and images which have been beamed out across the earth.
One cop-out of the Ultimate series is that, when previously-known heroes and villains are introduced, a certain dramatic resonance is assumed because the writers factor in a knowledge of the main Marvel Universe.
Knowing winks to the reader which play on existing knowledge is one thing, but when a dramatic punchline (as is the case here) is based upon a previous Avengers storyline, then I would call this dramatic laziness.
At any rate, the suspense does certainly get ratcheted up in this issue, and the fight between Cap and the Red Guardian is well-written, and also well depicted by the art team, who I think have been just itching to show off their chops in an extended fight sequence.
This mini has in some ways been produced as a lead in to two more mini-series, the first of which is Ultimate Secret. I had 90% decided to give that sequel a miss, but the dramatic tension created in this issue has managed to sway me the other way for the moment.
As mentioned, props to the art team on this more action-based issue, particularly for the work on the partly-destroyed character, who looks genuinely disconcerting.
As for the X-Men, there participation is woefully unjustified, and barely worthy of a post-script. Even one of the characters comments on how superfluos their presence seems.
