Ultimate Universe Coming to an End?

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GrnMarvl14

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I keep hearing this rumor. The rumor is that the upcoming Ultimatum mini-series (Bendis is writing...David Finch is the artist) will mark the end of the Ultimate universe. While this has been called false by Quesada (and probably Bendis)...they've said many things over the years that were, let's face it, pure bull. To hide a "big surprise" they've said what was going to happen...wasn't. Then it DID happen. But, with nothing more than hearsay vs editorial saying "no"...it's just a rumor. Nothing more.

But then this video popped up (which I found thanks to this reliable rumor site), featuring David Finch. David Finch, best known for...a lot of things. What's so special about it? He says the Ultimate universe is coming to an end. Admittedly, he says it's Jeph Loeb's doing (which is...odd...unless he's doing more than just Ultimates 3), which is why it's...a big question.

So...is the Ultimate universe coming to an end? And, if it is, what can replace it (other than a Supreme, Superior, or Maxultimate universe)?
 
It wouldn't surprise me if it ended. I always get into things as they're going out. >_<

I think it'd be simpler to stick with one universe. LOL
 
I've heard that at first they wanted to end everything except Ultimate Spider-Man, but now that regular Spider-Man is YOUNG AND HIP AND VIBRANT AND BOUNCING FROM GIRL TO GIRL AGAIN they don't care about killing off that much superior title, either.
 
As I understand it, 'Ultimatum' has always been referred to as the end of the "first chapter" of the Ultimate Universe.

I'd be very surprised if they ended what's not only a very financially successful imprint but also what's produced some fine creative works. If they think that doing so would cause those people to move onto 616 comics, I'd say they'd be extremely wrong. I know I wouldn't, for the same reason that the Ultimate Universe was created in the first place, there's just too much confusing backstory that's impossible these days to penetrate into properly (there around half a century of comics to try and catch up on for some of the titles!).

But, yeah, I'd say it's probably rather unlikely to be the end of the Ultimate imprint.
 
They've been spouting this "End of the UU!" stuff for a long time now. But I'm looking at the description for Ultimate X-Men/Fantastic Four Annual (not to be confused with Ultimate Fantastic Four/X-Men Annual) here which says "And this is only the beginning as Ultimatum changes the very landscape of the Ultimate Universe!" So it sounds like all Ultimatum's going to do is going to give it a new focus, like The Doctor said.

The Ultimate Universe has become utter shit over the last few years, so I wouldn't be entirely unhappy if it were to be canceled. The only good thing about it right now is Ultimate Spider-Man, and that was absolute garbage for years and years until just recently (I consider Death of a Goblin the turning point, btw).

I like the idea of redirecting the UU if it means the books will become actually readable again. Ultimatum itself worries me... especially since it's supposed to be related ot Ultimate Power and Ultimates 3 and those are the two worst comics I've ever read in my life. Not to mention Loeb is writing it, and he wrote U3 and part of UP.
 
They could always take the characters they like and transplant them into the slightly-newer Supreme Power universe (which, apparently, is going to have connections to Ultimate Fury). Thus allowing them a reboot (of sorts) and a chance to refresh continuity.

Keep in mind, the Ultimateverse's big selling point (originally) was its lack of continuity. Over five years later and three handbooks, and the universe is very much immersed in its own continuity. The only benefit to newer readers is that there's slightly less of it (though, with Ultimate Origin connecting everything, it will make every single book that much more integral to understanding what's going on in every other book. Something that mainstream continuity DOESN'T have).

Personally, I'm vainly hoping for more emphasis on newuniversal or maybe an Ultimate-type Shadowline reboot.

...Maybe Ultimate Void Indigo.
 
The Doctor said:
I'd be very surprised if they ended what's not only a very financially successful imprint but also what's produced some fine creative works. If they think that doing so would cause those people to move onto 616 comics, I'd say they'd be extremely wrong. I know I wouldn't, for the same reason that the Ultimate Universe was created in the first place, there's just too much confusing backstory that's impossible these days to penetrate into properly (there around half a century of comics to try and catch up on for some of the titles!).
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Exactly why I read it. I liked to start things from the beginning and Ultimate allowed me to do that with Marvel. It'd be impossible to do that now with 616.
 
The appeal of the Ultimate Universe to me, is that it felt like it was launched to specifically be Adaptation Distillation:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AdaptationDistillation

It worked fantastically for Spider-Man. Unfortunately, Ultimate Fantastic Four had absolutely shit art (possibly the worst the comics industry has ever SEEN and that's saying something) and everyone in Ultimate X-men is basically "regular X-men with their most negative traits magnified".
 
Which UFF artist are you talking about? Adam Kubert? Stuart Immonen? Greg Land? Jae Lee? Mark Brooks? Someone else?
 
Dani said:
Exactly why I read it. I liked to start things from the beginning and Ultimate allowed me to do that with Marvel. It'd be impossible to do that now with 616.
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There's always TPBs as I've told ya. Buy 'em online. Essential books are cheap.

As for the UU? Meh. I won't be sad to see it go. I wasn't all that into it. I read some of it but in the end, it just seemed like a rehash of old stories with weird packaging. So, I wasn't really a fan of it.

