Content syndicated from: https://www.youdontreadcomics.com/articles/2020/5/6/we-need-to-talk-about-the-ultimates-the-ultimate-universe-at-20
With the Ultimate Comics line from Marvel hitting 20 years old, we at YRDC thought it would be a good idea to look back. The Ultimate Universe line may have ended, but it is still considered a great jumping on point for many fans. The Ultimate Universe has also strongly influenced multiple record-breaking movies and even started a legacy for Spider-Man that doesn't feature clones. Surely, these books should have aged well, yes?
As we saw last time, the Ultimate Universe began slowly. Brian Michael Bendis introduced the world to the new Ultimate Spider-Man, updating Peter Parker's origin for the 2000s. Mark Millar would also update Marvel's best selling X-Men books for this line, adding a political slant to comics that (if you believe some people) were never political for books about a marginalized minority hated by the populace.
As 2002 rolled around, the world genuinely felt like a darker place. September 11th, 2001, had left a scar on the psyche of the American public that would result in decisions both troublesome and well-intentioned (not always at the same time). The American public's tastes would also change, asking for more "realistic" entertainment in a world where terrorists felt like they could be around any corner. Comics would also evolve to meet this desire, and the early attempts at realism were fumbled and often ham-fisted.
Case in point, 2002's Ultimates.
