So What Did Ya Think About Ultimates Volume 1?

[drice6900]

Now that all 13 issues of volume one are out, what did you think? Delays aside, I think Millar and Hitch created a modern comics masterpiece. Suspenseful, fun, insightful, controversial... it had it all!

 

Next week the TPB with issues #7-13 comes out, and I plan to sit down and read the whole thing again from beginning to end.

 

I am also very glad Marvel will hold up Volume 2 until they have 6 issues in the can to ensure a more regular release.

[rob_react]

I love Millar's work.

 

I love Hitch's also (just bought more Hitch art .)

 

So it not surprising that I also love The Ultimates. I wish they had less problems with so that people could just focus on the quality. Right now, I feel like the problems get in the way of some people enjoying the book. Long term I think that's the thing people will remember.

[drice6900]

I agree - but in the end I would hope the strength of the story and artwork win out of production problems.

 

I would love to pick up some Hitch art. I just bought a page from my favorite Avengers Vol. 3 arc: Ultron Unlimited (Perez) - can't wait to get it

[AlexH]

I thought the series was great. Millar is a fantastic writer.

[rob_react]

There's a ton of Hitch art available at Rich DeDominicis' site:

 

http://theartofcomics.com/

 

I've bought from him a couple of times. Nice guy.

[Foolkiller]

I was NOT a fan of the Ultimates. Although I generally like Millar and really enjoy a lot of Hitch's work, I thought the Ultimates was actually quite dull. Dull you say? what about all of the action packed sequences? there was tons of action...

 

But action and violence doesn't always mean success in storytelling. The alien invasion was poorly laid out. Using the Hulk as human nuclear weapon seemed just plain old silly to me. Captain America basically was an extreme jerk. Millar sometimes goes for extreme polarization of the characters in order to mask not having to give them much depth. I think this is the easy way out... you come up with a few lines (do you think this "A" stands for France?) that have shock value and it masks the true lack of storytelling... little things that draw your focus away... the Hulk's libido going out of control, the incestuous inuendo between Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, and what you are left with is essentially a morass.

 

I am not opposed to the "realistic" characters. I really enjoyed the initial run on Authority. But Millar is fast becoming a one trick pony... he writes an uber violent story with lots of swearing mixed with some sex and calls it a story. For my money, he needs to spend some more time developing well told stories with a beginning, middle and end, rather than the hodge podge he seems currently content with on the Ultimates.

[Zonker]

Well, I really liked The Ultimates for what it was-- a Watchmen-esque take on the Marvel Universe. I didn't think Cap was overly a jerk: Instead this is Millar's attempt to get inside the head of someone with a conservative point of view, as one would expect of a US soldier transplanted from the 1940s. And I thought his take on Thor as a Scandanavian enviro-leftist with delusions of godhood (or are they?) was Great!

 

BUT...Did anyone else see the second half of the Ultimates run as a direct rip-off of the "Sliding Albion" storyline from the Ellis/Hitch Authority? I mean, both Millar and Hitch worked on Authority, why invite the comparison?

[OldGuy]

I loved it! One of the best stories I've read in a long time and the art was fantastic.

[Comic_Diva]

Volume 1 was a good read. I liked it.

[Jayman]

I just hope they can keep the same intensity through Vol. 2!

[blowout]

I thought it was a nice modern take on the Avengers. Probably the best the Avengers have been for a long, long time. Hitch did some fantastic work on the book, but as Rob said the delays really killed the overall appeal.

[RTBrandy]

I don't remember if I liked it. I need to read the TPB.

 

I, too like Millar and Hitch, though, and I like the Avengers, so it should be a no brainer.

[drice6900]

Get both TPBs next week - you won't regret it!

[Robert]

I enjoyed the first arc infinitely more than the second. The alien invasion was a mediocre idea, poorly told with some nice action at the end.

[wormboy]

I loved it. I hope they do an oversized harcover ala Absolute Authority. Better than going to the movies!

[chromium]

I loved it. I hope they do an oversized harcover ala Absolute Authority. Better than going to the movies!

 

Those Absolute Authority oversized harcovers are the bomb...excellent way to enjoy an epic comic

[wormboy]

I agree.There are similar hardcovers for Planetary, but only in French. I'm a sucker for the big, epic, blockbuster type comics, which is why I enjoyed The Ultimates.