Written by Mark Millar
Art by Bryan Hitch; Paul Neary; Paul Mounts; & Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Art by Bryan Hitch
SUMMARY:
Published for July 2003, Marvel’s Ultimate alternate-reality imprint has this untitled story begin with an explosive flashback to snowy Poland — 1944. Aboard an enemy train, Captain America seemingly has the last say vs. the nefarious Herr Kleiser’s Nazi-affiliated forces. A year later, hints of Cap’s last wartime mission are dropped during a top-secret briefing in Marrakesh.
Over present-day Micronesia, Cap’s Ultimates and Col. Nick Fury’s SHIELD armada storm the alien shape-shifting Chitauri’s island base. A nuclear (possibly gamma-irradiated) inferno soon engulfs the region. Elsewhere, at the Triskelion, a hospitalized Wasp/Janet Pym realizes in horror that the Chitauri are far closer to home than anyone realizes.
Note: In spite of the cover image, Iron Man appears in a single panel.
REVIEW:
Revisiting this series, one should instantly recognize some creative elements that were lifted for the live-action Avengers films (i.e. the Samuel L. Jackson version of Nick Fury and Cap’s uniform). Considering the quality of writer Mike Millar’s gritty scripting and the art squad’s excellent visuals, it’s no wonder The Ultimates attracted filmmakers.
For this particular issue, Millar gives Cap, Wasp, and Fury most of the screen time, and the result is, frankly, dynamite storytelling. Millar’s only glitch is his less-than-Asgardian portrayal of Thor, who, intentionally or not, treads closer to the Eric Masterson knock-off, Thunderstrike. As for artist Bryan Hitch and his colleagues, their work (for instance, the facial close-ups and the Micronesian inferno) is top-caliber. The Ultimates # 10 is definitely worth tracking down.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The first page is a helpful synopsis of this series-to-date.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
