It’s hard to believe that we’re already two years into Marvel’s rebooted Ultimate line. What began as a fresh start has evolved into a fully-realized universe, and the newest one-shot, Ultimate Universe: Two Years In, settles in like an old friend. Even with the knowledge that the Ultimate line is wrapping up next year, you can tell writers Deniz Camp and Alex Paknadel are enjoying themselves as they explore every nook and cranny of this reality.
This issue focuses on the Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy, making their first major appearance since their debut in The Ultimates #14, and their mission to rescue fellow Guardians stranded throughout time by the Maker’s interference. Along the way, they meet twisted versions of familiar heroes, including an Ultron whose main desire is to observe humanity’s evolution, a Nova whose teachings have been corrupted by aliens who never understood them, and a Daredevil who became so powerful that he became an omniscient Beyonder without fear. These encounters serve to challenge the Guardian’s mission and beliefs, offering a refreshing glimpse into scenarios where there aren’t easy fixes.
The cracks begin to show as the setbacks start piling up. Ultimate Star-Lord suffers a devastating defeat that kills two allies, including this Universe’s Phoenix, and retreats into isolation. Captain Marvel and Cosmo struggle to keep the team together despite doubts of their own, while Ultimate Nullifier desperately tries to fit human nature into an equation that has no easy solution. There’s a particularly affecting scene where Captain Marvel comforts Ultimate Nullifier as he contemplates destroying the Ultimate Universe. He admits that he just misses his friends, something starkly human from a being so powerful, and a sentiment that any reader can instantly relate to. The book ends on a hopeful note, though, with Star-Lord revealing that his isolation has allowed the Madrox colony of microorganisms to regrow inside of him. The team realizes that small victories are as important as large ones. As long as they are fighting today, hope still lives, and there’s a better chance for tomorrow.
Ultimate Captain Marvel’s adoption and strict adherence to the philosophy of trying “to save everything” is the heart of the conflict in this book. The Guardians simply can’t save everything, especially in a Universe where so much has gone wrong. Their struggle against an unfeeling reality is emotionally affecting; you feel it each time these characters try and fail to save another member of their corps. Yet Camp and Paknadel sensibly turn this on its head, with America Chavez delivering the most important message of the entire book via Ultimate Ultron – “Save What You Can.” The Universe may be unforgiving at times, and loss is inevitable, but the fight to do your best is what’s important. These heroes might not win every battle, but they never give up, and that’s what truly gives them hope. It’s an important message that resonates as much in real life as it does in the book, which has long been a hallmark of Camp’s writing.
Despite its strengths, it’s tough to avoid a bittersweet feeling while reading this issue. While it’s fun to be introduced to all-new variants of our favorite characters, we also know we won’t have any more time to explore them. With the Ultimate Universe ending, or at least Marvel insisting it is, we know our time here is limited. There are also moments when this issue reads like it was born from leftover ideas that weren’t fleshed out enough to merit their own books, and that’s a tad disappointing.
The team of artists that contributed to this book really outdid themselves. Phil Noto, Lee Ferguson, Francesco Manna, Pat Boutin, and Javier Pulido each take a different sequence and make it their own. Whether it’s the vibrant sci-fi scenes that Noto has made his name on or the mind-bending pop art of Ultimate Daredevil’s sequence by Pulido on pages twenty-two to twenty-six, each panel is a feast for the eyes. The final scene of the Guardians gathered in their spaceship, with each member’s unique costumes on full display, is a testament to the strong character design throughout.
On colors, Frederico Blee, Guru e-FX, and Erick Arcienega join Noto and Pulido, and they deliver stellar work. There’s plenty of diverse environments in this issue, and each one comes alive with its own personality. Once again, the Ultimate Daredevil sequence stands out for its vintage color scheme, which feels like something straight out of a Silver Age book. For lettering, Travis Lanham does solid work, letting the content of the characters’ dialogue do the heavy lifting.
Ultimate Universe: Two Years In #1 brings together everything strong about the Ultimate universe in a single one-shot. Camp and Paknadel challenge readers with philosophical questions about the nature of living and the complex emotions it brings to people simply trying to do their best. While it would be nice to have more time to explore these threads, we should be grateful that we got to dip our toes into this Universe in the first place. It’ll be sorely missed once it’s finally over.
‘Ultimate Universe: Two Years In’ #1 Battle for a Better Tomorrow
Camp and Paknadel challenge readers with philosophical questions about the nature of living and the complex emotions it brings to people simply trying to do their best.
