I can see why it was recommended to read Ultimates before reading Ultimate 6. It reads more like The Ultimates than it does Spider-Man.
The five major villains that Spider-Man has fought so far (Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, Sandman, Kraven and Electro) are being held by S.H.I.E.L.D and manage to escape. They take Peter with them because Norman is convinced that he's part of them for some reason that really never made sense to me. I guess it's because he's insane but it never really came across very well.
Even the art takes a shift towards the Ultimates. While it works in that series, it just doesn't seem to fit in this one. I can only give this one a 2.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Ultimate Volume 2 Homeland Security
Alien Invasion! Now with Nazis!
That's pretty much what Homeland Security boils down to. It's one big fight against aliens that have masqueraded as Nazis so that Captain America can get some kind of closure. I do very much like the taunting of Bruce Banner. It makes me giggle every time I read it.
I'm giving this one a 3.
That's pretty much what Homeland Security boils down to. It's one big fight against aliens that have masqueraded as Nazis so that Captain America can get some kind of closure. I do very much like the taunting of Bruce Banner. It makes me giggle every time I read it.
I'm giving this one a 3.
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Ultimates Volume 1 Super-Human
Again, not really a fan of Marvel. I couldn't tell you who was actually in the Avengers to save my life. I could probably come up with a few but not the whole team. The Ultimates is apparently the Ultimate universe version of the Avengers. With a Captain America back from the dead (well, back from the frozen ice), a hippie Thor, and Giant Man, the Wasp and the Hulk exhibiting terrible personal problems. I think Iron Man is pretty much the same.
It's the terrible personal problems that really surprised me. When I was first recommended this book it was to catch up on what's going on in the world of the Ultimate Spider-Man. I was told that I should probably read the first two volumes of the Ultimates before getting beyond Volume 10 of Spider-Man. So I did, expecting to find more of the same. It's not the same. It's a lot more adult. There's still a tonne of complaining going on, but it's less like the teenage angst of Spider-Man and more like the marital problems of unhinged people.
I like the dark turn, probably because I don't know any of the characters though. Even so, I'll give it a 4.
It's the terrible personal problems that really surprised me. When I was first recommended this book it was to catch up on what's going on in the world of the Ultimate Spider-Man. I was told that I should probably read the first two volumes of the Ultimates before getting beyond Volume 10 of Spider-Man. So I did, expecting to find more of the same. It's not the same. It's a lot more adult. There's still a tonne of complaining going on, but it's less like the teenage angst of Spider-Man and more like the marital problems of unhinged people.
I like the dark turn, probably because I don't know any of the characters though. Even so, I'll give it a 4.
Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 8 Cats and Kings
Cats and Kings has one of my favourite covers of the volumes. It just evokes the feeling that he's had enough of these people.
In this volume Peter asks the questions that no one wants to hear. There's a bit less teenage moping and more moping about the fact that the Kingpin can do what he wants because he has money and power. It's a tough pill for Spider-Man to swallow because he thinks it should be more black and white than it actually is. Throw in a little subplot about female temptation in the form of the Black Cat and it's another outing of Spider-Man wondering why it seems like the whole city is against him.
There's some nice story telling and some nice visuals but the whole is just OK so it gets a 3.
In this volume Peter asks the questions that no one wants to hear. There's a bit less teenage moping and more moping about the fact that the Kingpin can do what he wants because he has money and power. It's a tough pill for Spider-Man to swallow because he thinks it should be more black and white than it actually is. Throw in a little subplot about female temptation in the form of the Black Cat and it's another outing of Spider-Man wondering why it seems like the whole city is against him.
There's some nice story telling and some nice visuals but the whole is just OK so it gets a 3.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Ultimate Marvel Team-Up
Trying to stick to the Ultimate Spider-Man theme going on here I found a place to force in the Ultimate Marvel Team-Up. It was tough, as although all the stories in the team-up were written by Brian Michael Bendis, they don't exactly fit into the continuity.
