The Ultimates

AUTHOR: Millar, Mark

ARTIST: Bryan Hitch (illustrator); Andrew Currie (inker); Paul Neary (inker); Laura Martin (colorist); Larry Molinar (colorist); Paul Mounts (colorist); Chris Eliopoulos (letterer); Cory Petit (letterer)

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

FIRST SERIAL PUBLICATION: 2002-2004; 2004-2007

FIRST BOOK PUBLICATION: 2010

Publication History

An alternate-universe Avengers tale, The Ultimates by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch follows the eponymous superteam as it deals with threats against the United States and the world at large, with the action taking place in Marvel’s Ultimate universe. Beginning with the launch of Ultimate Spider-Man in 2000, Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics featured reimagined, modern updates of many classic Marvel characters, created with the intent of drawing in new readers that might otherwise have been put off by the ever-growing canon and continuity of the original Marvel Universe. Ultimates writer Millar first worked in the Ultimate universe on the initial run of Ultimate X-Men.

From 2002 to 2008, Millar worked with Hitch and, despite constant production delays, released twenty-six, often oversized, issues that together comprise The Ultimates and The Ultimates 2, which were both generally well received. Their run was notable for its stance on many contemporary political issues, including American militarism, preemptive strikes, and global terrorism. Following the conclusion of The Ultimates 2, writer Jeph Loeb and artist Joe Madureira released the five-issue miniseries The Ultimates 3 in 2008 to almost universally poor reviews.

Plot

The Ultimates opens with a flashback to the European theater of World War II in 1945. American supersoldier Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America, leads an attack against a Nazi nuclear facility. The American forces are successful, but Captain America is lost while disabling a nuclear missile in flight and presumed killed in action.

In 2002, General Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., meets with Dr. Bruce Banner, whose alter ego is the monstrous Hulk, and discusses the establishment of a government-sanctioned team of supersoldiers dedicated to fighting the rise in supercrime and superterrorism. Other members of the team include married scientists Hank and Janet Pym (whose superhero names are Giant Man and the Wasp, respectively); alcoholic billionaire industrialist and entrepreneur Tony Stark, who invented the Iron Man weapon suit; and the recently discovered and revived Steve Rogers, who had been frozen into a state of suspended animation in the Arctic Ocean.

While the newly assembled team, called the Ultimates, publicly attempts to justify its multibillion-dollar existence in the face of media skepticism, it also deals with internal group strife among many of the team members. This inner turmoil eventually leads Banner to inject himself with a combination of a blood sample from Captain America and the Hulk serum, transforming him into the Hulk and sending him on a destructive rampage through Manhattan. The Hulk is finally stopped by the combined efforts of the Ultimates and the self-proclaimed Norse god Thor.

Though the Ultimates are considered public heroes after stopping the Hulk’s rampage (with the Hulk’s true identity remaining secret), in private, the situation is far from simple. Hank Pym, humiliated by his poor performance against the Hulk, severely beats and nearly kills Janet in a violent domestic dispute.

After hearing of Pym’s abusive attack, Captain America attacks and defeats Giant Man (Pym), putting him in traction. The timing is inopportune, however, as Fury reveals that the stage is set for an impending alien invasion by a race of shape-shifters known as the Chitauri. With the help of S.H.I.E.L.D. black-operative agents Hawkeye and Black Widow, as well as the tactically timed release of the Hulk, the Ultimates successfully defeat the Chitauri.

The Ultimates 2 opens one year after the events of the first series with Captain America air-dropping into northern Iraq, where he rescues a group of American hostages. This prompts criticism from some, including Thor, who feel the act is an example of the United States deploying superhumans in a militaristic manner that interferes with foreign affairs. Meanwhile, an unknown traitor in the Ultimates has disclosed the Hulk’s true identity to the media, resulting in public outcry for Bruce Banner to be punished for the murders of more than eight hundred people. Banner is found guilty and is set to be executed, but he escapes at the last moment with help from Hank Pym. The world believes the Hulk dead, and Banner begins a life of hiding.

