Ultimate X-Men #1 Reviews/Spoiler

[juffuj5]

I don’t think so mostly I see a lot of fans ticked they slapped the Ultimate X-Men label on whatever this is.

That’s wild considering how it was said from the first announcement that this was going to be a very different take

[Kurolegacy]

That’s wild considering how it was said from the first announcement that this was going to be a very different take

A different take is a pretty vague statement especially when it comes to different universes. Mangaverse Spider-Man and Sp//dr are very different takes on Spider-Man but they still maintain being recognized as Spider-Man even at the first glance. The book is called Ultimate X-Men, which already has it sharing the title with an older X-Men title that was more in line with a traditional X-book but reads like an indy horror manga all with no sign of the titular team and no sign of when said team will even actually appear in the book. It’s understandable how it wouldn’t gel with some people. I maintain that this would have worked better as an analogy book that sets up different mutants and threats within their world ala Edge of Spider-Verse before Ultimate X-Men was where all those parts come together for the team. Not only does it give the ability to introduce these characters without dragging things out too long but it lets you get right into things when the team book launches.

[From The Shadows]

Peach' art just isn't to my tastes. So I won't be picking this up.

[Plawsky]

Well, you just said it. The book had Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben. They are the Fantastic Four. Most recognize them as being part of the Fantastic Four, even without their powers. And the aesthetics and themes of the book were perfectly in line with what most people associate with the Fantastic Four.

Now, imagine if Fantastic Four #1 did not mention Reed, Sue, Johnny, or Ben at all. Imagine they weren't even referenced, directly or indirectly. And it had nothing to do with anything else going on in Ultimate Marvel at the time. THAT'S why Ultimate X-Men #1 is getting so much flak. The fact that it's not a traditional X-Book isn't the problem. The problem is that it's so divorced from the themes, aesthetics, and underlying plot of X-Men that you'd never know it was associated with X-Men or Ultimate unless you looked at the title. And the fact so many people and major comic review sites are actively noting how different this reads is something no other Ultimate book has had to deal with thus far. Only this book has garnered that kind of criticism.

It's not that difficult to figure out. And comparing it to Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 is not a fair comparison.

Again it’s been literally one issue. Anyone who’s been a longtime fan of X-Men will recognize Armor, so I don’t see it as any different from UFF #1. You all keep acting like this is never going to have more than just her in the book despite being explicitly told by the creator that that isn’t the case.

[Plawsky]

An X-Men book which has nothing to do with X-Men.

Bravo, Marvel. Splendid decision. And then people wonder why is the comic industry struggling. Who is this book even for? Do they think it is the right way to attract the much bigger manga audience?

I guess it’s for me. I want to see a talented young creator tell a story that’s not bound by preconceived notions of what the book “should” be. I don’t think that’s an outlandish opinion to hold.

[Kurolegacy]

Again it’s been literally one issue. Anyone who’s been a longtime fan of X-Men will recognize Armor, so I don’t see it as any different from UFF #1. You all keep acting like this is never going to have more than just her in the book despite being explicitly told by the creator that that isn’t the case.

We are however expected to take Armor, a character that while known from Astonishing, isn’t exactly an A or even B list character who has basically been pushed out of the limelight and have her carry a book with a limited roster long enough for an eventual team to form. This Armor who doesn’t even have a remotely similar personality to the version of herself that would be most known to the point that she may as well be an OC. One of the main strengths when it comes to an X-Men team book is the characters bouncing off of one another so having 1-2 characters doesn’t work particularly well. So at that point they’re intentionally handicapping themselves all while taking a slow burn approach with only the vague promise that there will eventually be a team. There isn’t even an explained mission statement to what it is that this version is gonna even be about.

[Rift]

A different take is a pretty vague statement especially when it comes to different universes. Mangaverse Spider-Man and Sp//dr are very different takes on Spider-Man but they still maintain being recognized as Spider-Man even at the first glance. The book is called Ultimate X-Men, which already has it sharing the title with an older X-Men title that was more in line with a traditional X-book but reads like an indy horror manga all with no sign of the titular team and no sign of when said team will even actually appear in the book. It’s understandable how it wouldn’t gel with some people. I maintain that this would have worked better as an analogy book that sets up different mutants and threats within their world ala Edge of Spider-Verse before Ultimate X-Men was where all those parts come together for the team. Not only does it give the ability to introduce these characters without dragging things out too long but it lets you get right into things when the team book launches.

The Spider-Man comparison doesn't work as well because that line has a unifying aesthetic. You can't get that with X-Men. And the visual aesthetic was what helped connect Penni Parker to Spider-Man, because the actual content of her debut story was also wildly different in tone, art, characterization, and lore. It was an Evangelion pistache with some Spider-Man references thrown in.

[WeaponX]

That’s wild considering how it was said from the first announcement that this was going to be a very different take

Is it? They said the same about the other Ultimate comics yet they weren’t completely unrecognizable to their fanbases. Guess us Ultimate X-Men fans just got lucky and got the one book that isn’t even a comic let alone an Ultimate X-Men comic.

