Post by goldenfist on Jan 5, 2008 18:57:11 GMT -5
A review from ign.com about Ultimate Human #1.
Really? Marvel had the guts to start publishing a second limited series featuring Ultimate Hulk even though the first never actually finished? That's probably not going to help readers forget that sad little fact, but at least Marvel put their best foot forward (Warren Ellis) in terms of getting you to start talking about this series instead. It's all too rare bright spots like this that make me believe the Ultimate Universe can still be a viable entity when entrusted to the right people.
The overall story is simple enough:
1. Bruce Banner is smart, but did an unsmart thing that turned him into the Hulk.
2. He can't cure himself, so he seeks out an even smarter guy (Tony Stark) for help.
3. Hilarity ensues…
4. Profit!
Seems like a simple formula that a monkey could do, but Marvel luckily picked Warren Ellis instead of the monkey, so it's much more interesting than the above. The majority of the issue delves into the actual mechanics of the Hulk and his transformation. I don't think there's a better pseudo-science writer than Warren Ellis today. Everything is explained in such a way that you actually catch yourself thinking "that actually doesn't sound like something he quickly pulled out of his ass". It may not seem like much, but it's the small touches like that that turn a good comic book into a great one. Also note, the random exposition text found throughout the issue. Sometimes informative and witty in others – it seems like Warren found an old tape of VH1's Pop-Up Video (definitely dated myself with that reference).
The first issue doesn't break any new ground, but when you execute the old ground so well, you really don't have to. Cary Nord does a fantastic job on the art. He has a very versatile style that is as detailed or murky as the scene requires. He especially did some really cool panels with reflected images. He does go over the top sometimes with facial expressions, but I personally prefer over-expressive faces more than under-expressive. A solid first issue, but it still has work ahead of it to wash the dirty taste of Ultimate Power out of the reader's collective mouth…
Review Score:8.5 Great
So what does everyone think about the review.
Really? Marvel had the guts to start publishing a second limited series featuring Ultimate Hulk even though the first never actually finished? That's probably not going to help readers forget that sad little fact, but at least Marvel put their best foot forward (Warren Ellis) in terms of getting you to start talking about this series instead. It's all too rare bright spots like this that make me believe the Ultimate Universe can still be a viable entity when entrusted to the right people.
The overall story is simple enough:
1. Bruce Banner is smart, but did an unsmart thing that turned him into the Hulk.
2. He can't cure himself, so he seeks out an even smarter guy (Tony Stark) for help.
3. Hilarity ensues…
4. Profit!
Seems like a simple formula that a monkey could do, but Marvel luckily picked Warren Ellis instead of the monkey, so it's much more interesting than the above. The majority of the issue delves into the actual mechanics of the Hulk and his transformation. I don't think there's a better pseudo-science writer than Warren Ellis today. Everything is explained in such a way that you actually catch yourself thinking "that actually doesn't sound like something he quickly pulled out of his ass". It may not seem like much, but it's the small touches like that that turn a good comic book into a great one. Also note, the random exposition text found throughout the issue. Sometimes informative and witty in others – it seems like Warren found an old tape of VH1's Pop-Up Video (definitely dated myself with that reference).
The first issue doesn't break any new ground, but when you execute the old ground so well, you really don't have to. Cary Nord does a fantastic job on the art. He has a very versatile style that is as detailed or murky as the scene requires. He especially did some really cool panels with reflected images. He does go over the top sometimes with facial expressions, but I personally prefer over-expressive faces more than under-expressive. A solid first issue, but it still has work ahead of it to wash the dirty taste of Ultimate Power out of the reader's collective mouth…
Review Score:8.5 Great
So what does everyone think about the review.
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