Nearly every issue of The Ultimates has had some social element reminding us Marvel truly is the world outside our window. The sad truth, however, is that a lot of what is outside our window is dark and depressing. It makes sense to shine a light on something like Neo-Nazis, as The Ultimates #10 does, when superheroes need to give us hope. Given the dire stakes the Ultimates are facing, writer Deniz Camp and artist Juan Frigeri continue to produce a superhero comic that’ll make you cheer.
The Ultimates #10 opens with Adolf Hitler being burned alive. Jim Hammond, aka The Human Torch, is accessing a memory log of the murder, which transitions nicely into his reflection with the team on how many of his memories were deleted, but not that one. His love of killing Nazis is shared by Captain America, who stands beside him as they prepare to infiltrate a Castletown. It’s a good reminder of what this team stands for.
As the team observes the stronghold of Castletown, Camp writes informative captions that detail how these militia towns were built on Red Skull’s ideology and the repurposing of Frank Castle’s symbolism for their own means. It’s not hard to see the analogy between Castletown and racist sundown towns.
The Ultimates #10 shines a light on racist Americans, although they aren’t Americans in this universe, as well as shows how this team is coming together nicely. The team is made up of Giant-Man, Wasp, Captain American, The Human Torch, and Hawkeye, and it’s exciting to see them working so well together. In between their fight scenes, we get a little intel on Cap’s point of view on them, foreshadowing Giant Man may be an issue later.
I dig the crackly design of The Human Torch.
Credit: Marvel
Frigeri draws fantastic action scenes here, with Giant-Man bursting out of mouths and The Human Torch burning folks on a whim. This is a superhero team that can’t lose, not ever. His design of the leader, known as a Grand Skull, is also good. From the helmet to his size, there’s a juxtaposition of weakness and fear-mongering.
As far as the bigger picture, this issue deals a bit with symbolism. The story points out how well the Castletown folk are at it, while the Ultimates stand for nothing in the public eye. It’s a message that hits hard in America these days, with Democrats’ unfocused message, similar to these Ultimates. The idea of symbolism is also brought up in regard to what the Ultimates are after. A fallen hero pinned to a wall acts as a motivational tool for the Castletown racists.
While the point is made well enough, it also feels open-ended. Can Camp somehow turn the lack of symbolism for the Ultimates into something? Time will tell, but it felt like an unfinished argument.
The Ultimates #10 is a gripping issue that blends superhero spectacle with relevant social themes. It’s an engaging read that delivers explosive action and symbolism, which makes it all the more relevant. While some of its messages feel incomplete, the issue remains a standout for its bold storytelling and high-stakes narrative.
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