A glimpse at what's to come in ULTIMATE UNIVERSE #1

This week, the Marvel Rundown appears at Ultimate Universe #1, which bridges the hole between Ultimate Invasion and Marvel’s final plans for subsequent yr. This overview is SPOILER-LITE, so scroll down for the Rapid Rundown for some Spoiler-Free critiques of extra of the week’s books.

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Ultimate Universe #1

Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Stefano Casellli
Colorist: David Curiel
Letterer: Joe Caramagna

For the second time in lower than 5 months, we get a brand new #1 from Marvel’s slowly-reviving Ultimate line, all of which has to date been penned by Jonathan Hickman, who successfully destroyed the Ultimate Universe together with his 2015 Secret Wars occasion. This week’s e book is a one-shot, but it surely actually may have been Ultimate Invasion #5, as a result of it looks like a fairly tough learn if you happen to skipped that miniseries.

And if it’s not a continuation of that miniseries (the principle distinction being right here that The Maker, the antagonist of Invasion, is off the board in this e book), it’s extra a prelude to the brand new Ultimate Universe tales coming subsequent yr. None of that is unhealthy, after all. I learn and principally appreciated Invasion, and I’m enthusiastic about subsequent yr’s Ultimate books, that are to date Ultimate Spider-Man by Hickman and artist Marco Checchetto, Ultimate Black Panther by Bryan Hill and Stefano Casellli (who additionally drew Ultimate Universe #1), and Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko, which will get a quick teaser at the tip of this one.

It’s actually all simply to say that I feel this comedian may idiot some into pondering it’s a leaping on level, the place it’s extra of an in between story to join the hole between Invasion and the brand new stuff.

That stated, I loved it fairly a bit. This new iteration of the Ultimate Universe is basically beginning to really feel like completely its personal factor. It’s not a modernized, alternate Marvel the best way the road was initially when it launched to a lot fanfare in the early ’00s. It does revive a number of the plot threads that had been ended when that line concluded about eight years in the past now, particularly these created by Hickman himself, however for essentially the most half, it appears like the purpose of this new Ultimate Universe is to ship one thing new, one thing with the advanced sci-fi sensibilities which have lengthy marked Hickman’s work and made it the most well-liked interpretation of Marvel over the previous decade or so.

This new story actually feels extra in the lineage of the intertangled Fantastic Four and Avengers runs written by Hickman. Whereas these books took a long-standing superhero trope — worlds colliding and creating dying — and performed them extra significantly than is maybe typical, this one is doing the identical with one other concept, the concept that a villain who knew the longer term may go in the previous and basically cease superheroes from ever changing into heroes, thereby enabling them to management and rule the world.

Yes, the crux of those new Ultimate books to date is that Big Bad The Maker has principally pulled that off…however at the tip of Invasion Howard Stark managed to kind of lure him (not eradicate, however briefly lure, presumably). With The Maker occupied, the wisps of heroes in this world are doing their finest to undo a number of the pre-emptive steps he took to maintain them from coalescing in the primary place. It’s an attention-grabbing premise, and it leads to some nice set items and large moments right here, introduced to life by Caselli and colorist David Curiel in epic and glorious trend.

This e book additionally has teases and developments that really feel very important for the brand new stuff coming in 2024. I feel it’s a very good learn, however I do suppose it’s finest served by having learn Ultimate Invasion or planning to learn the Ultimate books due out subsequent yr.

Verdict: BUY, particularly if you happen to’ve been following this story to date

Rapid Rundown!

Spider-Boy #1
- Spinning out of author Dan Slott’s return to Spider-Man, Spider-Boy #1 follows the adventures of the younger arachnid hero, apparently a forgotten Spider-Man sidekick that had been faraway from actuality. The subject includes two tales, each written by Slott, who’s joined by collaborators together with artists Paco Medina and Ty Templeton and colorists Erick Arciniega and Dee Cuniffe in addition to letterer Joe Caramagna. The whole package deal is a large number, as is the whole idea of Spider-Boy. The tone is everywhere with slapstick comedy and physique horror blended collectively. The e book’s lack of ability to take itself significantly robs the character of any pathos and the story of stakes. It’s onerous to purchase into this collection when every new risk is a joke and the hero is a whiny baby. Both tales in this subject are structured the very same approach: Spider-Boy encounters a gag villain who’s considered one of his forgotten enemies, after which makes a large number of issues. The artwork is stable however doesn’t do a lot to elevate the weak script. It’s onerous to suggest this e book, which undermines the Spider-Man idea in common, by no means offers a cause for why we should always care about this new character, and has no definable mission assertion. —TR
Venom #27
- Since its begin, this present Venom collection has been a wierd, experimental title, however that’s not to say it hasn’t been fascinating. A little bit of behind the scenes mischief has seen Torunn Grønbekk change Ram V on the Dylan Brock centered arcs, which has led to the sudden addition of Black Widow to the title. Combined with the reintroduction of Toxin, it’s clear that Dylan is properly on his approach to constructing a contingent of symbiotes to combat in opposition to his father… I feel. These Dylan arcs have been a bit complicated, each due to the place they fall in the schedule and the truth that it’s been tough to nail down what Dylan’s motivations are. There’s additionally a big decompression to this that makes it onerous to really feel as if the story has moved ahead all that a lot because the final subject. Julius Ohta and Rafael Pimental create some stable motion right here, however there are moments the place it’s washed out by Frank D’Armata’s coloring, and it turns into onerous to see what’s occurring. Clayton Cowles makes what must be complicated lettering very clear with multicolored balloons to distinguish the symbiotes from each other. I feel this can make extra sense as time goes on, however I’m undecided how far more time I’m prepared to give these Dylan tales. – CB
White Widow #1
- Not having learn a variety of Yelena Belova aka the White Widow, most of what I learn about her is from the MCU, a barely off superspy/murderer, however author Sarah Gailey and artist Alessandro Miracolo give her an ideal introduction for readers not aware of her. White Widow is a unusual enjoyable learn that instantly makes Yelena an accessible character as she searches to discover her place in the world. Colorist Matt Milla and letterer Travis Lanham add to the look of the e book with vibrant playful colours and quirky lettering, she has an opinion board that may be a hysterical storytelling gadget as she strikes by means of the world determining what makes her blissful and what doesn’t. Widow is a fast-paced experience and I’m all in to see who this character is and who is that this mysterious Armament group that’s circling her. – GC3