Ultimates

The Ultimates
Promotional art for The Ultimates 2 #1 (February 2005). Art by Bryan Hitch & Paul Neary.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics (Ultimate Marvel)
First appearance	The Ultimates #1 (March 2002)
Created by	Mark Millar Bryan Hitch (based upon The Avengers by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
In-story information
Base(s)	Triskelion Ultimates Mansion
Leader(s)	Captain America
Member(s)	Nick Fury (founder) Captain America Iron Man Thor Wasp Giant-Man
Roster
See: List of Ultimates members

The Ultimates is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, which first started publication from The Ultimates #1 (cover date March 2002), as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint.^[1] The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Avengers comic-book franchise, centering around a task-force of super-humans and special agents organized by the U.S. government to combat growing threats to the world. The tale chronicles their progress as they bond and slowly learn to work together, despite their differing natures and personalities.^[2]

The first volume of the Ultimates, written by Millar and illustrated by Hitch, was published in limited series format and ran for thirteen issues with production delays from January 30, 2002^[3][4] until March 31, 2004.^[5] Hitch described the alternative-reality reimagining as one where, "You have to approach it as though nothing has happened before and tell the story fresh from the start.... We had to get to the core of who these people were and build outwards, so Cap [Captain America] was a soldier, Thor is either a nut case or a messiah ... Banner [the Hulk] an insecure genius, and [superspy Nick] Fury the king of cool".^[6]

A second series, also by Millar and Hitch, was released as Ultimates 2 and ran 13 issues from Dec. 2004 to May 2007.^[7] The series had originally been slated for April 2004, but was resolicited to stockpile enough issues for a monthly release.^[8][9] It ran into similar production delays, however, due to Millar's struggles with Crohn's Disease and involvement writing Civil War, as well as the artists' need to keep busy with other work in the meantime.^[10][11]

In a 2004 interview, Millar outlined the difference between the Ultimates and the Avengers: "The idea behind The Avengers is that the Marvel Universe's biggest players all get together and fight all the biggest supervillains they can't defeat individually, whereas Ultimates 2 is an exploration of what happens when a bunch of ordinary people are turned into super-soldiers and being groomed to fight the real-life war on terror."^[2]

This was followed by the one-shot Ultimate Saga (Nov. 2007), a condensed retelling, by writers C. B. Cebulski and Mindy Owens and artist Travis Charest, of the events of Ultimates and Ultimates 2. A third series, Ultimates 3 (Dec 2007 – Sept 2008) was written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Joe Madureira.^[12]

Mark Millar returned to the Ultimates with a series of shorter miniseries, beginning in 2009 with Ultimate Comics: Avengers, which ran from August 2009 until July 2011.^[13]

The Earth-6160 version of the Ultimates began its own comic series on June 5, 2024. ^[14]

General Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. establishes a strike force of government-sponsored superhumans which includes Steve Rogers (Captain America); scientist couple Henry and Janet Pym (Giant-Man and the Wasp); Bruce Banner (the Hulk) and Tony Stark (Iron Man). Together, they are based at the S.H.I.E.L.D facility the Triskelion. When Banner injects himself with the super-soldier serum and goes on a bloody rampage as the Hulk, he is eventually stopped by the other superhumans with the aid of Thor. The team then join forces with the mutants Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch and agents Hawkeye and Black Widow against the alien shape-shifters the Chitauri, who are defeated.^[15]

A year later public opinion has turned against the team when it is discovered that Bruce Banner is in fact the Hulk and was responsible for hundreds of deaths. The team is undermined further when Thor is accused of being an escaped mental patient and is incarcerated. This is the doing of his brother Loki, who also facilitates the creation of a new team of anti-American multi-nationals called the "Liberators". With the aid of the Black Widow – who betrays the team to the Liberators – the Ultimates are captured, but eventually escape and battle the Liberators to the death. With the aid of Asgardian warriors, the Ultimates defeat both Loki and the Liberators. Seeing how having the Ultimates working with the United States government "policing" the world would produce similar results to their battle against the Liberators, the team decided to leave S.H.I.E.L.D. and to continue to work as an independent team instead.^[16]

Hank Pym is under house arrest at Ultimates Mansion. One of Pym's Ultron robots drugs him and leaks a sex tape of Stark and the Black Widow to the internet. These distract from the robot's fatal shooting of the Scarlet Witch. Magneto abducts Wanda's corpse and retreats to the Savage Land, where he is confronted by the Ultimates. Pym and Wasp discover the truth about the Ultron robot, which has adopted the identity of Yellowjacket and uses the Ultimates' DNA to create a series of android duplicates. Although the true Ultimates destroy their android counterparts and Yellowjacket, Quicksilver is apparently killed by Hawkeye. The Wasp then invites Pym to return to the Ultimates, and he accepts. The mastermind behind the robot's plot is revealed to be Doctor Doom.

