Deniz Camp’s run on The Ultimates has never failed to amaze me, but one of the standout issues was the secret origin of Luke Cage, aka Power Man. Transforming Cage from a Blaxploitation homage to a staunch abolitionist fit extremely well with The Ultimates‘ themes of revolution, and Cage’s background in the mainstream Marvel Universe. Now the spotlight turns toward the bulletproof hero, as The Ultimates #21 reveals that he’s gathered a group he calls…the Avengers?!
Par for the course with Earth-6160, these aren’t the Avengers most fans will recognize. Instead, it’s a small squad of revolutionaries, each given their own unique twist. Penance is a Ghost Rider who, instead of a motorcycle, rides Cerberus – yes, that Cerberus. Singularity wears Cloak’s signature shroud and takes his abilities to harness the Darkforce Dimension. Nameless is an unkillable, silent assassin who longs for death; essentially, the opposite of everything Deadpool is – and it strangely works! Once again, I wish the Ultimate Universe could go on a little longer, because I could easily see this team carrying its own miniseries.
Camp and guest artist Pere Perez also don’t hold back on the violence, which is escalating in the face of Ultimate Endgame. Bullets bounce off of Cage’s skin, ricocheting back into heads with bloody force. Nameless carves up the Maker’s forces like slabs of meat, moving like a silent tornado. That’s nothing compared to the back half of the issue, which introduces the “Defenders” – a public superteam assembled by the Black King Emmanuel da Costa to upend the Ultimates’ message. Perez gets to draw a darker spin on characters like Cannonball and even give his own evil spin on the Ultimates’ roster; size-changing Marvel Boy is a more violent Giant Man, while the sword wielding Proctor is part of the “Black Knight Brigade.”
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The battle between the Avengers and Defenders isn’t just another superhero showdown. It’s a battle between the tides of change and those who would work to keep the world locked in place – in essence, this is the kind of battle The Ultimates built its foundation on. Camp peppers each page with excerpts from “The Ultimates Handbook,” detailing Cage’s campaign, and there’s one caption that stands out: “If we’re going to destroy what comes before, we have to build what comes after.” It’s not enough to simply destroy the Maker’s machine. Cage, the Ultimates, and the rest of the heroes need to build a better world for those they’re fighting for.
On da Costa’s end, the story shows how revolution can often be co-opted and even stripped of its meaning by outside forces – namely, the forces of commerce. He speaks about “appealing to different markets” and rolling out a whole line of movies and TV shows, saying that people don’t want heroes to preach to them. It’s the worst of corporate boardroom speak, combined with the stereotypical “don’t put politics in my story” mindset that’s regurgitated on social media. By the end of the issue, it’s shown why that mindset is both poisonous and doesn’t win out in the end.
The Ultimates #21 not only puts a unique spin on fan-favorite Marvel characters, but also showcases the different roads of revolution. This might be the end of the Ultimate Universe, but the message this book is leaving is one that fans should take to heart.
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