Let’s start again – review of the comic book “Ultimate X-Men”, vol. 1

History lesson

The group of mutants known as X-Men was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They debuted in September 1963. Initially, the team included Cyclops, Jean Gray (then operating under the pseudonym Marvel Girl), Beast, Iceman and Angel. Charles Xavier, of course, led the team. After 66 issues were released, the series was put on hold and returned to the market again in 1970. Then the team led by Professor X was joined by Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Banshee, Sunfire and Thunderbird. Over the years, the line-up changed, we got to know more and more new characters. Some of them came and went quickly, others were permanently recorded on the pages of comics. The latter include Rogue, Gambit, Jubilee and Psylocke. Homo superiorThey also quickly gained recognition from readers, and the number of their fans continued to grow. Over time, we also saw animated series, movies, games and books telling about the fate of mutants. They themselves also attacked the market in the form of mascots, key rings, figurines, and their images began to decorate T-shirts and sweatshirts. The long-awaited moment is also about to come when the X-Men will become part of the MCU. For now, Egmont has released the Ultimate X-Men issue on the Polish market , which tells the story of the Earth-1610 team and was originally published in 2001. It is worth adding that a year earlier, the Ultimate Spider-Man comic began the entire Ultimate series , and the adventures We were able to meet mutants from the aforementioned universe in our country in 2004 thanks toTo the Good Comic .

Against all odds

The plot of the Ultimate X-Men comic book tells about the time when more and more mutants appear on Earth – people endowed with extraordinary powers. Fearing them, the government, at the urging of ordinary citizens, is building Sentinels, robots that can detect gene X and are designed to eliminate the person endowed with him. Meanwhile, Magneto creates the Brotherhood of Mutants, an organization associating homo superiorand wanting to take over the world. To prevent a devastating war, Charles Xavier assembles a group of X-Men consisting of Cyclops, Jean Gray, Storm, Beast, Colossus, Iceman and Wolverine. It is they who are to become the superheroes saving the future of the Earth. However, it soon turns out that even if the president of the United States realizes that there can be peace between both races, not everyone will share his opinion. SHIELD intends to secretly create mutants into super soldiers who will follow their every command, and the ruthless Colonel Wraith will gladly take on this task.

Was it? There was no?

The first volume of Ultimate X-Men consists of the stories entitled People of the Future and Return to X Weapons by Mark Millar and the short story Funeral Ceremony by Geoff Johns between them. At first glance, you might think that the writers are not serving anything new. The cover itself shows the most famous X-Men, in quite classic costumes, presenting well-known powers. The plot does not seem to be revealing either. Charles Xavier collects mutants who, in turn, fight against Magneto and the Sentinels, while Cyclops argues with Logan and the two compete for Jean Gray’s favor. On the occasion of homo superiorthey have to go into hiding because they are condemned by ordinary citizens who are simply afraid of them. We’ve already been through it all, and more than once. Meanwhile, the farther into the forest, the more… changes. We start with the minor ones, like the fact that Eric Lensherr is Canadian here and has never been a concentration camp prisoner, the Brotherhood of Mutants hides from the start in Savage Land, Juggernaut is not related to Xavier, and Beast is having an affair with Storm. The real revolution takes place in the second part of the notebook. Almost all members of the X-Men end up in a project known as Weapons X, SHIELD turns out to be a not as good organization as on Earth-616, and Nick Fury gets involved. Plots, romances, alliances and betrayals will make readers’ jaws drop.

It’s not easy for a screenwriter

Admittedly, Millar, who created most of the comic (only 17 pages out of 320 are by Geoff Johns), had no easy task. At the time of coming up with adventures to Ultimate X-Men, mutants had a loyal following around the world for years. In order not to be lynched, the creator had to hit their tastes, and at the same time try to create a script that was not a copy of previous adventures, but also leave the main core of the story. How to create something known and unknown at the same time, and still under the pressure of recipients? The writer showed, however, that he knows what he is doing, and the two Eisner Awards, which he received while working at DC Comics, did not go into his hands for acquaintances. Homo superiorfrom the Earth-1610 look great. From the very beginning, the artist builds tension, spins intrigues, and the action chases the action. The reader does not have time to catch his breath, because the heroes just get into new trouble and do not cope with them so easily. Although there are a lot of fight scenes in which there is no shortage of bloodshed, usually violence is not the only solution. Doing so makes us think about the best way to get out of a given situation. Many times twists make us surprised by the events presented on the following pages. Almost all known heroes related to mutants also add to this great plot. In addition to those mentioned, there is also a place for Nightcrawler, Rogue, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Sabertooth and Toad. As if that was not enough, The already mentioned Nick Fury is involved in everything. Everyone has a role to play and does not have to be on the same side as usual. This is probably enough to confirm that there is a lot going on in the comic.

With the times

The main cartoonist behind Ultimate X-Men is Adam Kubert. However, Andy Kubert, Tom Raney, Tom Derenick and Aaron Lopresti also contributed here. All the gentlemen performed their task brilliantly. The line and vivid colors used in the notebook are extremely pleasing to the eye. We also managed to capture the quick action proposed by Mark Millar. It is also impossible not to recognize individual heroes or the powers they use. For some, some minor details were added on the occasion. And so Wolverine got a goatee, and Piotr Rasputin got a ponytail. Frames drawn with crayons are also noteworthy, as they appear when the creators want to show the TV news watched by the characters or related flashbacks. Overall X-Menithey were refreshed and modernized, which in a sense gave them a new life. The writers and cartoonists rose to the occasion, and also gave us something that we know well, but in a completely different version.

Maintain the level

Ultimate X-Men is an introduction to the new series inspired by the classic. Mutants from Earth-1610 are very similar in strength or character to their counterparts in another universe, but their lives are different. Although at first the reader may have the impression that this is an adventure that he learned many years ago, he quickly realizes that he has been drawn into a whirlwind of completely new events. He will quickly become familiar with the new versions of mutants and will follow their fate with bated breath and keep his fingers crossed for them. Before he watches it well, he’ll make it to the finale of a pretty large first volume, and he’ll be sorry it’s over. Fortunately, Egmont will release a sequel soon. May it turn out to be equally good!