The Ultimates is at its best when it focuses on a specific character — i.e., the excellent Hawkeye issue, or the one focused on She-Hulk — while mixing palpable and timely societal issues with big superheroics. But every few issues, the series takes the time to amp up the stakes considerably… And that’s what we get here in Marvel’s The Ultimates #8, as the Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy arrive.
In the issue written by Deniz Camp with art by Juan Frigeri, and spoilers past this point, we learn that America Chavez was a member of the Ultimate Guardians from the 61st Century. When a time wave starts wiping out their history, they fight back — only to be forced to escape with their pocket of time and their lives, losing America (get it?) in the process.
While Camp doesn’t ignore the interpersonal relationships, as this is squarely focused on America and her girlfriend Captain Marvel — who she does not remember — this is very much the author in Big Science mode. Or rather, Big Science Fiction mode, as we get a lot of heady, wild ideas and terms thrown around that we mere humans of the 21st century couldn’t possibly understand. Don’t get me wrong, Camp is very good at this sort of storytelling, but it doesn’t have quite the same impact as more pressing issues outside our world today.
However, what it does seem reminiscent of, surprisingly, is another publisher’s properties. Specifically, what happens over at DC Comics to the Legion of Superheroes whenever there’s a Crisis of some sort. Invariably, a time wave wipes out their history, and we get a new, rebooted Legion. That’s not exactly what we’re getting here, but these Guardians are closer to the Legion than they are to 616 Star-Lord and the team.
Where this issue does excel, though, is taking these far-future Guardians and allowing Frigeri to go hog wild on the designs. Ultimate Nullifier has a midsection made up of Kirby Crackle. There’s an adorable dog, a riff on Cosmo, who we’re told is the ultimate good boy. And beyond the Guardians, there’s a pretty hilarious floating Doom Ball that is advising the Ultimates from afar.
And while Camp does have a tendency in his indie work to sometimes lean into the sci-fi at the expense of the human, he does balance things nicely here, with quieter moments between Captain Marvel and America Chavez and an ending that sets up two of our main characters on a very dangerous path.
As we head towards an event over the summer (“Ultimate Incursion,” perhaps?) it seems less likely we’ll get these quieter moments in favor of the bombast and superhero mash-ups. Here’s hoping Camp, at least, can keep that balance going.
The Ultimates #8 Rating:
The Ultimates #8 Official Synopsis:
THE ULTIMATE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY! America Chavez takes center stage in this issue as a group of galactic travelers from a far-flung, Maker-free future arrive in search of her!
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