Marvel’s Ultimate Comics Universe Reborn Covers Start it Back at #1

A few weeks back we reported on Marvel's planned renovation of their Ultimate Comics line, and today we can share some covers. They feature a new unified cover treatment, all with art by Kaare Andrews.

Let's have a looky-loo. 

 

Some interesting things to note. That Ultimate Comics Ultimates (heavens to murgatroyd) cover features some very interesting movie likenesses. Should we look to Ultimate Comics Hawkeye for a hint at Renner's look in The Avengers next summer? 

Ultimate Wolverine remains dead according to Spencer. Keep that in mind. 

Ultimate Comics Ultimates and Ultimate Comics Hawkeye debut in August. Ultimate Comics X-Men and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man follow in September. 

For complete coverage on each of these titles, click them hyperlinks! 

 

Comments

  1. Could have been worse.  They could have started with .1.

    The covers look cool. 

  2. Im totally excited for Spider-man, Ultimates, & Hawkeye. Im cautiously optimistic about the new X-men book since I havnt read any of nick spencer’s previous work. Glad to see a unified and more focused ultimate universe.

  3. similar colour treatment as the series when it first started, which i really enjoyed. nice to see the ultimate comics title subdued.

  4. These covers make me un-excited for this relaunch. Especially if all the Ultimates now look like their 616 movie counterparts.

  5. wait, who’s the guy on fire on the x-men? johnny storm?

  6. Well did the Ultimates want to look any more like the movie versions?

    These covers are horrible…not just from an art standpoint (although it’s pretty poor) but from just a general design outlook. Not the most appealing things to pick up off of a shelf.

    The second Ultimate universe relaunch in recent years and I think I’ve lost all interest by this point. The thought of Spencer and Hickman getting involved makes me want to stay, but too little too late … especially with three members of the Ultimate Spider-Man support cast now fronting Ultimate X-Men what will be left in Ultimate Spider-man?

    Hey who knows- maybe that’s Peter Parker in the Wolverine costume, a wolverine who just happens to have claws as long as leg…

  7. Dammit, Bendis, who is in that black Spidey-suit?!

  8. I am utterly in love with the new Ultimate Marvel cover layout.

  9. Avatar photo Jeff Reid (@JeffRReid) says:

    Huh. That “Wolverine,” or whoever it is if Logan’s still dead, has claws longer than his forearms. How does he bend his elbows with his claws retracted? Maybe this guy has gummy claws?

  10. @SummerSleep  “616 Movie” is a contradictory statement.

  11. any word on whats going on with Loeb’s and Adams Ult X?
    I guess it will be a 6 issue mini that reintroduces this new team of X-Men? 

  12. Looks pretty…. but I find myself falling out of love with the Ultimate line. Ultimate Spider-Man has been the only one I’ve stuck with (via trades, mind you). The other stuff? Just doesn’t grab as it once did. This may be my jumping off point. Which saddens me, if only because Ultimate Spider-Man has remained such a great read from the get-go.

  13. Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

    @wangman31888  That’s Johnny. He’s an official member of the Ultimate X-Men now. 

  14. Ultimate Hawkeye-YES SIR-cant wait for that

  15. @JeffR  You pick now to question the physical functionality of forearm claws? In an effort to assuage your concerns and maybe win a Marvel No-Prize, I offer this explanation. The character is Wolverine’s son from Ultimate X. His claws are bone, but his mutation also allows him to coat them in metal. Perhaps the metal is able to extend farther than the bone claws.

    @origamikid  Two of those characters were in Ultimate X-Men long before they ever appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man. And the other started in Ultimate FF (if it actually is Johnny Storm). Besides, if the “Death of Spider-Man” is in fact the death of Peter Parker, then why would his amazing friends be palling around with whoever the new guy is? They need somewhere to go, and since many of them are mutants, it certainly stands to reason that the mutant centric book would provide a good home.

