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ULTIMATUM #2 (OF 5)


Price: $3.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 0.1%

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Avg Rating: 3.1
 
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Comments

  1. Avatar photo SamMorgan says:
    December 22, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    I love the Ultimate universe but this is poo of the highest order!

  2. Avatar photo Garrett says:
    December 22, 2008 at 6:21 pm

    Total poo! I thought the point of the Ultimate books was to create a universe that didn’t have decades of continuity and baggage to get in the way. Now we’re getting crossovers and sucky Big Events: "Nothing will ever be the same again!!" 

    Quite. 

  3. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 22, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    First issue of this was complete shit. Maybe not on the level of Hulk or Ultimates 3, but still the same old Loeb here.

    I’m still completely flabergasted why his books sell this much. You would think with a wave (a Tsunami if you will) of negative reviews issue after issue with Loeb’s name on it would get people away. I’m not saying people should only pick what WE, the critics say but gee whiz…..Nova and Incredible Herc could use more hype then anything Loeb ever puts on print these days.

  4. Avatar photo Conor Kilpatrick (@cskilpatrick) says:
    December 22, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    @Garret – That was the point in the beginning, when there was no continuity.  Now there is eight years worth.  And actually, the point of thise story is to reorder and clarify the Ulimate Universe which has become more than a little muddled outside of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN.

  5. Avatar photo cyberauron says:
    December 22, 2008 at 6:49 pm

    actually excited because of the promise of action with david finch art

  6. Avatar photo Harper says:
    December 22, 2008 at 6:51 pm

    My impression has always been that the Ultimate books were intended for marvel to have books with the same line ups that were found in the marvel movies.  I’m guessing this reboot has more to do with lining things up with the upcoming Avengers film than cleaning up any continuity weirdness (like I’m guessing whatever happened in Ultimates 3?).

  7. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:16 am

    @harper, i dont think its ever been about the movies, considering there have been many times where the regular universe took the movies ideas (organic web shooter, black leather costumes and dog tags, shit like that)  i do think that Ultimatum will reinvigorate the line again, and that what im eager for.  i remember when all of the Ultimate books were top books in terms of quality, and now USM is the only one.  when UFF first started, it was my favorite new series, and continues until the Millar solo run (which i barely remember) and now its almost groan inducing when it comes out.  UXM was great in the begining too, becuase it was edgy and exciting (wolverine was sent to kill prof x; cyclops defected, jean grey was tagged by wolverine waaay before cyclops) and it really hit its stride during the BKV run, run after the first few kirkman issues, the quality dropped (in both writing and art) and ULTs was amazing but the lateness just hurt it soo bad.  soo im realy hoping ultimatum will reign all of them in and focus them back to where they were way back in the begining. wow…that was one long rant.

  8. Avatar photo rwpos says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:55 am

    @TheNextChampion – Wow, you really hate Jeph Loeb.  Before Ultimatum #1 hit the stands you took the time to post two negative comments about it on this board, and now you’ve taken the time to blast #2 before it’s hit the stands as well!  I admire consistancy.  But if you want to see Nova or Herc sell better maybe Marvel should put Loeb on them for six-issue arcs, and I bet they’d sell like gangbusters…

  9. Avatar photo supertrackmonkey says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:56 am

    @ Harper

    The Ultimate books were out before any of the films… 

  10. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 23, 2008 at 1:23 am

    @rwpos: Have you read Loeb titles for the last couple of years?

    If not, then you cant see why Loeb is such a hated individual. Besides I read issue one for this and it was horse shit. So if I want to critize the next issue I can.

  11. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    December 23, 2008 at 1:52 am

    @thenextchampion  isnt that being abit judgemental?  i can think of five loeb stories that are amazing, and lately hes been getting back into his groove.  Hulk is alot of fun, and Ultimates 3 was pretty good to me, and a nice lead in for this book.  if anything, i think the art is what really hurt Ultimates 3, becuase we were all used to Hitch art and Joe Mad is a million miles away from that.  the weakest link was the annual, other than that the rest was solid and i cant wait to see what happens next.

  12. Avatar photo Harper says:
    December 23, 2008 at 11:07 am

    I’m not saying that the Ultimate books are designed to exactly follow the plots of the movies, they are just loosely intended to be there so there is a book on the shelf with the same name and line up of characters as the movies. 