The Ultimate Defenders, suddenly with superpowers, steal Thor's hammer from Valkyrie. Hela agrees to release Thor in exchange for a son. Loki arrives in Central Park with an army of monsters.

Writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Esad Ribić relaunched the Ultimates with a different lineup consisting of Nick Fury, Iron Man, Thor, Spider-Woman and others.^[17][18]

Following the conclusion of the miniseries Cataclysm and under the Ultimate Marvel NOW! banner, coinciding with the Marvel Universe All-New Marvel NOW! launch, writer Michel Fiffe and artist Amilcar Pinna brought together a new team, including Spider-Man, the new Black Widow who was formerly Spider-Woman, Kitty Pryde, Bombshell, and Cloak and Dagger.^[19] The book ran for 12 issues.

All-New Ultimates has been collected in two trade paperbacks; Volume One is titled Power for Power, collecting issues #1–6; while Volume Two is titled No Gods, No Masters, collecting issues #7-#12.

When the Maker collaborated with the High Evolutionary to destroy the Superflow that kept the different universes separate in order to merge them into one reality, the Ultimates members Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Man, Wasp, and Hulk were revived where they were to help Eternity fight the First Firmament.^[20] When Earth-616's version of the Ultimates arrived on Counter-Earth to confront Maker about his actions, he ordered the Earth-1610 Ultimates to attack. As both versions of Ultimates concluded that there is no reason to fight each other, Maker killed the Earth-1610 Captain America for disobeying his orders. Upon Maker being defeated, both Ultimates helped Eternity to defeat the First Firmament. Afterwards, the Earth-1610 Ultimates left to pursue Maker.^[21]

The Ultimates are later seen on Earth-1610 when it is recreated.^[22]

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel branding, the Prime earth version of the Ultimates make their debut where they deal with cosmic threats before they can affect Earth.

During the "Ultimate Invasion" storyline, Maker traveled to Earth-6160 and remade it into his own image. After Iron Man sacrificed himself to seal himself, Maker, and a version of Kang inside The City at Latveria, Tony Stark and Reed Richards work to undo the Maker's work, with Tony placing the Immortus Engine into his armor and taking up the name of Iron Lad until he can come up with a better one. They later find the body of Captain America frozen in ice.^[23] With Reed Richards having taken up the alias of Doom, he and Tony raid an Asgardian prison where they free Thor at the cost of its warden Sif being transported as well. She agrees to help them as they raid a repository in Latveria so that they can restore the stolen lives of those whose origins Maker had thwarted. They only run off with a few items due to a attack by Henri Duggary. The rest of Maker's Council conducts a false flag attack on Stark Tower which kills thousands, framing Tony and his allies as terrorists.^[24]

Iron Lad, Captain America, and Doom later raid a facility called "Damage Control" which contains different items like the indestructible corpse and never worn costumes. There was a broken body of a robot, the corpse of the "Infant King of Attilan", a taxidermy of a man and his pet Smilodon from the Savage Land, fragments of an unknown costume, and the metallic skeleton of Weapon X. Captain America states that they are looking for someone that he fought alongside with in World War II. When they are attacked by H.A.N.D. agents who make up Maker's super-secret police, Captain America and Iron Lad do a molotov trick to free Human Torch from his casing as he attacks the Hand agents. Captain America and Iron Lad welcome Human Torch to the Ultimates as they are going to fix the world.^[25]

