Ultimate Hardcovers

[Russell]

Hi friends,
Ultimate Comics are what got me into comic books. My favourite being Ultimate Spider-Man, I have kept up to date with that series from its inception and have all the issues in hardcover (with 12 and 13 coming soon).

With The Avengers hype, I'm thinking of collecting The Ultimates again as I dropped off with Ultimates 3/Ultimatum. I am contemplating getting them in hardcover, but if that is not affordable I can settle for trade paperbacks. What I'm asking here is basically the chronological order and if I'm missing anything. Also, could you tell me if there is a better collected edition than what I list here.

Thank you.

Main Series:

• The Ultimates Omnibus
• Ultimates 3 (is the hardcover regular or oversized?)
• Ultimatum (is the hardcover regular or oversized?)
• Ultimate Avengers Omnibus

I understand there are a few 'spin-off' series too:

• Ultimate Power
• Ultimate Origins
• Ultimate Comics: New Ultimates
• Ultimate Iron Man (I and II ultimate paperback collection)
• Ultimate Comics: Iron Man Armor Wars
• Ultimate Hulk Vs Iron Man
• Ultimate Hulk Vs Wolverine
• Ultimate Captain America
• Ultimate Thor
• Ultimate Doomsday

Am I missing anything here? I know I'm missing some FF and X-Men stuff but I'm not worried about them at the moment.
Also, what is the honest opinion of the Ultimate Universe these days? Is it still true to the more 'realistic', accessible 'death is death' stuff that was supposed to be or has it become more convoluted of late?

Also, if I am able to collect all of these am I missing any single issues, such as Ultimate Hulk Annual or Ultimate Captain America Annual?

Thanks for your replies.

[Russ840]

Dude there is a OHC that collects both ultimates 3 and Ultimatum

[Russell]

I have some more questions regarding OHC's...

I know there is an OHC for Ultimates 1 and 2, and one with 3 and Ultimatum. I also know that there are 9 OHC's for Ultimate X-Men (1-97) and 6 OHC's for Ultimate Fantastic Four (1-57).

Is there an OHC for X-Men 98-100 and UFF 58-60?

I ask because there seem to be several hardcovers about for Ultimatum, but I'm unsure what is oversize and what isn't.

[wyokid]

Ultimatum Companion has the final issues of UFF and UXM in OHC format.

[Robbie_Jee]

Welcome back to the Ultimate Universe.

• Ultimate Power - Alright book. Not great but still pretty fun. There's a LOT of action. For the big colorful action scenes alone, I suggest you get the HC version of this.
• Ultimate Origins - This one's not great either, but is really good in parts. But definetly get it for it's overall importance. It has a few minor continuity errors but it's still a pretty good.
• Ultimate Comics: New Ultimates - This book is terrible. And I think it's the worst of all the Loeb books. However if you're already following Loeb's run for completion purposes, I suggest you get this because it explains a lot. It also sets up Modi.
• Ultimate Iron Man (I and II ultimate paperback collection) - These are now non-canon and have no place in continuity. Personally, I'd skip these.
• Ultimate Comics: Iron Man Armor Wars - This is good. It takes place just a couple of weeks after Ultimatum.
• Ultimate Hulk Vs Iron Man - Also known as Ultimate Human, this is a great book. One of the UU's best. It takes place not long after The Ultimates 2.
• Ultimate Hulk Vs Wolverine - Takes place during the events of The Ultimates 2 and explains what Hulk was up to between the events surviving the nuke and returning to fight the Liberators. This is also a fantastic Wolverine story. You're gona love it.
• Ultimate Captain America - I love this book. Not ovely important but still a great read.
• Ultimate Thor - Jonathon Hickman's debut to the UU. This book is a favourite among many ultimate fans on this board. It's like an Ultimate Thor origin but it also cleans up Loeb's tampering of him by explaining the stone Mjolnir.
• Ultimate Doomsday - Quite an important book, setting up lots of interesting concepts such as Evil Reed and Purple Ben.

