The new Ultimate Universe has been nothing short of brilliant, but so far, it has stayed relatively silent about how The Maker’s allies function…until today. Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 aims to reveal how Nick Fury fits into The Maker’s plans, remind us of the control The Maker’s Council has, and remind us that it’s quite dire for heroes in this universe.
This is a story about Nick Fury and how he fits within this universe. He’s also the head agent for The Maker and his council, thus making him a villain in our eyes. That is until you read his captions, which string you along for the entire issue. They reveal a victim who realizes he’s working for the enemy. It’s harrowing to some degree as we come to learn he’s basically a puppet for the worst people on the planet.
After some fun charts, this issue opens with a middle-American man who we learn is an honest, good person. Fury fills us in as he’s grilling burgers for his wife and two kids. The problem is, it comes into his head that maybe the Ultimates have a point. He’s immediately shot with an electric bolt and killed. A page turn reveals a helicarrier above the clouds was monitoring him and suspected he was getting the wrong ideas.
If the opening scene isn’t fascist enough, writer Deniz Camp reiterates the evil of The Maker’s Council via some great descriptions from Nick Fury. The entire issue serves as a last will and testament from Fury, who assumes his memories will be stolen and reveals that he is no longer a loyal soldier to The Maker. Given the political climate in America today, it’s a pretty scary notion pumped up to supervillain levels in this issue.
How moody is that ship?
Credit: Marvel
That notion is capped off with a heck of a cliffhanger. The Maker is truly evil and the Ultimates are fighting up hill against so many threats in his council.
Customary of Camp’s work in the Ultimate Universe, this issue serves up small details about The Maker’s Council members, reveals a thing or two about Nick Fury’s past, and helps us understand how this world differs from the 616. That adds value to the one-shot as it keeps us on the edge of our seats, hoping for more detail.
Art by Jonas Scharf is strong with a moody darkness permeating most panels. We’re inside the supervillain lair and you get that feeling from beginning to end. The espionage element is captured well in flashbacks and Scharf does a good job with homages to past comics. The most important element, Fury’s humanity and goodness, shines through. That’s aided by just how evil Scharf makes The Maker’s Council.
If there’s anything wrong with this one-shot, it’s that it skates by without telling us too many big things. It’s more subtle in its reveals. It’s also not a preview of the coming year. Given the title, you’d expect a little more build-up or reveals to get us ready for Ultimate Universe 2025.
This issue also features a backup prelude to Ultimate Wolverine by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio. It’s a nice play on Weapon X from the perspective of the scientists who turned Logan into the Winter Soldier. Running three pages, it’s short and sweet.
Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 is a compelling, character-driven one-shot that deepens the mythology of the new Ultimate Universe and provides a fascinating look at Nick Fury’s inner turmoil. While it might not deliver the seismic reveals expected from its title, the nuanced storytelling and haunting art make it a must-read for fans invested in this universe.
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