This needs to be fleshed out. It has so many great angles and many plot points that would benefit from adding substance. But Sinister gets the spotlight and he shines like the evil son of a gun that he is. Ribic is goated so I forgive the weird faces sometimes because his art is almost flawless.
THE ENGINEERS GO TO WAR! But in a world of cosmic heroes and genetic mutants, the Engineers are not the only gods of creation. As the Engineers set out to destroy what they made, humanity's remaining heroes discover an even more pressing threat: the X-Men.
RATED PARENTAL ADVISORY.
Man this needs to be a 12 issue mini. Gold nuggets all over just thrown away. Can be flushed more but that bleakness can drag on. Esad Ribic is at the peak of his craft. Svorcina finally turns up the colors and the hues are much better here.
EARTH SURRENDERS?!
Overwhelmed by Xenomorphs, the survivors abandon their home planet!
But so many are dead. So many wounded. And a terrifying few CHANGED.
The Avengers must avenge.
Rated T+
This was well done from Hickman. Went in with low expectations and he built a world I want to explore more. Esad Ribic is a classic artist and always delivers! Svorcina's colors are tremendous as always but many pages are washed out with light or smoke but also I get what they were going for.
ALIENS AND AVENGERS FACE OFF!
It's all led to this: Xenomorphs reach Earth! The perfect organism meets a planet of superhumans. Who will be first to fall? Legendary collaborators Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribi? cut loose in this four-part epic unmissable for Marvel and Alien fans alike!
Rated T+
After a deadly childhood mistake left her devoid of magical abilities but terrified by the prospect of their return, Zatanna found a home for herself in Las Vegas performing sleight of hand and cheap card tricks at the crappiest casino off the strip. It's not exactly glamorous, but it's better than the dangers of tangling with real magic. Yet while...
WAR RAGES ON IN NEW YORK CITY!
Black Cat enlists Richard Parker's aid in the Sinister Six turf war...and Spider-Man gains a surprising ally!
Rated T
TURF WAR IN NEW YORK! THE SINISTER SIX VS. THE TWO SPIDER-MEN!
• All is not well in New York with the Sinister Six at war with each other!
• Fortunately, Spider-Man's not facing this one alone...catch Richard Parker in the BLACK SUIT!
RATED T+
Hickmanesque issue at its finest. Gwen Stacy gets the Hickman treatment and my wish is MJ would too but I doubt she will. She is the straight line to the twisted one that is Gwen and we need both for a Spidey story to work. Marco Checchetto is absolutely fantastic and his work is synonymous with USM like Bagley was 20 years ago.
THE SECRET ORIGIN OF MYSTERIO!
Even Kingpin knows little about the criminal in the smoky helmet...but Spider-Man's about to learn more than he bargained for!
RATED T
It does go down after such a hectic and tense issue. Still a very good book but the many story points that happen outside of the pages doesn't help develop characters that get a few panels or pages. MJ and the kids suffered the most in this series but I understand that Hickman focused heavily on the Peter Parker/Harry Osborn and Ben Parker/Jonah Jameson dynamics. With a set end point for this seri more
THE ULTIMATE SANDMAN ATTACKS!
• As the dust settles from the events of recent issues, Peter, MJ and the kids take a family vacation - but nowhere is safe for Ultimate Spider-Man!
Outstanding pacing and a proper USM comic book from Hickman. I'm glad we're not dragging the savage land hunt for 3 issues. Curious to know what Mysterio is up to. Checchetto's art is perfect and Wilson's beautiful colors are popping or subdued almost as well.
SPIDER-MAN VERSUS KRAVEN!
After the horrors Peter and Harry endured during KRAVEN'S HUNT in the last issue, Spider-Man and Green Goblin turn the HUNTER into the HUNTED! But are they still prey in someone else's game?
Rated T
Great writing, ideas and dialogue from Hickman. Ambitious to throw the whole kit and caboodle so early on with the Sinister 6 but why not? Marco Checchetto is tight, detailed and beautiful as always. Never any corners cut in his art.
KRAVEN'S MOST DANGEROUS GAME!
The Sinister Six are all hunting Spider-Man and the Green Goblin for their ringleader, Kingpin-and this time, Kraven has the upper hand in Jonathan Hickman & Marco Checchetto's love letter to "Kraven's Last Hunt"!
RATED T+
Deniz Camp knows how to get his characters to land the delivery here. This issue massively corrects for what V2.0 tried to divulge and gives me hope that V3.0 will be on par with V1.0 for how fresh it was. This book owes a great deal to Juan Frigeri on art and Federico Blee made it flashy.
THE ULTIMATE FRACTURE!
Dissent destroys the Ultimates as a disagreement long developing between two members of the team leads to a devastating departure!
RATED T+
Asgard is the least favorite part of Marvel for me and I don't usually seek out poetry but this story was well done.
THE WAR FOR ASGARD! A NEW HERO APPROACHES!
• Time to topple another of the Maker's dominoes: removing LOKI from his seat of power in Asgard!
• Thor, Sif and She-Hulk journey into mystery for blood, for glory and for rebellion, and discover a surprising new ally!
RATED T+
NAMOR AND THE RED SKULL!
Captain America and the Human Torch lead a team to recruit their old comrade - Namor! But they'll have to get through the Red Skull Gang first!
RATED T+
LUKE CAGE AND THE ULTIMATE PRISON BREAK! Juan Frigeri joins Deniz Camp to bring us the history and the future of Luke Cage! Spider-Man isn't the only success story of Ultimates 1.0...meet the man who has been quietly sabotaging the Maker's Council from behind bars!
