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By Brian Michael Bendis & various (Marvel)
ISBN 0-7851-0807-6
When Marvel rebooted their most popular characters into the more contemporary –some might say fashionable – ‘Ultimate’ universe where readers could jump on without having to worry about thirty plus years of intensive continuity, initial sales seemed to show that the theory was sound. So when X-Men and Spider-Man were joined by a Team-up title some pundits were heard to go, ‘Hang on a minute…’
There seems to be an unspoken belief about super-heroes. Not only should they face super-villains, but they should invariably encounter other super do-gooders. There can not be only one. Thus we have this series, and credit where credit’s due, the idea of using alternative cartoonists as the art side of the creative equation rather than mainstream artists rescued from potential disaster and assured mediocrity.
Reprinting issues #1-5 of the monthly magazine, this volume begins with a run-of-the-mill first meeting between our arachnid star and Wolverine, saved by the wonderful art of Matt Wagner. Sabretooth is the nominal villain of this piece.
From the second and third issues, Phil Hester and Ande Parks, who seem equally at home with independent properties such as The Coffin or The Wretch as with mainstream heroes like Green Arrow, illustrate Bendis’ stripped down, hi-octane introduction of the Ultimate Hulk. Once again a back to basics approach is used as Spidey finds himself more in tune with the monster than with the callous army types hunting it.
Closing the book, Mike Allred makes the pictures as Iron Man is re-invented for the modern consumer in a tale of corporate intrigue and international skulduggery. As with all Ultimate stories, there’s a very high explosion and collateral damage quota. This story was originally printed as #5-6 of the comic book.
It must be tricky trying to remake old and loved characters while they’re still actually being published elsewhere. There’s no narrative distance, and the unwelcome comparisons must begin immediately and you don’t have the luxury of enough pages to cement your version with the readers. In this case most of the stories don’t quite sell it, but the art is enough to make the stories worth a look.
© 2001 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.