{"id":7976,"date":"2012-02-20T08:00:55","date_gmt":"2012-02-20T08:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=7976"},"modified":"2012-02-20T15:39:54","modified_gmt":"2012-02-20T15:39:54","slug":"ultimate-comics-hawkeye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2012\/02\/20\/ultimate-comics-hawkeye\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultimate Comics Hawkeye"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Jonathan Hickman<\/strong>, Rafa Sandoval<\/strong>, Jordi Tarragona<\/strong> & Brad Anderson <\/strong>(Marvel\/Panini UK)
\nISBN: 978-1-84653-464-5<\/p>\n

Marvel’s Ultimates imprint launched in 2000 with major characters and concepts re-imagined to bring them into line with the presumed different tastes of modern readers.<\/p>\n

Eventually the alternate, darkly nihilistic universe became as continuity-constricted as its predecessor and in 2008 the cleansing event \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ultimatum\u00e2\u20ac\u009d culminated in a reign of terror which apparently (this is comics, after all) killed dozens of super-humans and millions of lesser mortals.<\/p>\n

The era-ending event was a colossal tsunami triggered by Magneto which inundated the superhero-heavy island of Manhattan and devastated the world’s mutant population. The X-Men as well as many other superhuman heroes and villains died and in the aftermath anybody classed as a ‘\u00e2\u20ac\u009dHomo Superior\u00e2\u20ac\u009d had to surrender to the authorities or be shot on sight. Understandably most survivors as well any newly emergent X-people kept themselves well hidden. The world quickly became a far more deadly and fast-changing place with science and paranoia running rampant\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Before the Deluge S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury<\/em> ran an American Black Ops team of super-humans called the Avengers<\/em>, but he was eventually toppled from his position for sundry rule-bending antics – and being caught doing them.<\/p>\n

Now Fury’s back, once more running the Federal Security Agency: firmly re-established and in charge of both secret agents and the official superhero team for public consumption whilst running another clandestine super-squad doing stuff the officially sanctioned Ultimates<\/em> wouldn’t dream of\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

As well as the pick of remaining and new superhumans, Fury’s sometime secret army consists of James Rhodes: a fanatical soldier wearing devastating War Machine<\/em> battle armour; the<\/em> Hulk<\/em>, ruthless super-spy Black Widow<\/em>, resurrected WWII super soldier Captain America<\/em> (part of the bright and shiny public Image company but always happy to slum it when necessary) and the infallible professional fixer Hawkeye – <\/em>the man who never misses\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

This compilation collects the Ultimate Comics: Hawkeye<\/strong> four part miniseries from August to November 2011, which acted as prelude and sidebar to yet another relaunch of the constantly-changing grim and gritty alternate universe. Also on view in this tale is a new take on mainstream Marvel’s hidden race concepts of metahumans and monsters The Eternals<\/em>, Deviants<\/em> and Celestials<\/em> and offers a big tip of the hat to Jack Kirby’s other paranormal alien-nation the<\/em> Inhumans<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

In this apocalyptic modern world individual metahumans can be Weapons of Mass Destruction and personal superpowers are now the focus of a terrifying new global arms race. When the new nation SEAR (SouthEast Asian Republic) devolves into civil war the outside world learns that they have developed a serum that will randomly spark fantastic abilities in anybody dosed with it.<\/p>\n

To achieve a monopoly in metahuman resources the SEAR rulers have also released an artificial virus to eradicate the X-Gene: as it spreads around the planet it destroys the potential for any more mutants to be born. There will never again be naturally occurring challengers to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The People\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for the SEAR government – and thus their ally America – the insurrectionists rampaging through the ambitious new nation comprise the now uncontrollable unwilling first test subjects of the chemical trigger they have dubbed \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Source\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

When S.H.I.E.L.D. is ordered to assist the beleaguered SEAR authorities, Fury sends his very best and most trusted agent but events too quickly spiral out of control as a race of belligerent New Gods go wild in the streets. Moreover, Hawkeye’s true mission is not to save some tin pot dictators from their own folly but to secure a sample of the source for the good old USA\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

When the situation becomes irretrievable Fury dispatches covert Ultimate-X<\/em> and the Hulk<\/em> but even these formidable fighting forces are ill-equipped to halt the carnage; especially since the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The People of the Source\u00e2\u20ac\u009d have decimated the capital city and already fractionated into two philosophically opposed sub-groups led by two feuding brothers Zorn and Xorn: the vengefully aggressive Eternals<\/em> and pacific, philosophical Celestials<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Sadly for humanity, the former far outnumber the latter\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

However one thing both factions agree on is that Earth now belongs to their kind and anybody – powered or merely human \u00e2\u20ac\u201c are lowly \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Deviants\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Featuring some valuable hints on the history and abilities of Olympic champion and reformed felon Clint Barton<\/em> and his close association with Fury, this intriguing tome is a terse and straightforward do-or-die action rollercoaster and classy \u00e2\u20ac\u0153gathering doom\u00e2\u20ac\u009d tale in its own right but was only ever intended as an introduction to bigger events in the core title The Ultimates<\/em>.<\/p>\n

However the always entertaining Jonathan Hickman and cruelly underrated Rafa Sandoval (augmented by the inks of Jordi Tarragona and colourist Brad Anderson) make this a sleek and glossy simple pleasure for older Fights ‘n’ Tights fans and the impressive cover gallery by such stars as Neal Adams, Adam Kubert and Kaare Andrews add immeasurably to the book’s visual appeal.<\/p>\n

Even though far more upbeat and exuberant that the usual Ultimate fare, the trademark post-modernity and cynical, dark action is still here to deliver the visceral punch fans insist on, so this is a pretty good book for anybody thinking on jumping on to the decidedly different world of Wonder: one which will resonate with older readers who love the darkest side of superheroes and casual readers who know the company’s movies better than the comic-books.<\/p>\n