Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 7: Blockbuster [Paperback]

Brian Michael Bendis (Author), David Finch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2006

It's the movie you will never see in theaters as the X-Men, Spider-Man and Daredevil all team up to help Wolverine fight against a secret from his mysterious past. The Ultimate Universe comes to life like never before in this action-packed storyline.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This alternate version of the X-Men saga is primarily a showcase for the ever-popular Wolverine character. In the hands of writer Bendis (mistakenly credited as Mark Millar on the credit page), the story becomes a tour of New York City and its attendant superheroes. It opens with Wolverine on the run, hunted by a paramilitary group he doesn't recognize or understand, seeking help with Spider-Man in Queens and then Daredevil in Hell's Kitchen. When the X-Men are finally called in, they discover Wolverine is being hunted by the very group that helped create him, and another piece of his mysterious past is placed in the puzzle (although by book's end there are more questions than answers). Bendis is a pulpy, dialogue-driven writer. Each of his characters has a unique speaking voice, so he manages to deepen multiple characters even as he drives the suspenseful action forward. It's a good mix. Finch's artwork is well-rendered superhero material. Even busy scenes maintain their clarity, and his fight sequences are dynamic and clean. The storytelling is in keeping with the cinematic style of comics so popular right now, giving the exposition scenes a frantic tone and the fight scenes a sprawling, epic feel, as characters hover in midair or pose dramatically against the city skyline. Bendis and Finch have a crafted a fine superhero tale: swift and fun, though thoroughly bloody and deeply rooted in the Marvel universe. It's not for neophytes or those with a low threshold for violence.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Marvel; Direct Ed edition (May 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785112197
• ISBN-13: 978-0785112198
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.2 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #649,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Michael Bendis is an award winning comics creator and one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For the last eleven years, Brian's books have consistently sat on the top of the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel's popular AVENGERS franchise by writing every issue of the NEW AVENGERS plus debuting the hit books MIGHTY AVENGERS and DARK AVENGERS along with the wildly successful 'event' projects HOUSE OF M, SECRET WAR, SECRET INVASION, and SIEGE.
This summer will see the blockbuster new line-ups for AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS.
Other recent projects include the groundbreaking SPIDER-WOMAN MOTION COMIC, that debuted number one on iTunes TV sales chart and the New York Times best selling HALO graphic novel.
Brian is one of the premiere architects of Marvel comic's Ultimate line of comics. A line of comics specifically created for the new generation of comics reader. He has written every issue of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN since it's best selling launch in 1999, and has also written ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR, X-MEN, MARVEL TEAM UP, ORIGIN, SIX and the ENEMY trilogy.
He is creator of the JINX line of crime comics published by image comics. This line has spawned the graphic novels GOLDFISH, FIRE, JINX, TORSO (w/ Marc Andreyko) and TOTAL SELL OUT.
Brian's other projects include the Eisner award winning "POWERS" (w/Mike Oeming) from Marvel's creator owned imprint ICON, and the Hollywood tell all "FORTUNE AND GLORY'. Entertainment Weekly gave both projects an "A." SONY and FX networks are currently developing POWERS for series with Brian as exec producer.
Brian is currently adapting his spy graphic novel FIRE for Universal Pictures as a starring vehicle for Zac Efron.
Brian is a member of Marvel studios creative committee, which consults on their numerous ongoing film projects. He has consulted on IRON-MAN and IRON MAN 2 and is currently consulting on THE FIRST AVENGERS: CAPTAIN AMERICA, THOR and THE AVENGERS
Brian has won five prestigious EISNER awards, including 'Best Writer of the year' two years in a row. He has also won over two dozen Wizard comic awards. Brian is the recipient of the Cleveland Press 'Excellence in Journalism' Award and was named "Best Writer of the Year." by Wizard Magazine and Comic Buyer's Guide for three consecutive years.
He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Alisa, his gorgeous daughters Olivia and Sabrina and his dogs Lucky, Max and Buster.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Somebody is seriously hunting down Logan to kill him dead, March 21, 2004

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 7: Blockbuster (Paperback)

Wow. There have been lots of changes in the Ultimate version of the Marvel Universe, but one constant has been the back story on Wolverine. He remains a mutant with extraordinary healing capabilities and claws popping out of his hands whose skeleton has been coated with the unbreakable metal adamantium by a covert military group called Weapon X. In the process of creating the ultimate living weapon they also wiped clean his memory. Once known as Logan he is now called Wolverine and has been trying to be a member of the X-Men.

