Ultimatum: Spider-Man: Requiem #2 (of 2)

I have to admit to being puzzled by these Requiem books (they have them for Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four).

It really feels like Marvel is just clearing out its files as it wraps up the last 10 years of the Ultimate-verse, and gets ready to send the whole thing off in a new direction.

In this issue, for example, we have a 22-page story wonderfully drawn by Mark Bagley, surrounded by a framing sequence by the also-excellent Stuart Immonen, with the whole magilla written quite well by Brian Bendis.

Since Bagley is under contract to DC, this is presumably (like issue #1) a filler story that's been in the files for a while.

Whatever the case, it's an entertaining story as we see Spider-Man facing off against a major powerhouse.

It's an odd send-off for the best book in the Ultimate series, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the creative team does for the next chapter in Ultimate Spider-Man's story.

For quite a few years, this has been the home for the best Spider-Man stories around.

Hopefully the new comic with a slightly-different title and a brand new number will keep that string going!

Grade: B

Ultimatum #5 (of 5)

And so it is that the Ultimate Universe ends with both a bang (as more heroes and villains are brutally murdered) and a whimper (that coming from the fans who read this thing).

This final issue of Ultimatum features excellent art by David Finch and a reprehensible script from Jeph Loeb.

The entire thrust of the series is simply to kill as many heroes as possible in the most shocking way possible. In that effort it was quite successful - we've seen characters torn apart, chewed up and generally mutilated.

However, there's no entertainment or story value in it - it's just violence for shock value - the comic book equivalent of torture porn.

It leaves me so indifferent, I can't work up the energy to talk about it any more, and the comic doesn't warrant much discussion.

The Ultimate universe was one brimming with potential when it was created, but this crass effort has left it smelling like failure. A shame, really.

Grade: D

Ultimatum #4 (of 5)

Kudos to the creative team on Ultimatum for managing the difficult task of creating the most offensive comic on the stands (I started to say "each month," but that would imply the book had come out on time).

Herein writer Jeph Loeb and artist David Finch continue their efforts at shredding what's left of the Ultimate Universe. In that, at least, they are succeeding.

Several heroes die horrible deaths in this comic (one is particularly gruesome - I hope young children don't pick this one up by accident).

Despite that, there's not much story happening here. There's a lot of noise, a tender moment or two - but the plot doesn't move forward at all, and what does happen generally doesn't make sense.

Finch's art is fine, although a bit grisly in places.

But the story is just shameful. Even if the next issue somehow wipes out all the death and destruction, many beloved characters have been exploited and killed horribly for shock value alone.

The Ultimate Universe was a terrific gamble on Marvel's part when it started almost 10 years ago, and it's a gamble that paid off with quite a few outstanding stories (and a few stinkers, it's true). I readily admit that I didn't think it would work - until I read the first issues. Then I was convinced - quality wins every time.

But here they're throwing away that great idea for a sales gimmick.

It's just sad.

Grade: D-

Ultimatum #3 (of 5)

Back when the Super Nintendo videogame system was first released, one of the earliest games available was SimCity, which allowed you to design and build your own city.

I enjoyed the game, and spent entirely too many hours playing it. But once I had built a city up to its maximum potential, there was only one thing left to do: I had to destroy it.

The game allowed you to bring down all kinds of disaster on your hapless Sims - earthquake, hurricane, giant monster attack - all good fun.

I bring this up because this is essentially what's going on with the Ultimatum mini-series. The creative team is blowing things up left and right, piling up an impressive body count of heroes and villains, laying waste to entire continents and managing some character assassination along the way.

But because the death is being doled out on a massive scale, it reads like an imaginary story. Are they really going to kill him and her and it? And will they stay dead?

Worst of all, most of the heroes die a meaningless death. A good hero deserves to go out fighting - not drowning in a freakish weather event. It has all the emotional impact of the SimCity game - which is to say, none at all.

The art by David Finch is quite good, although I could do without the gore - dismembered heads, close-ups of dead bodies and arrows piercing - this is not a comic for kids.

I suppose this is one way of getting rid of the Ultimate Universe - but it seems an awful waste of a concept with a lot of potential.

Grade: C

Ultimatum #2 (of 5)

Now here's a mini-series that really wants you to buy it.

It features some excellent, detailed artwork by David Finch and Danny Miki. It stars virtually every super-powered character in the Ultimate Universe. And big things happen - which in the world of comics means: lots of people die, including some surprisingly big characters.

The story, as written by Jeph Loeb, picks up right where the first issue left off. New York has been hit by a tidal wave, killing and injuring who knows how many people, included some prominent heroes. At the same time, environmental disasters are striking countries around the globe, killing millions.

In Ultimatum, we check in on the events from several different perspectives, and see how the heroes and villains react to the world-wide calamity. Some are just trying to survive, while others are trying to find a way to fight back against the source of the problem - a grief-stricken Magneto, whose children were killed in recent issues of The Ultimates.

It's a walloping big story, but it's also meandering a bit. For example, why would Thor run off to Asgard when the Earth is facing extinction? When did the Hulk become a helpful guy? Was it necessary to give one hero such a gory and gruesome fate?

Well, you get the idea. Certainly big things are happening, and it's going to take some real clever twists to set things right.

So far, I haven't seen much in the way of clever. It's mostly been the usual heavy-handed mass murder, which is a cheap way to get attention. Fixing the problem - now that will take some smart writing.

Grade: B

Ultimatum #1 (of 5)

In the past, a comic book was important because of the events included - they might be big (the destruction of the Earth), they might be small (a story that focuses on emotion or a key event), or anywhere in between.

But a new definition for a big story has arrived - it has to include death. Preferably lots and lots of dead people.

If that's the yardstick, then Ultimatum is indeed a big story. Set in the Ultimate universe, it starts out as a nice "day in the life" of the Fantastic Four, the Ultimates, Spider-Man, the Hulk and the X-Men.

But things quickly go south, as a natural disaster of unnatural proportions hits New York City, and it's one that leaves most of the city's heroes helpless. It also leaves behind - according to the script - millions of people dead.

Yes, it's all for dramatic effect, and yes, it's all setup for the final battle between the good guys and the ultimate evildoer.

It's tough to write about the book without giving anything away, but it's good to see the focus on the main characters. They are shaken by the disaster, too, and that makes them much more human.

I don't care for the widespread death and destruction - those are the kinds of things that heroes are supposed to prevent. Of course, this comic is all setup - future issues will pit the heroes again the super-villain behind the death and destruction. But death has become such a cheap commodity in comics today - it's just an easy way to generate interest.

There's nothing wrong with the art - penciller David Finch and inker Danny Miki do a great job bringing these assorted heroes to life, and they give an interesting look to the Ultimate universe - it's dark and moody, but filled with action and heroism. The drawing of Spider-Man on page 11 should be a poster somewhere.

It's difficult to judge this comic, given that it's cut short just as the story gets rolling, but it promises to be an unpredictable series, and the final shot certainly prompts several questions. But the answers will have to wait for future issues.

Grade: B+