Operating covertly in a Stark/Stane satellite after being sent six months into the future, Iron Lad states to Doom and Sif that they have 18 months before The City opens. Using the Immortus Engine, they can operate in the past, present, and future. They plan on starting a resistance network against the Maker's Council by trying to recreate Earth-616's heroes. When Doom states that some in the files are deceased, Stark states that they can find replacements. After calculations in modifying the Immortus Engine, Doom states they could build their resistance movement six months in the past and have their army overnight in the future. During their work, Iron Lad oversees Captain America's awakening from his coma and explains about the changed political status quo, while Thor still heals from his wounds. A week later, Rogers advises Stark and Doom that they need to start a revolution on the ground. Iron Lad then tries sending "origin-machines" back in time. Only a few take them. Knowing that the second attempt won't work, Iron Lad states that they'll have to do it another way. The group starts by recruiting exterminators Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne. Captain America states to them the Maker had robbed them of the chance to be heroes. Just then, they are attacked by Duggary, the new ruler of the East Coast, his Black Crusade, and his army of giants. As the Ultimates battle Henri's forces, Janet becomes Wasp. Hank soon becomes Giant-Man and steps on some of the Black Crusade. The news mentions their battle as Hank's footprint is heavily discussed online. Stark states that the Ultimates are here and are going to leave a mark. 17 months are remaining before The City opens.^[26]

On July 4th, Iron Lad, Captain America, Giant-Man, and Wasp arrive at the White House. Earlier that day, Steve Rogers views a holo-program from Howard Stark's files on the history of the former United States of America as it shows how Maker remade his Earth into his own image since 1963, starting with him establishing The City and meeting John F. Kennedy. Back in the present, the Ultimates fight their way past H.A.N.D. agents. They enter the Oval Office where they confront a man in an earlier Iron Man armor named "Midas". Iron Lad identifies it as his father's first armor, which Midas says was gained when the Stark/Stane' assets were up for grabs. As Giant-Man and Wasp continue their fight, Midas tries to make a deal with the Ultimates as Rogers state their intentions are to save America. Midas states that his version of America is wider as he considers commerce is what truly represents the nation. Rogers replies that they know what he's doing in his basement and will put a stop to it with or through him. Midas then attacks. They fight Midas until Iron Lad blows a hole to the basement taking the three of them, Giant-Man and Wasp down there amidst the fall. They find a woman trapped in a machine that is feeding off of her cosmic radiation. Midas claims she fell from the future and that her energy is highly valuable. With Giant-Man and Wasp unconscious and Iron Lad's armor in power saving mode, Captain America fights against a ranting and rambling Midas. Wasp regains consciousness and takes the opportunity to shoot the machine, freeing the woman as Rogers gives Midas a neck injury. Midas claims that if they take her, part of the American electrical grid will fail. In a flashback during July 1st, Steve learns from Tony that he has been through the entire holographic program, learning the history of decades in a few days. Back in the present, Captain America carries the woman, asking if she remembers her name. She says her name is America as the Ultimates walk away from a burning White House. 16 months are remaining before The City opens.^[27]

Later, at an island somewhere in the South Pacific, Iron Lad, Thor, and Sif arrive where they find gamma-irradiated lizards as they are confronted by one of them. One minute later, Thor and Sif manage to slay it. Then they see different gamma-irradiated wildlife which Thor and Sif keep killing much to the dismay of Iron Lad who states that they can set off an extinction event. Just then, the three are confronted by a gamma-irradiated humanoid. Before Thor can strike a blow to it, they are confronted by a She-Hulk. She introduces herself as Lejori Zakaria who is the protector of the island and its people. Iron Lad states that they didn't come to fight and just wanted to talk. Lejori then calms down the gamma-irradiated humanoid as it regresses to a human baby as she talks about how Bruce Banner left her fellow islanders to live in the fallout after the "Banner-Ulam Gamma Bomb" was tested nearby. When Iron Lad asks if there are others like her, Lejori takes them to her village and shows off the mutated islanders who aren't like her. Iron Lad states that the terrorist claims that are mentioned on TV are lies and that everyone will soon be involved in a war. Lejori mentions about the day when her parents died from the side-effects of their mutations. Then she asks Iron Lad to fix their island before it was affected by the Gamma Bomb before she can join the fight against Banner and the Maker's Council. Meanwhile, Hulk is shown watching this from a hidden camera as he declares the Ultimates as intruders on his land. He gives the orders to assemble the Immortal Weapons as the Ultimates are "making him angry". 15 months are remaining before The City opens.^[28]

Doom is later visited by Iron Lad who stated that he missed another mission where Giant-Man would've been dead if it weren't for America Chavez. He mentions how he suffers from extreme despair since the incident involving what happened the day when Maker came to Earth-6160 as he calls it his "Negative Zone". He mentioned how Maker had sabotaged the rocket launch they did against the space program project's director Franklin Storm where Johnny Storm suddenly burned to death, Ben Grimm was found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and Reed and Susan Storm were detained. Franklin used his high-level connections to let Reed see Susan one last time. Then he proceeded to blame Reed for killing his children and cursing the day he saw his face. Maker later brought Reed to The City and tortured him into becoming Doom while claiming that he doomed three lives that day. Doom then states that he has been trying to find the right composition of cosmic radiation to use while testing it on the laboratory mice in his possession as they keep dying. He says that he lost some people while Iron Lad hasn't lost anybody to an accident. He will try Iron Lad's way for now. When the laboratory mice stop dying, the Fantastic Four will return. While noting that he has work to do, Doom tells Iron Lad to close the door on the way out. 14 months are remaining before The City opens.^[29]

At the Secret Stark Satellite that's been dubbed the Triskelion, Tony Stark briefs Captain America on what has happened to some Roxxon locations where survivors have talked about seeing flying arrows that are of Stark/Stane's design. While noting that the person who was supposed to be Hawkeye rejected the offer, someone has obtained the Hawkeye equipment. Tony sends Captain America to confront them since Tony is swamped with the Gamma island reclamation and Human Torch's repairs, America Chavez is on a mission in Eurasia, Giant-Man and Wasp are investigating a lead on a trapped hero, Thor and Sif are nowhere to be found, She-Hulk will only leave her island to confront Maker's Council, and Doom is busy. At Roxxon Refinery 15, Hawkeye is confronted by Captain America who identifies them as Charli Ramsey. Hawkeye goes on the attack using the different arrows on Captain America while claiming that Roxxon does whatever they want and anyone who stands up to them gets arrested. Captain America finally subdues Hawkeye just as armed soldiers that Hawkeye calls "Roxxon's Cleanup Crew" arrive. Captain America hears that they are a team of mercenaries who secure mining operations and were the ones who put down the Savage Land Revolt in the 70s. Captain America and Hawkeye defeat "Roxxon's Cleanup Crew". Hawkeye agrees to accompany him as they answer Captain America's question on if their spirit name was "Charli Hawk's Eye" by stating "You white people will believe anything". Meanwhile, Emmanuel da Costa and Hulk talk about what happened to Midas and Roxxon's facilities. With Emanuel infuriated that they harmed Roxxon which is part of his profile, Hulk calms him down while stating that he had time to study their strengths and weaknesses while considering them an insurgency. When Emmanuel asks what he would propose, Hulk states that he's going to kill them once and for all. 13 months are remaining before The City opens.^[30]

Iron Lad has cracked the Overnet used by Maker's Council and has brought Captain America, Thor, Sif, Giant-Man, Wasp, Human Torch, America Chavez, Hawkeye, and She-Hulk to a Damage Control location that is said to contain a dozen super-powered prisoners that they plan to rescue before the prisoners are executed tomorrow. When they enter it, they instead find Hulk inside as he offers them some tea. She-Hulk then begins her attack on Hulk for what he did to her island as Hulk uses the Iron Fist move on her. Meanwhile, Doom is told by the Triskelion's A.I. that it has lost contact with everyone. Hulk reveals to the Ultimates that he had them brought to K'un-L'un and that he rules all seven of Heaven's capital cities. His Immortal Weapons (consisting of Bride of Nine World-Breakers, Crane Mother of the Bomb, Decay's Beautiful Daughter, Fat Cobra, Prince of Meltdowns, and Uranium Brother #235) then arrive as they take their gamma injections. The Ultimates then fight Hulk and the Immortal Weapons as they struggle against them. Meanwhile, Doom finally locates the Ultimates after doing a search across Avalon, Asgard, and Hel. Fat Cobra then swallows a smaller Wasp. Giant-Man grows to large size and fights Fat Cobra until Wasp grows enough to kill Fat Cobra and then collapses in Giant-Man's arms. Hulk then uses his Gigatron Vice Grip on Iron Lad to defeat him. She-Hulk then lunges towards Hulk to make him pay for what he did to her island. After Hulk breaks She-Hulk's right hand off, Doom manages to teleport everyone out of K'un-L'un at the last minute. As Doom checks on everyone, She-Hulk regenerates her right hand and claims that Iron Lad is dead. 12 months are remaining before The City opens.^[31]

Overall, the Ultimates series has been generally well received by critics and readers, with the first two volumes being praised for the surprisingly mature themes and concepts, the more humanly flawed and layered characterizations of the original Avengers members, Millar's storytelling and writing, Hitch's photo-realistic and cinematic-styled artwork, the modernized, grittier and realistic, yet simultaneously engaging and intriguing re-imagining of the classic Avengers mythos and the political relevance of the first two volumes, while criticism was leveled at the unnecessarily adult-oriented, shallow attempt at maturity and the overly cynical tone and direction of the series, with the third volume: The Ultimates 3 being met with a mostly negative reception, compared to the positive response received by the first two volumes, for the aforementioned reasons. The first volume of Ultimates #1 ranked fourth among the top 300 comics sold for February 2002, based on Diamond Publisher's indexes,^[32] with the next three issues ranked second,^[33] second,^[34] and third,^[35] respectively.

Popmatters.com praised Mark Millar's writing in the opening eight issues, stating the writer "is able to walk a very fine line of keeping the story measured yet entertaining".^[36] Comics Bulletin, in a review of the "Homeland Security" story arc, states the artwork is "visual magnificence" yet is concerned about the dark writing of the characters stripped of their "super-heroic nobility" and was "disheartened by the book’s tone and cynicism".^[37] Shakingthrough.net gave "Homeland Security" a 4.2 out of 5.0 stating it is an "engaging read, filled with intriguing and amusing modern takes on classic Marvel characters" whilst praising Bryan Hitch's artwork by saying it is "amazing, gorgeous artwork, which continues to set the standard for cinematic photo-realism."^[38]

Ultimates 2 #1 ranked second among the top 300 comics sold for December 2004,^[39] with the next three issues ranked second,^[40] fourth^[41] and sixth,^[42] respectively.

Reviewing Ultimates 2, Curledup.com praised Millar's writing of the classic heroes and the "inclusion of current-day politics" improves the storyline.^[43] Comics Bulletin reviewed the final issue #13 but found it anticlimactic with the issue degenerating to a "slug fest". The artwork was praised with the reviewer stating that Bryan Hitch's "artwork has definitely been one of the main elements that will make this series memorable."^[44] Denofgeek.com praised the artwork, with "Bryan Hitch doing some of the best work of his career", but was critical of Millar's writing stating it had "no substance".^[45]

Ultimates 3 #1 ranked first in December 2007's Top 300 comics with preorder sales of 131,401,^[46] Issue #2 ranked number seven with 105,070 preorders.^[47] Issue three ranked better than its predecessor, falling at number five, but had a smaller number of preorders, totaling at 97,210.^[48]

Reviewing Ultimates 3, IGN called the book a "reasonably decent experience" although the issue "falters on its own merits",^[49] only to later state while reviewing the third issue that "Behind the theatrics and swagger, there's just nothing there to draw me in. These are the characters that I used to enjoy in name only, hollow shells of what they used to be."^[50] Alvaro's Comic Boards' review was even harsher, remarking that Ultimates 3 "has somehow managed to entirely miss what made the Ultimates something other than alternative universe Avengers" and adding "this was the worst comic I've read all year".^[51]

2011's Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates received highly positive reactions upon its debut. Chad Nevett from Comic Book Resources wrote that "the comic is exciting and sets up a large story that, right now, seems like it could easily end with the destruction of the team. A first issue that starts with its foot on the gas is exactly what’s called for",^[52] while IGN gave the first issue 8/10.^[53]

• Numerous aspects and elements of the Ultimates were utilized for the look and storyline of The Avengers.^[54]
• It has been indicated that aspects of Avengers: Age of Ultron were also inspired by the Ultimate Marvel Comics.^[55]

• The Ultimates have been the basis for Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Avengers 2.
• The Ultimates appear in a self-titled episode of Avengers Assemble as Adaptoid-esque duplicates of the Avengers.

• The Ultimates are alluded in Ultimate Spider-Man. A number of posters depicting The Triskelion are seen announcing a movie called The Ultimates.
• Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Nick Fury have their Ultimate universe costumes in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.
• The Ultimates appears at the end of Spider-Man: Battle for New York after Spider-Man battling the Green Goblin in the final level.

Two novels based on the Ultimates have been released:

• The Ultimates (comic book)
• The Ultimates 2
• List of Ultimates members
• Ultimate Nick Fury
• Tomorrow Men
• Avengers (comics)

• Ultimates at Marvel.com

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