ULTIMATES 3 #4 REVIEW

[Scott A. Williams]

Reviewer: Scott Williams, yoda905[at]yahoo.com
Quick Rating: Above Average
Rating: Parental Advisory

The Ultimates battle Magneto and the Brotherhood in the Savage Land!

Written by: Jeph Loeb
Artwork by: Joe Madureira
Digital Paints by: Christian Lichtner
Lettered by: Richard Starkings
Production: Paul Acerios
Assistant Editors: Rosemann & Sankovitch
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Is Ultimates 3, four issues in, an enjoyable comic book? I don’t know how to answer that. I enjoyed it, but it just doesn’t seem appropriate for the title. It’s not quite an X-Men team-up because by my count the only X-Men present is Wolverine and he’s scarcely seen in these pages. However, the Ultimates are fighting Magneto, in the Savage Land, which doesn’t quite seem to mesh with the first two volumes. I’m not sure who this comic is for or where its appeal is supposed to lie. At a time when the regular Avengers are in more turmoil than perhaps ever, I guess Jeph Loeb is trying his hand at the sorts of things that would’ve been common in that title.

It’s not a badly written at all, but then, it hardly feels written at all. The recap, which I needed since I couldn’t remember where I put my copy of the previous issue, makes reference to “mysterious events” and hints on shadowy dealings and conspiracies. If I didn’t always know what was going on in the Millar version of the series, I at least was able to keep track of what I didn’t know. Here I really don’t know what I’m missing. Wanda’s been shot, Magneto is doing something, there’s some fighting – some really cool fighting and I’ll get to it in a minute – and the end is a decent premise for the remainder of the arc that finally makes me think about the Ultimates as the protagonists here.

I’m just thinking Jeph Loeb – who, when on high-profile limited series, is basically a guaranteed home run hitter especially with plot structure – should’ve put more energy and focused in more on what is going on, who is involved, and why it is all happening, because all I’m really seeing is an entertaining diversion. And it is entertaining, if you can relax with it and enjoy it on a purely entertainment level.

A lot of the credit goes to Joe Mad, whose art still feels vibrant and energetic, especially with those gorgeous Lichtner digital paints, making the lush setting of the savage land at moonlight feel really shadowy and cool The action, particularly from henchmen like the Juggernaut and Sabertooth, is great, and has that eye-popping flash I don’t see enough anymore. Hell, he even makes Pyro look as cool as a guy who controls fire should.

What it is, is a very good action-issue, where the story has given Madureira great opportunities to depict these heroes having a giant slugfest, and it never feels too chaotic – at least not as chaotic as the plot already seemed to me.

The cliffhanger at the end, as I already alluded, worked for me. It seems to lead to the type of story that should be going on here, and gives me hope that the series can pull itself to its feet and get a decent story going. It could go either way.

Story:


Art:


Overall:


Buy this comic from X-World and Save!

[Gabriel Diaz]

You know I read the first two issues of this Vol. in hopes that I would be treated to something good but they were stale cookie cutter phantoms of what the characters were originally. Even though it was only five issues, I refused to spend the money on the rest. It's unforunate that this story got the green light with as paltry as it seemed.

[Ryan Broussard]

come on! Come on Marvel! This was all over the place....this story has way too much stuff going on....new characters introduced on every page, no set ups, just pointless!

I wonder if Loeb reads any other Ultimate books.....I mean Pyro was a good guy, he didnt leave on a bad note, he never showed a sign of being evil and here he is setting people in flames and talking of Rape....What the hell!!! What the hell!

Pyro was one of the things I enjoyed from Kirkman's run on Ultimate X

Then there is this robot nonsense and ofcourse the last page which was just too stupid for words......

The art, is incredible though....seems like a waste if you ask me that such amazing art is on such an awful book.......

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Haven't read this yet, but flippin' through...I can't deny the art. It looked really good. Not three months delay good, but really good. I'm sure the comic will be just as awfully-written as it has been, though.

[jonsnow]

Ok I'll admit it, I was like a junkie with this and had to check it out, and just I assumed, I loved it just like the first three issues.

[gregorv]

Originally Posted by Ben Lehnsherr

Haven't read this yet, but flippin' through...I can't deny the art. It looked really good. Not three months delay good, but really good. I'm sure the comic will be just as awfully-written as it has been, though.

dude...youd be wrong...this much,much,much,much worse than the first 3 issues combined...

seriously wth? this was so random, so many ideas just thrown out there, as Ryan said all over the place...to me it honestly feels as if Loeb is making it up as he goes along

[WhereIsTony]

Even the art hasn't floored me.

He draws the 616 versions of the characters (thor)

[Ryan Broussard]

Originally Posted by WhereIsTony

Even the art hasn't floored me.

He draws the 616 versions of the characters (thor)

as good as the art is.....you do have a point and that bothers me....they should have just made this 616....nothing is really ultimates here at all

[WhereIsTony]

yeah, like he draws a great thor, I would just like to see his ultimate thor

[gregorv]

Originally Posted by Ryan Broussard

as good as the art is.....you do have a point and that bothers me....they should have just made this 616....nothing is really ultimates here at all

how about...this shouldn't have existed at all...just release it as a series of sketch books or something? Id pay to look at these drawings without any story...Heck, Id pay more to do so...yes, thats how much I hate this story...

[Magnus2k]

I'm at the point where I wonder if Loeb is writing bad on purpose, or if his sons passing has just stolen all creativity and desire.

[FunnyManJo]

When did Pyro become a villian agian??? He was an X-Man for crying out loud!

[Dante Cross]

Originally Posted by FunnyManJo

When did Pyro become a villian agian??? He was an X-Man for crying out loud!

exactly he wrote it like he just found out who the character was, by watching the movie.

Great art none the less. But very floored story line.

[Ryan Broussard]

Originally Posted by FunnyManJo

When did Pyro become a villian agian??? He was an X-Man for crying out loud!

he didn't.....thats my point and thats the editors fault I feel

[thegrayone]

so, who is the black panther, Cap?

[Rainbow Raider]

Originally Posted by Magnus2k

I'm at the point where I wonder if Loeb is writing bad on purpose, or if his sons passing has just stolen all creativity and desire.

Exactly! That's what I have been wondering. As much as that makes you and I look like a-holes bringing up his dead son, that is what it kinda looks like what is happening to me. Maybe the guy needs to take a break from writing comics. He never took one after his son died did he? Maybe he's pushing himself too far.

[Gabriel Diaz]

You know what I actually wonder, if his son wasn't his ghost writer partner... and that's why he's having issues.

[Phantomrenegade]

Which are the odds we get explanations for all of what has happened in the series in the last issue? Or we will get them in Ultimatum?

[Magnus2k]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Diaz

You know what I actually wonder, if his son wasn't his ghost writer partner... and that's why he's having issues.

I"m not sure. I dont know specifics, but wouldnt Long Halloween and Dark Victory have been written when his boy was pretty young? To young for such a story?