Marvel and DC Comics recently took everything we knew about heroes and villains and flipped them. In DC Comics' Absolute Universe, Darkseid created a universe where the villains were the ones of privilege and heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were left without the people who molded them into heroes. Despite not having certain luxuries, they still became protectors of the people.
For Marvel, the Maker (Ultimate Reed Richards) went back in time and changed the major events of Earth-616. For example, Captain America was never defrosted, and Loki was King of Asgard. The biggest change was the world being divided into sections, with a secret cabal of villains ruling the world.
Multiple comic books from the new Ultimate Universe (Universe- 6160) have now come out, and they've all been great reads. However, you may not have the time to read them. That's why this article will break down the good in each so you can decide which comic book is right for you.
Ultimate Invasion/Universe
- Writer: Jonathan Hickman
- Artist: Bryan Hitch
- Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Ultimate Invasion was quick but flawlessly written. Jonathan Hickman explained everything you needed to know about how the Maker transformed this universe in his image. While you may have been left with questions about how and why certain heroes became villains and vice versa, you understood where they stood in this new, evil world.
Ultimates
- Writer: Deniz Camp
- Artist: Juan Frigeri
- Colorist: Federico Blee
Just like the original Ultimate Universe, The Ultimates are the Avengers of this world. However, this team is more proactive. They're not waiting for things to happen to get involved, because the world already needs avenging. It isn't just fighting either. Each of them is doing what they can to make sure innocent people know someone is out there fighting for them.
My favorite part of this is how much the heroes resemble their Prime-Earth counterparts, but with a twist. For example, Luke Cage never got out of prison. While there, he did more than start a revolution. He made it a point to rehabilitate people who needed it. Now the world has more heroes instead of releasing people into the public without a purpose.
Ultimate Spider-Man
- Writer: Jonathan Hickman
- Artists: Marco Checchetto
- Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Ultimate Spider-Man did something no one thought was possible. This series gave the world a happy Peter Parker. He's married to Mary Jane, they have two kids, and Uncle Ben is alive and he's best friends with J. Jonah Jameson.
Despite all the happiness, things aren't all sunshine and webs for Peter. He became Spider-Man in his 30s and had to learn everything on the fly. Before getting the powers, Peter was in one fight, and he was a kid at the time (and he lost). This has led to a lot of mistakes, injuries, and almost death. Thankfully, he's a fast learner, and watching him progress could be the best part of this series.
Ultimate X-Men
- Writer: Peach Momoko
- Script adaptation: Zack Davisson
- Artist: Peach Momoko
- Colorist: Peach Momoko
Each issue of Ultimate X-Men has been a quick but informative read. Peach Momoko (who's doing triple duty in this title) created new versions of the X-Men in Japan. While some of the characters resemble heroes and villains we know, they're different enough to keep things fresh.
No matter the universe, one thing remains true. People hate and fear mutants. Thankfully, this isn't something that happens right out of the gate. The build-up to that was phenomenal and resembled some things that happen in real life.
Ultimate Black Panther
- Writer: Bryan Edward Hill
- Artists: Stefano Caselli and Carlos Nieto
- Colorist: David Curiel
Ultimate Black Panther is the most underrated of these comics. It has action, mystery, beautiful art, and romance. There's also betrayal at every turn, so you never know what's going to happen next. I can't recommend this comic book enough, but I also cannot say too much without spoiling the story. So, just read this title.
Ultimate Wolverine
- Writer: Christopher Condon
- Artists: Alessandro Cappuccio and Alex Lins
- Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Lastly, we come to the newest of the Ultimate titles, and this writer's favorite. Like on Earth-616, Logan was mind-controlled, tortured by having adamantium on his bones, and forced to kill. This time, it wasn't the Canadian government doing the damage; the Eurasian Republic (led by Magik, Colossus, and Omega Red) turned him into the Winter Soldier.
Logan is the star of this series, but the other familiar faces are just as good. We've seen Gambit use his powers in more creative ways, Kitty Pryde is more dangerous than her counterpart due to a harsher life, and, recently, Warren Worthington debuted, and he's nothing like the Angel we know. This is only the beginning.
It's almost guaranteed that we'll see more mutants we recognize from Marvel Comics. Whether they're friend or foe remains to be seen. Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow to find out who pops up next.
More from Bam Smack Pow: