I don’t normally have much time to write about the Ultimate Comics after Mark Millar’s influence. I never really pay much attention to this imprint unless it’s about Ultimate Spider-Man or Fantastic Four. But as I go through Comixology Sales and the limited time ability to get fifty percent off; I took an opportunity. Ultimate Comics X-Men is a series that tries to have the mutants get back on their feet after Ultimatum. Nick Spencer has the first shot at the series; but as the reviews on Comic Book Round Up say, he does not make the best impression. In comes Brian Wood for more focus on story rather than repeat Spencer’s Morning Glories.
Disclaimer: Brian Wood has been accused of repeated sexual misconduct.
The Premise
After the arcs by Nick Spencer, Brian Wood takes a new approach to the X-Men. You see the best X-Men stories usually revolve around the enemies they face rather than X-Men’s representation. Because let’s face it, the mutant metaphor is too unique for most applications. So instead of focusing on the genocidal antagonists like a cyborg Reverend Stryker, Wood focuses on the X-Men’s influence.
After a near genocidal attack on Mutants from all sides, Kitty Pryde steps in with a bold choice. Rather than hide in the shadows, Kitty organizes the scattering mutants to reform the X-Men. But Kitty’s not just fighting for survival she makes the deal with Fury for a mutant sanctuary.
With the 2012 elections going on this feels like the hype surrounding then Senator Barrack Obama. The campaign for Hope certainly brings this idea up in the air with the amount of help from Captain America. For their part in Divided We Fall, United We Stand a more mellow Cap grants the Mutants land for Utopia.
Ultimate Comics X-Men: Reservation X
But with a nickname like Reservation X, it raises some concerns. On first glance, this looks like a First Nation’s rez that’re kind of prisons. I actually like how this serves as a point of conflict with the X-Men. Some of the mutants like Nomi Blume (Mach 2) dislike how Kitty runs things. The choices Kitty makes can be controversial to a few people. For one Kitty gives people a choice in keeping their powers or take a cure for the X-Gene. Which is especially relevant as this was a point of contention in Nick Spencer’s run with Ultimate Rogue. Please try not to draw anymore parallels than necessary.
But I should point out that Utopia is actually more of a micro-nation complete with trade. Under Kitty’s leadership and a sentient seed (mutant botany), Utopia establishes trade with the rest of the world. Wait why does this sound familiar?
Ultimate Comics X-Men: Natural Resources
After some messy conflicts from inside involving some overbearing teenagers; the next conflict the X-Men face comes from the US Government. But this isn’t one of the standard “Everybody Hates Mutants” gimmick. US politicians just see the mutants as government property as per Ultimate Universe origins. As such with Captain America no longer in the White House, they decide to try and take Utopia.
It’s certainly nice to see Thaddeus Ross in a role other than a witch hunt for the Hulk. Like any good soldier, he dislikes it when diplomacy on his side turns ugly. Ross also has a good head on his shoulders and isn’t the gung-ho brute he is normally. He’s strategic, follows orders, and knows when to back down. In fact he even respects the X-Men after they show an ability to fight against the US Army. Of course, dealing with a saboteur from within also helps. Later issues have the US government not even bother with mutants; there’s no point in wasting resources on them. But of course the biggest threats that the mutants face actually comes from one of their own.
Ultimate Comics X-Men: World War X
Jean Grey even during the Ultimate Comics is a major force within the franchise. Prior to her reappearance, Jean was dealing with the weight of her many losses. She lost her love interests and her greater power in the Phoenix Force. Under the alias of Karen Grant, this loss in identity affected Jean greatly. She finally finds sanctuary in Tian after its leader Xorn gives Karen a retreat to temper her trauma. Thanks to this Karen regains her phoenix power but the wars with outside forces put Jean in a militant mindset. She like Kitty wants to create a paradise for mutants. But unlike Kitty, who wants to stay in close contact with humanity, Jean believes that mutants need to be segregated from them.
Jean’s powers also seem to change over time. In the Natural Resources story, Jean just uses her power to read minds and affect them. However after failing to negotiate for assimilation, Jean summons her destructive Phoenix power. With this, Jean becomes Dark Phoenix not because of the overwhelming power or outside manipulations; she’s devoted to a cause founded on trauma and isolation. But as a result, Jean becomes a dictator smearing Kitty’s name and starts attacks on Utopia. Eventually some of her subordinates lose faith in Jean and leave for Utopia as Tian crumbles. At the end Jean has to leave behind her kingdom and goes under Utopian surveillance.
Conclusion
This is not by any means one of the best X-Men stories. I mean part of the Divided We Fall, United We Stand stories has less interesting neighbors. If at all, that’s the one part of the event that people can fish for quality. Still you have to give props to this run having some decent character development. Kitty really steps up in ways she relates to the Main Marvel Pryde. The mutants vs humans conflict actually feels like something that fits in the Ultimate Universe. Finally there comes Jean Grey, who unlike the main Jean goes down a more believable path of becoming Dark Phoenix.
It does come with some flaws though. Not-Psylocke influencing the battle between the army and Utopia feels out of place. The conflict with Mach 2 also seems to go nowhere after a while too. All in all, this run gets an 8/10 for breaking the mold but misses a couple of marks.