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![Ultimate X-Men [FCBD Edition]](../../images/reviews/june03/ultimatexmen1.gif)
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Ultimate
X-Men [FCBD Edition]
The Tomorrow People
1/JULY2003
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Mark Millar
Pencils: Adam Kubert
Inks: Art Thibert
Colors: Richard Isanove
Letters: Richard Starkings & Wes Abbott
Price: Free [FCBD]
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With X2 being released the day before, Free Comic
Book Day [FCBD] was perfectly placed the day after to try and reap
the hype of the film and draw new readers into the comic shops.
Ultimate X-men # 1 was by far the most ordered title by shops for
FCBD so let’s see what all the hype around this title is about.
To fill in those of you who don’t know what the ‘Ultimate’
line of comics is about here’s a quick rundown. Due to problems
new readers have with getting into comics, especially the ones with
40 + years of history behind them [or as it’s known to comics
geeks, continuity], Marvel Comics decided to start
afresh. Thus the ‘Ultimate’ line was
produced with a fresh ‘Year 2000’ approach
to many of their primary characters. The old titles still continued
for the older/true fans to follow, but the ‘Ultimate’
line was introduced for today’s kids to get them back into
comics again. Ok with that out of the way onto the review.
This first issue of Ultimate X-Men covers the rise of the mutant
threat known as the Brotherhood of Mutants lead
by Magneto and their counter threat known as the X-men lead by Charles
Xavier. The initial X-men team of Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Colossus
and Storm have to save Bobby Drake [Iceman] from
the mutant-hunting giant robots known as Sentinels. This culminates
in a great fight scene as the X-men face of against the Sentinels
in the middle of Time Square.
The story has enough of a mixture of business and pleasure to keep
a perfect balance throughout the book. Millar gives the reader just
enough information but doesn’t bore them by masterfully introducing
some splendid action scenes to keep the book moving at a nice pace.
The witty dialogue in the main fight scene and the writing of the
X-Men characters is both fresh and interesting to read. The story
starts and finishes on a great hook, the latter features Wolverine
and is sure to pull readers into the follow-on issues via the first
Ultimate X-men Trade Paperback [Graphic Novel or GN]
collection.
The art is beautiful to look at in this issue. Kubert manages to
jump between styles from a normal comic style into an awesome sketchy/painted
feel and then back again for other scenes throughout the book. This
switching along with his awesome panel layout makes for a true visual
masterpiece. As far as art on the other X-Men titles goes this is
up there with Salvador Larroca’s work on X-Treme X-Men.
The colouring by Richard Isanove [Origin] must
be mentioned. Isanove manages to bring the story to life via a bright
and interesting palette. His change in style accompanies that of
Kubert’s pencils and his ‘painted’ colours go
perfectly with Kubert’s ‘sketched’ style panels.
A brilliant re-enactment of a classic comic, a must have for X-men
fans both new and old. A nice book to showcase on FCBD as it has
a perfect balance of art and story and focuses on a classic comic
book super-hero team. I couldn’t recommend a better
X-Men book for new readers, this has it all, great art,
awesome colouring and thrill-a-minute storytelling.
Score 9/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
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