Later, Janet Pym and Steve Rogers begin dating, and Tony Stark and the Black Widow are set to be engaged. Meanwhile, Thor becomes a target of the Ultimates after violently defending a group of Italian protestors from an attack by the police. The Ultimates meet up with their European supersoldier counterparts, including a scientist claiming to be Thor’s brother, who insists that Thor is a deranged mental patient. After a harsh battle, Thor is imprisoned in the Triskelion, where he is taunted by his evil half brother, Loki, the Norse god of mischief, who orchestrated the events leading to Thor’s downfall.

After Thor’s capture, Hawkeye’s family is murdered in their home and Hawkeye is abducted. Loki tampers with surveillance tapes, making Captain America appear responsible for the murders. Nick Fury and a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents subdue and imprison Captain America.

With Thor and Captain America out of commission, the Liberators, a group of superterrorists from countries hostile to U.S. foreign policy, attack, while Black Widow betrays Tony and reveals herself to be the traitor in their midst. The initial wave of the Liberators’ attack destroys the Triskelion, and the United States finds itself in danger of succumbing to the foreign attack.

The Ultimates turn the tide of battle, however, with Thor, Hawkeye, Captain America, and Tony Stark escaping their captors and Bruce Banner, now in control of his Hulk alter ego, returning. Along with other superheroes such as Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four and a group of Asgardian warriors, the Ultimates defeat the combined forces of Loki and the Liberators, saving the United States from foreign occupation.

Volumes

•The Ultimates: Ultimate Collection (2010). Collects issues 1-13. The group is formed. The Hulk rampages through New York, and the Ultimates defeat the Chitauri.

•The Ultimates 2: Ultimate Collection (2010). Collects issues 1-13. The Hulk’s identity is revealed, creating public backlash against the Ultimates. Loki convinces the Ultimates that Thor is an escaped mental patient. In the end, Loki is defeated by the Ultimates, with help from the Asgardians and others.

Characters

•Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, once a youth deemed physically unfit to enlist in the U.S. Army during World War II, joined the government’s supersoldier program and was transformed into the peak of human perfection. Fighting the Nazis under the alias Captain America, Rogers was believed dead but was later discovered by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the Arctic. In 2002, he is the field commander of the Ultimates team, as he is a tactical genius. He has some difficulty adjusting to the culture and mores of modern American life.

•Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, is a philandering, alcoholic, multibillionaire industrialist and genius who created and operates the Iron Man weapon, an extremely powerful suit that he pilots as a member of the Ultimates. After the group splits from S.H.I.E.L.D., he finances the group’s continued existence.

•Thor is the son of the Norse god Odin. Muscular in build, with Nordic features and the ability to fly and control lightning, he claims to have been sent to Earth by his father to help save the humans from self-destruction. Thor’s engagement in radical, left-wing politics often puts him at odds with other members of the Ultimates, but after the battle with Loki, all is seemingly put right.

•Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, is a world-renowned genius geneticist and the one-time director of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s supersoldier program. He was transformed into the uncontrollable Hulk after an accident that occurred before the events of the series. He is set to be executed after a Hulk rampage kills hundreds in Manhattan, but he escapes and learns to better control his transformed state, eventually assisting the Ultimates in the battle against the Liberators.

•Henry “Hank” Pym, a.k.a. Giant Man and later Ant-Man, is a genius scientist who, after taking samples of his wife Janet’s genetically mutated DNA, creates a formula that allows him to grow to just under sixty feet tall. Though brilliant, he is insecure and becomes physically abusive in his relationship with Janet.

•Janet Pym, a.k.a. the Wasp, is a closeted mutant and has allowed her scientist husband to take credit for her “powers.” She is able to shrink to about an inch in height, has wings that enable her to fly, and can sting. She begins dating Steve Rogers after a violent fight with her husband leaves her hospitalized and near death.

•Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, is a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. black operatives and an expert shot. He is completely human and requires a higher degree of concentration than the other Ultimates to successfully engage superpowered foes. His family is murdered with the assistance of Black Widow.

•Natasha Romanova, a.k.a. Black Widow, is a former Soviet superspy. She is human but has biological enhancements. She is supposedly engaged to Tony Stark, but this turns out to be a ruse, as she is secretly collaborating with the Liberators. Hawkeye kills her in retaliation for the murder of his family.

•Pietro Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver, is the son of the mutant terrorist Magneto and brother of Scarlet Witch, with whom the text strongly hints that he is in love. Quicksilver is a “Speedster” mutant and can reach speeds well over mach 10.

•Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch, is the daughter of Magneto and sister of Quicksilver. She can drastically alter probabilities but must also take into account the mathematical equations that make up these probabilities as she alters them. Possibly in an incestuous relationship with her brother, she also shows romantic interest in one of Hank Pym’s Ultron robots.

•General Nick Fury, who intentionally bears a strong resemblance to African American actor Samuel L. Jackson, is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is in charge of the superhero team the Ultimates. He wears an eye patch, covering the area where his left eye should be. He loses an arm during the Liberators’ attack.

•The Chitauri are a species of malevolent alien shape-shifters and the self-proclaimed “immune system” of the universe. They have been working in secret on Earth for many years, assuming various roles of power. They are said to have been highly influential in World War II and were strongly allied with the Nazis. They are defeated in The Ultimates.

•Loki, the evil half brother of Thor, is the Norse god of mischief. He can warp time and space, which often causes great confusion for his intended targets. After escaping the Room Without Doors, Loki begins to enact his revenge against Thor with a plan that eventually leads the Liberators to invade the United States. He is defeated by the Ultimates with help from summoned Asgardian warriors.

•The Liberators are a group of superterrorists. Agents include China’s the Abomination and the Crimson Dynamo; Hurricane, a speedster from North Korea; the Swarm, a mutant from Syria; Perun, a Soviet version of Thor; and the Schizoid Man. The Liberators nearly topple the United States with the help of Loki, but the Ultimates, the European team of supersoldiers, and other American heroes successfully defeat them at the end of The Ultimates 2.

Artistic Style

While series artist Hitch was consistently late in rendering his art for production, the final results have been widely praised, and his artwork in The Ultimates is generally considered some of the finest in his career. From the faithfully rendered World War II-era weaponry of the first issues to the widescreen depictions of the invading Chitauri and Liberator forces, Hitch’s art is grounded in a realistic sense of detail and proportion and strays from the cartooning styles of some of his contemporaries. These realistic portrayals help give an additional sense of verisimilitude to the series and assist in developing the contemporary, real-world political themes alongside the traditional superhero action, without causing either to feel out of place. Real-world locations, such as Grand Central Station in New York, are abundant, and Hitch’s widescreen views of Manhattan are intricately and meticulously detailed. Even when the action is confined to the characters’ personal abodes, Hitch places “Easter eggs” in the background art, which often subtly add detail and characterization to the story.

Many, including the creators themselves, have likened The Ultimates series to a comic book version of a Hollywood blockbuster adaptation of the original Avengers. Hitch’s artwork follows this trend, with many widescreen, cinematic shots that actively propel the action forward. This style is most evident in issue 13 of Ultimates 2 when the Ultimates battle the forces of Loki in a massive, incredibly detailed eight-page spread full of heroes and villains whose actions are clearly defined.

Themes

A major thematic element of The Ultimates is the exploration of modern, real-world political concerns. Various members of the reimagined Avengers team are used to question aspects of American foreign policy under then-president George W. Bush (who, along with some cabinet members, makes brief appearances in the story), particularly in regards to the “war on terror.”

