Reviewer: Tim Stevens
Story Title: The Passion
Written by: Mark Millar
Penciled by: Bryan Hitch
Inked by: Paul Neary
Colored by: Laura Martin
Lettered by: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The Ultimates has always had a reputation for being part of the group of comics that embrace “widescreen action”. I’m not sure if it is a term that Warren Ellis made up (ala decompressed storytelling) or not, but it did come into vogue in relation to his (and then Mark Millar’s work) on The Authority. Bryan Hitch was, of course, Ellis’s collaborator on those first 12 issues. With that pedigree, it makes sense that people would stack The Ultimates in the same group. The irony being that, point of fact, The Ultimates is not a book that often traffics in the widescreen. Millar is much more focused on character interaction and political/public relations maneuvering, particularly this time out. However, every now and again, Hitch does get a chance to cut loose and prove that he is very much worthy of his place in the widescreen pantheon.
This issue, ladies and gents, would be that chance.
The Ultimates have tracked Thor to Norway and now, graciously having let Thor’s followers clear the area, plan to take on the man who would be Thunder God and bring him in for “help”. Thor quickly proves that he is more than equal to their assault, but, perhaps, not nearly as powerful as the love (in a creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy manner) of a brother for his sister.
It is all very impressive, full of dark blue hues, driving rain, lightning, and fire. Hitch, Neary, and Martin all deserve credit and praise for delivering the action and the atmosphere without either muddling up the other. This is a massive struggle amongst the most powerful (or technologically advanced) beings on earth and it most certainly feels like it.
Thus, it is most interesting that the most powerful moment of the book occurs not on the battlefield but in a boardroom. Dancing around specifics, Fury calls the Hawkeye, Cap, and Iron Man into his office and reveals that what Pym and Banner and, in this very issue, Thor have been discussing and warning was coming is here. Thor may or may not be crazy, but he certainly seems to have a grasp on the way the Ultimates program works.
It would be wrong to conclude this review without praising Millar’s writing of Thor. It would be easy to go too far one way or another (totally crazy or definitely misunderstood and manipulated by Loki) and perhaps tempting, but Millar skates the line nicely. He will, presumably, have to lay his cards on the table at some point, but for now, he is deftly playing the readers and the characters where Thor is concerned. He very well may be crazy, but he also appears to be the most virtuous amongst them and very much hip to what the government is eventually looking to do with its personal superheroes. So, even if he is nuts, does he belong in jail? And, if he’s not, how much more dangerous has life gotten for our heroes by locking him away?
