Ultimate Comics: X-Men #18.1 Review by Wolverine12

[Wolverine12]

So today us UU fans were lucky enough to be blessed with another issue of UCXM by writer Brian Wood. Let's see what he has in store for us today.

spoilers:

-Kitty is being interrogated in an isolated room about everything that has happened since the "revolution" -We learn that the interrogation is more about Husk bombing a cure center than it is about them taking down Stryker -We also learn that Husk was brainwashed against her own kind by Styker -There is a lot of philosophical debate between Kitty and the interrogator about the merits of being cured vs. being isolated. -We find out that Bobby loved Husk and is torn up about her being a crazy pants terrorist and he is the "youngest of us all" (Even though he is actually older than Kitty) -We find out Nomi aka Mach Two has Magneto's powers she can control the iron in Kitty's blood and somehow that stops her from phasing. -Jimmy is an idiot. Not saying that because I'm biased, he was literally being portrayed as a dumb ass.

end of spoilers

Today's issue had a much slower pace to it than the last several issue's but I think that this is the perfect time to take a moment to reflect on everything that has been happening to our young mutant crew. Wood's handle on these characters continues to be the strongest of the three on-goings and I can't say how thankful I am for that. He is certainly setting up several future story lines here and I'm pretty interested to see where they all lead. Obviously reservation x is up first but now we have a new foil for Kitty it would appear, even if it has a very familiar feel to it. The story today served as both closure and a new beginning for the book and it did it in a very tight knit well thought out manner.

I do have a few minor complaints though. My first is being how easily Nomi got a bomb into the cure center. The country just finished a major war on multiple fronts and the centers not having enough security to notice somebody with a bomb strapped to their chest seems a bit off. My other complaint is we appear to have yet another "replacement" character in Mach Two. spoilers:

I will say I am judging awfully soon here, but she appears to be the blue haired female version of Magneto (keep an eye out for girls with odd colored hair, apparently that means the have magnet powers). Of all the power sets in the world, why does she have to control metal?

end of spoilers Why does the UU keep doing this? Wood has earned my trust so far so I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I feel like I've seen this trick before.

We had a new artist today as well. I really enjoyed the look of the art, but I definitely prefer Medina as the regular artist.

Story-7.5/10
Writing-8.5/10
Art-7/10
Overall-7.5/10

[Plawsky]

While I've been back and forth on Marvel's Point One initiative, THIS is the perfect way to do it! There's enough of a status quo recap for new or lapsed readers, and there's a lot of setup for what's to come. This book is easily one of the best on the shelves, and it's the best Ultimate book without question.

While it's easy to see Nomi as a replacement, of sorts, for Magneto, I don't really think that's where this is going to go. Wood seems smart enough to do something much deeper than that, just like he's begun distancing Jimmy from the Diet Wolverine characterization he's had in the past.

And I REALLY liked the art here. Medina and Barberi are great, and probably a better fit for the title overall, but I think Andrade was a great artist for this issue. Fantastic colors as well. I love the difference between the interrogation scene and the rest of the book.

Overall, UXM is once again the bright spot of the otherwise bland crossover. I'm glad it's behind us. I can't wait to see where this goes.

[sage6paths]

My only complaint is the artwork. It was really mediocre. Like I remember Kaare Andrews drawing for the first time on Ultimate X-Men and it was pretty bad but it was still better then this. The story was good but it was all pretty much set-up but since it is a point one issue that's to be expected. Also you are right Wolverine12 why do all the weird hair color people get magnet powers. White hair, Green Hair, Blue Hair.

[Omnihallows]

Great, now there a new Magneto, dammit, I always hated that guy, the irony is to discover what your goal no sense, also still need to know what happened to Pietro, the Brotherhood, Sinister, Apocalypse, and if Jean and his team will help Kitty

[Balfro]

Awesome issue! Wood continues to impress!

[Wolverine12]

While I've been back and forth on Marvel's Point One initiative, THIS is the perfect way to do it! There's enough of a status quo recap for new or lapsed readers, and there's a lot of setup for what's to come. This book is easily one of the best on the shelves, and it's the best Ultimate book without question.

While it's easy to see Nomi as a replacement, of sorts, for Magneto, I don't really think that's where this is going to go. Wood seems smart enough to do something much deeper than that, just like he's begun distancing Jimmy from the Diet Wolverine characterization he's had in the past.

And I REALLY liked the art here. Medina and Barberi are great, and probably a better fit for the title overall, but I think Andrade was a great artist for this issue. Fantastic colors as well. I love the difference between the interrogation scene and the rest of the book.

