Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Mark Millar
Pencils: Bryan Hitch
Inks: Paul Neary
Colors: Laura Martin
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Publisher: Dan Buckley
A couple of years ago Marvel gave us the team of Ultimate Avengers that rocked the world. It was an amazing story that people were riveted to, and sadly had to wait and wait and wait for. Art delays held the book up for months on end, and by the time the book ended people were fairly numb to it. Now, looking back on it, it’s a much better TPB read than a comic read – and the ending leaves you a little empty.
Ah well, at least Ultimates Volume 2 is on track… right?
Given the idea that I had this review to do two weeks ago, but the book was delayed – yep, everything is perfectly on track.
Story!
Where we last left off, the Ultimates had taken out an alien race called the Chitauri and the Hulk. We join up now as Cap’n America drops down behind foreign lands to collect some hostages and do good in the name of his people. This doesn’t bode well with some people in America as the Captain was a tool to be used in domestic affairs only. Mister Rogers isn’t the only superhero that’s up to questioning though, with Giant Man trying to manuever himself back on the team as ‘ANT MAN’ and Thor going through his own possible identity crisis.
The beginning of Ultimates Vol. 1 – in my opinion, started shaky. The concept was an easy one to bring together, but the first two issues didn’t lock me in as much as this one did. It just felt better this time, with the characters established, and everyone moving naturally through the motions of what’s been set against them. And that concept really seems to be what is setting up the 2nd Season of Ultimates. These characters no longer need definition, they need trouble – and they have it in bulk. Not one single person seems to avoid some amount of personal strife and the team on this odd brink of universal acceptance and universal failure.
If I had any one thing to say, it would be that there were some spelling errors. For a book that got delayed an extra 2 weeks, you think they might have tossed it into a spellchecker.
Art!
The art in this title has never been in question by me. Hitch is a great artist who deserves all of the praise he’s received, but only with one exception – he’s probably not worth his hype. When I’m looking forward to a book, and I’ve been told it’s coming out – I expect it out. It’s not much to ask as a fan. His action work is some of the best in the business, and his consistant facial expressions and little nuances like the reflection of faces in sunglasses, eyeballs, windows, etc. …it’s nice… but is it necessary?
No. It lends Ultimates to be an EXCELLENT read in trade, and very nice to look at overall.
Overall!
With the idea that this book is not going to finish for another two years with 12 issues in the bag, I feel bad recommending it to someone – as it is kind of a weird exquisite torture. I will say that it is a damn fine read – and continues the Ultimates saga perfectly, in my humble opinion. So, if you are the type that is going to collect without worry as to when it comes out – please, pick up #1. If, though, you recognize that to read issue one is only going to get you drawn in, and then tortured when it doesn’t come out – wait and get the trade.
