Marvel's Ultimate Universe: Fantastic, Frustrating and Ultimately Forgotten

[ed2962]

It was a good idea that was in the end done in by not having the correct writers on the books. To do this right you needed guys who really loved the MCU, and that sure isn't guys like Millar and Loeb. Something like this would be perfect for a writer like Mark Waid to head up.

The rumor I read was that a lot of the pitches they initially got were from guys who loved the old stuff and just retold the old comics in modern times, but management wanted new interpretation of the concepts. Mark ended up with the job cuz he didn't have the same reverence for the Stan, Jack, and Steve material. Heck...his first first script for Ult X-Men had them as some para-military mercenary force. Half of it was drawn before someone said, "The people picking this up will have just seen the X-Men movie and this is just TOO different."

[Iron Maiden]

I think Millar and Bendis probably wanted to copy the success of Watchmen. BTW I must be one of the few that wasn't over the moon impressed with it.

[ed2962]

I think Millar and Bendis probably wanted to copy the success of Watchmen. BTW I must be one of the few that wasn't over the moon impressed with it.

Ironically, I'd say that I'm more bothered by some of Bendis's 616 stuff than his Ult U material which was about and appropriate for teens. But yeah, at some point Millar was getting more attention for doing sensationalism, than the PG, PG-13 stuff he was doing in Superman Adventures and Fantastic Four, so he just went for exploitation ( not just in Ult U, but in general with his material).

[Doctor Know]

The rumor I read was that a lot of the pitches they initially got were from guys who loved the old stuff and just retold the old comics in modern times, but management wanted new interpretation of the concepts. Mark ended up with the job cuz he didn't have the same reverence for the Stan, Jack, and Steve material. Heck...his first first script for Ult X-Men had them as some para-military mercenary force. Half of it was drawn before someone said, "The people picking this up will have just seen the X-Men movie and this is just TOO different."

That's extraordinary and I'd certainly believe elements of that. Ultimate Origins and Ultimatum gave the history of mutants in 1610 as being creations of the government. Weapon X created the mutagen in an attempt to replicate the Super Soldier Formula used on Captain America. The mutagen got out, and infected people across the planet. The quest to replicate the Super Soldier Formula was also used to explain where Ultimate Banner got his powers (same origin they used in the MCU movies), where Ultimate Norman Osborn and Ultimate Peter Parker (the OZ formula).

With how close the Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Spider-Man worked with SHIELD and Triskelion in the 1610 universe. The idea that the X-Men would be a para-military force, on the speed dial of Nick Fury. I totally buy.

[vitaminbee]

I enjoyed the Ultimate Universe till it started to go too weird. I liked the slightly grounded feeling it had and enjoyed most of it… I fell out of love with it once Jeph Loeb started working on Ultimate Books. I think I stuck with Ultimate Spider-Man the longest but enjoyed X-Men and The Ultimates I and II.

[Kaitou D. Kid]

I feel like the MCU was a more accurate and successful version of what the Ultimate Universe was going for. It's essentially a modern reimagining of Marvel's heroes with a 21st century spin on all their classic stories. And some ideas initially borrowed from Ultimate, like Fury recruiting the Avengers or Tony Stark's more playboy-ish personality, were much better executed in the MCU than in the Ultimate Universe.

Also, in slight defense of the Ultimate Universe, part of the reason it feels like a complete failure in hindsight is because all of its good aspects were eventually integrated into 616, such as Miles Morales or Steve Rogers being superhuman and not just peak human. When all of the Ultimate Universe's pros now exist in 616 or in the MCU, and none of the UU's cons do, it feels a lot more superfluous and irredeemable than maybe it initially did. Still, I'm glad the Ultimate Universe existed, because I would argue it was a growing phase period that led to a better 616 and better MCU.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Everything runs it’s course. It’s comics and peoples interests.

We got Miles and The Maker from it, and they’re both dope as hell so that’s fine with me.

This. New Universe, 2099 and MC-2 came and went. I'll sure we'll see a new one in the future, and it won't last forever.

[Huntsman Spider]

This. New Universe, 2099 and MC-2 came and went. I'll sure we'll see a new one in the future, and it won't last forever.

Technically, 2099 and MC2 were set in what was (allegedly) the future of 616, but yeah.

[K7P5V]

How about you? Is anyone else nostalgic for the Ultimate Universe or have something to say about it, all they years later?

For what it's worth, I'll always love the 2nd volume from 2009/2010 (before the "Death of Spidey!"):





And, I'm still hoping for the return of...

Ultimate Spider-Woman

I enjoyed the Ultimate Universe till it started to go too weird. I liked the slightly grounded feeling it had and enjoyed most of it… I fell out of love with it once Jeph Loeb started working on Ultimate Books. I think I stuck with Ultimate Spider-Man the longest but enjoyed X-Men and The Ultimates I and II.

Yeah, I know what you mean. In spite of everyone hating it, Ultimates III certainly had its moments (IMHO):

[blunt_eastwood]

I loved reading them but hated what they did with Ultimates 3 and Ultimatum. Since they were just going to run it into the ground I'm glad they just ended it instead.

I have nostalgia for that period but wouldn't want them to bring it back. I think it ran it's course.

[Blanks]

Honestly, if they were to bring back the Ultimate Universe in ANY way, I would love the book to star Nick Fury as the main character and his focus on rebuilding the world after it was “restored” by Reed. Have issues that may focus on Spider-Man, X-Men, the Ultimates or whatever, but let the main focus be on Fury. He was one, if not the major character of the Ultimate Universe that they shoved aside after that horrendous Ultimate Power series and Ultimatium.

[blunt_eastwood]

[/center]

So Cap just changed outfits right there in front of everyone??

[K7P5V]

So Cap just changed outfits right there in front of everyone??

Correct. At the beginning of the mission, Cap was disguised as the one & only Black Panther (1610)...





...then finished the mission dressed-up as Captain America (1610)!

[charliehustle415]

Correct. At the beginning of the mission, Cap was disguised as the one & only Black Panther (1610)...





...then finished the mission dressed-up as Captain America (1610)!

If I am remembering correctly wasn't T'Challa a mute because his throat was cut and eventually killed by some experiments in Secret Origin?

[Tony Stark]

I miss The Ultimates and Ellis writing said characters. Ultimates and Ultimatum were just so badly done. It literally killed the Ultimate Universe. I last saw in the Ultimates that the Ultimates are still around so maybe I can still get Ultimate Tony back.