Ultimate Marvel Comics

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1
Power & Responsibility; Part 1
Writer: Dale ‘Rated R’ Clarke
Artist: There’s no art here, what were you expecting?

The issue starts out by exploring the life of a sixteen year old Peter Parker. Parker is just like any ordinary teenager, albeit with a little bit of super intelligence thrown in for good measure. He lives with his aunt (May) and uncle (Ben) following the death of his parents when he was just a child. On this particular day Peter is scheduled to go on a school trip to Osborn Industries, a company owned by the genius philanthropist Norman Osborn. It just so happens that Norman’s son, Harry, is one of Peter’s closest friends at Midtown high school, along with the journalistic Mary Jane Watson and the headstrong Jessica Jones.

Those not in the friendship camp? Midtown’s resident bullies Flash Thompson and Eddie Brock, who showcase their less than desirable traits by picking on ‘puny Parker’ before Harry steps in to break things up. Harry, being as rich and handsome as all billionaires son’s are, has the charisma to stop the two bullies. Peter brushes himself off as he and Harry rush to catch the bus to Osborn Industries, the most wanted school trip ever... well, not really, but it’s a day out of school so no complaining.

During this time Norman Osborn overlooks several less than ethical experiments as he attempts to unlock the secrets behind the super soldier formula that gave the original Captain America his powers (more on Cap over in The Ultimates). Project Oz is Osborn’s attempts to replicate that formula and has recently moved on to animal testing, including a certain spider. While Osborn talks to his head scientist on the project, Curt Connors, the spider escapes from containment due to a simple mistake. The spider crawls through the ventilation system, and then swings down from the vents.

At the same time the midtown high school tour is underway. During this it becomes apparent that there may be some underlying romantic tension between Peter and Mary Jane. The two have a moment which is cut short by the bullying tactics of Flash and Eddie Brock. Peter is knocked to the ground and it is at this moment that he, unknowingly to the rest of the students, is bitten by the spider. Peter begins feeling the effects of the spider bite immediately and rushes to the toilets. There he presses his hand onto the wall and finds that his hand sticks to it. Then, as any teenager would, he proceeds to climb up the wall and onto the ceiling.

The issue ends with an amazed Peter Parker saying “Well that’s new.”

First Appearances: Peter Parker, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Harry Osborn, Mary Jane Watson, Jessica Jones, Flash Thompson, Eddie Brock, Norman Osborn, Curt Connors


ULTIMATE X-MEN #1
The Tomorrow People; Part 1
Writer: Dale ‘Rated R’ Clarke
Artist: There’s still no art, obviously.

The issue opens six months ago with Bolivar Trask, a scientist for the United States government, detailing the threat that Mutants present to the world to the president of the United States and the secretary for defence. Trask is requesting funding for his new Sentinel project, dedicated to creating a synthetic robot that can combat the threat that Mutants represent. The request is granted, and he is told to begin work on the Sentinels immediately. He leaves the meeting and finds Matthew Risman waiting for him. Trask tells him that they can begin.

In the present a teenage Mutant (John Allardyce aka Pyro) is attacked on the streets of New York by the giant Sentinel robots. His powers of pyrokinesis are not strong enough, nor under enough control, to fight back. Things look bleak before a team of Mutants calling themselves (what else?) the X-Men step in to make the save. These X-Men consist of Cyclops (Scott Summers), his brother Havok (Alex Summers), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Colossus (Piotr Rasputin) and Beast (Hank McCoy). The X-Men are successful in not only extracting Allardyce but also defeating the Sentinels, however this does little to appease growing resentment from humanity.

During this a series of flashbacks also detail how the X-Men were brought together. Jean Grey (then 13, now 19) was the first Mutant approached by Charles Xavier as her telepathic powers were getting out of control. Her parents agreed to let Charles train her to ensure her safety. Cyclops (then 17, now 21) and Havok (then 15, now 19) were found a year later. They had been on the run after their powers manifested a year earlier at the foster home they were placed in. Xavier saved them from a lynch mob before offering them a place at the Xavier Institute. These three would be the first to join the school and the only ones for several years.

Colossus (24) was working for the Russian mob as a way to make money for his family. However when his Mutant powers were discovered he accepted an offer from Xavier in order to ensure his families safety. Beast (23) had always been a social outcast due to his features (oversized hands and feet that grant him his acrobatic powers) and gladly accepted Xavier’s offer to work with him in order to ensure peace for the Mutant race.

The X-Men bring Pyro back to the Xavier Institute, a school for Mutants founded by Professor Charles Xavier. Xavier explains to Pyro that he wants to prove that Mutants and humans can live side by side and that he can help Pyro control his powers. Pyro accepts the offer, saying that he doesn’t have anywhere else to go.

Elsewhere a shadowy figure watches a report of the X-Men’s actions. The figure is revealed to be Magneto who simply states ‘Game on Charles’.

First Appearances: Bolivar Trask, Matthew Risman, Pyro, Sentinels, Cyclops, Havok, Marvel Girl, Colossus, Beast, Magneto.