Marvel's Ultimate Universe - Looking Back

May 11, 2018


For those who didn't know, back in 2000 Marvel started a separate universe.  They wanted a more modern universe to tell new stories in.  I remember seeing about it back at the release, but I didn't collect comics back then.  After seeing the first issues cheaply on amazon, I decided to finally read them and give my opinion. 











3. Fantastic Four Volume 1 - The Fantastic


Starting with the one i enjoyed the least. At the time of reading this for the first time, it was 2018.  Reading it, anyone couldn't help but see that this is where Josh Trank's 2015 Fant4stic got a lot of it's idea's from. The first few pages are very similar to the movie opening scene's.

Besides from help creating a less than fantastic film (pun intended) this book would of shown a new generation of fans who the Fantastic 4 are. I think it showed what Marvel's first family are about.  The theme of family run deep through the book with even half the main characters actually being related. 

Although this is my least favourite series, I will be reading the rest so I'll do a final review then.












2. Ultimate X-men Volume 1 - Tomorrow People


Picking up this book, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Like all the other first volumes, this is a new origin for the X-men. Though we get a new original line up of Jean, Cyclops, Beast, Storm, Colossus and Iceman. Now I say spoiler warning but I don't think spoilers should need calling after 17 years.  Anyways Wolverine also joins the team as a double agent and is sent to kill Xavier by Magneto, though he switches sides. 

The costumes have more in common with the 00's movies than their 616 counterparts. They're even give a reason that they're designed so the suits hide their mutant DNA from the sentinals scans.  My only major critique was how they over-sexualized Jean Grey (She sleeps with Wolverine whilst knowing that Cyclops likes her and hoping he'd make a move). Having Magneto as what seems like a one shot villain was surprising, but he does show up again in the next volume.  This is the book that I have been reading the most lately and will do a review at the end.    













1. Ultimate Spider-man Volume 1 - Power


Now to anyone who knows me this being top isn't a big surprise.  Spider-man has been my favourite hero for as long as I can remember.  I did struggle between putting this top or placing X-men number 1, but this won out because the art is better than I remembered. Having read this first a couple of years ago, I recollected the art being much worse than it actually is. Unfortunately the art doesn't keep up to par in the other volumes. 

The origin story for Spider-man is well known and this doesn't try to innovate it much. They do however (like the Raimi's films) replace Gwen with M.J. and make Aunt May (like the ultimate cartoon) a ex-hippie.  The costume doesn't get much of an update either and all characters are very similar to their main universe doppelgangers. Even though the villains act similar, they are given a make over.  Like all these books do, this one shows the films used the ultimate universe for source material.


There are obviously other books in the ultimate universe and I will read them but after I have finished the series in this list.   









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