    I recall that Nightcrawler was introduced into UXM shortly before X2 came out, and Silver Surfer showed up in UFF (requiring minor retconning of Ultimate Nightmare) around the same time as FF2.  

    As for Ultimatum making UFF and UXM as good as they were a few years ago, that’s only going to happen if the writers on those books are writing good storie, and there’s nothing in the Ultimate continuity that would prevent that, regardless of Ultimatum coming out.

  13. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 23, 2008 at 11:30 am

    @mikeandzod: Well no offense to you my friend but your probably the only one I know that has anything good to say about Ultimates 3. I hear a lot of people say Hulk is good, but usually it’s on the basis of ‘it’s so bad it’s good’ type of mentallity.

    We’re always going to have different opinions and I’m not stupid, I know a lot of people like Loeb’s work recently….I just cant fathom why that is. Let’s just say that no where else have I seen such a constant negative vibe coming from comic books like critics are to a Loeb book.

  14. Avatar photo rwpos says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:22 pm

    @TheNextChampion – Yes, I’ve probably read evey comic Loeb’s written over the last few years (including Buffy this past week), and I aven’t loved it all.  I thought Ultimates 3 was a well written story though, but I didn’t really buy into it as a continuation of Millar’s story.  It was more of a restart, and because of that I found the shipping delays more damaging to my enjoyment than was the case with the delays in Millar’s and Hitch’s run.  So although you don’t know me, I guess I’m only the second person you know "of" that has anything good to "say" about Ultmates 3.

    And if by negative critics you mean people like yourself who blast away on stories that haven’t been published yet and then "back it up" by blasting again after it’s published, I’d call that a pretty self-serving pool. And I’m not sure what makes you or any other board member here (myself included) a "critic" in the traditional sense – like the rest of us on the board, you’re just a reader sharing an opininon.  And in the case of your Loeb bashing, that opinion is usually presented as "this is shit" and is devoid of any specific critique based on aything from the work.  I’ve noticed that you don’t "pull" Ultimatum so why bother blasting it month after month in advance of it shipping?  Afraid other people might read and enjoy it?  Or do you just like spewing negative thoughts from time to time with no real basis?  No one’s making you drop a penny on this, and I’d prefer to read some insightful words, positive or negative, about the plot, story, art (assuming you have a Finch Axe hanging next to your Loeb Axe), or characters.  Jeph Loeb must be a pretty special guy to warrant so much personal attention from you.

    With that said, I’ll never suggest that you or anyone else shouldn’t post their thoughts here, no matter how hollow or hateful those thoughts may be.  I just get tired of the mean spiritideness of it and wish people could focus more on the works of fiction and less on the hate for the creators.  We’re always going to have different opinions and I’m not stupid, I know a lot of people don’t like Loeb recently…. I just can’t fathom why that is. Let’s just say that nowhere else have I seen such a constant negative vibe coming from comic book readers like it is toward Jeph Loeb these days.

  15. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    @rwpos: Once again, I pulled the first Ultimatium because ya know…it’s effecting the only good Spider-Man comic out there so I thought at the time it would be good to pick it up since it’ll effect USM. Plus I read the first issue from first to last page and thought overall the work of fiction here was shit. It’s a shame other people bash Jeph Loeb for being a bad writer, but for some reason my negativity gets put on the spotlight. Maybe I’m being too effective of being a harsh critic, but whatever I’ll be put on the spotlight here.

    You right though, people should post their thoughts and it should never be suggested that we shouldnt. So my thoughts are that Ultimatium is a peice of shit and it’s a waste of your 4 bucks. It’s hard not to critize the author since he’s the one day in and day out writing these peices of shit to the masses. I’m tired of people trying to say ‘stop treating Jeph Loeb so hard, he’s a writer just like everyone else making a buck’. I’m sorry but Loeb is what, 50 years old, he’s a big boy now he can handle some critcism. It’s not like this is PulpSecret or other comic book websites that’ll bow down to Loeb like he is one of the gods of the industry.

