In my recent years of reading comics, I have been reading comics since the Watchmen movie was announced and being filmed. Before then I only heard about this Ultimates universe and how much different it is to the main universe. From what I read on-line the Ultimate universe has much deeper emphasis on super soldier's, technological, and mutants. While there are a few magical based characters, they aren't the main focus, the same can be said about extraterrestrial threats. When I started to read further into things I got to notice that there's people hating this universe. Comic reviewer Linkara did a review of Ultimates 3 and gave a quick summary of why the people don't like it as much. It seems that this universe takes away the long linage of continuity and story lines and more or less reboot these characters to get new readers involved into Marvel.This editorial is more of my perspective on it and see if I can show you all what I see in it.
Right off the bat the only Ultimate series I have read are Ultimates 1 and so far I have been following the Ultimate Lines Spider-man. I really enjoyed Ultimates because it felt like a blockbuster movie in a comic book format, the characters were enjoyable, the action was well paced, and the series was well written. As for the Spider-man series I'm reading, I do enjoy it, but since I have not read the series prior to the events of Ultimatum, I have no knowledge of how all the events have happened before it. I read the Ultimate Avengers but it seems to be taking way longer than expected to complete so I'm on hold with it. I haven't gotten a chance to read Ultimates 2 and I saw the horror of U3 so I will skip that one. As for the event Ultimatum, I heard enough crap-slinging words about it, so I anything I say only adds to the pile.
So as I stated, Why all the hate. Well I guess I can sum it up to 2 words: fan service. I'm not talking about the kind with skimpy schoolgirl outfits or nosebleed moments, I'm talking about all the subtle nods and credits to the main universe. From what I have seen in Linkara's review Wanda flirts with one of the robots(a nod to her and the vision in 616), in Spider-man they are doing a Spider-man and friends thing with iceman and the Human Torch, and in the last Ultimate avengers, they showed the Cosmic cube and Red Skull. Also in Ultimates 3 there is a scene with a supposed Donald Blake. While I'm for fan service and nods to other things, but when they become center stage in order to sell comics, its more of a gimmick than a tribute.
As for a film, we have the 2 animated films and it seems that the Avengers Movie will have more of a Ultimates feel but have the classic look, albeit they have the Jackson Fury, but hey, whatever works right.
In the end I don't entirely hate this universe, I think it's something Marvel took a risk on and it seems to sell comics, which seems to be their case right now. What's great about is that it has no affect on the 616 universe or any other universe at all. I bet there are fans who support this line but for me and a I'm sure a good number of people here, its not our cup of tea. All I can say is that I enjoyed the first part of the Ultimates and I'm not gonna follow them for now. I'm gonna start following the Avengers of the Heroic Age. Til next time, BlackAirs OUT!!