What does Ultimate Marvel mean to you?

[Wolverine12]

So, to everyone left I pose a question to you, what does Ultimate Marvel mean to you in the grand scheme of your comic book life? Are you a die hard like me, who is always looking for hope that the UU will return to it's former glory? Do you see it as a simple flash in the pan that helped spark Marvel back on track? Do you see it as simply a test spot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Tell me what if anything this 15 year long experiment has done for you, I'll start it off.

As I'm sure I have said on many occasions, the UU was what got me into the comic book culture. After X2 came out I needed more X-Men in my life so I went to my local Barnes and Noble and picked up 4 or 5 TPB's. This included some Morrison New X-Men, a Chuck Austen TPB (bleh) and the first 3 TPB's of Millar's UXM. I read Morrison and Austen first and really enjoyed one of the two, after that I read Millar's work. I have a hard time describing how much those books hooked me but I knew I wanted more. At this point I wasn't really familiar with how comics worked, I didn't know they came out monthly and that TPB's were a collection of a small story arcs, I didn't even know that the UU was an "alternate" universe at this point, so you can imagine that I was confused on why there were so many different story lines, costumes and why there was an origin story happening. One thing I did know is that I wanted more X-books with the "Ultimate" title. So I went on Amazon and began to add to my collection. I remember being able to buy up to the 12th TPB I think and then not understanding why the 13th wouldn't be available for several months. I couldn't wait that long so I looked up a lcbs and went in. I asked the guy behind the counter what I needed to be caught up and I bought those few issues, I then decided to subscribe to Ultimate X-Men so it was delivered right to my house, again I didn't know or understand why the lcbs was getting the issues before me so at some point I decided to see why this was happening.

Around this time I started lurking the CBR forums. How convenient for me that there was a forum dedicated just to the Ultimate X-Men, wait a minute there are other titles that have the term "Ultimate?" I was blown away by how many people were on here at that time, I remember spending so much time reading reviews and learning what I could about the UU. I dove into the Ultimates next, and since I was late to the party I didn't have to deal with the infamous delays. I bought all the TPB's and loved them, on a side note Ultimate War made a lot more sense now. I then branched out into the mini's, two moments stick with me to this very day, the mass suicide in Ultimate Nightmare absolutely terrified me, and seeing Logan confront an in control Hulk in UWvH. Just brilliant stuff imho. I was getting in deep.

I initially had no interest in Ultimate Spider-Man, I didn't read him as a kid and the books seemed childish compared to UXM and the Ultimates. If any of you have known me for any length of time on here, you will probably know that I enjoy my comics on the darker side. To this day I would rather see Wolverine eviscerate a bad guy then see Spidey web someone while cracking jokes, it's just what I like. However I had hit a roadblock, I was all caught up on UXM and Ultimates and I hadn't delved into 616 yet because it seemed too daunting. The UU was a streamlined universe where I had the ability to literally read it in it's entirety. So I decided to give USM a shot. It didn't wow me like UXM or Ultimates did immediately but it kept me interested. I remember really enjoying Learning Curve, probably because it was less light hearted than the first tpb, and who didn't love Spidey slamming into that window. So I slowly caught up on USM as well. I don't recall when I got hooked on it, probably the Venom arc, but I do remember that all of a sudden I was really excited for all things Ultimate, including Spidey.

As far as actual reading material that about sums it up and brings it current. I have always bought every comic within the UU and even got hooked on the JMS Supreme Power universe because of Ultimate Power. To this day I bought them all, obviously my opinion on the quality has gone up and down but that is true of any medium of entertainment.

This doesn't sum up what the UU means to me though. At some point I became active in the forums and posted regularly, I even started doing reviews if I noticed that Plawsky or whoever hadn't done one for the current issue. This forum became a part of my everyday life, I didn't just come here when new issues came out, I visited pretty much daily, even if it was just to bs in the Star Trek themed OT thread. All of the regulars, became a part of my daily life, people I would be happy to share a beer with if we ever met. Then all of a sudden comic book culture became one of the ways I identified myself. I started buying comic book clothing, I went to San Diego Comic Con and I even commissioned one of my favorite artists (Ribic) to draw Ultimate Wolverine for me, which soon I will be getting tattoo'd on me.

All of this and more is because of the Ultimate Universe. In terms of fictional entertainment nothing has ever struck a chord with me quite like the UU. I can't count how many times I've re read back issues of the UU and I can promise you I will re read them again and again.

To those of you who have been around all this time, thank you for all the entertainment, arguments and discussions. I hope we can continue to stay in contact on these boards in other forums or pm's or whatever, even if it's just saying hi once in a while. I hope even more that the UU comes back and the this forum opens again for the third time and that my long winded speech seems really silly because the forum and the UU were only gone for a bit. This is all just off the top of my head so I'm sorry if it doesn't seem all that thought out but I wanted to post this now because often real life gets in the way and I just didn't know if I would have time to write all this down. I hope that everyone enjoyed their time here as much as I did.

[Plawsky]

Oh man, where to begin? You guys know how I love to hear myself talk (... read myself write?), but I'll try to keep this short, as I know I'll have more to say as the week goes on.

First off, thanks for what you wrote. The Ultimate Universe means so many different things to me. It's nostalgia, quality, consistency, hope, frustration, longing, and elation all rolled into one. If I could sum it up in one word? Probably comfort.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, I always know the UU will be there for me. It's not the same with other comics. I don't mean in the continuity sense -- despite what some complainers say, Morrison's New X-Men will always be there too, even though it's been largely retconned. I mean I always know I can turn to any one of the hundreds of stories told over the past 15 years and find something I enjoy.