    In MY opinion Ultimatum #1 was a peice of shit. In MY opinion his Hulk and Ultimates 3 stories will go down as some of the worst in the comic industry. In MY opinion Jeph Loeb is a man who has fallen from grace because 15 years ago people we’re saying he was the next big thing since Stan Lee. When you read The Long Halloween or Challengers of the Unknown Must Die!, it reads like some guy put some actual thought into his stories and challenged the reader every issue. Unlike Hulk or Ultimates 3 where he just did a ‘by the numbers’ plotting and his only thoughts for the readers are lame sex jokes.

    I should have a right to say a writer is shit when I’m not enjoying his work. So is it unfair to blast something before it even comes out? Probably, but then again you just need to read the last couple of years a writer has done in order to justify your ramblings.  The last time I heard a critic is ‘able to discern’ or a person who offers reasonable judgement’, and that’s what I have done with every single issue I have every read of anything Jeph Loeb has put out. His stories have not entertain me and it feels like he is just phoning it in to make a quick buck. Sorry again you have to disagree with me, but if I want to voice out my opinion of the man then I have every single American right to do so.

  16. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:56 pm

    Also, I’d like to think I put in just as much; if not more effort into every review and post I do on this site. You guys might like to think I’m some rambling, gambling troll but I literally try and put in my two cents thoughtfully in every single post. So to hear that I’m being unfair is really pissing me off.

    Do I make jokes and weird non sequitars in my reviews or posts? Occasionally. But I swear to god, I do not want any of you thinking I’m just some loser who likes to start arguements on this site. Again, I put in much effort to be a likeable and upstanding poster for this site and I try to have little to no bias in my reviews week in and out. So just to make sure you can stop rambling that I’m a hater, I will pick up Ultimatium #2. If I like it, then you should be happy; if I think it’s just a peice of shit like the last issue is then the world isnt going to end for you or to Jeph Loeb. Just dont you dare call me a hater when I’m putting in the time and effort to be a damn good critic on here.

  17. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    December 23, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    @thenextchampion   anyone remeber a fella named chuck austen?  and there are alot of people far worse than loeb.  yea, some of his plots are contrived, but thats really nothing new.  he’s far better than some of the hack kneed talent out there right now.

  18. Avatar photo rwpos says:
    December 23, 2008 at 3:33 pm

    @ TheNexChampion – I think you may be missing my point.  My point was that this page is a posting spot for reviews of Ultimatum #2 yet somehow, as with many other Loeb-written comics, the majority of the commentary ends up being a reflection on what a loser Jeph Loeb is.  And reading something (e.g. Ultimatum #1) and then saying that it was shit isn’t insightful criticism that offers anyone something of substance to respond to or to consider.  And saying that you’ll buy a book that you already hate just to make a point really wasn’t anything that I wanted.  Please don’t spend your money on something that you’re determined to not enjoy on my account; that would simply be a waste of your money and of your time.

  19. Avatar photo SamMorgan says:
    December 23, 2008 at 6:11 pm

    @TheNextChampion – I think you are perfectly entitled to make your points on this board. That is what it is here for. Plus there is nothing wrong with commenting on a writers general work in a thread specific for a single issue of his comic.

    @mikeandzod21 – Chuck Austen isn’t currently ruining some of our favourite characters or pissing around with a once well written Marvel property. If he was then he would get the same shit.

  20. Avatar photo Fvckstick says:
    December 23, 2008 at 9:13 pm

    this shit better get better. Fuck Loeb…and im new to comics.

  21. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    December 23, 2008 at 9:29 pm

    @sammorgan      that was my point.  and i dont feel loeb’s ruining anything.  maybe thats the best way for you nay sayers to look at it, is that his convoluted plots arnt really changing anything about the characters we know and love the same way chuck austen raped the cast of uncanny way back when in the dark days, or how BND a raped spider-man of meaning.  Is this loeb on top of his game?  that remains to be seen, but he’s getting better again.  every creator has a dip in their career, and i think that loeb’s starting to build his way back to where he was when he was doing Daredevil Yellow and his Batman stories.  which reminds me, where the hell is Captain America: White? did they push that back, cuz i though it was supposed to start last month.

  22. Avatar photo Conor Kilpatrick (@cskilpatrick) says:
    December 23, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    @mikeandzod21 – There’s a lot of irony in you telling TNC he’s being overly judgemental a few comments before you talking about fictional characters being "raped" by writers.  Seems like that’s just as much of an over reaction.

