I really enjoyed the first set last month (Ultimate Spider-Man #1, Ultimate X-Men #1, Ultimates #1, Ultimate Hawkeye #1&2), so here we go for a Spider-Man sans costume…. part 2.

Ultimate Spider-Man #2

By Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli

Slow and steady, slow and steady. See that picture of the costume above. That and the trailer for the cover of issue 3 right at the back is all your going to see of it. And, just like issue 1 and it’s near complete lack of Spider-Man, it doesn’t matter in the slightest.

In the first issue, very little  happened, but it did so in such style that it was a hugely enjoyable very little …. essentially young Miles Morales got bitten by a spider, recently escaped from a secret “lets try to make another Spider-Man” project run by Norm Osborne. It ended up in Mile’s neer do well uncle’s apartment, and by the end of the issue poor little Miles is wondering why the hell he seems to be turning slightly translucent.

This time round we do get to see Miles use a few of these new powers…. speed, agility, some kind of venom strike (handy for the neighbourhood bullies) and the chameleon effect again:

After that, it’s talk, talk, talk, talk…. a lot of this issue is a conversation between Milo and his dad talking about his Uncle, and just why his dad is forever in his debt and yet wants Milo as far away from him as possible. And the rest of the issue is the ongoing “what the hell is wrong with me” conversation between Milo and his best friend Ganke.

And they’re the highlight of the whole thing, with Gank proving himself every bit a science nerd, first thinking Milo’s a mutant, then digging a little deeper and coming up with this:

So, very little happens true. But like really good Bendis books of old, his dialogue is lovely, tone just right whether it’s the deep shame, difficult to get out confessional of his father , or the excited, need to figure it out chat between the friends.

It’s shaping up to be a real slow burn, and we’re lucky that Pichelli handles basic people sitting and talking very well, because I figure there’s a fair bit of it still to come. I’ve got no problem with that at all.

“Maybe the costume is in bad taste”

Nope, maybe it’s the ridiculous reactions to it that are in bad taste. That young man above is Miles Morales, the youngster who takes over the Spider-Man name in the Ultimate Universe from last Wednesday’s Ultimate Fallout #4. A young, mixed race kid, African-American father, Hispanic mother. It’s a move by Marvel and writer Brian Michael Bendis to mix things up, to make a character resonate a little more with an audience.

Artist Sara Pichelli then went on to give a quote to USA Today: “Maybe sooner or later a black or gay – or both – hero will be considered something absolutely normal“.

Obviously she means it would be great to live somewhere where just being a hero, regardless of anything else is enough, and we can look beyond the labels of race or sexuality etc etc

It’s like they’re deliberately baiting the right wing isn’t it?

Cue the Mail headline “Marvel Comics reveals the new Spider Man is black – and he could be gay in the future“. (Link is to a mirror of the mail site. See below)

Well, obviously she never said that, nor did the Mail bother with anything even remotely resembling decent journalism. Rich has already had a go about this, but it deserved saying again really.

Last time I had cause to mention The Daily Mail it was over the same sort of thing, which is essentially the Mail’s standard policy of throwing enough lies, hate, venom, ignorance and fear around that some of it, god help us, sticks. And then the world gets just that little bit darker, that little bit more oppressive, that little bit more intolerant of anything the Mail doesn’t like.

The idea of a new Spider-Man is nothing new. The idea of parachuting a mixed race kid into the character is. And well done to Bendis, Pichelli and all at Marvel for doing it. Sure, they could have simply created a new character, but as many have pointed out over the last couple of days, that just wouldn’t be as effective, wouldn’t have the impact. This works, or at least that image on top of this post works. Hopefully the comic will be successful, hopefully Bendis will make it work, if for no other reason than to give his two adopted children a superhero of their own.

(Again, as before – I refuse to send traffic to the Mail site, so the link for the headline is to a handy service called Istyosty that acts as a proxy website meaning you can see the story without feeling dirty at visiting the Mail. Luckily for you, the Istyosty page doesn’t include the comments, which are every bit as hate-fuelled, ignorant, racist and just bloody stupid as you could imagine.)

(cover to Ultimate Comics Fallout #4, art by  Marko Djurdjevic, (c) Marvel)

Hitting racks tomorrow as our comics elves do the New Comics Day Dance this should be one worth checking out: Brian Michael Bendis and Co give us a new Spider-Man. Yep, no longer will the friendly neighbourhood webslinger be Peter Parker… From the official description:

“That’s right, for the first time ever, someone other than Peter Parker will be Spider-Man! But, after the death of Peter Parker, who will rise up to defend the Ultimate Universe? Meet Miles Morales, a seemingly normal teenager from New York who will soon discover  that with great power comes great responsibility… and even greater danger! But just what are the secrets behind Miles’ shocking abilities? What’s his connection to the original Spider-Man? And just why does he wear that costume?“

Having a late look through some news feeds and came across this one from Heidi about Ultimate Spider-Man #153 & 154 written by Brian Michael Bendis and Ultimate Avengers Vs New Ultimates #1 (of 6) written by Mark Millar.