Some of the stories are great: like the Spider-Man/X-Men story or the Spider-Man/Shang-Chi stories. Some of them are terrible: like the Spider-Man/Iron Man story. The Spider-Man/ Daredevil/Punisher story was interesting but seemed more like an excuse to write a Daredevil/Punisher story.
The quality of writing and the quality of art is all over the place with this one and I can't really recommend it as much as the series itself. There are some neat things in it and it does put Peter squarely in the Marvel universe but it could have been a lot better. I guess it gets a 2.
Some of the stories are great: like the Spider-Man/X-Men story or the Spider-Man/Shang-Chi stories. Some of them are terrible: like the Spider-Man/Iron Man story. The Spider-Man/ Daredevil/Punisher story was interesting but seemed more like an excuse to write a Daredevil/Punisher story.
The quality of writing and the quality of art is all over the place with this one and I can't really recommend it as much as the series itself. There are some neat things in it and it does put Peter squarely in the Marvel universe but it could have been a lot better. I guess it gets a 2.
Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 7 Irresponsible
Irresponsible strikes me as something of a transitions story. There's no real arc after the Venom story it's just stuff that happened to Peter between villains. It's mostly teen age drama with him moping about Mary Jane and then getting back together with her. The introduction of the Ultimate X-Men (while a fun story) doesn't really seem to fit with the other stories Bendis has been telling. It does make Spider-Man more a part of the world and brings in the whole mutant-phobia stuff that is the back bone of Marvel comics.
Probably the best thing about this volume is that Bendis makes Aunt May a person. Every incarnation of Aunt May previous to Bendis' portrayal shows Aunt May as a constant: always there with a hug or a cup of hot cocoa or just something that Peter needed. She was someone that he had to hide from and someone that occasionally would need to be rescued by Spider-Man. She had no character. In this issue Bendis does something different. He sends Aunt May to a therapist. He lets the reader see how Ben's death and Peter's changing lifestyle have really affected her. It's an excellent piece of story telling and really rounds out an iconic figure.
Still, it's the only really interesting story in Irresponsible so I'll give this volume a 3.
Probably the best thing about this volume is that Bendis makes Aunt May a person. Every incarnation of Aunt May previous to Bendis' portrayal shows Aunt May as a constant: always there with a hug or a cup of hot cocoa or just something that Peter needed. She was someone that he had to hide from and someone that occasionally would need to be rescued by Spider-Man. She had no character. In this issue Bendis does something different. He sends Aunt May to a therapist. He lets the reader see how Ben's death and Peter's changing lifestyle have really affected her. It's an excellent piece of story telling and really rounds out an iconic figure.
Still, it's the only really interesting story in Irresponsible so I'll give this volume a 3.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 6 Venom
This one is interesting because Peter isn't in the classic Spider-Man outfit for most of the story. In fact, in Venom, he appears more often in a stolen pair of pants and a hoody.
Venom is another character that I'm not that familiar with. I like that in the Ultimate universe Bendis made Eddie a friend rather than a rival and connects the story to Peter's father and his work as a scientist. The art in this one really lent a lot to the story as so much of it takes place in the rain and at night.
I guess I was expecting the Venom storyline to be told over a few more issues. It's one of the few instances in this Ultimate Spider-Man where I can say I found the pace a little fast. Most of the time Bendis lays down the pieces over a long time but here Peter's in and out of the Venom suit in an evening. Gwen and Mary Jane are just in the story to remind us that they're still in Peter's life.
I think this is the first stumble. I give it a 3.
Venom is another character that I'm not that familiar with. I like that in the Ultimate universe Bendis made Eddie a friend rather than a rival and connects the story to Peter's father and his work as a scientist. The art in this one really lent a lot to the story as so much of it takes place in the rain and at night.
I guess I was expecting the Venom storyline to be told over a few more issues. It's one of the few instances in this Ultimate Spider-Man where I can say I found the pace a little fast. Most of the time Bendis lays down the pieces over a long time but here Peter's in and out of the Venom suit in an evening. Gwen and Mary Jane are just in the story to remind us that they're still in Peter's life.
I think this is the first stumble. I give it a 3.
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