[Kurolegacy]

The Spider-Man comparison doesn't work as well because that line has a unifying aesthetic. You can't get that with X-Men. And the visual aesthetic was what helped connect Penni Parker to Spider-Man, because the actual content of her debut story was also wildly different in tone, art, characterization, and lore. It was an Evangelion pistache with some Spider-Man references thrown in.

You could argue the same thing when it comes to the title of “X-Men”. It’s only when you go into other titles within the X-line that you begin to get different mission statements for the books whether it be New Mutants, X-Factor, X-Force, Exiles, etc. Heck, the Spider-books have their own differences in swings once you exit books called Spider-Man. Just look at the likes of Venom, Carnage and Spider-Woman. But when you make use of the name X-Men, you’re evoking a familiarity of aesthetic across the properties that share the name.

[MarvelMaster616]

Again it’s been literally one issue. Anyone who’s been a longtime fan of X-Men will recognize Armor, so I don’t see it as any different from UFF #1. You all keep acting like this is never going to have more than just her in the book despite being explicitly told by the creator that that isn’t the case.

"It's only been one issue."

Why are so many people making that excuse for this comic when it wasn't necessary for Spider-Man or Black Panther? Do you not see why that's a problem? If in the first issue, Momoko couldn't even establish mutants, mutant powers, or how the events of this story fits into Ultimate Marvel (like every other title has), then that's just bad writing or gross negligence on the part of the editors. There's being slow in building the plot. And then there's being sloppy. This was the latter.

And I also think you're overestimating how many people know who Armor is. Are you going to say with a straight face that people will recognize Armor as much as they'll recognize Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben? If you believe that, then you're not arguing in good faith.

A simple reading of Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 made it clear that it was a Fantastic Four story. A similar reading of Ultimate X-Men didn't make clear at all that Armor was a mutant or that what was happening had anything to do with the events of other Ultimate books. Even if it does build up over the course of multiple issues, it's already on a bad pace. And now, we've got an OC in Maystorm that's supposed to fill in the gaps. And I don't know if you remember how Ultimate X-Men played out last time. But OC's in Ultimate X-Men did not work and they were part of the reason why the series took such a drastic downturn.

I'm going to make a bet now. And save this post later so we know which one of us was vindicated. I'm willing to bet a fair amount of money that you're going to automatically like, justify, and support Ultimate X-Men #2 and Maystorm. I think you've already decided that you're going to make yourself like it, even if it's not well-received by most fans. I may still be wrong about this. But right now, I think you've already made up your mind about this series. Otherwise, you wouldn't be making excuses like this.

[MarvelMaster616]

I guess it’s for me. I want to see a talented young creator tell a story that’s not bound by preconceived notions of what the book “should” be. I don’t think that’s an outlandish opinion to hold.

Then, why not just read Demon Days? Why not just read something that isn't X-Men? If you want to see a talented young creator tell such a different story, there are plenty of indie creators who do just that.

Be honest with me. If this book didn't have the title "Ultimate X-Men," would it sell as well?

[Kingdom X]

"It's only been one issue."

Why are so many people making that excuse for this comic when it wasn't necessary for Spider-Man or Black Panther? Do you not see why that's a problem? If in the first issue, Momoko couldn't even establish mutants, mutant powers, or how the events of this story fits into Ultimate Marvel (like every other title has), then that's just bad writing or gross negligence on the part of the editors. There's being slow in building the plot. And then there's being sloppy. This was the latter.

And I also think you're overestimating how many people know who Armor is. Are you going to say with a straight face that people will recognize Armor as much as they'll recognize Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben? If you believe that, then you're not arguing in good faith.

A simple reading of Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 made it clear that it was a Fantastic Four story. A similar reading of Ultimate X-Men didn't make clear at all that Armor was a mutant or that what was happening had anything to do with the events of other Ultimate books. Even if it does build up over the course of multiple issues, it's already on a bad pace. And now, we've got an OC in Maystorm that's supposed to fill in the gaps. And I don't know if you remember how Ultimate X-Men played out last time. But OC's in Ultimate X-Men did not work and they were part of the reason why the series took such a drastic downturn.

I'm going to make a bet now. And save this post later so we know which one of us was vindicated. I'm willing to bet a fair amount of money that you're going to automatically like, justify, and support Ultimate X-Men #2 and Maystorm. I think you've already decided that you're going to make yourself like it, even if it's not well-received by most fans. I may still be wrong about this. But right now, I think you've already made up your mind about this series. Otherwise, you wouldn't be making excuses like this.

A) We (and by we I do mean everyone) have got to stop projecting our feelings about ART onto others. I have seen plenty of positive reactions to this issue as well as the negative ones. The only claim we can make about audience reaction right now is that it was divisive, both saying we know where “most fans” align just isn’t accurate.

