Millar + Leinil Yu + Pacheco = Ultimate Avengers

A New Life For 'New Ultimates'







Ever since the shocking events of "Ultimatum," fans of Marvel's Ultimate Universe have been wondering what fate awaits the reimagined heroes and villains that helped turn the company inside out over a decade ago. And while the rechristened Ultimate Comics line's two flagship series – Brian Bendis and David Lafuente's teen take on Spider-Man and Mark Millar and Carlos Pacheco's hard-hitting "Ultimate Avengers" – have already helped put the universe back on the sales map, the franchise gained a bit more star power at this week's Diamond Retailer Summit in Baltimore where the final two Ultimate Comics titles were finally confirmed.
First up came the final details on the already announced "New Ultimates" written by Jeph Loeb with art by Frank Cho. Already expected by fans since the first word of the line relaunch, Loeb told CBR how this February-debuting series won't just be another superhero team book...it'll be the only one. "New Ultimates are now the ONLY superhero team left in the Ultimate Universe. There are no X-Men. The Fantastic Four have disbanded. Even Mark's Ultimate Avengers aren't really a group per se as much as a team that's been assembled for a top secret cover ops mission.
"This is bigger 'save the world' stuff than what Mark is doing. Like, all of Asgard coming down on top of them (a bit of which was touched in the end of 'Ultimates 2'). We wanted a team that can handle situations like this, but at the same time is grounded in the UU. With the death of the Wasp, I wanted to include a strong female presence in the group as well."
Aside from an expanded role for the ladies of the Ultimate line, Loeb explained that the New Ultimates team begins with Tony "Iron Man" Stark. Although, this time around the playboy inventor may be indulging a bit less in his martini-swilling lothario ways as he did in previous stories, like Loeb's own "Ultimates 3." "Tony's had a tough time of it. He was directly or indirectly involved with Wolverine's murder. A huge portion of his personal income has been wiped out. His home and all those possessions are gone. Bringing the New Ultimates together is as much out of need as anything. But in order to do that, he'll have to compromise his own integrity. It won't be fun for him – but hopefully it will [be] for us."

Frank Cho art from "New Ultimates"
But beyond those brief hints, the writer declined to offer up a full lineup of players for the reinvigorated Ultimates. "I can tell you that S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Triskelion are front and center back in the lives of the Ultimates, and not everyone is thrilled about that," he said. "Nick Fury, on the other hand, is nowhere to be seen, since he drives Millar's Ultimate Avengers as a covert ops organization. Col. Carol Danvers is responsible for S.H.I.E.L.D. And she and Tony (and Hawkeye for that matter) don't see eye to eye...on anything."
And one hero who may not yet be out of the picture in the series opening arc is the Ultimate U's reigning thunder god Thor. Or at least the bearded hero's hammering presence will be felt in the series from beyond Valhalla. Loeb teased, "With Thor out of the picture, the door has been opened for Loki's revenge. It's a big huge mindblowing – thanks to Frank Cho – adventure that takes place in a New York City that is just recovering." The writer added of Cho's contributions to the series. "It's bigger. That's what I can promise. Every time Frank turns in a page, all of Marvel starts talking. Every panel looks like a poster. Its simply stunning stuff."
One revelation that Loeb wouldn't reveal anything about was the fallout of the relationship between doomed lovers Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne. While both Yellowjacket and the Wasp died in "Ultimatum," fans were left to wonder whether a cryptic reference to "the Jocasta project" would play out as it had in the regular Marvel U, with an android version of Jan appearing in the future. However, when CBR asked Loeb about this possibility, the writer only replied, "Look, it's Joe Quesada over there waving! Hi Joe!"
In any event, in Loeb's estimation, fans can expect mostly the unexpected in the Ultimate Comics line, and in "New Ultimates" specifically, those twists will be hitting the personal side of the heroes' lives. "The challenge of the Ultimate U is to always push the envelope," he explained. "While Mark tends to reach in the more political agenda – which I love, and he's much better at it than I am – I like seeing what these characters will do emotionally, and creating surprising twists on their personal lives we haven't seen."
Broken or no, the Ultimates will have a lot on their hands when they finally reassemble four months from now, from Loki's impending assault to the shattered world left in the wake of Magneto's "Ultimatum" attack. "It isn't so much a new landscape as much as the aftermath landscape," Loeb concluded. "When we first discussed 'Ultimatum' with Bendis and Millar, one of the things they impressed upon me is that the Ultimate Universe doesn't have a reboot button. When Magneto blew up the Brooklyn Bridge during 'Ultimate War,' it stayed blown. When the Hulk tore down city blocks and killed 800 people, New York had to recover from that. Now, Latveria is gone; the Savage Land is gone; Wakanda is gone; New York is rebuilding, London is in disarray. These are just backgrounds for our heroes (and villains) to work from."


