Rating:  -
In all truth, I am luke-warm in my enthusiam for most Marvel titles. I like the characters, I grew up with the cartoons, and I've watched all the movies, but with the exception of one character (Deadpool), I've never read the comics. When I saw this book, I had the library send it to me so I could see if I truly wanted to purchase it.
I don't. I understand that this is the "Ultimates" universe and while I was shocked and annoyed that this DP was not my DP, it was the writing that was killing me long before the Merc (no longer with a Mouth) showed up. If this is what writing in other Marvel comics is like, I'm going to have to start sending candy and flowers and my first born to Fabian and Joe Kelly.
I think another reviewer said "overwrought". That's the understatement of the year. There was a lot of screaming and pubescent whining and a grating repetetiveness to everyone's dialogue. Also, every single character has dropped 30 IQ points as they seem incapable of figuring out how they got anywhere or what is going on. Perhaps this is a stab at realism, but you know what? Real people aren't glib or particularly entertaining. Do you often sit next to two teenagers and become engrossed in their conversations?
"What?"
"What?"
"No really, I mean it."
"Yeah, totally."
"I'm just saying..."
"Dude, that sucks."
The plots for all three stories were rather 'blah' and if you're into fight scenes you might like the first, into vampires you might like the second, and into random shootings you might like the third, but I can't think of anyone I know who is that scattered in their interests, especially as none of the stories delves into anything particularly new or interesting in any of these categories.
Screw this, I'm going back to the real Deadpool, Transformers and Hellboy.
Rating:  -
Deadpool and his gang captures the X-Men and Spidey and they are now in a reality tv show where the good guys are being hunted and killed. Not really the most original story if you've seen Death Race or The Condemned (which came out after this book). The sci-fi aspect is somewhat cool if not freaky where humans who hate mutants so much, are willing to undergo genetic mutations to change their bodies so they can gain superpowers to crush the mutants. The fight is somewhat too long and not the most interesting battle. However, it is pretty entertaining and I doubt you would be bored. I do not like the lettering in this book because it's done in a totally weird format to indicate the reality tv show aspect of it.
Rating:  -
This sixteenth trade paperback of the long running Bendis/Bagley series collects Ultimate Spiderman issues 91-96 as well as the second Annual. Issues 91-94 explore Peter Parker's budding romance with Kitty Pryde. Spiderman and the X-Men are kidnapped by Deadpool and his band of half-human, half-cyborg mutant hating mercenaries, the Reavers. Transported to Krakoa Island off the coast of Genosha, our heroes are hunted in a violent reality show resembling Richard Connell's classic short story 'The Most Dangerous Game.' Issues 95 and 96 feature Moribus, who is not a villian in Marvel's Ultimate Universe. Daredevil, The Punisher and Moon Knight guest in the Mark Brooks penciled Annual that closes this volume.
Rating:  -
OK, I read a ton of comics back in the day, which was mid-70's to early 90's. I picked up this trade paperback because I had about that much Amazon credit to spend, and occasionally I like to check in to see how they look these days. This one got good reviews here.
First of all, I'm not up to speed on what gimmick Marvel pulled so that Peter Parker is school age again, Aunt May is alive and kind of a senior hottie, while Kitty Pride's been allowed to age well past 13. But whoomp, there it is, they did something and we go with it.
Art-wise, I'm all about Neal Adams, so I still can't believe how consistently everyone's style these days is so over the top... like a cross between McFarlane and anime. Mark Bagley's art on Deadpool doesn't do it for me. Plus, I think John Byrne did a good thing when he decided that not all superhero women would have huge racks, and that Kitty Pryde would forever be in the have-not category (he's said this in interviews - it wasn't just because she was 13). Too bad this artist didn't respect that. As far as BMB's writing goes, it also is typical of the current age... heavy on soap-opera moments, quippy dialog, and a big page-burner. The Deadpool story's highlights were decent battle scenes and a spoof of reality TV. Overall, eh, I'd say 2 stars. If that's what's going on, I'm not missing anything.
The Morbius story isn't much more gripping, except seeing the young Spidey start to get what the vampire's all about is a little more interesting.
The story from the Annual is better. I like Mark Brooks' art better. While it is the same style, he's just better at it. The writing (still Bendis) is better here, keeping with the theme of Spidey getting some mature experience, particularly contrasted with Daredevil. I like the idea that these superheroes (and people - like DeWolfe) have personalties with attitudes and moral decisions. You can see everyone's point of view, even as they oppose each other. You see Spidey having doubt over being a tool. You see Daredevil try to take crime fighting to the next level by seeing if he can put together a team, starting with Moon Knight. His reason for it is believeable and practical, unlike the contrived reasons most superhero teams get together for. This story is more like 3 stars. But it's a minority section of the book. I'd rather this whole storyline was collected together.
I always liked Moon Knight... I think he didn't become all he could be. Check out Moon Knight #25 from around 1980 (original run) for one of my favorite comics ever... and I don't think this one was widely recognized for how good it was.
Rating: -
ultimate spider-man by bendis and bagley is one of the best series out there. not as much action and non-stop bad guy fighting, but a good mix of that and a lot of peter parker being a teenager with problems (girls, bullies, being grounded, etc.) along with his spidey life.
the series is great great great. only a few minor things that could be better:
1. i don't like how nick fury comes in and tells spider-man he's going to work his whole life for him and shield. the idea of peter being...trapped in a web? haha...well it isn't too cool. superheroes need to fight the good fight because they want to, not because shield will go and take away their superpowers (as fury has threatened) if they don't comply.
2. bendis needs to cut down on the tuchas talk. seriously if parker grew up in nyc today he'd more likely speak spanglish than yanglish.
3. geldoff.
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