The Ultimates (2024) #9-12

The Ultimates #9-12

Originally released in 2025

Written by Deniz Camp

Art by Chris Allen (#9), Juan Frigeri (#10-12)

Unlike the Ultimates of the early 2000s, I've been enjoying my read-through of the modern incarnation of the Ultimates; it likely helps that it is more optimistic. (which is saying something considering that it takes place in a world under the tyrannical rule of an alternate universe Reed Richards; the heroes are more likeable, rather than being awful people)  The team has grown quite a bit over the course of nine issues, recruiting America Chavez, She-Hulk (an islander whose home was subjected to gamma bomb testing), Hawkeye (a young Native American), and the Human Torch (Jim Hammond, a World War 2 era android), though this wasn't enough to take on the Maker's allies; they all nearly died at the hands of the Hulk, with Tony being left in a coma.

Issue 9 switches gears, changing the focus away from the eponymous team to Luke Cage, who was sent to prison for a crime that he not only didn't commit, but one that he won't even be told what it is.  His trial and sentencing happened without his knowledge and he doesn't even know what he did, which could be a sign of the Maker trying to get anyone with superpowers out of the way or it could just be a sign of how blatantly corrupt his society is.

Luke Cage is given powers by the device that Tony had sent to various could-have-been heroes, making him bulletproof like the main continuity and making him one of the few success stories of that particular project.  He has the chance to join the Ultimates, but he feels that he can do more good from the inside, inciting rebellions within the Maker's various prisons.

Issue 10 returns focus to the Ultimates as Captain America, the Human Torch, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Hawkeye infiltrate a compound run by the Red Skull.  Camp pulls no punches when it comes to the modern use of the Punisher's logo and the controversy surrounding it, as in the Ultimate universe, Frank Castle was an ex-cop who went on a rampage in the 70s, and his iconography was picked up by Neo Nazis who recruit young men into their ideology.

Jim Hammond is the viewpoint character for this issue, and we get a brief glimpse into how he killed Hitler.  As an android made in the 40s, he doesn't exactly have the most up-to-date storage space, and he's had to delete plenty of important memories over the years, but that particular memory stays right where it is.

During Jim's narration, he feels like the Wasp is a natural, while Hank's uncertainty is going to get him killed soon.  I'm hoping that isn't the case; I like the dynamic that Hank and Janet have, and it's a definite improvement over how they were handled in the Ultimates of the early 2000s.

Upon getting into the base, the team discovers Namor, whose corpse was found by a former Red Skull and strung up on display like a prized fish. (the Maker clearly did not take Namor's flirting with Sue in the old Ultimate universe well) They also discover the current Red Skull, who knows Steve personally, and John Walker, who had been sent the Super Soldier Serum only to fall in with the Red Skull, another case where Tony's plan for giving people superpowers because they had them in the main universe backfired.

This issue, along with issue 11, make the message clear that you can't compromise with tyrants, and that they'll take and take and take until they have everything.  Issue 11 focuses on Thor and Sif as they fight to free Asgard from Loki, who's grown complacent, drunk, and fat over the years, while keeping Odin's preserved head on a spear next to his throne.

Issue 11 is written very differently, almost like an epic poem, as Thor and Sif travel to the different realms of Yggdrasil to gather a resistance, and consummate their relationship in the process.  Afterwards, Thor heads off on his own while Sif is asleep, choosing to make a metaphorical deal with the metaphorical devil to get Loki off the throne of Asgard. (by metaphorical deal, I mean literal deal, and by metaphorical devil, I mean Surtur)

Issue 12 has Tony discover that most of the Ultimates are sharing the same nightmare of being slaughtered by the Hulk and his minions.  Except it turns out that it isn't a nightmare, but a vision of an alternate timeline before Doom (this universe's version of Reed Richards, tortured and mutilated by the Maker) used time travel to change the outcome.

Realizing that their current strategy isn't working, they go back to the drawing board and encourage everyone to pitch in with ideas, with nothing (not even time travel, which was deemed too risky after the origin boxes were sent out) being off-limits.  Unfortunately, we also discover in this issue that one of the Ultimates is betraying the team, though it's too early to tell if this betrayal is sincere or part of a plan to make them a double agent.

As the months tick down towards the Maker's release, the comic is starting to create this sense of impending dread - they're two thirds of the way through their time limit and the Ultimates feel completely outmatched, even without the Maker being involved. I'm nervous and excited to see what comes next.