Ultimate
X-men 38: “Blockbuster part five”
Script: Brain Michael Bendis
Pencils: David Finch
Inks: Art Thibert
Story: With the return of the x-men to
this book (you can’t really blame them I mean its their book) we see the
complete disappearance of Daredevil and spidey being used simply as a
one-panel cameo sitting round the table. Anyway there’s a lot of
wolverine interacting with the various x-men, in particular Jean Grey and
Charlie boy (who allows a nice little flash back montage to be included).
Anyway the gist of the story is this, Charles talk to the ultimate’s who
basically tell him they will sort the whole thing and wolverine is to keep
out, and jean gives wolverine a good talking to in which she tells him to
stay the hell away, because she’s still pretty annoyed at him leaving
Cyclops somewhere. Anyway a helicopter approaches she goes all phoenix and
something weird happens, there’s some ice effects and a big explosion,
insert shocked faces for last page.
The Good: nice art and probably a
great story if you’re an avid reader of Ultimate x-men, but I’m not, I’m
a spidey fan and what I want to see is spidey. This was an altogether very
stylish issue with lots of nice effects like video screens, fire effects
and mind reading, but apart from that pretty bog standard and boring,
being mostly dominated by talking.
The Bad: As I said very little spidey
and far too much x-men, sure this may have been needed for the overall
story but maybe it could have been done after spidey wolverine and
daredevil sorted all this out. Also we see peter sitting eating breakfast
with his new mutant friends, but has anyone thought about aunt may?
nooooooo so what’s going on exactly. Also the cover was misprinted as it
said blockbuster:part 4 on the front when we all knew it was part 5
really.
Rating: standard issue. 3 webheads out
of 5
Ultimate
X-men 37: “Blockbuster part four ”
Script: Brain Michael Bendis
Pencils: David Finch
Inks: Art Thibert
Story: few issues can manage to
contain 3 main superheroes, a team of elite troops and the x-men in a
single road and the one rooftop, but some how this one does. Thanks to the
intervention of both daredevil and spidey wolverine manages to escape last
months predicament under a hail of machine gun fire that turns a number of
trucks into a set of novelty sieves. After being literally dragged to
safety by spidey wolverine manages to climb up onto a nearby rooftop in
order to confront the female agent determined to put an end to his life,
and when questioned about why she tells him she’s his wife, mother,
cousin and sister which could explain some of wolverine hairy features if
you get my meaning. Sadly she escape on a helicopter just before the
entire x-men show up to lend wolverine a hand, and not to soon as he keels
over on there arrival.
The Good: sure this issue is heavy on
the action (in a good way) but that isn’t what makes it great. It’s
not the array of superheroes that makes it great either. What makes this
issue and in fact this entire story arc so great is the dialogue. Bendis
has really outdid himself on this one and has been able to write the 3
characters perfectly, I’m sure this might have something to do with him
writing all three of their own titles (ult x-men, daredevil and ult spidey).
It’s a pleasure to read and this alone makes it deserving of the full 5.
The Bad: I have a feeling that the
inclusion of the rest of the x-men will sadly push spidey and daredevil
onto the sidelines of this story, which could be an ultimate disaster as
they seem to have been included for very little reason at all, after all
its not like its their title or anything.
Rating: very well written. 5 webheads out of 5
Ultimate
X-men 36: “Blockbuster part Three”
Script: Brain
Michael Bendis
Pencils: David Finch
Inks: Art Thibert
Story: Nothing much happens in this
issue, we see Logan escape from his imminent death by missile across the
Manhattan skyline crashing into a building that catches fire yet somehow
managing to escape. Meanwhile spidey seems to get a better offer and goes
off somewhere. Logan meets up with the mysterious hells kitchen guardian
Daredevil, who also vanishes leaving Logan to get shot in the head many
times by adamantium coated bullets from the female agents gun, only for
them to knock him down so she can straddle him and daredevil can have time
to show up and tell the all to “get out of my kitchen” it was honestly
more exciting than I made it sound Honest.