  23. Avatar photo Harper says:
    December 23, 2008 at 11:21 pm

    conor, you’re forgetting that the 616 X-men are the real X-men. 

  24. Avatar photo drakedangerz says:
    December 23, 2008 at 11:31 pm

    I don’t particularly like it when people refer to some of my favorite characters being "raped."  It puts all the wrong images in my head 😛

    @Harper- iFanboy is not fond of the term "616" 😛

  25. Avatar photo mikeandzod21 says:
    December 24, 2008 at 1:03 am

    @ conor     i believe retrospect on Austen’s x-men run allows me to say that he took a lot of great things about those character and dumped on them.  Cmon, Nightcrawler dad is an actually demon?  angel can heal people with his blood?  argh, the memories of that hurt.  maybe what i meant was prejuding something.  like Austen’s x-men run is years over (but the wounds are still open) and BMD/ OMD is a year in already and its not spider-man to me.  Ultimatum, on the other hand, is only one issue in.  Oh well

  26. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 24, 2008 at 1:29 am

    @rwpos: But I dont just in my reviews or posts just saying Loeb is shit. I actually tell you why it’s shit and why you should avoid buying his books.

    That would be acting trollish if I just said it was shit. Which btw, is a foul substance that admits a terrible odor.

  27. Avatar photo Fvckstick says:
    December 24, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    Not nearly as bad as the first issue. I thought it was actually quite satisfying. Great cliffhanger…if you hadn’t seen the picture of the last panel on the internet over the past month =P

  28. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    December 24, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    wow, so that part with jan and the blob was pretty graphic, all in all a great second issue to a series i was not too excited about

  29. Avatar photo Kimbo says:
    December 24, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    no matter the universe, Jan just can’t catch a break.

  30. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 24, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    Whoops, biftec did a negative review….guess that’s a problem 😉

  31. Avatar photo cyberauron says:
    December 25, 2008 at 12:47 am

    bad month for her, bad month for the bugs.  Was that the blob

  32. Avatar photo BoneMachine says:
    December 26, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    Time to back a homie up. I can testify that TNC ALWAYS gives reasons if he calls a writer shit! Read any of his negative reviews of Loeb’s work and you’ll see he talks about his bad dialogue, not writting character’s anything like they’re supposed to be and using limp sex jokes! And he’s humerous!

    I do agree that if you are going to criticize a writer you need to back it up and TNC does this! The proscecution rests!

  33. Avatar photo supertrackmonkey says:
    December 26, 2008 at 5:27 pm

     ****SPOILERS*****

     

    So, lets recap who is now dead in the Ultimate Universe:

     

    Nightcrawler (issue 1)

    Dazzler (issue 1)

    Wasp (issue 2)

    Valykre (issue 2)

    Captain America (issue 2)

    Professor X (issue 2)

     

     

    Anyone else dead? 

     

     

  34. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 27, 2008 at 1:09 am

    @Super: WHOA!!!!!!!!

    Cap and Professor X!? Jesus Christ! What is Loeb doing here!?

    (still havent got new comics yet….so this is NEWS to me)

  35. Avatar photo Conor Kilpatrick (@cskilpatrick) says:
    December 27, 2008 at 3:42 pm

    @TNC – What is Loeb doing? He scripting the story plotted by Bendis, Millar and himself.  They weren’t kidding when they said they were going to majorly change the Ultimate universe with ULTIMATUM. It’s exciting.

  36. Avatar photo supertrackmonkey says:
    December 27, 2008 at 5:24 pm

     ***possible spoilers***

     

    It really is exciting. Although the only major characters who have died so far are Cap and Prof. X… And I think Cap still might make it out of Ultimatum alive (Thor will choose Caps fate).

     Im just hoping Peter Parker doesn’t die. Thats the Ultimate Universes best character. And the second best character is set to return to the Ultimate Universe soon too (with the help of Reed Richards and Dr. Doom). 

  37. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    December 28, 2008 at 1:07 am

    It just sounds like Loeb is cramming a ton of story elements into one issue again…..One of the biggest problems he has had since reverting to his ‘Hulk/Ultimates 3’ persona.

  38. Avatar photo drakedangerz says:
    December 28, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    @TNC-as Conor said; Bendis, Millar, and Loeb co-plotted this.  Loeb isn’t "cramming" anything in there just on a whim.