Rated T+
THE ULTIMATE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY! America Chavez takes center stage in this issue as a group of galactic travelers from a far-flung, Maker-free future arrive in search of her!
Rated T+
WHO ARE THE ULTIMATES? A NEW STORY ARC BEGINS!
Perfect jumping-on point for the uninitiated! The aftermath of the explosive last issue - including the loss of a major member! Join the Ultimates in their secret HQ as they regroup and launch their bold new plan to change the world!
Rated T+
This is a classic Waid issue. This is when I knew I'm here for the long haul. Dan Mora is insane and Tamra Bonvillain colors him the best of all.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING! The keys to the mysterious superterrorist organization Inferno begin to be revealed as the Justice League realizes it's an intergalactic threat led by one of their oldest foes! Time is running out to save the world with the help of...the Legion of Doom?
THE WORLD IS ABLAZE! As the Justice League reels from the horrors in?icted by the Parademon Horde, a new threat arises across space...and time. With the team racing to put out multiple villainous fires at once, the mystery surrounding the Martian Manhunter deepens, and the techno-terrorist group Inferno makes its boldest move yet...as their secret ...
ENTER: THE ATOM PROJECT! The global terrorist group Inferno has taken its next step toward world dominance with an ecological disaster! Will Superman, Wonder Woman, and the others have to sacrifice the life of Swamp Thing? Plus: Plastic Man and Beast Boy work with The Atom Project to fix their scrambled superpowers!
INTO THE NEST OF THE PARADEMON! As the Justice League grapples with the ramifications of the Atom Project, a strange alert brings the team to the jungles of South America...and a horrific discovery. Can the elite Justice League strike force save a village from total slaughter? Plus...the mystery of the Darkseid heir deepens, and dissension in the r...
THE WATCHTOWER RISES! The Justice League is back and bigger than ever! In the wake of Absolute Power and the DC All In Special, Darkseid's death has triggered a massive power vacuum in the DCU, and Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman must unite like never before and expand the Justice League to encompass every hero championing the forces of good in ...
I re-read this trade before I read volume 2 and I was pleasantly surprised that I forgot how well written and illustrated it was. It delivers on all front. These books don't come up very often. Recommend!
As the new Ultimate Universe continues to unfold, its mightiest heroes gather to from a new superhero team - the ULTIMATES!
Six months ago, Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Lad, sent Peter Parker a radioactive spider to set him back on the course to become Spider-Man. Since then, Stark, Captain America, Doom, Thor and Sif have begun to do the same for o...
ULTIMATES ASSEMBLE TO TAKE DOWN THE HULK!
The entire roster of THE ULTIMATES unites for the first time in this high octane, climactic conclusion of the first arc! Iron Lad has a plan to defeat the Hulk, the most powerful and imposing member of the Maker's Council - but has he gotten his team in over their heads?
Rated T+
THE WATCHTOWER RISES! The Justice League is back and bigger than ever! In the wake of Absolute Power and the DC All In Special, Darkseid's death has triggered a massive power vacuum in the DCU, and Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman must unite like never before and expand the Justice League to encompass every hero championing the forces of good in ...
This gets a 7 because Kelly/McGuinness tie it all up nicely and the art is FANTASTIC. Although the journey was very frustrating because why on earth did we start solid with Kelly/McGuinness with a clear idea then we bastardized it for 4 issues having Peter quitting yet again questioning all life AGAIN while shoving the X-Men into for no reason. Being with Black Cat then NOT then YES AGAIN. Shay wa more
THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONCLUDES! ENTER THE SPIDER-NAUT! But who is this unstoppable webbed-wonder?!
This series should have been Joe Kelly with Ed McGuiness for 8 issues with no side dishes wasting time then maybe it would work because what the editors did here was just bad. This issue tries hard to over-correct with some clichés but Ed McGuinness back on art killing it somewhat bring it back from death "8 deaths of ASM issues" although that last page was way too corny.
THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES!
• Spider-Man used the last of the extra lives and is done. True death.
• The X-Men are fighting among themselves, and Doctors Doom and Strange find the situation unwinnable.
• Things have never looked more bleak.
RATED T
Christos Gage is different and it took a few minutes to adjust to his writing but the story has nothing. We started the first few issues so well then we're here and it sucks. Mark Buckingham's art is great. What a waste.
THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES!
With Spider-Man now DEAD, it's up to the X-Men to win the day and save the universe. But why are they fighting EACH OTHER?!?!
Rated T
THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES!
The Scions of Cytorrak are too much and Spider-Man has used up ALL of his lives. Is this the FINAL death of Spider-Man!?
Rated T
Not going right at all. I see what they want to do but the delivery and structure is all wrong. Then the art has some good but after McGuiness/Cafu it's a high bar to follow.
THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES!
With his patron, Cyttorak, attacking the world, Juggernaut won't just sit aside. But he's not a solo act... THE X-MEN GET INVOLVED TO HELP SPIDER-MAN SAVE THE WORLD!
Rated T+
Downgrade and just lacking from writing/editing/art. People are trying I can see that but this fails.
THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES!
• Spider-Man has been broken, and someone needs to pick up the pieces. Maybe an old flame?
• Now that the CHAMPION has fallen, can the universe withstand what comes next?
• Are there any who can stand in the way of an inevitable god?
RATED T