In the Ultimatum storyline that decimated the heroes of the Ultimate universe – the X-Men were all but destroyed, the Fantastic Four disbanded, the Ultimates were forced to regroup with S.H.I.E.L.D. and even Spider-Man had to get a job at a fast food restaurant. All the titles were cancelled, but Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man (ongoing), Ultimate Comics: Iron Man Armor Wars (limited series) and Ultimate Comics: Avengers (ongoing) quickly replaced the old titles. All this destruction and rebooting seemed to come out of a need to create something more than a “modern take” on the Marvel U by trying to create new stories without being held to redo’s of old storylines. We’ve already read them once or they’re available in trade – who cares how a new writer would tell the story anyway. That’s not to say that Bendis and Millar haven’t done a good job writing the characters but it’s all still a retread. Now in early 2010, Jeph Loeb and Frank Cho are bringing us the New Ultimates as an ongoing series. Because the Ultimate Avengers have become more of a rotating superhero black ops team for Director Carol Danvers and S.H.I.E.L.D., the New Ultimates are Earth’s only public superhero team. Early preview art by Cho looks incredible and show Captain America, Valkyrie and another unknown Asgardian woman with a big axe (Sif?). Loeb is planning a story that has Loki, who believes the missing Thor is dead, attacking Earth with the evil forces of Asgard under his command. But without Thor at their backs, will they even be a speed bump to Loki’s armies?
Even bigger news in the Ultimate universe and the world of comics, may be the return of superstar artist Art Adams to a monthly book with Ultimate X. Also written by Jeph Loeb (hopefully this will get him off of the mainstream Marvel books… we’re all sick of Red Hulks…), Ultimate X won’t just be about mutants or even superheroes, but about the hard choices that have to be made in this post-Ultimatum world. While Loeb didn’t give away too many details of the series, he did say that the underlying theme of the title will be hope. I for one, hope we do get to see what’s left of the mutant population after the deaths of Angel, Beast, Blob, Cannonball, Captain Britain, Cypher, Cyclops, Dazzler, Emma Frost, Forge, Juggernaut, Longshot, Lorelei, Madrox, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Polaris, Professor X, Psylocke, Sunspot, Toad, Wolverine, Firestar and Havok… and what they are up to. Are Kitty, Colossus, Mystique, Sabretooth, Storm and Jean Grey just hanging out or what? From what I surmised in Marvel.com’s interview with Loeb, this could easily turn into an “x-files type” title.
I’m more interested in the Ultimate Universe than I have been in years – what about you?
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