This list is pretty complete except for Ultimate X. If you're interested in getting into the new Ultimate Comics: X-Men series, I suggest you get that. If you get the Ultimate Avengers Omnibus as well with these titles on this list you'll be set for the Death of Spiderman Omnibus. Have you got that yet? After DoSM, there's Ultimate Fallout. Then it's on to the recent relaunch which begun August last year.

Am I missing anything here? I know I'm missing some FF and X-Men stuff but I'm not worried about them at the moment.
Also, what is the honest opinion of the Ultimate Universe these days? Is it still true to the more 'realistic', accessible 'death is death' stuff that was supposed to be or has it become more convoluted of late?

Only Ultimate X and Fallout. Then you're on to the new series of Ultimate Comics.

Also, if I am able to collect all of these am I missing any single issues, such as Ultimate Hulk Annual or Ultimate Captain America Annual?

You're all good. There haven't been any single issue stories, annuals or one shots. Everything is collected in the trades and OSHCs anyway.

[Russell]

Thanks for your help, everyone.

I think I will stick with the paperbacks as they are probably more affordable and easier to find than the hardcovers.

This list is pretty complete except for Ultimate X. If you're interested in getting into the new Ultimate Comics: X-Men series, I suggest you get that. If you get the Ultimate Avengers Omnibus as well with these titles on this list you'll be set for the Death of Spiderman Omnibus. Have you got that yet? After DoSM, there's Ultimate Fallout. Then it's on to the recent relaunch which begun August last year.

Thanks. USM is the one series I have kept up with, and I'll be getting the omnibus when it comes out to match the other hardcovers. I am interested in the new X-Men series because I'd like to see where Kitty, Johnny and Bobby ended up so I'll pick that one up too.
Only Ultimate X and Fallout. Then you're on to the new series of Ultimate Comics.

You're all good. There haven't been any single issue stories, annuals or one shots. Everything is collected in the trades and OSHCs anyway.

Thanks. Do you know what trade has this annual?



Thanks to your list I think I will end up getting Origins, Thor, Ultimate X and Captain America to start with.

I should probably back-track and find Ultimates 3 and Ultimatium in one of the versions they came out in just to see how things ended, too.

[Robbie_Jee]

No problem. But remember to get Ultimate Fallout last.

That Hulk Annual is collected in March On Ultimatum. It's just Ultimate Annuals vol.3 but with a different name, so that can be confusing.

There have only been three Ultimate Annual TPBs. They ceased after Ultimatum.
Ultimate Annuals vol.1 - Collects USM Annual 1, UXM Annual 1, UFF Annual 1 and The Ultimates Annual 1.
Ultimate Annuals vol.2 - Collects USM Annual 2, UXM Annual 2, UFF Annual 2 and The Ultimates Annual 2.
March On Ultimatum - Collects UXM/UFF Annual 1, UFF/UXM Annual 1, Ultimate Captain America Annual 1 (features Black Panther), USM Annual 3 and Ultimate Hulk Annual 1.

If you've already read/got The Ultimates 1 & 2, you might want collect Ultimate Human, Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk and Ultimate Thor first, as they are sort of like little semi-sequels to those books.

[MP7]

They use to put out the 'Ultimate Collections' in soft cover, but eventually stopped. They should have continued with that. It was basically the soft cover version of 12 issues collected as a single volume.

[Russell]

No problem. But remember to get Ultimate Fallout last.

That Hulk Annual is collected in March On Ultimatum. It's just Ultimate Annuals vol.3 but with a different name, so that can be confusing.

There have only been three Ultimate Annual TPBs. They ceased after Ultimatum.
Ultimate Annuals vol.1 - Collects USM Annual 1, UXM Annual 1, UFF Annual 1 and The Ultimates Annual 1.
Ultimate Annuals vol.2 - Collects USM Annual 2, UXM Annual 2, UFF Annual 2 and The Ultimates Annual 2.
March On Ultimatum - Collects UXM/UFF Annual 1, UFF/UXM Annual 1, Ultimate Captain America Annual 1 (features Black Panther), USM Annual 3 and Ultimate Hulk Annual 1.

