Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Let's party like it's 1999"

cyberghostface (cyberghostface) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-03-21 20:03:00

Entry tags:

char: hawkeye/ronin/clint barton, char: iron man/tony stark, char: wasp/janet van dyne, creator: david finch, creator: jeph loeb, event: ultimatum, publisher: marvel comics, title: ultimatum

Ultimatum #3

Last issue ended with the Blob going "nom nom nom" on poor Wasp. (And don't worry, I deleted my previous post and I'm only posting four pages here...)

Huh. So much for Blob being developed by Bendis as being Liz Allan's father. (Also, am I the only one who remembers that the Ultimate line was once targeted towards younger readers? Did they just give up on that?)

So anyways, the Multiple Men are trying to suicide-bomb the Triskelion. Hank manages to lure them all on him.

Oh, and Thor dies (off-screen) to save his underage girlfriend and Captain America. Cap decides to get every available hero to save the world.

And jeez, does everyone want to kill Magneto. I wonder how much is going to be left of him at the end...

(Post a new comment)

	seriousfic 2009-03-21 07:35 pm UTC (link)
	Now that I know what "What Ever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow?" would be like if written by a man on heavy medication (for severe brain damage), I can depart this Earth for the land of Tír na nÓg, where no shadows fall. (Reply to this)

	foxhack 2009-03-21 07:43 pm UTC (link)
	That's it. There is -no way- this can't be a dream sequence of some sort. There CAN'T be any other way. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	mullon 2009-03-21 08:30 pm UTC (link)
	Dude, this is where you supposed use your screaming icon. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

tsuki_the_geek, 2009-03-21 09:13 pm UTC

	cmdr_zoom 2009-03-22 07:42 am UTC (link)
	Sure it is, if they plan to just reboot everything anyway. Or you could argue that they don't need these characters anymore, since they've managed to turn 616 into the Ultimates universe. So now they're going to kill all of these off and start with Brand New Fresh X-TREEM... sorry, I mean ULTIMATE characters! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	jlbarnett 2009-03-21 07:45 pm UTC (link)
	well, on the one hand it was disgusting as anything. But I do think they came up with the one type of death for Blob that wouldn't leave me saying he got off easy. (Reply to this)

	torberg 2009-03-21 07:47 pm UTC (link)
	Blob's face is really reminiscent of Slimer from "Ghostbusters." (Reply to this)

	demonprawn 2009-03-21 08:00 pm UTC (link)
	Loeb is so bad. Even Frank Miller could have done better than this, hell maybe even Liefield. They would at least shown more subtly and class. (Reply to this)

freeman333
2009-03-21 08:09 pm UTC (link)

I have to admit, as annoying as all this nonsense is, I don't remember a time when the Ultimate line was marketed towards younger readers, at least in terms of content. I remember the first time I read an issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, thinking, "Now this is an origin for Spider-Man that an adult can read and not feel that their intelligence is being insulted." I liked that about the Ultimate line; it had a more grown-up feel, and the stories and characters held together better, being less bogged-down by conflicting continuity.

That was then. Now, I just wish Ultimate Spider-Man had remained it's own universe without spawning all these spinoffs. Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four and the first Ultimates series all started off so good, and then devolved into crap (to be fair, once Land got off art, UFF didn't remain crap, it just became largely mediocre, which is still a big step down from how it started). Now, this. Please, Marvel, allow Ultimate Spider-Man to stay good and keep it from being infected by this terrible plague that seems to be eating away at the rest of the Ultimate universe.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

cyberghostface, 2009-03-21 08:27 pm UTC

freeman333, 2009-03-21 08:47 pm UTC

cyberghostface, 2009-03-21 09:01 pm UTC

freeman333, 2009-03-21 10:27 pm UTC

foxhack, 2009-03-21 09:35 pm UTC

scottyquick, 2009-03-21 09:47 pm UTC

neuhallidae, 2009-03-21 09:49 pm UTC

foxhack, 2009-03-21 09:58 pm UTC

scottyquick, 2009-03-21 10:01 pm UTC

freeman333, 2009-03-21 10:25 pm UTC

likeaminx, 2009-03-21 11:42 pm UTC

scottyquick, 2009-03-22 04:35 pm UTC

	neuhallidae 2009-03-21 08:12 pm UTC (link)
	.... [insert incoherent muttering and copious swearing here]. One of these days, I'll stop thinking it can't get any worse, because I keep getting proven wrong. (Reply to this) (Thread)

