Customer Reviews

The Ultimates Vol. 2: Homeland Security

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Note: this review refers to the recently released Ultimates TPB entitled Homeland Security. After managing to take down the Hulk, the government sponsored superhero team called the Ultimates have run into some problems. A shape changing alien race, which are responsible for some of humanity's worst moments (Captain America fought them in World War II) are once again rearing their ugly heads with a plan to wipe out the human race. Sad part is, the Ultimates are in shambles with Janet Pym AKA Wasp severely injured by her husband Hank AKA Giant Man, who himself goes on the run with Captain America in pursuit to teach him how to properly treat a lady. New members Hawkeye, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver are introduced as well as the team unites to defend the planet. The issues contained in Homeland Security is where the Ultimates really shines, improving on the first few issues by far. Mark Millar has cleverly crafted a modern day version of the Avengers while staying true to their original roots, while Bryan Hitch's artwork is better than ever. All this leads up to the upcoming (hopefully, many single issues of the series were loaded with shipping delays and would not reach shelves for months at a time) Ultimates Vol. 2 monthly series which Millar has hinted at will change everything you think about this modern day Avengers team. All in all, out of all of Marvel's Ultimate line (the new Ultimate Fantastic Four is impressive as well), the Ultimates is something really special.

The last 2 reviews seem pretty clueless. The Ultimates is basically the Avengers of the 60's, updated to today. Capt America is not just some apple-pie, gosh shucks sort. He is what he should be; the ULTIMATE SOLDIER, someone you can send in, an get the job done, someone others will follow, and can lead their people to victory. Giant man is not just the classic smart scientist that invests something, is someone with some real issues, some of which are pretty ugly. The Hulk is what the ID would be unbound and freed from a person repressed all their life. Not just a big green muscle guy who wants to sit around an play with kittens and puppies, but the darn military will not let him be. No, this Hulk is really something out of the dark parts of the human mind, something no one wants to meet. I could go on an do each character, but why spoil all the fun.

Those that say Lee an Arad reject this, Lee, I am sorry to say, is out of touch. An Arad it seems only cares about comics he can spin into big movies. Look at how his being upset about the FURY series pretty much trashed the MAX line. As I said in the title, this is not a comic for the kids, or those that are only happy with comics like they were in the 60s through 70s.

If I may, I would strongly suggest getting Vol 1 and reading it first, to really enjoy this book. Many themes from the earlier edition come to fruition here, and it would be a real
shame to not fully understand what is going on.

The first volume of The Ultimates, while a little slow, ended great. The battle between the Hulk and the rest of the team was amazing, and the fight between Hank and Janet Pym was not only great, but completely unexpected. Picking up right where the last volume left off, Janet is being rushed to the hospital, Hank flees to Chicago, and Captain America reads a speech at a vigil for the people who died due to the actions of Bruce Banner/the Hulk. Things are somewhat strained on the team, but now that they've had a real fight, they are prepared for their next battle. We also learn that there is a black ops team that works in tandem with the Ultimates, who are expressly for public viewing. This team consists of Black Widow/Natasha Romanova, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, the Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, and Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff (both of whom are children of mutant terrorist Magneto).
The main plot of Homeland Security deals with an alien threat. A hostile race of aliens, known as the chitauri (who are a reference to the skrull from the 616 universe) have been attempting a silent invasion since before WWII, and they nearly succeeded when they allied themselves with the Nazis. Captain America was able to hold them off before he was frozen, but they have returned to finish the job.
In addition to the main storyline of the chitauri invasion, the fallout of the Pym's argument is addressed very well. The humanity of the characters is definitely here, and is done very well. Hank and Janet Pym have a very real relationship, and Captain America, who is still getting over the fact that it's no longer 1945, has a troubled reaction to their troubles.
Bruce Banner's arc is also very well done. After his rampage as the Hulk in downtown New York, he is being kept in confinement and is constantly being pumped full of drugs to keep his aggression levels down. He is kept around due to his vast intellect, but he has pretty much been erased from existence; Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. deny his affiliation, and the government has gone to great lengths to ensure that no one knows that Banner is the Hulk.
While the drama is great, it wouldn't be a Marvel book without a little action, and The Ultimates really delivers on that front. The all-out war between the Ultimates and the chitauri was nothing short of bliss, especially when they used their "secret weapon".
Homeland Security is a great collection of issues that shouldn't be missed. The Ultimates is definitely a very worthy book.

I have to say that I've gotten a kick out of The Ultimates from Marvel! This take on the Avengers' legend I definitely like!

In particular, I love the revision of Captain America! He's still the patriotic and brave solider that he's always been but now he's got more bite and I love it! I loved seeing him put foot to a** on Giant-Man over what he did to The Wasp. He also showed some smarts and a devious side that the original version never showed (though he wasn't dumb by any means)! I won't give away what he does but man its both brilliant and hilarious! This version of Cap is one that definitely can respect.

The story as a whole was just fantastic! The characters were done very well and the story was great! Highly recommended buy but parents, DO NOT BUY THIS FOR YOUR LITTLE ONES AS ITS DEFINITELY NOT FOR CHILDREN!

This volume of Ultimates 2 took me to town! Well, not literally. But it brought some closure to the Pym storyline that ended the last volume on a depressing note. Also, any doubts that I had about Captain America being sort of Boy Scout-ish was ended with this volume. Cap has some great one-liners, and backs them up serious tactful manipulation. Just goes to show that Cap's brawn comes with brains too, which I liked. This volume also introduced Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Hawkeye had a somewhat decent characterization going on, but not alot was done with the two mutants which I was a little dissapointed by.

