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Ultimates 2 #8
Review posted: 27 Sept 2005
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: Marvel
4.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Adam White
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Given my past review choices, one might assume I hate Marvel
Comics, which is actually not the case. I rather like many of the
characters Marvel has to offer and I have enjoyed many Marvel Comics
over the years. The current state of Marvel as a whole, creatively,
leaves a lot to be desired, but there are some shining examples of
quality work to counterbalance the piles of dung like House of
M. Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch is one of
those examples.
Mark Millar has given every one of the Avengers characters a new
lease on life in the Ultimate Universe.
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Mark Millar has given every one of the Avengers characters a new
lease on life in the Ultimate Universe. Every character Millar has
used, from Captain America to Betty Banner, has a depth not seen in
the regular MU for a long time. Every character feels very real in
the way he or she talks, acts, and reacts to the situations that occur
in the book. Captain America isn’t an iconic automaton here
— he is a man misplaced in time, and acts the part to the point
other people can’t relate to him (he’s also apparently
something more than we believed, too); the Wasp goes back to her
repeatedly abusive husband despite his past transgressions, always
thinking that it’ll be better even though it won’t; Thor
has so many layers you’re honestly not sure if he’s a god
or a mental patient, and the jury’s still out on that one.
Millar has layers upon layers of characterization and plot, and
focuses not on the battles themselves but how those battles affect the
members of the team and how those characters change as a result. With
every twist revealed, five more take its place. Millar outdoes
himself in every issue, and #8 is no exception.
Bryan Hitch’s art is superb, detailing everything going on in
the book. Hitch adds artistic depth to an already layered story, thus
making this book possibly the best team book on the market. Every
character’s look is distinct, and Hitch captures his
characters’ emotions perfectly. Hitch communicates what’s
in the script so well that dialogue is often unnecessary, and any
exposition is pointless and does not appear. Hitch does what every
good artist should: makes the story work through the pictures so that
the writer can focus on characterization instead of explaining the
plot.
Ultimates works because of Millar and Hitch and the amazing
synergy they bring to the book. They created these characters and have
an investment in them and it shows. Every character and plot element
has a reason for being there and every issue always ends with a level
of excitement that leaves you saying: “That’s it!?! Man I
can’t wait for the next issue!” And, in the final
analysis, that’s what every good comic should do. Which is all
the more of a shame that when Volume 2 ends its run the Ultimates will
be handed over to Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira, about as wrong a choice
for ‘successors’ to the current creators as you can get
(with the only notable exception being a Chuck Austen/Rob Liefeld
pairing). So enjoy Ultimates now while you can, because it
will effectively end with the culmination of Volume 2. Don’t
wait for the trade — go pick it up right now.
—CCdC— Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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