tsuki_the_geek, 2009-03-21 09:12 pm UTC

	mullon 2009-03-21 08:38 pm UTC (link)
	I'm trying to decide if Hank biting the head off the Blob is the point where we are supposed to stop taking this seriously and revel in its insanity. I suspect that is the only way to enjoy this now. I for one am going to try this. (Reply to this) (Thread)

bwmedia.wordpress.com, 2009-03-23 04:04 pm UTC

	newnumber6 2009-03-21 08:40 pm UTC (link)
	I'm not sure what you're posting here. I guess it's a what if or something, because the Ultimate Universe ended years ago. puts fingers in ears lalalalalalalalalala. (Reply to this) (Thread)

scottyquick, 2009-03-21 09:08 pm UTC

newnumber6, 2009-03-21 09:16 pm UTC

	onfireforhigher 2009-03-21 09:03 pm UTC (link)
	THIS SUCKS ASS. D: D: D: (Reply to this)

	WHAT'S HIS SARCASM LEVEL, VEGETA? scottyquick 2009-03-21 09:10 pm UTC (link)
	I can't wonder why on earth most teens would rather read Bleach then this. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S HIS SARCASM LEVEL, VEGETA? -

leikomgwtfbbq, 2009-03-21 09:44 pm UTC

Re: WHAT'S HIS SARCASM LEVEL, VEGETA? -

scottyquick, 2009-03-21 09:46 pm UTC

Re: WHAT'S HIS SARCASM LEVEL, VEGETA? -

interrobamf, 2009-03-21 11:18 pm UTC

IT'S OVER EIGHT THOUSAAAAAAAND! -

nefrekeptah, 2009-03-22 02:17 am UTC

Re: IT'S OVER EIGHT THOUSAAAAAAAND! -

zegim, 2009-03-22 03:10 am UTC

Re: IT'S OVER EIGHT THOUSAAAAAAAND! -

scottyquick, 2009-03-22 04:51 pm UTC

	unknownscribler 2009-03-21 09:11 pm UTC (link)
	Loeb might be a talentless hack long past his useby date, but Hank biting off Blob's head is pure and unmittigated win. (Reply to this) (Thread)

tsuki_the_geek, 2009-03-21 09:14 pm UTC

colonel_green
2009-03-21 09:48 pm UTC (link)

(Also, am I the only one who remembers that the Ultimate line was once targeted towards younger readers? Did they just give up on that?)

The Bendis-written stuff generally was; the Millar-written stuff, from the start, clearly skewed older.

There's also always been a tension between the idea that this is supposed to be a place to explore classic concepts free of continuity and the tendency of writers in all titles to totally change stuff for experimental purposes or gimmicks.

(Reply to this)

	ar_feiniel_ 2009-03-21 10:11 pm UTC (link)
	Okay, I'll give it tiny props for Hank being in denial, because that seems rather in character (assuming he is somewhat unbalanced in the Ulti-verse like in 616) But, really, this is shit, and it's pointless shit at that. Even those What If's where OMG Every One Dies have some meaning to them. But this is senseless carnage. I can't believe Marvel has gotten this bad. (Reply to this) (Thread)

colonel_green, 2009-03-21 10:19 pm UTC

ar_feiniel_, 2009-03-21 10:25 pm UTC

jlbarnett, 2009-03-22 08:47 am UTC

neuhallidae, 2009-03-22 10:03 am UTC

ninjapeps, 2009-03-22 08:57 pm UTC

	pensive1 2009-03-21 10:37 pm UTC (link)
	I remember reading that page and literally yelling in the comic shop, "OH MY GOD. HANK JUST BIT OFF BLOB'S HEAD!" Still not over that. Hank's even nuttier in 1610 than 616! Especially with the Jocasta thing developing. I'll just be in the corner, shipping the hell out of Ult!Carol and Tony. (Reply to this)

	xdoop 2009-03-21 10:42 pm UTC (link)
	This just confirms that everyone who has the McGuinness variant cover dies. #1-Dazzler #2-Xavier #3-Hank Pym The two remaining McGuinness covers are apparently Wolverine and Strange (see http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.5579.MyCup_o~apos~_Joe_Week_28), so I guess this means they're going to bite the bullet as well. (Reply to this)

	reposted for correct icon kijikun 2009-03-21 11:05 pm UTC (link)
	At least Steve is alive again? ;_; (Reply to this)

jlroberson
2009-03-21 11:11 pm UTC (link)

