Over the past year writer Sam Humphries has certainly made some sweeping changes to the Ultimate universe, for better or worse. As Humphries exits, Joshua Hale Fialkov, destroyer of the status quo, steps into the ring, throwing a few more wrenches into the machine.
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Illustrated by Carmine Di GiandomenicoULTIMATES DISASSEMBLED BEGINS!!!
• All-new creative team and direction!
• The search for the Infinity Gems brings disaster to the Triskellion’s doorstep!
• Is this the end of the Ultimates?
The Ultimate universe has been in a state of flux for a while now, undergoing two rebrandings/relaunches in the past three years or so. As the performance of Marvel’s main line of books continues to rise in light of blockbuster films and initiatives like Marvel NOW!, one has to question the relevance of the Ultimate line. As our editor-in-chief Matt pointed out recently, Marvel may soon make some sweeping changes to the once thriving line, and Fialkov’s first issue goes a long way in supporting that theory.
Taking the “all killer, no filler” approach, Fialkov delivers a fast paced and hectic debut. After a brief but dense recap on recent plot points (particularly the Ultimate Infinity Gems), a mysterious intruder sets an unchained Hulk rampaging through the Triskelion. Things quickly descend from bad to worse, as a cadre of ex-heroes descend on the Ultimates, wielding the power of gods.
Unfortunately, amidst all this sturm und drang, there’s not much in the way of meaningful character moments. This is a balls to the wall super hero smash, with characters being melted, smashed, and disintegrated every other page. What little character there is feels off. The Hulk seems especially oafish, and hearing Tony Stark exclaim “I wish I was drunk right now!” while receiving the brunt of a metaphysical attack is downright cheesy.
Interestingly, Fialkov incorporates several important elements from Rick Remender ‘s “Uncanny Avengers,” and Jonathan Hickman’s “New Avengers,” bringing this issue closer to the original tone set by Hickman. While it may just be coincidence that all these threads are beginning to come together, it certainly seems like Fialkov is seeding something rather large.
In what his perhaps his biggest gig yet, Carmine Di Giandomenico turns in fantastic work. The artist packs an astounding amount of detail on the page, and his exaggerated line work makes every page dynamic and visually exciting. On top of that, Di Giandomenico absolutely nails the individual characters. “The Ultimates” may not be home to the same kind of iconic imagery found in the Marvel universe proper, but the Hulk splash page early in the issue should be one to be remembered.
Reviving the “Disassembled” moniker, made famous by Brian Bendis at the start of his groundbreaking “Avengers” run, is a ballsy move. Obviously, whether or not Fialkov’s work on “Ultimates” will be as revolutionary or reinvigorating as Bendis’ remains to be seen, but Fialkov has certainly set the stakes incredibly high. With the future of the Ultimate universe very much in flux, and a lack of strong character grounding, it’s hard to get terribly invested. At the same time, the sense that anything can happen is a defining tribute of the Ultimate universe, and Fialkov’s debut issue goes a long way towards making the “The Ultimates” relevant once more.
Final Verdict: 7.6 – Browse.
