REVIEW: Ultimate Invasion #2

Marvel’s Ultimate Universe has always been a mystery to me. It’s that one branch of the Marvel Universe that never really interested me; I have plans to read everything Marvel Millars ever written, so I knew id get to it eventually. It was only the name of Johnathan Hickman that piqued my interest enough to give it a go. Two issues in. I’m enjoying the ride!

The opening issue did an excellent job of establishing the plans of the lead villain, the enigmatic genius ‘The Maker’, a villainous version of Reed Richards, who, along with Miles Morales, is the only other remaining survivor of the now destroyed Ultimate Universe.

After escaping a maximum-security complex prison, stealing all the most valuable High-Tec equipment to create a portal to a new Universe, and evading the capture of the full force of the Illuminati, The Maker is now lapping it up in his newly created Ultimate Universe. Having declared his intentions to take the upper hand over his heroic advisories, already stopping Peter Parker’s creation into Spiderman, The Maker has space to rule the new Ultimate universal landscape how he sees fit.

The story gets going when he hosts a grand event at the imposing time-bending superstructure in Latveria, known as ‘The City’, with new versions of some of Marvel’s most beloved characters on the guest list. These new Ultimate versions of the Hulk and various X Men in particular, tease the inner workings of Hickman’s new world. Soon the party is under attack by a group of familiar superheroes from the future fixed on stopping him. But The Maker, as always, is one step ahead, and issue #2 builds to an exciting conclusion that promises good things for the rest of the series.

After a relatively action-packed first issue, much of issue #2 is a back-and-forth dialogue between the maker and Howard Stark. But Hickman is a master at telling a story through characters engaging in long conversations, so the pace and excitement in the issue never wane.

Art from Bryan Hitch and colours & inks from Alex Sinclair and Andrew Currie combine to create a slick, energetic showcase with the right hint of broody atmosphere to compliment Hickman’s hyper-cool plot and dialogue perfectly.

Ultimate Invasion works mainly because of Jonathan Hickam’s ability to create detailed plots around razor-sharp dialogue, expert pacing, and subtle use of action. Diehard Ultimate universe obsessives and those as clueless as I will surly enjoy this entertaining slant on the Marvel Universe.

Writing 4.5
Art 4
Colours 4

Overall 4

Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Bryan Hitch
Colour: Alex Sinclair