The End of the Ultimate Universe?

[Lil Brother]

I like the big convulted messes as long as I understand them too. ^-^

As for the UU... eh, I'll probably keep on buying it until I either go poor or it ends. If it does end anytime soon, then you won't see me crying but I won't be celebrating either. While I've pretty much lost all interest in the characters, I'm still picking up the titles just because they're relatively good (sometimes they're great) and I hate dropping books unless they're outright terrible.

 

[TwilightEL]

I think of the Ultimates like the best action movie ever and read it as such, not taking any political allegory or plot seriously. Thus, I read it yelling "Hell yeah!" every time I turn the page.

UFF I read because it's... well, it's just fun, plain and simple. I like the characters and want them to be successful, the art (except when Land got his filthy paws on it for a few arcs :sick: ) is usually a little cartoony, the dialogue is snappy... sometimes, there'll be an arc where I really start to care about the plot (the zombie arcs) but mostly I just read it because it's fun.

USM is similar. Plus, it's fun to pick apart and mock, and sometimes Bendis delivers the goods.

Ultimate X-Men is like the only ultimate title I'm really invested in, which is kind of funny because I started reading at the Magical arc and have no idea what's going on. I'm kind of figuring it out as I go along. I don't understand the Kirkman hate--so far, this book has rocked.

 

[bluebeast]

Now I know you guys were not putting me down. and I know alot of people here don't like USM that much anymore but I enjoy every arc even silver sable and hobgoblin (well except ultimate 6 i hate it) and to me it is very very well done and in away no other comic can compare with

Wait. You liked Hobgoblin but you hated Ultimate 6. IMO that's one of the best arcs.

 

[Scarecrow]

I wonder what sort of education or background one needs to become a writer for Marvel? Obviously authors like Millar and Bendis have done other works, which gives them prestige, which makes Marvel want to hire them...But what sort of schooling do they go through? Do you have to get a four-year degree for English Composition or what?...

In that case, I think five of us who are not yet in college should make a pact here and now to graduate from a quality university with whatever degree is required to be taken seriously, work together to create THE. PERFECT. MARVEL. UNIVERSE. and go to the Editor-In-Chief at that time and say "Thou hath found your Gods, peon. Behold! Gaze upon that which we have crafted, and will make fan-boys bow before ye', whilst female fans dressed as Emma Frost and Elektra writhe over your body, as you count the ri-****ing-diculous amount of money ye' hath made from our endeavours."

I'll be one of them, because that would be teh aWeSoMe!!1

 

[bluebeast]

woa there. I don't think you need too formal education. If you make a good product and people like it, then you get hired. Bendis was hired by Marvel for his Indie books. It could go like Geoff Jones though for DC where he started working for them right away while an intern for Richard Donner. It's all about quality.

 

[Scarecrow]

I agree with the quality thing, but I'd imagine if you take several people who:
1) Generally enjoy comics in most formats/from most publishers
2) Are genuinely creative enough/write frequently/would have the capability to write the best they can, with a great understanding of literature in any form to begin with
3) Give them an education that provides an understanding on how to keep your creativity without burning out, as well as a grasp of how language works and how stories should be paced, all the crap that goes into excellent writing etc, etc, etc...

...that they'd be able to create the Ideal Marvel Universe.

Take the required basics (Humanity hates mutants, ethical issues of government controlled heroes/genetic engineering, the question of the presence of true deities, Peter Parker's accidental empowering, "Something scientific happened and now the four of us are fantastic!"), give the story beautiful art, and create epic story-telling that pleases the masses, touches on everything it means to be human by showing us super-humans, makes people both captivated by the events AND think about them in intelligent perspectives...and create something wholly wonderful, breath-taking, and most of all fulfilling for both the writer and the readers.

 

[TwilightEL]

I agree with the quality thing, but I'd imagine if you take several people who:
1) Generally enjoy comics in most formats/from most publishers
2) Are genuinely creative enough/write frequently/would have the capability to write the best they can, with a great understanding of literature in any form to begin with
3) Give them an education that provides an understanding on how to keep your creativity without burning out, as well as a grasp of how language works and how stories should be paced, all the crap that goes into excellent writing etc, etc, etc...

...that they'd be able to create the Ideal Marvel Universe.

Take the required basics (Humanity hates mutants, ethical issues of government controlled heroes/genetic engineering, the question of the presence of true deities, Peter Parker's accidental empowering, "Something scientific happened and now the four of us are fantastic!"), give the story beautiful art, and create epic story-telling that pleases the masses, touches on everything it means to be human by showing us super-humans, makes people both captivated by the events AND think about them in intelligent perspectives...and create something wholly wonderful, breath-taking, and most of all fulfilling for both the writer and the readers.

It's called Earth X and they didn't even have to reboot for it.