  16. I’m probably gonna end up getting all of these.

  17. Can’t wait!  As a strictly Ultimate Marvel reader, I love when this line of books get some positive attention.

  18. @magan3D  I’m pretty sure that’s going to be cancelled soon (at least I imagine it will be).

  19. the art is pretty, but the design….is very forgettable. I think that the “Ultimate Comics” masthead is completely lost up there and doesn’t read like a separate brand. Why haven’t they created an Ultimate Comics Logo like they did for Max? Lots of brand confusion happening here. Is it Ultimates or Marvel? Is there a difference? Is this a mini series or a new line of publications? Looking at it i have no idea. The previous Ultimate Comics masthead at least differentiated itself and stood out on its own. These will be lost among the generic on the stands. 

    Those logos are ugly. Chunky and congested, over reliance on photoshop effects to make something visually i interesting out of kitschy logotypes. They just feel more like a body kit on a honda civic than something that was actually designed with sophistication. 

    I appreciate the unified cover treatment, and the art breaking its borders, but those black bars do nothing. Its not using negative space effectively…its just vignetting the rectangle for no real reason. The colored lines that match the logo colorways are on ok idea, but they aren’t adding much of anything. Again not using the space effectively. 

    Nothing against creating a unified design template..i actually think its a great idea, but its extremely difficult.  This one just seems unsophisticated and “default” looking.

    Overall a missed opportunity to do something interesting and innovative with a brand re-fresh.

  20. The covers may not be that great but that won’t stop me from giving them a try. I am all in for Ultimates and Ultimate Hawkeye(Yay!). I am on the fence about X-men and Spiderman.

  21. I think the cover design is great.

    These are bold- different but brand consistent.

    A solid foundation to reestablish.

    And I like that the “Ultimate Comics” is buried personally I think that name

    is very outdated – running just behind X-treme.

    Just focus on the chance for a different take- it isn’t better or worse- just another venue for stories with a different shared culture. 

  22. And as for not using space effectively

    The point of this design is to push each character off the page- right square into the viewer’s field of vision.

    I would say it accomplishes that very well.

    People will pick up this comic just for the way it grabs them from the shelf.

     

  23. Renumbering and titleing again?  Really?  I just got my long boxes back into order after the last renumbering.  Do we all remember what they say about the person who does the same thing time after time expecting different results?  Well, at least this time they have what I would consider ‘better’ creative teams for the relaunches.

  24. @paul, is this the second time this year you’ve made a “Start it back at one” reference?

  25. I love that new Spidey costume.

  26. Hey, for a guy who stopped reading the Ultimates after Millar left, what happened to Thor’s awesome axe-hammer? When did he pick up the 616 version?

  27. I agree with @ericmci that “Ultimate Comics” is a dated phrase, but seeing as how they’re married to it now, it’s good that it’s visually submissive to the rest of the typography.

    That being said, I wish they called “The Ultimates”, “Avengers”. Not only does “Ultimate Comics, The Ultimates” not exactly roll off the tongue (as @Paul wryly intoned), but it matches with the forthcoming movie whom the characters (at least on the cover) resemble.

    THAT being said, I’ll be all over these like white on rice for at least the first couple of issues – hoping to be amazed. 

  28. @ericmci  –yeah i disagree obviously. The fact that everything is so centered…that just is so boring and unrefined especially with this treatment. The illustrations are creating the push that you’re talking about. The design is detracting from the art…for me at least. They could have accomplished the same idea in a more interesting way if they arranged the space asymmetrically. Created something dynamic with a template grid…allow some flexibility and variation, but still making a system out of it. 

    For instance: Who is Jake Ellis (where is that comic btw??) does a great job of creating a flexible system that is always changing but still reads as part of one coherent thing. Not saying they had to imitate that, but push the concept and system a bit farther. 

  29. MUST!
    RESIST!
    BUYING!
    ALL!
    FOUR!
    NEW!
    TITLES!!!

    NOOOOOOOOOOO

  30. @JeffR This new Wolverine obviously has claws that are made of liquid metal, like T-1000!

