Ultimate Comics Thread

[Aztec]

Use this thread to discuss the hype surrounding Mark Millar's return to The Ultimates. The Ultimates 1 & 2, written by Millar, are widely considered to be among the best comic storylines in the last decade, so his return deserves some good discussion here.

Yes I know there's a thread with "Ultimate Avengers" in the title but the actual thread is about Dark Avengers and has NOTHING to do with the new Millar series

Here are four articles/interviews with Mark Millar on the upcoming 2009 series:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090809-UltimateAvengers.html

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/111008markmillarultimateavengers.html

http://tinyurl.com/b5eypx

http://comics.ign.com/articles/908/908687p1.html

Confirmed Facts:
-Ultimates 1 & 2 was a "26 issue origin story" to Ultimate Avengers
-It will take place after Ultimatum
-It will focus more on supervillains
-It will also focus on the "Black Ultimates" who are assassins working for SHIELD like Hawkeye and Black Widow in The Ultimates
-It will take the Ultimate line back to its roots (translation: Away from Loeb's raping of the series)
-The Ultimates, Ultimate Spiderman, Ultimate X-Men, and Ultimate Fantastic Four will all be involved periodically
-Hawkeye's origin will be revealed
-It will be an "event book" with four separate 6 issue stories

Confirmed New Heroes:
Ghost Rider
Blade
The Punisher
War Machine
new Black Widow
African American Hulk
new Captain America

Confirmed New Villains:
Red Skull
Kang
Dracula
Doctor Doom

After just finishing The Ultimates 1 & 2, and absolutely loving them, I am pumped for this new series. I hope Millar keeps the same tone and pacing for this as those two arcs. Besides who doesn't love Red Skull?

 

[Mutagen]

Someone say Doom?

I'm interested.

 

[Aztec]

Someone say Doom?

I'm interested.

Yup and he'll be teaming up with Red Skull and Kang. Not a bad supervillian combo there!

 

[Manic]

 

[SpideyForPrez]

Sounds like a lot for just a 4-6 issue story. But still sounds pretty cool, Millar renewed his contract with Marvel for this I think, so it must be a good idea.

I wonder what the point of an African American Hulk will be? Will his skin go from black to... purple? Or just a darker shade of green?

And Dr. Doom wouldn't be a new villain necessarily would he? And have they done anything with an Ultimate Red Skull yet?

I guess I need to read Ultimates 2, only read 1 and 3 so far.

 

[TwilightPro101]

I'll give it a peek on the stands. Right now, it seems interesting enough. But I thought the same of Loeb's approach to taking over originally and that became a mess.

Hoping things improve.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I'm torn on this. I loved Ultimates 1 and 2, didn't read 3 but hated the art and character directions so I don't really want to bother with it. I've picked up the first 2 issues of Ultimatum and am debating on dropping it. If I have to read that and Ultimates 3 to get the idea of what's going on in Ultimate Avengers I'm not sure I want to even try it out.

 

[Aztec]

Shocker 90000,

Its four separate 6 issue mini-series'. Not a 4-6 issue series. Oh and read 2 it's awesome and flows right from 1. The ending battle of 2 (which I won't spoil) is one of my favorites in recent comics.

JewishHobbit,

I hear what you are saying. The Loeb run has turned most people off, but if you read the interviews Millar acknowledges that The Ultimates have tailed off in recent years, and he wants to bring it back to its roots so to speak. He's clearly talking about the Loeb stuff because, he keeps referring to The Ultimates as 26 issue run; which was his run on on 1 & 2.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Yeah, that's my saving grace. I figure I'll skim the first issue at the store and make my decision then.

 

[TwilightPro101]

Taking the same approach, when it comes down to it.

 

[Havok83]

theres going to be an Ultimate Avengers book? They are dropping Ultimates?

 

[THANOSRULES]

As a fan following Ultimates 2 I really was in to it until the delays got so bad it killed the book.

when your talking about enjoying this series..you probably looking at 5-6 years from now!

1 more year for it to come out.... 12 issues of this book will take 3 years to come out. Then however much more time till the trade comes out..becuase thats the only way I'll buy it.

Millar isnt as hot as what he used to be...and Marvel has self destructed Ultimates..will anyone even care about this book?