LX
 
Ledian_X said:
There's always TPBs as I've told ya. Buy 'em online. Essential books are cheap.

As for the UU? Meh. I won't be sad to see it go. I wasn't all that into it. I read some of it but in the end, it just seemed like a rehash of old stories with weird packaging. So, I wasn't really a fan of it.

LX
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Considering it'd cost about £100 to purchase the entire House of M crossover event in its various volumes and pieces (with 9 TPB collecting the entire event), alone - it's really not that cheap to get into 616's entire and expansive backstory to understand just everything that's going on.

I'm a bit OCD about stuff like that - I can't watch a sequel to a movie if I haven't watched the first one. I can't read a comic series unless I've started at the very start of at least that series and being able to start from the very start of the entire Ultimate Universe made it immensely appealing and much more enjoyable than the main 616 stories (I actually know what they're referring to when they reference backstory!).

It'd be a massive shame to cut that down, especially when there's no real reason for it.
 
Believe me. NONE of the crossovers with House of M mattered. At all. The Spider-Man mini alone made NO sense when put together with ANYTHING ELSE that happened in that event. In fact, it contradicted the main mini-series (though Salvador Larroca did the art...its one saving grace. Well, that and Peter Parker as the Green Goblin).

Same goes for World War Hulk. None of the crossovers really mattered in understanding the event or why any of the characters were there (though I'd still recommend the Incredible Hulk crossover issues, because they were just plain good).

And with Civil War...it just depended on what characters you were a fan of. Spider-Man, for instance, was entirely handled within Amazing Spider-Man (with the ONE issue that mattered within the main series, though even THAT was repeated in Amazing Spider-Man). Iron Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four were the only characters demanding more than just the main series or their own book (and a few of the Avengers).

The Doctor said:
I'm a bit OCD about stuff like that - I can't watch a sequel to a movie if I haven't watched the first one. I can't read a comic series unless I've started at the very start of at least that series and being able to start from the very start of the entire Ultimate Universe made it immensely appealing and much more enjoyable than the main 616 stories (I actually know what they're referring to when they reference backstory!).
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People always say that. Hell, I say it quite often. But, really, there are so many legitimate opening points. Even within an ongoing series. And only the crappiest writers can't bring you in with a new story arc. And, honestly, the absolute KEY point to jump into 616 continuity is post-Secret Invasion. Why? Because EVERYONE will be confused. And have no clue as to who the characters are or why they're doing what they're doing.

And, honestly, there isn't much referencing older material anymore outside of certain "geek" books. Which is a shame. Now it's mostly just arc-to-arc. And they ARE releasing the recent Handbooks in collected form, which do an amazing job of detailing every event in a character's life (8 pages for Captain America).
 
Greg Land. I tried so hard to read the series after he started on art but I just could not concentrate since everything was traced - and POORLY.
 
Yeah. I figured it was either him, Immonen (he...took some getting used to for me) or Jae Lee (his stuff's so scratchy sometimes).

Personally, I kind of like Greg Land's stuff. It's just that, sometimes, it's so damned hard to tell characters apart (if you've seen the uncolored cover to Uncanny X-Men #500...you know what I mean). But, with the right characters, he has an interesting perspective (I like his Pixie, if nothing else).
 
He might be good on a more realistic book, but his Reed stretching look terrible and Ben and the others did not fit on the same page.
 
The Doctor said:
Considering it'd cost about £100 to purchase the entire House of M crossover event in its various volumes and pieces (with 9 TPB collecting the entire event), alone - it's really not that cheap to get into 616's entire and expansive backstory to understand just everything that's going on.

I'm a bit OCD about stuff like that - I can't watch a sequel to a movie if I haven't watched the first one. I can't read a comic series unless I've started at the very start of at least that series and being able to start from the very start of the entire Ultimate Universe made it immensely appealing and much more enjoyable than the main 616 stories (I actually know what they're referring to when they reference backstory!).

It'd be a massive shame to cut that down, especially when there's no real reason for it.
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Dude I was just talking about the Essential books. Not the rest of the TPBs. Essential books in the US are 15 bucks and reprint from the Silver Age Marvel to present. That's all. Was telling her about those.

LX
 
Wouldn't really satisfy my OCD over it though. >_> I have all the TPB (or a few hardcovers in their place when they were easier to obtain than the TPBs) of Ultimate Spidey, Ultimate X-Men, the Ultimates and the Ultimate Galactus trilogy. Plus Ultimate Team Up.

The only main series in the Ultimate stable I never got into was Ultimate FF. Mostly because I'm not really a fan of the FF in general, and what glimpses you get of them crossing over in the other books doesn't really enthuse me to want to buy their own series.

Anyways, yas. Basically, the fact I've been able to go from the very beginning of the Ultimate Universe and have full knowledge of everything that's going on makes it a lot more enjoyable to me than I ever got from reading the handfuls of 616 comics I ever managed to pick up. If they culled the UU all-together, I doubt I'd bother placing my money in making the transition to the mainstream universe - so it'd be a massive pity.
 
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