If you've already read/got The Ultimates 1 & 2, you might want collect Ultimate Human, Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk and Ultimate Thor first, as they are sort of like little semi-sequels to those books.

Ok thanks for your advice. I think I need to finish with the pre-Ultimate Comics stuff first, so human, Hulk v Wolverine, March on an the last few X-Men/FF trades I need will be the first stop.

I think I will definitely stick with paperbacks, as the hardcovers don't have everything and seem to be too hard to come by.

I've pre-ordered the Death of Spider-Man omnibus, so fallout will be included in that.

[Robbie_Jee]

I like your plan. Except Fallout isn't included in the DoSM Omnibus so you'll have to get that in trade if you want to get the whole story. Fallout works well at bridging the gap between the Post-Ultimatum Era and the recent relauch, setting the stage for big future stories including spoilers:

Asgard and the World Tree coming down to Earth/Midgard.

end of spoilers
and some of PP's supporting cast going off into other books.

[wyokid]

I like your plan. Except Fallout isn't included in the DoSM Omnibus so you'll have to get that in trade if you want to get the whole story. Fallout works well at bridging the gap between the Post-Ultimatum Era and the recent relauch, setting the stage for big future stories including spoilers:

Asgard and the World Tree coming down to Earth/Midgard.

end of spoilers
and some of PP's supporting cast going off into other books.

Fallout IS in the DOSM Omnibus.

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN: DEATH OF SPIDER-MAN OMNIBUS HC
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, MARK MILLAR, JONATHAN HICKMAN & NICK SPENCER
Penciled by SARA PICHELLI, DAVID LAFUENTE, JOELLE JONES, JAMIE MCKELVIE, SKOTTIE YOUNG, LAN MEDINA, ELENA CASAGRANDE, CHRIS SAMNEE, MARK BAGLEY, LEINIL FRANCIS YU, STEPHEN SEGOVIA, GABRIEL HARDMAN, BRYAN HITCH, LEE GARBETT, STEVEN KURTH, ERIC NGUYEN, CARLO PAGULAYAN, SALVADOR LARROCA, CLAYTON CRAIN, LUKE ROSS, BILLY TAN & MITCH BREITWEISER
Cover by JOE QUESADA
For more than ten years, Eisner Award-winning writer Brian Michael Bendis has spun the tale of young Peter Parker. Under his pen, the neophyte Spider-Man blossomed from an awkward and gangly schoolboy into a tried-and-true hero, an inspiration to a world of ultimate wonder. But all stories must come to an end. And as shadows gather, villains plot and heroes clash, Peter’s final story will unfold. It’s the death of Spider-Man — and the ending will shock you. Collecting ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2009) #15 and #150-160, ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS VS. NEW ULTIMATES #1-6, and ULTIMATE COMICS FALLOUT #1-6.
600 PGS./Rated T+ …$75.00
ISBN: 978-0-7851-6464-7
Trim size: oversized

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=38700

[Russell]

Thanks again for the advice. I have purchased some, and am currently making plans to pick up the next few recommended books.

Just checking, are Ultimate Origins and Ultimate Power only available in oversized hardcover or paperback? No regular hardcover?

I'm thinking of buying this but I hope it is oversized.

[UltimateMarvel Dude]

Thanks again for the advice. I have purchased some, and am currently making plans to pick up the next few recommended books.

Just checking, are Ultimate Origins and Ultimate Power only available in oversized hardcover or paperback? No regular hardcover?

I'm thinking of buying this but I hope it is oversized.

It is not. If you look at the top right corner it says "Marvel Premiere Edition", which basically means TPB with hard(book)cover.
Ultimate Power is oversized though.
Btw, I want to get this cover of Ultimate Origins: http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=158557
Doesn't look as bland as the cap variant, imo.