Essentially, this story kept me hooked from begining to end with great art, great themes, and great writing. Sure, the alien bit's a little cheesy (even the characters claim this), but it was pulled off in such a way to make it believeable. If you're into Ultimate Marvel, I'd definently reccomend this to add to your colelction.

*WARNING* This comic book is not for kids. And that's the way I like it.

The previous volume of Ultimates introduced us to the basic line up of the team, and how they interact. The second volume, which reprints Ultimates vol. 1 #7-13 of the comic book, expands that team, interaction, and then throws in a giant Independence Day style alien invasion.

This volume allows us to see more of all the Ultimates in action, and also introduces Black Widow, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver to name a few. We see more of Thor in action, as we barely saw him last volume. Also, Hulk makes a return to the team, in knock down, drag out, violent brawl that is absolutely brutal. The invading alien fleet and their host of on the ground operatives in the guise of Nazis from WWII make for a fresh foe for Captain America and team.

This volume also shows more of the team coming together as a team, and interpersonal relationships shifting and changing.

My only caution is that while this volume could stand alone, it is much easier to read and understand having read Ultimates vol. 1. Still, a great, fun addition to a graphic novel library.

The Ultimates are America's team. They are funded by the government to fight nasty villains, terrorists, and any other badguy Mark Millar can come up with. The members of the Ultimates have a very real feel to them, and they are profoundly more realistic and human than, say, Ultimate Spider-Man.
Now that that's out of the way, on to the actual comic itself! The Ultimates, having recently taken down the Hulk(a.k.a. Bruce Banner), they now realize that the Wasp, wife of Giant Man, has been brutally injured by her husband. Also, Giant Man has run away, and he is nowhere to be found.
On top of all this, The Ultimates uncover that an alien race, dubbed the Chitauri by the Aficans, have reamerged, and that, by the end of the first issue, Captain America has gone to find Hank Pym(Giant Man).
With his team rapidly disentigrating, Nick Fury has to call for the aid of Black Widow, Hawkeye, and, most surprisingly of all, Magneto's children.
When Black Widow and Hawkeye take down an alien cell in two office buildings, the Ultimates realize that they have a problem on thier hands. They are the only ones who can stop them, and Cap is still nowhere to be found.
Finally, they find oiut that Cap has had a huge fight with Hank Pym, and that he broke his jaw, thus putting him out of action. It is only after Cap returns that they finally head for a secret base of operatons for the aliens. Once there, thaey too late realize that it's a trap, and by the time they do, it's (almost) too late. The island explodes, and the Ultimates are nowhere to be found.
Too find out what happens after this point, you'll have to buy it for yourself. Needless to say, though, the volume escalates until you you the last two ussues, which are basically just a collossal war btween the surviving Ultimates and the entire Chitauri fleeet, plus an old "friend" from Captain ASmerica's past.
The main good things about this are that
1.The art by Bryan Hitch is SUPERB.
2.The writing by Mark Millar is FANTASTIC.
3.The volume is STUFFED with both action and development.
4.Hey, it's the Ultimates. What's there not to like?
Unfortunately, nothing is perfect. The Ultimates' main flaw is that it takes forever and a day to ship. (The issues say that it ships monthly. Don't believe them-it's a lie) In other words, unless you are a VERY patient person, wait until the volume comes out to buy this, because takes forever.
Luckily, the Ultimates is well worth the wait.

The first group of Ultimates were amazing. I was glad to hear they were coming out with a sequel. If you haven't read the first, it is definatly best to pick it up first. This continuation fits in perfectally with the first volume. The characters have depth. The art is masterfull. Looking forward to what they come out with next!!

Part 1 was an epic. Part 2 follows the trend of most sequels - a downtrend in deliverables.

I liked the re-imagination of the Ultimate Avengers. Everything worked for me except the Black Widow. Her death here is not palatable as I have always liked her personae in Daredevil, as Nick's closest operative etc.

The plot in Part 2 is interesting - Thor cannot convince the world that his mischievious brother Loki is really distorting reality to bring about world domination. When the climactic event occurs, this is slightly overdone. There are too many OTT points being made here - Alien Nazis, Chitauris, Predator-like spaceships, Independence Day visuals, FF, Spiderman (what are they doing here???) and of course, Norse Gods. When the dust has settled, you feel that this was money well-spent on this season's blockbuster epic, but deep down, you know that it is a pastiche of every other Hollywood movie made over the past 20 years.

Granted that this is a blockbuster, even Part 2 fares reasonably well and is graced by some terrific artwork.

Ultimates is freakin' awesome! Mark Millar really doesn't waste time at all and focuses entirely on entertaining his audience. The first volume was near perfect. Millar had some cohones to do what he did with the Avengers, but it worked and Marvel was forever thankful. Now in round two we get the same the same superhero drama, but now with a real threat. Ultimates Vol. 1 only lacked a villain, and in this chapter we finally see danger come in the form of Skrulls. I'm sure this version of Secret Invasion is better than the original, even though I haven't read the latter. Based on the reviews, this looks like a better treatment for that evil alien race.

Ultimates fortunately gets better and better. It is my new favorite series and I can't wait for Ultimate Comics: Avengers. So do what I did and catch up on your Ultimates before the new series comes out. I'd say it's the best the Ultimate universe has to offer.