Some people have read all seven Harry Potter books a dozen times. Others have watched the West Wing five times through. Mega Star Trek fans can recite lines from every movie and TV series. For me, though, it's the Ultimate Universe. I've read through every issue at least three or four times, and there are some that I've lost count of. I've reviewed them all. I've got notes written to make a near-perfect timeline (which, unfortunately, won't likely come out before the end of these forums). Not only are they the books that got me into comics, but I've used them on several occasions to get others into them. My trades and floppies and downloads have been lent to friends several times through the years, and it's been a delight seeing them get into it the way I did several years ago.

The Ultimate Universe doesn't have a place in my heart because it's the best that comics have to offer, because I wouldn't say that it is. I think there are a lot of non-Ultimate stories that are better than even the best Ultimate comics. But, as a whole, there's just something about it that works, and it's kept me coming back all these years. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

[RockyBanks]

I've tried to think of something to post here, but I'm coming up short. Everything I write down comes off as either glib or melodramatic. So I'm just going to aim for earnest.

Ultimate Marvel feels like a sort of home to me. It was my intro to comics. I spent countless hours with a web browser open to Marvel Unlimited, and I devoured every nook and cranny of this weird, compelling universe.

The cast of Ultimate Spider-Man feel like old friends to me. USM #13 is still my favorite issue of all time. Goth-chick Gwen Stacy still raises my blood pressure. And after all these years, this double-splash page still gives me chills like the first time I saw it.

When I think of the Ultimates, I get an icy chill in my gut. Everything about them is both thrilling and horrific, and the two can never be divorced. They heroically throw themselves into the fray, even as they are undermined by their personal demons and vices. They fight the most epic battles ever put to the page, and they die horrible, spine-chilling deaths. Reading the Ultimates, I feel like I'm peeking into the terrible, awesome world of gods.

And then there's the Forum. In a dark little corner of the Internet, I discovered a ragtag little group of comic nerds who feel much the same way I do. Over time, I've crafted an alter ego for myself, learned more about The Legend of Korra than I ever cared to know, and made several friends that I've never actually met.

[Drz]

When I was a teenager I read translated comics of New X-Men, Ultimates, Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men because of the movies. Then comics kinda died off for me (limited market, the translated marvel comics we're just a fad and not something lasting here) and I began reading and collecting english comics when I turned 18, it was Exciter whom I asked about Ultimate Marvel.

I just wanted to try Marvel for the first time and my LCS had the oversized hardcovers of both Ultimates and that's how it began really, not soon after you had Mark Millar coming back to Ultimate Marvel with the Avengers and nothing has stayed the same ever since.

[harashkupo]

Ultimate Marvel is one of two lines that made me feel like I was picking up a comic for the first time. Being there from the beginning, seeing a whole universe constructing piece by piece was exciting. Seeing a new spin on an old character and wondering who will be next was all types of fun. Then before I knew it, the UU became it's own thing rather than an updated copy. I no longer saw them as alternate characters.

All the potential that could be was probably the most appealing aspect of the UU. A sense of wonder constantly asking "Where will they go from here?" still brings a smile to my face when I look back. Great characters, beautiful art, immersive storytelling, and cool concepts. Honestly there's nothing more a comic fan can ever ask for.

[wyokid]

My first comic I ever read was Ultimate Spider-Man #7. It was a tiny comic that came with something my parents bought me from CVS. As I grew older I kept up with Ultimate Spider-Man through the library and eventually started picking up the older books to catch up. I think I started posting on this forum either during or after Ultimatum, but very little. I eventually started reading a TON of 616 stuff. I remember checking out a bunch of Essentials and plowing through them in a weekend. Knowing the origins for a lot of Ultimate stuff really helped me have a better appreciation for the line. While I'm 100% a bigger 616 fan than I am Ultimate, my love for Ultimate came from Ultimatum. The balls of this event, killing off half of the universe's main players all because Ultimate Doom screwed up. It's clear that Jeph Loeb had a huge story planned out and from interviews you can piece together that his plans were changed by editorial. Despite the fact that none of anything went anywhere post-Ultimatum is by far my favorite era of comics. New Ultimates was a great Thor/Loki story, Ultimate Spdier-Man has never been that fun and Jonah's character arc was the best, Avengers was a fun shut-off-your-brain high-octane edgy ride, Doomsday's reveal of Reed being behind everything was mindblowing and the continuity work was impressive despite the art errors, Armor Wars/Captain America/Thor all did a great job giving the titular character a satisfying arc with changes that carried over into the later stories, and Ultimate X was the highlight of it all with Art Adam's gorgeous work and Jeph Loeb making it a very personal and emotional story of picking up the pieces after a major disaster. These were stories that could absolutely never happen in 616, the imagination and creativity that was going on was great and what the Ultimate Universe was for me. A sandbox where the actions had consequences and stories where JJJ could get to a point where he's brave enough to shoot Norman Osborn in the face, all the X-Men could be dead, the Fantastic Four were teenagers, Aunt May had a gun, Gwen Stacy was a clone, Peter was able to be with MJ, and Spider-Man could die. It was the real All-New All-Different Marvel.

[klefmung]

I have a weird thing about continuity and knowing every single thing that is going on when I'm reading a comic. The hook of Ultimate was that I was able to read the entire continuity down from the beginning. So I did. And it hooked me and has a very special place in my heart. I will miss it greatly, and hold hope for its return. Once I'm done tanking 616 Spidey's continuity, I will probably re-read Ultimate.