The Ultimates also examines the characters of the superheroes that make up the team. Many of the superhumans are stripped of the strong moral certainties with which they are sometimes depicted, as they deal with complex psychological problems, including spousal abuse, inferiority complexes, jealousy, alcoholism, self-doubt, and mistrust. While many aspects of the characters have been reinvented or revamped, many also retain characteristics from their original Marvel Universe depictions, including Tony Stark’s alcoholism, Hank Pym’s abusive behavior, and Captain America waking up in a “future” world. The strong focus placed on these and the other characters’ uncertainties and fears lends the Ultimates distinctly human qualities, even as they engage in acts of superheroism. While this is partly a deconstruction of the superhero in the tradition of Alan Moore’s Watchmen (1986-1987), the series ultimately refrains from the cynicism of Watchmen and instead celebrates the characters’ triumphs in spite of adversity, the kind of heroics that have helped make superhero archetypes so enduringly popular.

Impact

Millar’s second contribution to Marvel’s Ultimate imprint, The Ultimates proved to be a resounding critical and commercial success. While a few reviewers criticized what they perceived as its cynical tone, others were receptive to Millar’s characterizations and praised the use of contemporary political themes and imagery. Millar’s run on The Ultimates helped further establish him as one of Marvel’s preeminent writers and increased sales of his work, including his independently owned titles. While Hitch’s artwork on the series was widely praised, he felt that he gained a negative reputation as a slow worker, an impression he had to work hard to change.

After the Millar-Hitch run on The Ultimates, Loeb took over the series and characters for a five-issue series, The Ultimates 3, which received many poor reviews. The third Ultimates series led into Ultimate Marvel’s Ultimatum crossover event, which found many Marvel characters dead, including the Ultimates’ Thor, the Wasp, and Giant Man, following a plot orchestrated by Dr. Doom and carried out by Magneto. The characters continued in Marvel’s newer Ultimate Comics imprint, written by Loeb, while Millar has focused on Ultimate Avengers.

Films

Ultimate Avengers: The Movie. Directed by Bob Richardson, Curt Geda, and Steven E. Gordon. Marvel Studios, 2006. This film adaptation casts Justin Gross as Captain America/Steve Rogers, Grey DeLisle as Janet Pym/the Wasp, Michael Massee as Bruce Banner, Olivia d’Abo as Black Widow/Natalia Romanoff, Marc Worden as Iron Man/Tony Stark, Nolan North as Giant Man/ Hank Pym, Andre Ware as Nick Fury, Fred Tatasciore as the Hulk, Nan McNamara as Betty Ross, and Jim Ward as Herr Kleiser. It follows the plot of The Ultimates loosely, with the Chitauri appearing as the main villains.

Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther. Directed by Will Meugniot, Bob Richardson, and Richard Sebast. Marvel Studios, 2006. Much of the cast from the first film reappears in this sequel. Starring Fred Tatasciore as the Hulk/Edwin Jarvis, David Boat as Thor, Dave Fennoy as T’Chaka/Black Panther I, and Jeffrey D. Sams as T’Challa/Black Panther, the film deviates strongly from The Ultimates 2 and again features the Chitauri as antagonists.

Further Reading

Ellis, Warren, and Bryan Hitch. The Authority: Relentless (2000).

Millar, Mark, and Steve McNiven. Civil War (2008).

Millar, Mark, and Carlos Pacheco. Ultimate Avengers: The Next Generation (2010).

Bibliography

Dallas, Keith. “The Ultimates Volume Two: Homeland Security TPB.” Review of The Ultimates Volume Two: Homeland Security, by Mark Millar. Comics Bulletin, May 13, 2004. http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/108445861133829.htm.

Millar, Mark, and Bryan Hitch. The Ultimates: Ultimate Collection. New York: Marvel Comics, 2010.

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. The Ultimates 2: Ultimate Collection. New York: Marvel Comics, 2010.