The Ultimate Universe is back with a vengeance. With Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man back in full gear Marvel has of course decided to start a up a mini series. That mini series is Ultimate Armor Wars staring every one's favorite shell head, Iron Man.
This issue follows the one and only Tony Stark as he goes to Ultimatum ravished Manhattan to retrieve a mysterious piece of technology only known as the ornament. However, when he gets to the ornament he finds someone in the process of stealing it. As Tony comes to find out his armor is being sold on the black market, so he sets out to destroy the copies of his armor and retrieve the mysterious ornament.
The writer of this issue and series is Warren Ellis. His handle on the character of Tony Stark is simply fantastic as he writes him as the brilliant, yet cynical drunk he is in the Ultimate Universe. In the regular Marvel Universe Stark is a hero content on doing others good, while the Ultimate Tony Stark is mostly drunk the entire time and does what he can when he feels like it. Ellis makes Starks alcoholism a focus on this issue showing that Starks brilliance comes at a price. The Stark in this issue has a drunken coldness to him that fits the bleak destitute Manhattan. Death surrounds Stark as his wealth drains away and this contributes to his sharp biting dialogue he has with his secretary happy. Over all the characters are well handled in this issue and some new Ultimate takes on characters are given with much surprise. Ellis looks as if he is setting up quite a story. My only concern is that this is a four issue mini series and with this current pace this arc is looking to be good, but a little lackluster. I must note that there is plenty of time to be proven wrong, but this is what it feels like right now.
The art in this issue is by Steve Kurth. His art in this issue is full of detail and life. Each panel looks fantastic and fits the story and dialogue perfectly. Manhattan is a bleak place now that Ultimatum has passed through and the art captures many of the horrors left by it. His details in the panel are fantastic as it feels as if Stark is really in Manhattan and not just a back drop put behind Iron Man. The walls of his office building are especially funny as there are some classical art references which fit with Stark's character of grandeur and hubris. The colors and pencils in this issue are top notch and I cannot wait to see what Kurth does in the future.
Overall I greatly enjoyed this issue and would highly recommend to those looking to get back into the Ultimate Universe. It is a fun well written read with beautiful art. I look forward to picking up the next issue to see where Ellis and Kurth will be taking Iron Man next. |