The line--certainly ULTIMATES--was never meant so much for younger readers as new readers. The idea was that someone who'd be likely to watch a Michael Bay movie could pick any issue up and enjoy it. Ultimate Spidey was therefore targeted to younger readers, but Ultimates was meant more for young adults, I'd say up to 25 or something. Around college age, in any event. Not sure about Ultimate X-Men as, since I hate the X-Men, I never looked at it. In addition, the idea was to put the characters in a version ready-made to be made a film(and the original template for costumes and settings seemed the first two X-Men films), so you could just drop one of these comics on a producer's desk and say, "Let's make this."

This was doomed to failure in many ways, except Ultimate Spidey, which it seems nothing can kill. One of these is that any Marvel comic that lasts a while--especially once you make it part of a "universe"--will by definition become laden with continuity and less accessible to new readers every issue. Another is that what's "cool" and "mainstream" changes and you're forced to change with it, and these haven't. And Michael Bay as a model? When was he EVER cool? That made me sick when I saw it said by writers who should have known better, that comics had to be more like that kind of thing.

And most of all: Marvel found that people like the properties more or less intact a lot better than the version based on what they guess people want. Compare IRON MAN or the first two SPIDER-MAN films--which remained reasonably faithful to their sources--and the FF films, or DAREDEVIL, which seemed if anything more the "Ultimate" versions, and sucked(Ultimate FF has been bad from the start, no matter how much talent has tried with it). Which did you like better? Which did better? The Ultimate line is really just a leftover from before Marvel controlled its own films. Now they don't need it anymore.

So we're left with this, which is to say it seems to be where all the worst ideas are being dumped. And my god, this is fucking ugly and awful.

(Reply to this)

oddpuppets
2009-03-22 09:48 am UTC (link)

...Fascinating.

I liked the early UU stuff. Still mighty big fan of USM, but I liked the first few volumes of UXM, and the first UFF. I adore the hell out of Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra and the fact that the Daredevil in USM is nowhere like the one in UD&E made me sad.

I think the concept could work if they adhere to the shared sandbox that characterized the early Ultimate Universe. Y'know, the fun stuff. Like the Ultimate Annuals. Man, did they wreck each other's continuity, but it was fun.
Maybe a more All-Star sort of take? I think especially the Fantastic Four lend themselves to this very well. FF is MADE for wacky sci-fi. You'd think they could get beyond just Galactus and whatnot and seriously make some serious Kirby-esque mania.

(Reply to this)

	ex_menagerie993 2009-03-22 12:32 pm UTC (link)
	What is Magneto actually doing? I mean other then sending his flunkies around. (Reply to this) (Thread)

cyberghostface, 2009-03-22 12:43 pm UTC

	*sighs* jazzypom 2009-03-22 01:17 pm UTC (link)
	I'm just sitting this out, waiting for Ultimatum to pass. For serious. (Reply to this)

jlroberson
2009-03-22 05:34 pm UTC (link)

Are they in fact trying to kill the Ultimate universe? I mean, are they letting things go as much to hell as they can so they can kill off all the characters and end it?

This is like all Loeb's ugliest ideas being vomited out. And the only difference I'm seeing here with MARVEL ZOMBIES is that MZ is supposed to be funny. Maybe this is too, but it's so vile I don't care. (and I think Michael O'Donoghue's "Vietnamese Baby Book" is funny, so I've got a high threshold)

And the lines ring so very wrong. "She was perfect." That sounds...a weird way to put it. Like she was his Porsche.

Explain to me again how it is that Loeb is so acclaimed, when every time I read his work, it comes off like this. Or maybe artists like him because he allows so many big panels to accomodate his endless tries at hard-boiled loghorrea.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

tsuki_the_geek, 2009-03-22 10:49 pm UTC

liarashadowsong, 2009-03-26 11:39 pm UTC

	liarashadowsong 2009-03-26 11:36 pm UTC (link)
	What the hell is this? "Let's kill off all of the characters for no good reason" -verse? I've seen some good things come out of Ultimate Spider-Man. Ultimate X-Men, even. But this. This is a travesty. So not buying. Marvel Adventures is my current canon for this publisher, end of story. (Reply to this)