There are now officially only eight more issues of The Ultimates left, with The Ultimates #17 out this week, barreling towards the end of the Ultimate Universe. With so little time left and monthly jumps, there’s a lot to pack in, especially with The Maker returning soon to throw our heroes into turmoil. But turmoil is the name of the game in today’s issue, as Doom, aka a tortured Reed Richards, contemplates quitting the fight to prepare for The Maker. But why?
Mirroring issue #4, The Ultimates #17 is drawn by Phil Noto and as tragic as they come. This issue allows us to bear witness to a broken man who has lost the one thing that gave him purpose: family. A few things are juggled well here, from Doom building a program to superpower any human who wants to help fight, to Doom nearly constantly being reminded that the rest of the Fantastic Four are long gone. There are also key flashbacks to remind us of what The Maker did to Doom and how he reduced his abilities further, making the Ultimates’ mission even harder.
Possibly the most haunting element is how the rest of the Fantastic Four are depicted. They are white silhouettes, as if cut out of the comic. Smartly, writer Deniz Camp extends these silhouettes from a visual effect to something Doom literally sees in real time. It’s a haunting element, and a reminder he’s a broken man who feels like he’ll never defeat The Maker, or even come close.
Hey Iron Lad, you’re creeping us out!
Credit: Marvel
The Maker is positively frightening in this issue, reminding us he takes glee in doing terrible things, especially torturing Doom prior to his transformation with the iron mask. A key detail of what The Maker did helps further define Doom’s twisted form, and it’s an element that certainly feels like it’ll inhibit any progress for the Ultimates.
If there’s any progress for Doom’s character, it’s how he accepts others. It’s a glimmer of hope, even if he seems damned to never get out of The Maker’s shadow. At the very least, the final panel shows kindness and a reminder that this Doom is nothing like the Doctor Doom in the 616 universe.
Speaking of progress, there are some nice touches as Iron Lad fills us in on his multi-persona adventures. He’s super freaky without any pupils, but also adamant that they can win. A couple of cutaways remind us that adventures are taking place around Doom’s experiments, though if you’re wishing for big battles or more of the Ultimates appearing, you’ve come to the wrong place.
Phil Noto’s steady, almost flat style continues to work well for this story. As a kind of two-parter, it’s nice to see the mice Doom tested on, and the silhouette effect works very well. A panel or two looks slightly underdeveloped, particularly when Doom raises a toast, but for the most part, it’s strong stuff.
The Ultimates #17 is a haunting, beautifully restrained chapter that turns away from grand battles to explore the broken soul of a man once called a hero. Deniz Camp and Phil Noto deliver a quiet powerhouse of an issue, one that uses absence, of family, of hope, of light, to devastating effect. As Ultimate Endgame looms, this story reminds us that even in defeat, Doom’s humanity burns faintly but fiercely against the Maker’s shadow.
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