The second volume of the Ultimates saga begins grimly. Bruce Banner is incarcerated, and memorials are ongoing for the hundreds of people killed in the Hulk's latest rampage. Janet "Wasp" Pym is hospitalized for injuries sustained in a fight with her crazed husband, Hank "Giant Man" Pym. And Captain America, angry beyond belief, is on Hank's trail.

To bolster the team's flagging spirits (and membership rolls), Tony "Iron Man" Stark recruits four new members: S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives Black Widow and Hawkeye, and mutants Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch.

And shapeshifting aliens are subverting the world's power bases of business and government.

This is a book of many parts. Black Widow and Hawkeye's infiltration of an alien-infested hideout will satisfy fans of the James Bond and Matrix genres, while Captain America's confrontation with Pym provides a no-holds-barred slugfest for readers who like a more direct approach to their violence. For military drama, there's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s all-out assault on an alien base. And then there's nuclear annihilation, subterfuge, betrayal and traps galore.

In the midst of the mayhem, the Hulk returns. And he's really, really angry.

The Ultimates series lasted only 13 issues, but this volume shows exactly how Marvel has brought fun and excitement back to the comics. If you're reading anything by Marvel these days, the Ultimate line is the place to be.

by Tom Knapp
Rambles.NET
29 July 2006