So let's not re-imagine Ultimates 1 and 2 like they were all peaches and cream.

 

[sdc10]

So will they just be ignoring ultimates 3?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

iLol'd

 

[JewishHobbit]

Yeah, I pulled my wife in to see it

 

[JewishHobbit]

As a fan following Ultimates 2 I really was in to it until the delays got so bad it killed the book.

when your talking about enjoying this series..you probably looking at 5-6 years from now!

1 more year for it to come out.... 12 issues of this book will take 3 years to come out. Then however much more time till the trade comes out..becuase thats the only way I'll buy it.

Millar isnt as hot as what he used to be...and Marvel has self destructed Ultimates..will anyone even care about this book?

So let's not re-imagine Ultimates 1 and 2 like they were all peaches and cream.

Ultimates 1 and 2 were wonderful, it was just the delays that really screwed it up for them. Trust me, serious delays turns me off of a title big time, I didn't even buy the last two issues of Ultimates 2 until a few months back. However, unless I'm mistaken, and I could be, I'm pretty sure the main delay for those books was Hitch wasn't it? So far Hitch isn't attached to this book.

 

[Blader5489]

Ultimates 1 and 2 were wonderful, it was just the delays that really screwed it up for them. Trust me, serious delays turns me off of a title big time, I didn't even buy the last two issues of Ultimates 2 until a few months back. However, unless I'm mistaken, and I could be, I'm pretty sure the main delay for those books was Hitch wasn't it? So far Hitch isn't attached to this book.

It was a combination of things. Hitch isn't a very fast artist to begin with (but he's not nearly as slow as Ultimates would suggest; just look at how relatively timely his FF has been), but I think he was moving and having a kid while drawing Ultimates. And Millar was dying, or something.

Anyway.

I absolutely cannot wait for this. I ****ing love Ultimates 1 and 2, easily one of my favorite comics of all time. If Millar can continue that kind of big budget spectacle with UA, I'll be happy.

 

[JewishHobbit]

The original Earth X stuff is my all time favorate comic story, but Ultimates 1 and 2 has to be up there in my top 5. Chances are I'll give this a shot.

 

[samurai black]

Confirmed New Heroes:
Ghost Rider
Blade
The Punisher
War Machine
new Black Widow
African American Hulk

Confirmed New Villains:
Red Skull
Kang
Dracula
Doctor Doom

Besides GR, Skull, and Kang aren't these people who've already been introduced into the Ultimate universe? And although I thought that Ultimates 1 & 2 were comic gold, i doubt that they can ressurect the mess that was Ultimates 3 and the encore mess Ultimatum. Won't like 3/4th of the Ult U be dead anyway?

 

[Aztec]

I can see how obnoxious the delays must be. I only buy trades, so I've only read all 26 in a few sittings. U 1&2 read very well together. If I were buying each issue separately and I had to wait 5 1/2 years for the whole story, then I could imagine being annoyed by that.

I agree that it may be hard to save The Ultimates from the disgrace that U3 and Ultimatum seem to be creating; but I like Millar's anything goes, all new lineup approach to the comic. If nothing else at least the series has its best writer back, and he's clearly pumped to revive it.

 

[Spider-Jay420]

I really liked Ultimates 1 and 2 despite the delays. I dropped 3 after the first issue. That said, I would totally buy Millar's Ultimate Avengers and forget Loeb attempted Ultimates at all.

Like it never happened.

 

[hippie_hunter]

theres going to be an Ultimate Avengers book? They are dropping Ultimates?

No. Ultimates 4 (or is it New Ultimates?) is still going to happen with Loeb at the helm. Originally Ed McGuiness was going to do the art, but now the artist is Frank Cho.

 

[Mutagen]

That does not please me at all.

 

[Sawyer]

So, essentially, they're putting out UA to divert attention from the ****** mess that is Loebs Ultimates. Jeph, really, you are a great writer when you are giving your attention to something that fits your writing style.... The Ultimates aint it.

 

[THANOSRULES]

yeah and Loeb still is allowed to continue....

Really, I also forgot one horrible factoid about Ultimates 2..because all of Ultimate continuity resolved around what happened in there the delays actually took the steam out of MANY other Ultimate books..especially the Gah-Lak-tus stuff.