B) Conflating “didn’t meet your expectations” with “bad writing” does not bring a lot of credibility to your opinions as a reviewer. If we’re solely measuring how well this series captures the feel of more classic X-Men stories, then yeah it’s a bad adaption. But clearly (as was openly said in solicits, interviews, and preview art) capturing that feel was not the goal of this story.

C) There should be no “gotcha” moments when it comes to enjoying comics. Plenty of people “made up their minds” about this series before it came out, and that is FULLY in their right. In fact I think it’s quite commendable to bow out if you think you’ll dislike something instead of purchasing it, hating it, and then trying to convince everyone else to hate it too.

If someone really likes Peach’s art and writing and decides to consistently support this series there’s also no issue with that. And shoot if people who did enjoy it end up hating issue 2… okay? Opinions are allowed to change.

[cranger]

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/peac...ltimate-x-men/

"Peach's Ultimate X-men issue one released few days ago. She has been working super hard. And the editors and Zack Davisson has been working hard with Peach's script and story and the tight deadline too. Peach is researching more about the X-Men to show respect (but also making sure she still has a unique idea). We are also actually having to do less traveling to shows because of the tight monthly deadlines. Been seeing a lot of positive feedback which we are relieved and making us confident. We also see some hate. (Which we understand and are cool about it too). Peach's art and story direction isn't for everyone. We understand. but it really questions me when we see people say "this isn't x-men". I didn't think a X-men book always needed the main popular characters. True, we don't have a big team… yet. it is only issue 1. we are in the process of building. We thought the theme of X-men was about young kids that are seen as outsiders trying to navigate life. (then builds up to all those drama and battles). We think we are on the right direction with the story and will be true to Peach's voice. It might be slow. It might not be super hero style battles. They might not be wearing suits. But they are mutants. And eventually, there will be a team. So hope everyone that read it (like it or not) give us a chance and enjoy a different vision of the x-men."

As someone who got into "X-Men" because of X-Factor and New Mutants and a lot of the focus being on stories like the bolded with the younger characters, I know that this story is delivering that mutant theme very well. I look forward to seeing Momoko's vision of a new X-team.

[MarvelMaster616]

We thought the theme of X-men was about young kids that are seen as outsiders trying to navigate life.

This part has me legitimately concerned and a little frustrated because that's NOT the over-arching theme of X-Men, although it is a small part of it. The key is WHY these kids are seen as outsiders in the first place. It's not because they're messed up over the death of a friend. It's not because they just act or behave in a weird way. It's because they were born different.

That, more than anything, encapsulates what it means to be a mutant in these comics. You're just born a certain way. You didn't ask for it. You can't change it any more than you can change your genes. And yet, it invites hate, fear, and sometimes violence.

That is a critical detail that I worry Momoko doesn't even understand, let alone recognize the importance of. Because Hisako's actions in this comic had nothing to do with her being a mutant. It wouldn't have mattered if she just had magic like Dr. Strange or was some variant of Inhuman. She was an outsider because she was dealing with trauma. That's certainly understandable, as the death of a friend can do that to anyone. But it is NOT consistent with what it means to be a mutant. You're not born with the trauma of a friend dying. That happens to you by outside circumstances. And unlike mutation, it is something you can deal with to some extent through a healing process. But you can never heal from being born a mutant.

If this is really the simplistic take that Momoko has about X-Men, then I seriously question her capacity to tell a coherent X-Men story. I also question how much or how little the editors actually care about this series. Because if they don't care enough to make sure that it actually reads like a basic X-Men story, then that's just proof they really don't have a vision for Ultimate X-Men and couldn't care less how well it does.

I hope I'm wrong. But I've seen this movie before with the last version of Ultimate X-Men. Marvel just plain stopped caring about any Ultimate title not written by Brian Michael Bendis. As a result, it failed spectacularly. And I don't think this rebooted Ultimate series can get away with that kind of failure on any title, especially X-Men.

[Plawsky]

"It's only been one issue."

Why are so many people making that excuse for this comic

I’m not making an excuse, I’m pointing out a very basic tenet of ongoing storytelling. There’s more story to come.

Then, why not just read Demon Days? Why not just read something that isn't X-Men? If you want to see a talented young creator tell such a different story, there are plenty of indie creators who do just that.

I have read Demon Days and indie comics. Who says they have to be confined to those books?

Be honest with me. If this book didn't have the title "Ultimate X-Men," would it sell as well?

Probably not but who cares? I’m not going to let marketing decisions influence whether or not a liked a book. Ultimate Black Panther also wouldn’t have gotten the same attention without that title.

I enjoyed this comic, and it doesn’t bother me that it’s called Ultimate X-Men despite not feeling like a typical X-Men or Ultimate book. You’re acting like I’m predisposed to liking it just because of the title, yet I thought UBP was just okay, and I was actually a bit let down by Invasion. I liked it because I think Peach is a talented artist who made a good comic.