Overall, UXM is once again the bright spot of the otherwise bland crossover. I'm glad it's behind us. I can't wait to see where this goes.

I haven't really noticed Wood doing anything like that with Jimmy, what has he done with Jimmy to make you think this?

[Hostile_17]

Well, now we know that panel in UCXM #14 was definitly Mach Two stopping the bullets. I guess the stress of that moment is what triggered her second mutation and she's been honing her skills since then. Kinda cool how she's already so damn powerful (could Magneto ever do that iron in the blood trick?). It was also a very clever way of showing that she is actually a danger to Kitty. Someone who up until now youve never had to fear for as she is intangible. Certainly up the stakes moving forward.

I absolutely loved the artwork on this one too and thought it perfectly suits Brians writing. Short of getting Becky Cloonan to pencil an issue (please make that happen Mr Wood!!), I couldnt think of a better fit for a fill in artists.

My one and only gripe with this issue is Kitty saying for all she knew Husk was Bobby's first crush. Erm?? Didn't both her and Rogue go out with him? But as everything else was as close to perfect for me as any X-Men comic has ever been then I'm willing to completely ignore that

Thank god we only have one week to wait until Reservation X!!!

[Plawsky]

I haven't really noticed Wood doing anything like that with Jimmy, what has he done with Jimmy to make you think this?

It's mostly the way he's handling the Kitty/Jimmy relationship. It feels a lot different than the way Wolverine would approach it, based on his past with Jean and, later, Storm. Yeah, he still had Jimmy stab that guy in the diner, but that was just the right thing to do.

[Hostile_17]

It's mostly the way he's handling the Kitty/Jimmy relationship. It feels a lot different than the way Wolverine would approach it, based on his past with Jean and, later, Storm. Yeah, he still had Jimmy stab that guy in the diner, but that was just the right thing to do.

It also feels like Jimmy's a lot more vunrable than Wolverine ever was and that whenever he is acting the tough guy it's more of a mask covering his insecurities.

Thats how I read it anyway

[Robbie_Jee]

Another excellent issue by Brian Wood. This continues to be the UU's most promising title.

Well, now we know that panel in UCXM #14 was definitly Mach Two stopping the bullets. I guess the stress of that moment is what triggered her second mutation and she's been honing her skills since then. Kinda cool how she's already so damn powerful (could Magneto ever do that iron in the blood trick?). It was also a very clever way of showing that she is actually a danger to Kitty. Someone who up until now youve never had to fear for as she is intangible. Certainly up the stakes moving forward.

In Ultimatum, Mags was able to cauterise a lethal wound by heating up the iron in his blood.

Because Magnetism has nothing to do with burning, I'd say Mach Two's powers are definitely a bit more realistic than Magneto's powers in Ultimatum, even if the iron in the blood isn't magnetic. It's a pretty obvious inaccuracy IMO, but at least it isn't Ultimatum silly.

I believe Quicksilver may be able to attack Kitty faster than she can phase.

[Kurolegacy]

Gotta say, it's really a shame that it turns out that Husk was literally broken so badly by Stryker that she actually started believing him as being right. What's even worse is that Kitty doesn't even have any kind of sympathy for her at all.

What's interesting is that some parallels can be drawn between this and Decimation/Nation X over in 616 with how mutantkind was described as having been cut down to a point near extinction and mutantkind living somewhere apart from humans. Kitty even seems to be showing some of the traits that Cyclops began to pick up after Decimation happened. I'm definitely interested in just where this goes for the mutants in the UU, especially since thousands of mutants took the cure and the SEAR made it certain that there would be no next generation of mutants. Cyclops thought 616's mutants had their backs against the wall, he should see Ultimate's.

[Starleafgirl]

So... Did Ultimate Husk die in this? Poor Paige, lol.

[Kurolegacy]

So... Did Ultimate Husk die in this? Poor Paige, lol.

No, just got arrested after surviving the explosion shouting about how Stryker was right. Poor thing indeed, mindfucked in both universes. She just can't win.

[5cents]

This is getting good. I hope Woods explores what happens to the mutants who took the cure. Do they get to live normal lives now or will the struggle continue. If Mach Two can control multiple mutants and have them use their powers too I can see how she can be dangerous.

[DevilMayhem666]

No, just got arrested after surviving the explosion shouting about how Stryker was right. Poor thing indeed, mindfucked in both universes. She just can't win.

What happened to 616 Husk?