The Good: wow can this guy draw explosions and bullets being
fired from helicopters (ala spidey first conflict with green goblin in
ultimate Spiderman). However he usually clear and beautiful art is put off
a bit by the dodgy looking daredevil who makes an appearance. However he
can be forgiven this due to the wonderful way he drew wolverine escaping
from the missile embedded in his chest. The story this month was full to
the brim with action and was very exciting despite what it sounds like
above. Hopefully spidey will return next month for a big rumble between
Logan, daredevil, spidey and those military types.
The Bad: a slight decline in this titles greatness, but nothing
too major. The introduction of Daredevil seemed a little needless
especially seen as it was the standard marvel U Daredevil, who looked
exactly like he looks in the normal daredevil comic it would have been
nice to see the first appearance of costumed ultimate Daredevil, with
perhaps a spin off ultimate Daredevil series. I can dream can’t I. The
only other problem I had with this issue was that an entire page didn’t
seemed to make any sense, it was a kind of conversation between the female
agent and wolverine, while wolverine didn’t directly talk to her and she
wasn’t even there. I think maybe she’s a psychic but don’t hold me
to it.
Rating: the semi-ultimate crossover
staring the traditional daredevil. 3.5 webheads out of 5
Ultimate
X-men 35: “Blockbuster part Two”
Script:
Brain Michael Bendis
Pencils: David Finch
Inks: Art Thibert
Story: you can say one thing for
Bendis, he gives the fans what they want and by the bucket-full. This
issue not only sees spidey all suited up and ready to rock, but also
wolverine killing himself to fool tracking software, the ultimate good cop
bad cop routine, an ultimate cameo from black widow, some roof top action,
top notch dialogue and wolverine getting hit in the chest with a rocket
before being propelled across a city block with it still embedded in his
chest. I don’t want to give too much away about the plot but this really
is a FANtastic book
The Good: Did you not just read what I
said about the dialogue and wolverine with the rocket, a city block I tell
you an entire block. *breath*. Basically this book is everything a cross
over should be; over the top action, intrigue, and a plot so sharp you
could save with it, everything that Spiderman/wolverine isn’t. Plus on
the last page there is a funny advert for the next issue, what more do you
want.
The Bad: spidey really has been
brought down to the wise cracking sidekick in this story, which is a shame
as its pretty much turning out to be wolverines wild ride with his mate
spiderboy. Other than that can’t fault it
Rating: THE ULTIMATE CROSSOVER.
5 webheads out of 5
Ultimate
X-men 34: “Blockbuster part 0ne”
Script: Brain Michael Bendis
Pencils: David Finch
Inks: Art Thibert
Reviewed By: Groble
Story: Kicking off this massive
ultimate marvel crossover in which we see ultimate Spiderman and wolverine
teaming up to kick some ultimate ass. Wolverines returned from New York
after some much needed soul searching and finds himself in a café when a
mysterious woman walks in and ID’s wolves for a hit. Suddenly gunmen in
three diaper vans shoot up the place. Leaving wolverine in a state close
to death, luckily he manages to drag himself to the home of Peter Parker
(which he located when he followed Pete home after their first encounter).
Needless to say Pete’s quite shocked by the bloodied wolverine turning
up in his basement, but after a quick talk he soon as Mary Jane round and
wolvey is healed in no time. But what’s this waiting outside the parker
residence, three familiar looking diaper vans and the closing line “I
might end up owing you more than one”
The Good: It’s a good story and
shows what crossovers in the ultimate marvel universe can do. Which is
good considering ultimate war, was average at best. The story is great and
you feel that these characters are working together because they should
not just as part of some cash in, which is often the case in crossover
stories. Spidey and wolverine play off each other perfectly and I feel
that this is going to be a great partnership in which both characters
learn something.
The Bad: Peter and especially MJ look
and act way too young; this could be due to the fact that there’s an
older character along for the ride, but I think lines like “you smell
like a wet dog” don’t really give the characters the depth they would
have in ultimate Spiderman. I think that Mary Jane was thrown in to this
issue simply to appeal to ultimate spidey fans who like their
relationship, but it just comes across far too weak and seems un-needed.
The art is also not on the same level as that of ultimate spidey but it
does the job.
Rating: Not up to ultimate spidey
standards. 3 1/2 webheads out of 5
