Marvel Comics Review: Ultimate Comics Avengers #1

Addendum: The writer of the following article regrets the oversights that were made while writing this post - both comic book and political related.  The writer intends to be more careful in the future to adhere to the core subject of Comix 411, which is comic books, and not personal political opinion. Thank you.

Rating: *** 1/2*

The relaunch of the Ultimate Universe continues with Ultimate Comics Avengers.  There have been three separate Ultimate Avengers series (then known just as The Ultimates).  I read and enjoyed the first series, which was written by Mark Millar, who is also the writer of this new series.  Since the premiere of that first series and the recent mini-series Ultimatum, numerous characters have died including: Wasp, Hank Pym, Black Widow, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver.  The remaining members of the team will make up the current team: Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Thor, and Nick Fury.

Before I give my review of this issue, I want to give a little back story on my feelings about Mark Millar.  I made a conscious decision not to pick up The Ultimates after the second series.  Why?  Because of Mark Millar’s political beliefs.  Many creators within the comic book world are liberal - which is fine, but I think that Mr. Millar leans more to the left than a liberal.  I think he’s a communist.

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Random Thoughts - 1.30.09

Oh, it’s not our Final Crisis but the Monitor’s Final Crisis? Does that mean we have our own Final Crisis to endure? And, if I read it right (a big IF) did the Monitor’s existence fade away? Who exactly has the power to do this? Uotan? He did tell his fellow Monitors to “make your peace,” but he was reborn in Metropolis. So is his BFF reborn somewhere else? And if he’s reborn why wouldn’t the rest of the Monitors regenerate. Maybe they have their own resurrection ship like on Galactica. And how did I miss the ship on the next-to-last page that obviously carried Batman to Australia? Could someone tell me where in the previous story did this ship come from? Darkseid always hated music? Who knew? Do you think the DC Aborigine knows the Marvel guy? And, finally, Superman can wish for one thing and wants a “happy ending”? Wow, the jokes could be endless. Me love Superman long time.

Well, Final Crisis Revelations sure revealed a lot didn’t it? So to find out all of Hercules female conquests, we need the “Who’s Who of Super Heroines”? Told you last time. Why didn’t Herc and Cho invite Athena to join them for pizza? Now I like the FOE covers, but my customers having to keep asking where their favorite books are ? The covers are all black and the white Black Adam obscures the title of the book. People couldn’t find Booster Gold because of the Enemy Ace name. Over in the war that time forgot (too easy to say book that people forgot), I pity the fool that picks up the first six-issue compilation and tries to figure out the plot. And what’s with the rumor that Smallville has shot two different season ending episodes with one being a series-ender? My DC rep promises to investigate.

In Marvel land they really seem to be killing off half the Ultimate Universe characters. Just like raising almost everything to $3.99 will kill off half their sales. Still, I did like Kitty Pryde telling the reluctant subway passengers to “Take my hand if you want to live.”  They really concluded the Daredevil storyline neatly huh? Except they didn’t. Now we know to not mess with Orono because she really jumped in power level, didn’t she? Finally, I loved New Avengers because they are heading for a grand confrontation with no opaque motivations, so far. But, even the President knows Norman Osborne is nuts? Gotta love politics.