With Marvel’s Ultimate universe in the midst of its ultimate climax in Ultimate Endgame, this week sees the release of The Ultimates by Deniz Camp Vol. 3: Rescue Mission, collecting the story arc leading up to that event. Considering Camp’s Ultimates is still the best ongoing series at Marvel right now, if you haven’t been buying the single issues, this is a can’t-miss pickup.
The paperback collection includes issues #13-18 plus the one-shot Ultimate Hawkeye co-written by Camp and Taboo (yes, from the Black Eyed Peas). Coming in at seven issues and 168 pages, you get a pretty good deal at $20. Especially because the stories and art are fantastic.
Courtesy of Marvel
Camp structures this arc the same way he did the previous story. Basically, each issue can be read as a standalone story, but with issues #13 and #18 serving as bookends that most explicitly advance the overarching storyline of the team of Ultimates fighting against the Maker and his evil Council.
But I was a little more impatient with these standalone stories this time compared to the previous volume. At this point, we know that the Ultimate universe is ending in less than a year. So, I wondered why Camp would still be spending so many issues introducing new characters and building this world. Shouldn’t he be getting on with the main story at some point?
For example, Ultimate Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as well as Ultimate Emma Frost are introduced in issue #14. And issue #15 introduces Ultimate Danny Rand and goes way deep into the mythology and history of the Iron Fists of this universe.
However, it’s hard to complain about Camp not progressing the main conflict when these one-and-done stories and the world-building are so well done or when the art – most by Juan Frigeri – is so great.
Courtesy of Marvel
Also, Camp wisely uses issue #18 – the final issue before the start of the climactic Ultimate Endgame – to pull the separate plot threads back together and summarize the main themes. It was much needed at this point. We see glimpses of all the different, concurrent subplots – including Thor and Sif’s war in the Nine Realms, She-Hulk’s battle for her irradiated island home, Luke Cage’s revolution within the unjust prison system as well as the aforementioned Iron Fists. As we see these scenes while reading Iron Lad’s call to rise up and rebel against the evil villains ruling this world, we realize that all of these stand-alone issues really have been the separate parts of a comprehensive whole.
And that whole is, as the title of this collection suggests, a rescue mission. Iron Lad’s speech really taps into a universal feeling inside of all of us. A realization that the world is not right – that evil has corrupted so many things. Accordingly, the world needs to be rescued. We all know that intense longing for redemption – for everything to be made right again. In order to rescue the Ultimate universe, Iron Lad and the Ultimates have created a world-wide network of rebellion against the Maker and his villainous council that includes common people and superheroes alike.
Courtesy of Marvel
But Camp also makes clear that this longing shouldn’t be for the nostalgic good ole days or a romanticized past. Rather, redemption must come by putting the past behind us and transforming into something brand new.
This theme is explored most notably in issue #17, the standout issue of this collection. It’s a companion to issue #4, focused on Doom – this universe’s Reed Richards – and his continued mission to undo what the Maker did to his loved-ones. But now, Doom must deal with the revelation that the Maker is also a Reed Richards from a parallel universe. (A revelation that unfortunately happened in the final issue of the Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion miniseries.)
But this issue is great for more than just the story. First off, guest artist, Phil Noto, does an amazing job. Second, Camp and Noto show just how creative the comic book medium can be. The page layout determines the time structure – flash-back, present day etc. – while also taking on a symbolic nature when the structure is suddenly changed and rearranged. Furthermore, even more symbolism is found in the creative use of empty space and panel gutters. No where else will you see a better visual depiction of the feeling of emptiness anytime soon.
No one is writing comic books better than Deniz Camp right now, and no series at Marvel this past year has been better than Ultimates. Add fantastic art by Juan Frigeri and Phil Noto and The Ultimates by Deniz Camp Vol. 3 is a great addition to anyone’s comic collection. The creative team continues to create interesting and timely alternate versions of familiar heroes. Plus, the final issue of this collection perfectly pulls all of the disparate plotlines back together as the Ultimate universe heads into Ultimate Endgame.
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