  31. Eh…..I’m not a fan of this. Trying way to hard to be cool with all the bright colors and ‘sharp’ designs. Plus the movie designs of the characters (well at least for the Ultimates) makes it look cheesy.

    The cover by Esad Ribic on Ultimates #1 is much, much better. Take a look!

     http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/preview2.php?image=solicits/marvelcomics/201108/ultimatescov1CMYK.jpg

  32. @ato220  But they do not expect different results.  They expect the same results, a bump up in ordering numbers.  And that will happen.  So what’s the problem with a business trying to get more money??

  33. I’m excited by hopefully getting this back to the quality of when it started however I do think these covers look like dated old 90s magazine covers

  34. Due to the laws of perspective, I’m fairly certain “Wolverine’s” right-most claw (as you’re looking at this picture) is longer than his left-most claw.

  35. Yes! Back to the vertical panels!

  36. As someone who was originally against the idea of yet another Ultimate re-boot, I have only one thing to say…..Ima buy the shit outta all of these, yo!

  37. I approve, I just wish that they would keep Ultimate Iron Man’s suit different to Iron Man’s suit.

  38. I haven’t been this excited for the entire Ultimate line since it originally began.

  39. Ultimate Speedy?

    the Tiki 

  40. It’s a shame the NEW ULTIMATE (can I fit an EXTREME in there?) X-Men is bringing Wolverine (or someone like him) back. What better way to show it’s a different universe then to not have the whore of the Marvel U be apart of it? I know he sells books but still….let it be about the characters in the background and not the obvious.

  41. @TheNextChampion  Loeb debuted his son in ultimate X, so that must be who that is. The original Wolverine is still dead.

  42. @Suicidal: My point was that maybe we could try a new X-Men book/reboot/what have you; without having Wolverine front and center.

  43. Sadly I feel I’m going to BUY THEM ALL.

  44. hawkeye is going to get cancel before issue 5…lol

  45. Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

    @hellblazer101  In so much as it’s a four-issue mini series, sure. 

  46. @wangman31888  Well, Thor and Captain America have their normal Ultimate costumes, the only annoying one is Iron Man. I always liked his Ultimate suit. That is definetely the movie suit.

  47. @thenextchampion- i agree, if they want wolverines son, fine but…does he have to dress like wolverine and have 3 claws?

  48. I learn something new every day on this site. I always thought it was spelled “murgatroid.” Thanks, Paul!

  49. So basically its the Utlimates is the movie-verse..hey from a business stand point can’t blame them for blowing up the Ultimate-verse and making the characters look like the movies to get new readers.  The Ultimates cover is ridicules though.

  50. 1.) The cover treatment is highly reminiscent of the ORIGINAL Ultimates line cover treatment.

    2.) I really appreciate that Wolverine appears to be wearing a costume based on his very first 616 appearance, where he fought the Hulk and the Wendigo.  You know, the suit with the little black raccoon eyes.  And pupils. 

    3.) Let’s be fair: Ultimate Spidey has been ridiculous good since day one, and I see no reason why that should not continue.  I read it in trades now, but I certainly still read it.  Of course, Ultimates hasn’t been good since Volume 2, and Ultimate X-Men was, to me, never really that good. 

  51. @CaseyJustice I wanna know what happened to the axe-hammer too! That’s what REALLY set apart Ultimate Thor from his 616 counterpart. (Visually at least)

  52. What is with that ridiculous hat on Iceman? 

  53. While I wish them well, I still have yet to read any of the Ultimate Comics I’ve already purchased, and I won’t be buying any more (after I finish picking up the current run of UA vs NU, that is). There are just too many titles for me to keep up with, and my LCS often has trouble too. Likewise mini-series, event comics and supposedly “hot” new series (that end up cancelled after less than a year) outside of my normal slew of titles. Too many restarts, re-numberings and reboots. I have to admit I’m just losing patience and interest trying to keep track of forty different titles, especially when those titles are constantly changing. No more.