Ultimate Endgame #2 suffers from finale fatigue. There’s too many missing characters, too much exposition, and too little room for the emotional beats that made this universe special. Deniz Camp helped build a brilliant universe, but issue two suggests he might not have enough space to give it the ending it deserves.
Howard Stark vs The Maker: Who is Immortus?
This issue focuses on Howard Stark, now Immortus after thousands of years in the City, and his battles against The Maker. We see a montage of their skirmishes before learning a sobering truth: The Maker always wins. When the villain’s agents invade their sanctuary, Howard tries to destroy Tony Stark’s Immortus engine to keep it from them. Tony refuses to let it go and accidentally unleashes the weapon, mortally wounding Howard in a horrific panel by artist Jonas Scharf on page twenty-eight. His last vision of his father is his scalded face, skin burned off and singed hair in clumps, while one robotic eye shines bright against the carnage. It’s another cruel moment in Iron Lad’s life, and will have instant consequences.
The Tragedy of Tony Stark and the Death’s Head Robot
Howard’s story is properly tragic, especially during his interactions with Tony. He’s completely forgotten his son, often getting his name wrong and asserting he doesn’t see any resemblance between them. Howard’s last words aren’t even to Tony, instead being shared with his Death’s Head robot and referring to it as his son. Seeing Tony silent and broken in the final panels, denied the closure he’s been so desperate for, is like a knife to the heart. That being said, I wanted to see more from their reunion. Howard’s ghost loomed large over Tony’s entire arc throughout The Ultimates, and only getting an issue’s worth of interaction between them feels like a missed opportunity.
Why is Black Panther Missing from Ultimate Endgame #2?
This book is strange in how it handles the greater Ultimate universe. Tony, Doom, Spider-Man and America Chavez’s journey through the Maker’s City is clearly the major story, but Camp works in a small side plot regarding the Black Panther and Killmonger. Black Panther represents my greatest fear regarding this miniseries. We spent twenty-four issues following his story only for him to appear on one page before sending Killmonger off on a solo mission? It’s going to be an enormous disappointment if he ends up an ancillary player.
Jonas Scharf and Terry Dodson’s Art Style
That being said, Killmonger’s journey to the Maker’s City is a blast. Artists Terry and Rachel Dodson portray him as an action hero. He dynamically leaps into battle, cleaving through his enemies in a shower of sparks while inspiring the masses. His face remains resolute when he takes off his mask, each line etched into his features showing his determination. Terry Dodson handles the colors on these pages, making each scene distinct. Wakanda glows with bright yellows, while blue skies dot the horizon of Killmonger’s fights before they settle into the dark purples of the Maker’s City. Cory Petit’s letters use social media as narration during his quest. Each box is framed like a user’s post, with a bolded username and conversational text describing what’s happening in real time. It’s a clever way to show how these events might be captured in the real world.
Does Ultimate Endgame Deliver a Worthy Ending?
Deniz Camp understands tragedy. Howard’s last words to a robot instead of Tony are gutting, but Ultimate Endgame #2 doesn’t give that tragedy room to breathe. After two years of brilliant books, this finale deserves better pacing. The pieces are here for something special. They’re just crammed together too tightly.
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‘Ultimate Endgame’ #2 | Too Many Storylines, Not Enough Time
Howard’s last words to a robot instead of Tony are gutting, but Ultimate Endgame #2 doesn’t give that tragedy room to breathe. After two years of brilliant books, this finale deserves better pacing. The pieces are here for something special. They’re just crammed together too tightly.