    @Supertrackmonkey-Bendis said USM would still go on after Ultimatum, but after this issue I’m also freaking out about who might bite the dust

    This was a decent issue for me.  I think Loeb is doing better here than on Ultimates 3 or Hulk, but still doesn’t cut it.  How can you kill Ultimate Nightcrawler?!?! 🙁

  39. Avatar photo supertrackmonkey says:
    December 28, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    @ Drakedangerz:

    Bendis did say that USM would go on, but he also said we might have a new Spider-Man (or Spider-Woman)… Which means Peter Parker isn’t out of the woods yet… 

  40. boostergold4 says:
    December 29, 2008 at 8:29 am

    The shot of the Blob eating the Wasp was awesome!!!

  41. Avatar photo supertrackmonkey says:
    December 29, 2008 at 10:58 am

    @ Boostergold4:

    Blob eating the Wasp didn’t make any sense to me. The Blob hasn’t done that yet in the Ultimate U, so why the change? Also, why did Pyro change into a rapist in Ultimates 3? That made no sense either. Loeb is just writing characters whichever way he wants.

     I have to admit the end scene with the Magneto and Xavier was good. But it almost seems like Loeb just wanted to make waves just for that purpose alone, so he has Cap fine in issue one, but dead in issue two. 

  42. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    December 29, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    @supertrackmonkey  Well the Blob did have a crazy look on his face, he might not be in his right mind. Ever since long halloween i never take anything for granted with loeb books until the last issue. All is not what it seems

  43. Avatar photo ActualButt says:
    December 29, 2008 at 2:42 pm

    I have no prob with changing the status quo in the Ult. Universe, but some of this is absurd. Since when does the Blob have a taste for human (or mutant) flesh? And Xavier really has no protocol in place in case Magneto shows up in the mood for murder? "Oh, all the X-Men are out dying, so they’re kinda busy and Prof is helpless…" Really? I find myself wondering if there are pages missing from this, much the same as i felt during Ultimates 3. And I think the reason that this is selling so well is not because of Loeb, but because so many readers are so invested in the Ult. universe and because of the rumors that much of the Ultimate line (if not the whole thing) is getting canceled after this.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This may come off as insensitive but Loeb hasn’t written anything good since his kid died. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.

    @RoiVampire – that "crazy look" on the Blobs face is just the way Finch draws faces. And the one thing that you can take for granted with Loeb in the past 4 years is that you will be disappointed by the end.

  44. Avatar photo speaknspell says:
    December 29, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    I felt like the Blob thing was a mischaracterization based on everything he’s been in the Ultimate U so far.  I’m a bit bummed because, while I think the Ultimate U had some bad spots, it just feels like they’re giving up on having to write good stories for it so they’re killing everyone off.

    They’ve had some comics in the regular U going for nearly 50 years and they run out of ideas after 8 years of the Ultimate U?  Just seems a bit lazy to me, but I also know that I hated Ultimate X-men by the end.

    This issue was really frustrating for me storywise though and I don’t know that I’m going to pick up the rest of the series.

  45. Avatar photo ActualButt says:
    December 29, 2008 at 2:59 pm

    Also, to everyone posting on the thread, for pete’s sake, if you’re trying to make an intelligent point, check your spelling and grammar, PLEASE! Especially if you’re going to criticize, of all things, someone’s writing.

    Learn the difference between ‘affect’ and ‘effect’, between ‘to’ and ‘too’, between ‘their’, ‘there’, and ‘they’re’, and between ‘accept’ and ‘except’.

    It’s not "hack kneed", it’s "hackneyed". One word.

    Let’s examine this phrase: "…not writting character’s anything like they’re supposed to be."

    That should read: "…not writing characters anything like they’re supposed to be written." There’s an extra ‘t’ and an extra apostrophe in there. Really?

    I know this is just an internet thread and not an essay, but there’s a reason we all went to grade school. If you speak and write more intelligently, you will be taken more seriously. I’m sorry if I come off like a grammar nazi or anything, but I just think it’s something easy that we can all do to mature a little bit.

  46. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    December 29, 2008 at 3:46 pm

    I seem to remember Blob threatening to eat people alive before. which is not a threat to be taken lightly

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