Ultimates #1: Written by Deniz Camp, art by Juan Frigeri, colors by Federico Blee
I haven't had hope in comics in a lot time. The last few major arcs have been boring, lackluster, and both Marvel and DC comics have been struggling to keep my attention, with very few exceptions. Then Marvel decided to relaunch the Ultimate Universe. They were smart and didn't overload us, they kept it simple. Spider-Man, Black Panther, X-Men. A few basic stories to test the waters, and clearly they liked what they saw. Ultimates #1 takes place after (kind of) Richards and Stark sent out the orbs to make people super again, with the disappointing results of only a few people accepting. Even though the cast seems very similar to the original Ultimates, Dr. Doom and Captain America make this team feel different. Cap's insistence on getting boots on the ground to inspire people is one of the better written pages in recent months, and Reed as Doom is still awesome. The art by Juan Frigeri and Blee is stellar, it's hard to explain but it just feels like an Ultimates comic. The art is grounded in realism, but not too much. The designs for each character are great, and the story is compelling. I do think the focus on the Maker might be this world's undoing, as there are plenty of reimagined threats for the Ultimates to face, and I'd rather see that. Bring the Maker back in a few years, let this Ultimates run have the air and space it needs to grow, like Ultimate Spider-Man is currently doing. Either way, this is an excellent jumping on point, and I highly recommend it.
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