But now two things have happened. First, Professor X has discovered a wedding ring that belonged to Wolverine in the government's Weapon X files. The ring bears the inscription: "To James, with all my love." This leads us to wonder if James is Wolverine's real name and who was he married to? Second, since his feelings for Jean Grey led him to leave Cyclops behind on a mission to die, he has left Charles Xavier's school. When "Ultimate X-Men Volume 7: Blockbuster" begins Wolverine is just trying to enjoy a cup of coffee and a sandwich. That is before a hail of automatic gunfire rips him to shreds.

"Blockbuster" collects together issues #34-39 of "Ultimate X-Men," written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by David Finch. The story arc follows the pursuit of Wolverine by a strange strike force armed with sophisticated military technology that includes a way of tracking Logan and adamantium bullets. Unwilling to ask the X-Men for help after the initial assault Logan ends up hiding out in the basement of none other than Peter Parker. When the battle moves to Hell's Kitchen that means not only Spider-Man but now Daredevil is also involved in Wolverine's problems. Eventually Nick Fury and Shield as well as Professor X and the X-Men become involved as some more clues regarding Logan's past are revealed.

Throughout this storyline Bendis and Finch take full advantage of Wolverine's powers of recuperation to really put him through the wringer. This is especially true of Chapter 3, that begins with Logan being driven through a series of buildings by a rocket and reaches a crescendo when he has an up close and personal encounter with the psychotic blonde heading the team that is trying to kill him. She clearly knows who he is but Logan has no memory of her whatsoever and if you think this might be the woman who gave him that wedding ring you will not be alone.

Although this is a very personal storyline in terms of Wolverine there are significant implications for the X-Men as well. Bendis continues to expand the idea of mutants being a divisive political problem as the modern equivalent of the slavery issue while the X-Men's role in the "real" world continues to be restricted by the order of the government. But more importantly, in the short-term, it is not Wolverine but another X-Men who takes a fateful step over the line.

With "Blockbuster" we basically have a giant chase story. These people are out to get Wolverine and to take him down hard. Throughout the entire story they are chasing him, but there are also times when he is trying to turn the tables on them as well. The appearances by both Spider-Man and Daredevil are well integrated into the story and as much as this is an action driven story there are plenty of character driven moments; the exchanges between Wolverine and Spider-Man are especially good, but those between Logan and Xavier are clearly more important. Consequently, "Blockbuster" lives up to its title because it not only stands on its own as a great action story but because it advances a couple of key plotlines for "Ultimate X-Men." To be continued...

4.0 out of 5 stars Brian Micheal Bendis at his best, July 12, 2011

By 

Trey - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 7: Blockbuster (Paperback)

this starts off a pretty great book and ends a great book. we first see spider-man in the first issue and he brings humor to the story, then we see daredevil who brings a real seriousness to the story while characterizing Wolverine at the same time. The last 3 issues are the best and when i see Jean's new character i immediately fall in love with her because she no longer looks ugly. As always the art from David Finch is amazing. To understand the ending of the book you HAVE to read the next volume New Mutants.

4.0 out of 5 stars Wolverine Focused Story Doesn't Disappoint, June 22, 2011

By 

Jay Ishida - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 7: Blockbuster (Paperback)

Without giving away too much, this volume is focused on Wolverine being tracked by Weapon X. Spider-Man is a major guest star with a minor apperance from Daredevil. The story isn't filled with many turns and is fairly predictable and leaves more questions than answers. This volume basically sets up for future storylines involving Wolverine.