Marvel Ultimates is ripping and roaring unfortunately like usual it is facing its normal delay problems which really makes a reader have to go back through the collection and read the back titles to find your place. I think it has been almost 2-3 months since issue #3, at least it feels that way. I can forgive the delayed release though because the title is better than half the stuff being placed on shelves today. Yes, that’s true!



This issue doesn’t quite pick up where the last left off as it gives us a back story of how Magneto and his Brotherhood came to inhabit the Savage Land, where he killed off the inhabitants. Kazar and Shanna are there to help the Avengers on their arrival because they want to dethrone the mighty Magneto, who has stolen what is rightfully theirs. I love the illustrations on this series. The panels are constantly being pushed to the limits for dynamic shots even when there is little action to be conveyed the angles on the artwork are just drawn well. The story fully compliments the art which is always welcome. Often times when I find I do not like artwork for reasons other than opinion it is because the art and the plot are out of sync. This series always seems to be right in sync, I love it.



There is not a lot revealed in this series, more than there is just plain good old action. I mean when you have Thor and Magneto going at it, you got to be happy. Both of them have such provocative lines and both are exuding the arrogance of their characters in the story. Thor just finishes bashing in Unus’ skull and moves on to Magneto. Magneto in his confidence dispatches of Thor and makes the comment about a God bowing before him which is just priceless. The one thing I have not liked about the battle depictions between Magneto and Thor is Magneto’s ability to repulse the hammer, Mjolnir. In this issue he mentions the fact that he thought his hammer was crafted with a bit of Iron in it and the chest plates Thor wears on his costume likely the same, which allows him to drive him to his knees, but Mjolnir was crafted by the dwarf’s smiths with the magically imbued material, Uru. I guess this is part of that Plot Induced Stupidity or revision/alternate make-up in the Ultimates Universe I guess I am just a little biased since Thor is one of my favorites and while magneto is a favorite villain of mine seeing him driven before him is not my idea of the Thunder God and definitely not my idea of Mjolnir.



Juggernaut also does battle with Wolverine and the Black Panther which is definitely an interesting moment in the issue. I was more interested with Pyro’s comments about Valkyrie as Mastermind invaded her mind. I guess we have the Dr. Light of the series in Pyro. I guess we will find out if it actually happens, especially since Thor is at this moment incapacitated and can’t really be of help to his young lover. All of the battles are really interesting, the most damaging happens within the opening segment of the fight between Hawkeye and Sabertooth. Hawkeye definitely has a death wish. Sabertooth rips him apart nearly before being attacked by Kazar and Shanna’s pets.



It is also revealed that there is something amiss with the robots that seem to be performing their own Secret Invasion. I am assuming these are the Life Model Decoys or maybe Ultrons. I am more on the side of the former as I have never been a fan of Ultron, at least not until it took the form of Wasp in Mighty Avengers. Great issue! Either way that was the wrap on this issue, hopefully we don’t have the 2 month delay before we see the conclusion to this arc. This is a good series and should be brought to the forefront. I am sure many of the readers her love it as much as I do.

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