From the official Marvel PR:

“Marvel is proud to announce Death of Spider-Man, the groundbreaking new story that forever changes the Ultimate Comics universe from superstar writers Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar. Kicking off with a prelude in Ultimate Spider-Man #153 and going into high-gear with Ultimate Avengers vs New Ultimates #1, this is the story that no comic fan can afford to miss when it all begins in February 2011 because, in the Ultimate Universe, There Are No Rules. This storyline continues in further issues of both Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Avengers vs New Ultimates.”

And then we have this from Mark Millar:

“This is the biggest, boldest thing we’ve attempted in the ten years since we kicked this line off. This is the one thing that could be bigger than the CREATION of the Ultimate line and it’s great to be a part of it. Being part of something like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and soon you’ll all get to read the story we’ve written for you, This should be up there with the very small number of events that really mattered. This is going to be big.”

I need to check this with Michael, our resident Nostalgia & Comics blogger, to see if  he says Millar and Bendis’ recent Ultimate Universe work has been right up there with the very early days of The Ultimates, or early Ultimate Spidey or Ultimate FF (all quite lovely superhero books). But until that happens I’m going with my first instinct on this – and how many of you did just what I did and thought; “Nah, I don’t believe a word of it“.

You did? That’s Millar-hype-fatigue that is.

By Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev

Marvel Icon

Scarlet issue 1 was much enjoyed by Michael a few months back and I thought I’d stop by issue 2 to see if I could share in the fun. Straight off I can see exactly what he means, and it’s very much a semi return to form from Bendis and Maleev whom I remember so well from their run on Daredevil.

My trouble with Bendis is the same as my troubles with a lot of big name writers. It’s one of an all too familiar trajectory. Brilliant writing gets them noticed, the jobs come in, more brilliant writing means more jobs, and more jobs, until suddenly they’re 180 degrees away from what they did so well in the first place. It’s either exhaustion at taking too much on, or complacency at having made it, but something changes and the writer who was so brilliant, so innovative, so incredibly readable starts pumping out the same by the numbers garbage that sits on the shelves of your local comic shop each week.

Bendis started so raw and hungry – Jinx, Torso, Goldfish – and these books led to his brilliant run on Daredevil. But over the years, as the number of monthly books he committed to increased, as the massive crossovers rolled round, it all started getting flabby and Bendis became just another Marvel big name writer. But here, with Scarlet, he’s having a bit of a return to form, not 100% convincing perhaps, but certainly it’s got a big something of a classic Bendis book about it, with some of the familiar fire to Bendis’ writing.

In issue 1, Scarlet’s life got ripped apart by a little bit of police violence that left her boyfriend dead and implicated as a major drug dealer. It’s a very familiar scenario and we’re solidly into crooked cop territory here. Now, in issue 2, our girl Scarlet is on a mission and over the course of ten weeks she’s going to track down the cop who killed her boyfriend and exact her revenge. Bendis nearly convinces me that she’s not quite sure what she’s going to do when she does get close to him, but most of the time he’s just teasing us up for the inevitable shot of the red haired girl with the bright red blood splatter agaainst her cheek.

However, despite the story being a by the numbers crooked cop, revenge piece, it’s a Bendis by the numbers crooked cop, revenge piece and it’s Bendis on pretty good form. Pretty much pure exposition, setup and dialogue, something Bendis on his uppers does better than almost anyone writing for the big two right now.

(There must be something really threatening in the way she takes off the glasses, because the hardened ex-cop immediately decides to tell Scarlet every detail about the massive police corruption he was involved in. Bendis skimping on the realism just to move that plot along in Scarlet issue 2.)

But there are still worrying moments where it all just falters and the premise starts creaking a little too much, moments where it all gets a little too unbelievable and jolts you right out of the piece with a “what the hell?”.

Take the scene where our girl walks into the coffee shop where one of the cops who tore her life apart in the first issue now works. This is a cop who took part in, or at least was an accessory in, many terribly corrupt things, not least of which is the murder of Scarlet’s boyfriend. Are you really telling me that he’s going to spill every detail of a huge police corruption scandal after Scarlet walks in a simply asks him?  But he does, in just 3 pages and it’s all too easy, too unrealistic and spoils the moment.

And then there’s the silly little matter of Scarlet following Officer (now Detective) Dunes around for 7 weeks, in her BRIGHT RED VW Beetle. It’s all done for stylistic effect I know, but christ, this guy isn’t the greatest detective in the world to fail to miss that.

