There are only a handful of appointment reads in comics for me, and Ultimates is one of them. It’s setting up the groundwork for the new Ultimate Universe Avengers while tinkering with what we know of our favorite Marvel heroes and villains. The team is slowly growing, and in Ultimates #3, Ultimate Hulk is revealed!
Ultimates #3 is a story of imperialism and colonialism told through the lens of Hulk’s story. However, Hulk’s story is twisted beyond belief, with this issue revealing a full backstory on the Gamma tests that were forced upon Pacific islanders. Generally speaking, writer Deniz Camp perfectly uses known stories from the 616 universe to tell new ones that are, in some sense, more realistic.
It’s realistic because it’s easy to believe an American group would go to a place of peace and tranquility to twist it into a monstrous place. Familiar touchstones like Monster Island — which is clever as hell, I might add — are used to connect the narrative of Marvel, so it never feels preachy, either.
The story opens on the day the Hulk was born. Over the course of three pages and a confidential letter, we get the sense that the Hulk was created not in the middle of nowhere but on the shores of good people. Don’t skip the data pages, readers, as they give a flavor of how powerful countries abuse other cultures.
Those poor animals.
Credit: Marvel
The story then kicks into the present, which features Iron Lad, Thor, and Lady Sif, who are trying to find Hulk. We know they are trying to assemble an Avengers that can rival The Maker in sixteen months, so who better to get on their side than Hulk? What they find is far more dangerous and wild than they ever anticipated.
It’s also a bit more realistic, as we see “creations” from the gamma that are much more realistic. In the real world, almost everything touched by radiation ends up in great pain and deformed.
Juan Frigeri continues to stun with his art, with great detail in the monsters and islanders. Monster and creature design rangers, from big lizards to a beast that looks like nothing you’ve seen before. There’s a decent amount of action, but character acting is a show-stopper. The quick single-panel cutaway to a reaction happens again in this issue, and it’s a fun moment. The colorfulness of these personalities is apparent.
Outside of interesting touchstones about colonialist abuse, this story has a lot of heart. The creative team makes you believe Iron Lad is purely good, and for that matter, the woman they meet who may join them. Lady Sif and Thor’s relationship continues to be fun and boisterous, and the final reveal is chilling, to say the least.
Ultimates #3 is another fantastic issue, drawing on real-world atrocities while remaking Hulk’s origin. These characters feel fully realized, fighting a battle against impossible odds. Would we want it any other way?
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