Ultimates 3 #1
Writer: Jeph LoebArtist: Joe Maduriera
Well, yet another much-hyped book falls flat. I can't decide if it was the artwork that killed it because it was so static, or the writing that seemed to have almost nothing in common with the previous volumes. Also, the book took me about 5 minutes to read, which for 2.99 is dissapointing. We start off with a meeting in the Ultimates' headquarters, unfortunately viewing a sex tape of Iron Man and the deceased Black Widow. Is a sex tape the only scandal that Jeph Loeb can think of? Really? Anyway, the Ultimates discuss it for about a page when Venom bursts in rambling, "where is she?" over and over again which gets annoying. Over the course of this fight I learn that Thor is now speaking in more evocative language than the hippy-speak he used to spout, Thor has a girlfriend, Black Panther doesn't speak, and Hawkeye/Bullseye has a death wish. Where the hell is Iron Man? Captain America? These characters only appear for a page or so, and these were the most interesting characters of Volumes 1 and 2, not to mention Nick Fury who isn't even mentioned. At the end of the book, someone gets shot, and I really don't care. Everything here seems so deriviative of Millar's previous work. Jeph Loeb is certainly a capable writer, but I think him taking over a book that had such a distinctive look and feel was a bad move. Millar had more than action going on in his book, his characters had relationships with each other, personal problems, lives, families, and we caught a glimpse of that while they battled the Hulk, Aliens, each other, and Norse Gods. It's that complexity that Millar brought to the book that made Ultimates great, not to mention Hitch's contribution. Here, Loeb is just throwing things at the wall, seeing what sticks. We know Captain America is still a man out of time, but you don't have to throw it at our face by having him reprimand Scarlet Witch for her skimpy costume. It's just cliche. Maybe Loeb should've had a whole issue to deal with these characters before he started his fight, or made this issue double-sized even. It might've helped the story, not to mention the transition from great to mediocre.
I've seen Joe Mad's work before in an X-Men trade or two. I liked his stylistic stuff, and it worked for the time, but here it just feels bland. The characters feel posed and have little or no real expression to their faces. Go back and look at Hitch's expressions in every book, they were phenominal. The fight scenes aren't drawn particularly exciting, and the coloring just hinders the interior art in my opinion. The man needs a real inker, get rid of this digital painting style, it doesn't work here, it just muddies the art. It's hard to read this book and not compare it to the previous two volumes, and when you do compare it, it doesn't measure up, not even close. D
Loeb is an unholy curse...when writng for marvel. He's great in the DV-verse. I hate hate hate loeb when he's writing marvel though. For some reason it just strikes me as an uncle who vaguely knows the characters you like just trying to come up with some bedtime story containing them while tucking you in. I'm sure that didn't make sense, but....whatever. Loeb. Go back to DC.
AND PLEASE BENDIS DON'T GOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn't agree with you more. The art was not right for some reason. The story was a mess. And this is supposed to wrap up in five issues? Loeb belongs in the DC universe not at Marvel.
Guys, it's Loebs' first issue on the thing, cut him a little slack, geeze.
Now...is this issue GREAT....NO...I am not gonna say that, but again take into consideration he is coming on right after Millars' & Hitchs' Ultimates run...that's not an easy act to follow.
I think a lot of people read this first issue with a LOT of expectations.
I didn't think it was bad. The writing was a little choppy I'll agree but, again he's getting his footing.
Nick quit being such a fanboy, Loeb has NEVER written a good book since he returned to Marvel. Why should he start now?
What is Nick talking about expectations? I know I didn't go in with any expectations because of his run on Wolverine. The book is still shit. Tough act to follow sure, but this was one of the shittiest books I have read in the Ultimate Universe. Yes I am counting Ultimate Galactus and Ultimate Powers in there.
If you thought this was good Nick, you really need to check out Ultimates, Ultimate Spider-man, Ultimate X-men, and Ultimate Fantastic Four. Books like this are a prime example of why I love DC so much more.
Dennis - Fanboy? Huh? Dude, I hated his work on Wolverine, trust me...not a fanboy. Least not of his stuff in Marvel thus far.
Arthur - I've read Ultimates, really dug Millar and Hitch's stuff, read some of Ultimate Spider-Man trades from Ben, like Bendis' stuff. I don't know, I guess I just didn't think it was that bad. When you've read a Nightwing issue where Jason Todd EATS the bad guy and throws him back up, your views on what is and is not awful are a bit altered.
I know I'll get a lot of flack for not saying it's utter shite, but, I just really don't think its as horrid as its been made out to be.
I have never read any of Loeb's DC work, but judging by his work for Marvel. It has been horrible. From trying too hard to be emotional in Spiderman Blue and Hulk Grey. To just horrible out of character and horrible action in Onslaught Returns and Wolverine.
I'm not a DC fan at all. I know you guys have gone on about Long Halloween and Hush on the podcast. I am thinking about trying one of those books sometime.
A D is a fair grade for this book, it was two years in the making and we couldn't help but buy into the hype Nick. Sorry, it's like not being excited about the next Batman movie. Don't tell me anyone is going in that movie with low expectations. Well I said my 2 cents.
Frank
I haven't read it yet. I won't judge the writing at all for that reason. But I see little point changing the costumes. When I think Ultimate Universe, I think a whole new universe to bring in new readers, a whole new line of continuity, a universe that is grounded in reality a lot more and costumes that you could see in reality.
And come to think of it, from my brief glances, I guess it was really just Wanda that had the big costume change. Seemed pointless to me. Or maybe just a plot device so Cap could use a few lines.
As for the incest thing. I don't know. I had no problem when I heard about that. I was glad in fact. I heard some people bitching about "Making that happen". But really. It was hinted at so many times through various books and to put the blame on Loeb just seems really unfair to me. he just made it official. Kind of. Wasp said it was incest. Quicksilver said he loved Wanda. We can presume, but ti was never really confirmed by the people involved.
And I just found this part kind of funny.
Ultimates is grounded in reality. They had that nice suit for Iron Man that could be used in the real world (Presumed speculation on my part).
So what do they do for the movie? They take the current suit in the 616 universe. Not that I am complaining. I just found it funny.