(Part of the double page spread of Scarlet – her hair growing longer and redder to denote the passage of time – one of Maleev’s good uses of multiple panels from Scarlet issue 2)

Maleev’s art is quite lovely, a scratchy, flowing thing, with minimalist colours except for all those stylistic reds. And it’s a really effective visual style, just as good as that Daredevil work I enjoyed so much. he does have that annoying habit of reusing his panels, either direct or as blowups. Sometimes it’s for brilliant effect, such as the double page with 12 identical headshots of Scarlet talking at the reader, time passing before our eyes, her hair growing longer and redder as her resolve grows with it. But sometimes it’s simply repetition, possibly for effect, possibly simply too much use of stock poses, but either way, it makes the art far too static at times.

I doubt I’ll be dashing out every couple of months for Scarlet as they come out, it certainly didn’t fire me up that much, but it’s got something, some spark of great, old Bendis that means it’s a good, entertaining comic. I’ll be there when they collect it to see if it holds up in the longer form. But based on Michael’s love for issue 1, my enjoyment of this second issue and the sense that Bendis is back on something at least near his old form here, I have a feeling it’s going to hold up very well indeed.

Scarlet issue 3 is due out in November 2010.

By Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev

Marvel/Icon

It’s quite difficult to tell you what Scarlet is actually about. Even after reading the first issue and Marvel’s blurb I’m still struggling to give you a brief outline of this new book from their Icon imprint.

It seems that Scarlet is a new character who’s decided that enough is enough and the world is a complete mess. To fix this she’s decided to take it upon herself to change things by stepping outside of the law and starting a modern day revolution.

Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev working together is one of those combinations in comics that make me really excited.  These two have given us some great comics in the past including their run on Daredevil and their short-lived Spider-Woman mini-series.

Straight from the first page this book has that snappy trademark dialogue we have become accustomed to from Bendis. Whether Scarlet is interacting with other characters in the story or breaking the fourth wall with the audience she comes across as a perfectly believable character.

(Scarlet says hello, just after she’s killed a cop. From Bendis and Maleev’s Scarlet issue 1, published by Marvel/Icon)

But one of the problems with the book though is she is not a completely likeable person and it’s something I think Bendis has done on purpose. Scarlet is supposed to be seen as this potential vigilante stepping outside of the law but at times she comes across as a little whiney and although I hate the term ‘emo’, it feels as though it needs to be said. Now I know she’s been through a lot at a young age but this whole thing of wanting to change the world because things haven’t gone her way for a while seems a bit of an over reaction. Sometimes you feel that she’d be more at home sitting in a dark room writing bad poetry.

Bendis’ storytelling in issue 1 is interesting, with extensive flashbacks and continually having Scarlet break the fourth wall and speaking to us, the readers.  This is rarely utilized in comics as it’s said to pull the reader out of the moment but Bendis does it very well.

A big part of the success of Scarlet is down to Maleev’s artwork, which makes us feel more like we are watching a movie than reading a comic book. As usual he brings us some of the most interesting artwork in comics. His work has a trademark scratchy style and is filled with detail but avoids trying to be hyper realistic.

(First part of three pages that bring us up to date on Scarlet’s life thus far in just 21 panels)

To keep things interesting Maleev changes up the layout of the book fairly often and even treats us to a couple of full page splashes and a fantastic double page splash that closes the book.  The best sequence though is where we are more or less given Scarlet’s entire history in three pages.  Maleev does this by utilizing a very clever bit of panel layout and making the most of the page space that he and Bendis have to get a lot of information across in a short space of time.

This book is in good hands and as is always the case with creator owned series we have to give it a bit of time to truly get going.  These newly created characters have no back-story so it takes a while before we have any sort of emotional bond to them.  But with two such talented creators we have to have faith, a chance to work on their own creation may end up giving us something really good indeed.

Scarlet #2 is available from the start of September.

by Bendis, Lafuente (Spider-Man), Millar, Pacheco, Miki (Avengers)

Marvel Comics

I really haven’t followed what’s been going on in Marvel’s Ultimate Universe for quite a while. In fact, aside from the odd Ellis written thing, the last time I visited the Ultimate Universe was Ultimates Volume 3 #1, the abysmal comic by Loeb and Madureira. And my parting shot on that one was this: “Ultimates Volume 3. Let’s all pretend it doesn’t exist. Maybe we can wish it out of existence.”

Well, essentially, that’s what seems to have happened here. Because it seems that Ultimates Volume 3 and the subsequent Ultimatum series can be quickly and simply referred to as the huge event that wiped out most of Manhattan and a goodly number of superheroes along the way after Magneto got pissed about his children being killed. And if that sounds callous try reading the summary of Ultimatum on Wikipedia like I just did, seems Jeff Loeb’s got more than enough callous and gratuitousness for all of us. (And I know just looking it up on Wikipedia is hardly good research but you really couldn’t afford what I’d charge to actually read Ultimatum.)

So Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man just pick up where they left off, 3 weeks and six months later respectively. There’s a few less heroes and New York looks a bit different, but that’s about it. Thank God. Because when the Ultimate Universe idea first started I really enjoyed these modern, accessible tales of Marvels icons. Worked a treat at getting new readers on board as well as I recall. Ultimate Spider-Man catered for a younger audience unwilling to trawl through decades of stories and who wanted just those key elements of Peter Parker that they’d discovered through the films. And Ultimates was essentially Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch doing the big widescreen cinematic style comic where the heroes got to be a little more edgy and nasty than usual. Both worked, at least at first. Ultimate Spider-Man I gave up on after the first few volumes, as it became more and more confusing and apathy on my part set in. Ultimates I enjoyed right through Millar’s first two volumes.

(The new Ultimate Spider-Man – same as the old Ultimate Spider-Man really. From Ultimate Spider-Man #1, art by David Lafuente)

Which means in Ultimate Spider-Man we’re back to Peter Parker, the 16 year old kid, Aunt May, Gwen Stacey, MJ and the rest, all picking themselves up after the devastation that’s mentioned a few times and then exists as merely the new status quo, with Spidey a genuine hero of the city following his rescue efforts.

And in Ultimate Avengers it’s like Millar never went away. Straight away we’re back to the basics of what made The Ultimates great: Nick Fury (no longer SHIELD boss, but still with a role to play), being recruited by Hawkeye into a black ops team to stop a rogue Captain America. Cue flashback to last mission where Hawkeye and Captain America are taking down some AIM goons. Iron Man was meant to be there, but depression and alcohol got in the way.

(The new Ultimates. Pretty much the same as the old Ultimates. Except this time they’re called Ultimate Avengers. And the art isn’t as good as Bryan Hitch’s. From Ultimate Avengers # 1, art by Carlos Pacheco.)

Both issues set up the storylines nicely, both introduce the big bad guy at the end, both reintroduce us to the cast of characters from before. And both are incredibly quick reads. Okay, perhaps that’s what I should have expected, but these comics are $4 / £3 each. And that works out to about £1 a minute or £60 an hour. When the comics are costing about the same as my plumber there’s something horribly wrong.

But despite the expense and lack of value, the actual comics themselves are pretty good returns to form. Both writers are just doing what they always did, although I couldn’t help thinking that Millar’s voice on Ultimate Avengers seemed just a little tired and old now. (Maybe widescreen superhero action is so last year?) As for the artists, they all hold up well. Lafuente’s Spider-Man pages are nice but nothing too dazzling and Pacheco was never going to outdo Bryan Hitch, but what is on show does actually look quite pretty.

They’re both certainly good enough that I can see myself paying enough attention to both to pick up the first collections in a few months time. Next up in the new Ultimate Universe is Warren Ellis’ 4 issue series Ultimate Armor Wars. Ellis writing a drunk, obnoxious Iron Man. Seems perfect.

Marvel Comics Ultimate Universe. Kind of nice to have it back.

Richard Bruton.

The Foil cover is back.

The press release:

“Marvel is pleased to unveil the special variant covers to ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #1, ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #1 and ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #1 utilizing the brand-new Foilogram cover treatment! Part foil, part hologram, these reflective covers will jump at you from shelves!

This is Marvel doing the nineties right,” explained David Gabriel, Marvel Comics Senior Vice President of Sales & Circulation. “We’re taking two of the most popular cover treatments of all time-foil and holograms-to create an all new kind of cover, as a ‘thank-you’ to fans who’ve been demanding this kind of variant! Retailers and fans don’t need to worry. We’re only doing this on a limited basis. You won’t see one on MS MARVEL #46 or LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS #4. We’re using them to mark very special occasions…such as the launch of Ultimate Comics line.”

It might be cynical of me and I know some folks out there like them, but I’m not one of them. I remember foil and hologram covers as nothing but a terrible, crass marketing ploy that got worse and worse as the 90s wore on. They may be promising it’s only for very special occasions. But that’s what they said last time. So in the end we got them for very special occasions like these:

However, I do notice that the rebooted Ultimates line does feature Ultimate Comics Avengers by Mark Millar (strangely enough, after writing possibly the worst Avengers comic ever Marvel haven’t invited Jeph Loeb back), Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis and Ultimate Armour Wars by Warren Ellis. Impressive line up and I really hope the Ultimate Comics line manages to reboot the concept. Because quite a few books in the Ultimate line rank as some of my favourite Marvel work in the last 10 years. Ultimates was brilliant whilst Millar was on it. Ultimate FF with Warren Ellis was just as good and Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-man, at least in the early issues, really managed to capture some of the energy and uniqueness of the Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Spider-Man comics. Just a shame that they’re bringing Ultimate Comics out with something that fills me with horror and reminds me of a time I thought was long since past.