The Ultimates is always good for an impactful punch of superheroics mixed with social commentary about the real world. Case in point, The Ultimates #11, which delves into Asgard changed due to Loki’s autocratic and oppressive rulership. It’s a side quest, so to speak, as Thor and Lady Sif try to take back and free the Nine Realms.
The Ultimates #11 is a different kind of comic, though we’ve seen something similar in Immortal Thor #19: a comic told in only splash pages. It’s an epic format that artist Juan Frigeri knocks out of the park. Deniz Camp’s rhyming verse pairs well with the art, adding an Asgardian vibe and a storybook feel. It’s as if we’re reading an epic fairy tale.
A lot happens in this issue, with enough twists and turns that could have filled a six-issue story back when comics tended to decompress more often than not. This issue covers Sif and Thor investigating what has happened to the Nine Realms, connecting on a deeper level, and then enacting a plan to defeat the autocratic Loki. The fact that this is all done via full-page splashes speaks to the plotting and strength in the visuals and captions.
Loki got that king-belly.
Credit: Marvel
Fans looking for allegory will likely find it with the Vanaheim. At one point, we learn they won’t fight Loki since they’ve got it good, or at least not as bad as some. One can see the connection to our own world.
At times, the captions can be leaned on too heavily, but it’s a necessary evil, given the format the creators have stuck to. One might find the lyrical captions cumbersome, but I was often impressed that Camp found clever rhymes and a singsong way of describing everything.
My only other gripe occurs midway through. A bit of a mystery involving Thor is thrown in, seemingly to add a surprise twist and keep the reader guessing. It simply feels thrown in and could have just as easily been told chronologically.
The Ultimates #11 is a bold, ambitious comic that experiments with format and storytelling to great effect, offering readers both dazzling visuals and poignant commentary, though a slightly overstuffed execution and narrative hiccups may divide some.
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