Fuente: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=23286

Loeb and Adams Ask What Is "Ultimate X?"


Cover for "Ultimate X" #1


Cyclops. Magneto. Professor X. Wolverine. All pillars of the X-Men franchise, and, since "Ultimatum," all dead in the Ultimate Universe, along with many other mutants (and a handful of other heroes and villains to boot).
But seeing as how the Jeph Loeb/David Finch event drew some of its most potent moments and deaths from the cast of the "Ultimate X-Men," one of the biggest questions surrounding the future of Marvel's Ultimate Comics franchise is what exactly lies ahead for the mutant population. With the announcement at this week's Diamond Retailer Summit of a brand new series called "Ultimate X" by Jeph Loeb and Art Adams, planned for 2010, the publisher took a step towards answering that question. However, as Loeb explained to CBR, assuming an "X" in the title means a focus only on mutants would be a mistake.
"This isn't a book about mutants, superheroes or anything you're expecting. It's about life in the Ultimate U after a devastating event, and the hard choices we make for the greater good," the writer stated matter-of-factly. "I can't go into too many specifics without giving up the entire thing. What I can say is that, this is a difficult time in the UU, post 'Ultimatum.' Like with any great disaster in the real world, this is a time of healing and rebuilding. Mutants have been outlawed. Captain America is a fugitive. The Fantastic Four have gone their own ways. This might be the perfect time for 'evil' to seize the opportunity. 'Ultimate X' will address these issues."
While an exact cast and mission statement for the title remain under wraps, Loeb revealed that "Ultimate X" would utilize some of the story styles fans have seen him display in previous projects. From his many superhero mystery thrillers like "Batman: The Long Halloween" to super-powered social metaphors explored in his episodes of "Heroes," the story of many Ultimate characters uncovering the fate of the Ultimate U while searching for a new mystery character will create "very personal stories. People who've read the (top secret) scripts are surprised how different they are from my other work in the Ultimate Universe, harking back to things like 'Superman For All Seasons.' My hope is readers enjoy it as much as I've been."

Arthur Adams art from "Ultimate X"

Part of what Loeb would confirm of the series' plot involved picking up the pieces of the shift in society's view of mutants after the dual actions of Magneto murdering thousands of people and the unveiling of the fact that, unlike the regular Marvel U, the Ultimate mutants are not the next step in evolution, but the result of a deep governmental experiment. "It's dark. The law states that if you are a mutant, you are required to turn yourself in to the Federal Government or you will be shot on sight. This directive includes S.H.I.E.L.D.. Currently, Storm and Colossus are being held by the Government. Where and for what purpose hasn't been revealed."
And how will mutants see themselves, once they realize their true origins? Loeb explained that for "right now, it isn't so much about mutant identity as much as how the Government sees them. If mutants are the result of a lab experiment, can that experiment be repeated? Can it be reversed? Is this the key ingredient to the super soldier program?"
As with the other books of the Ultimate Comics rebranding, "Ultimate X" plans on combining long-seeded story points from the past decade of Ultimate stories along with new, fresh starting points. "I will say that, when #1 hits, it is very reader friendly. It's an entry point that's designed to get you hooked," Loeb noted, adding "There were many things we wanted to accomplish in 'Ultimatum,' and one of them was to have the afterward be as real as we could. The pain and suffering all these characters endured would be vastly cheapened by not holding to the loss of their loved ones."
When asked whether that process of mourning could be complicated by the resurrection of any dead characters, such as a certain survivor named James, Loeb said, "For the record, Wolverine is dead." Although despite the dire circumstances driving the mysterious story, the writer ensured CBR, "The book is about hope. That's the message."
One hope that has been brought out for fans to celebrate is the return of Adams to regular comics work. While the creators is best known for giant action and monstrous characters, like his brief stint with Loeb on Marvel's "Hulk" title, the writer assured readers that, "Arthur is the perfect match for ANY book! 'UX' is a combination of big stories and small, both of which Arthur can handle brilliantly. It's such a joy to see him back on a monthly title."

Fuente: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=23287