The first issue of Ultimate Endgame featured plenty of plot twists, chief among them being the fact that the Maker had taken over the City where he was trapped. Ultimate Endgame #2 picks up immediately after this revelation, spending most of its time with Immortus – the aged version of Howard Stark, Iron Lad’s father. Naturally, Iron Lad is pleased to see his father, until he learns how weaponizing time has cost Immortus his sanity. Meanwhile, Erik Killmonger is tasked by the Black Panther to enter the City and kill the Maker.
Deniz Camp swings for the fences throughout Ultimate Endgame #2, showcasing moments of Howard’s battle against the Maker. It’s a very dark moment, as it shows how the Maker infected the City, proving that his corrupting influence wasn’t stopped during the two years he was trapped inside a space-time bubble. If that wasn’t a big enough blow, Camp also taps into the emotional undercurrent of the Stark family reuniting. Listening to Immortus’s ramblings to Tony, it’s not hard to draw parallels to people who are witnessing their loved ones struggle with Alzheimer’s or other ailments in their later years.
The narrative also continues to split its time between what’s happening inside the City’s dome and outside it, and the difference is stark. While the heroes who entered the dome are learning that the Maker may be unstoppable, the Ultimates continue to lead a revolution against his Council. Camp also picks up on story threads from Ultimate Black Panther, showcasing how the world is reacting to Wakanda’s attempts to expand. Naturally, this also leads to mixed opinions on Killmonger’s journey to the City, as reflected in a series of captions representing the Ultimates Network—and, by extension, social media sites like Twitter or Bluesky.
Marvel
That split is also reflected by the dual art teams of Jonas Scharf, and Terry and Rachel Dodson. Scharf illustrates the action inside the City, delivering some prime body horror in the process. It’s especially prominent with the Maker, whose elastic body becomes a roiling, inky mass distorted by his horribly stretched smile. But Scharf also doesn’t skimp on the superheroic action, and knows how to make each character stand out. Doom and Iron Man utilize high-tech weapons, Spider-Man is quipping and thwipping, and America Chavez gets in a superpowerful punch during a key moment. Edgar Delgado’s colors also bring a sense of foreboding, as the heroes’ bright suits are almost overwhelmed by the literal darkness spreading throughout the city.
With the Dodsons, the violence is sleekly displayed in brief but effective panels, especially when Killmonger is involved. Befitting his new title as the “Sword of Wakanda”, he has an actual sword forged of vibranium and puts it to good use. One panel shows him leaping through the air at a massive giant, while another features him literally carving through an army of Roxxon soldiers. While the first issue felt a little disjointed with this shift in art, the second issue means that it flows more smoothly – particularly when Immortus drops another big reveal about the way time flows inside the City.
Ultimate Endgame #2 continues to take big swings, featuring a deeply emotional reunion and a narrative that zigs where the reader expects it to zag. It’s also a reminder of how truly terrifying the Maker really is; if being trapped for two years didn’t stop him, then what will?
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