 

[Scarecrow]

Well, I suppose the Earth X line pretty much fits the bill, doesn't it?
I don't know, I suppose I am picturing Earth X or Universe X as a continuously ongoing series for each character or team...

So Spider-Man X, Fantastic Four X, Marvel Heroes X, X-Men X,...

Obviously the titles shouldn't use X because X-Men X sounds sucky.

 

[Obsidian Thought]

The main problem I have with any writer that comes on to the UU, is that they're not taking full advantage of it. I want to see some brand-spanking new characters and groups in the UU. I'm one of the readers who want the UU to be as different and apart from 616 U as possible. I think alot of people tend to dislike the UU because they want it to be a carbon copy of the 616 U. I don't.

 

[E]

"The Ultimate Universe was created to be a streamlined, more efficient version of the original Marvel Universe. Now that the Marvel Universe is better than the Ultimate Universe is there a point to it?
We think that they should make the comics that are late/bad, not late/bad and better or just dump them."​

So you know, when the Ultimate Universe was at its height, the above paragraph was the thought of the day with the two universes switched round, "The End of the Marvel Universe?"

So, so true.

 

[Lynx]

I stopped reading when they said USM was the best title. :roll:

But in all seriousness, I think the UU has gotten too far away from what it was supposed to be. It's now riddled with continuity errors, bad writing and is completely directionless. Hell, most of the UU is now stale.

If they were to do a limited new universe, I'd probably pick it up. But, I'm done with the UU.

 

[Ninja4peace]

The guy being interviewed seems to have forgotten, there are some people who started reading the ultimate universe and never got into marvel. I've read a fair bit house of M, civil war and that. I just don't think I can be bothered with it anymore. I still like stand alone runs of comics people have done, like New X-men and Astonishing X-men, JMS's run on ASM up until the other, most of Marvel Knights Daredevil. I just hate the things they've been cooking up recently that have crap storylines and are only made to sell. I think if I could go back in time and tell myself don't bother with new avengers don't bother with civil war, just read the wikipedia summary if you need to know whats going on, I probably would.
Also the fact that I'm getting a bit tired of superheroes we've had since forever. The only decent new superhero i read is Invincible, apart from that all I've got is re-inventions of old heroes...admitadly sometimes they rock..ennis's punisher, Jms's squadron supreme..some Ultimate stuff but I don't know...I guess I just like comics you can just read and understand, you don't have to read this weeks crossover to understand what's going on.

If they decide to end the UU I'd at least hope they did something cool with it. like age of ultimate apocalypse and have a reboot...(if they really think it needs one)..into a dystopia. I don't think they'll stop the ultimate line...they still sell and they sell to a fan base that won't necessarily just buy 616 comics if there are no ultimate ones.

 

[Joe Kalicki]

From New Joe Fridays.


In a recent article on IGN.com, they discussed how the Ultimate Universe is no longer needed; stating that it no longer generates fresh entertaining material. They said that with the core universe (616) pumping out all great interesting stories, there wasn't much use for the Ultimate universe or comics (except USM) anymore. How would you respond to this? Will we eventually see the demise of the Ultimate Universe?

JQ: Are these conversations similar to the ones that occurred when we originally announced the Ultimate Universe and everyone said it was a waste of time or doomed to failure? [laughs]

I, of course, kid, STL, but it does make me wonder how much weight needs to be put on discussions like this, especially when the Ultimate Universe is still incredibly healthy and any publishing company would love to have something like it and certainly the sales and quality of work that it produces.

So, my response is simple, wait and see what we have planned. There is only so much stuff we can do without putting everyone into overload. We have been very aware that things have been radically shaking and changing in the Marvel U and it's because of that that any Ultimate "event" plans we have, have been pushed back in order to give all these things breathing room so fear not, there is a big cloud of change coming and it's just over the horizon.

In the meantime, I think the books are kicking major ***** and continuing the excellence that they're known for.

 

[E]

From New Joe Fridays.


In a recent article on IGN.com, they discussed how the Ultimate Universe is no longer needed; stating that it no longer generates fresh entertaining material. They said that with the core universe (616) pumping out all great interesting stories, there wasn't much use for the Ultimate universe or comics (except USM) anymore. How would you respond to this? Will we eventually see the demise of the Ultimate Universe?

JQ: Are these conversations similar to the ones that occurred when we originally announced the Ultimate Universe and everyone said it was a waste of time or doomed to failure? [laughs]

I, of course, kid, STL, but it does make me wonder how much weight needs to be put on discussions like this, especially when the Ultimate Universe is still incredibly healthy and any publishing company would love to have something like it and certainly the sales and quality of work that it produces.

So, my response is simple, wait and see what we have planned. There is only so much stuff we can do without putting everyone into overload. We have been very aware that things have been radically shaking and changing in the Marvel U and it's because of that that any Ultimate "event" plans we have, have been pushed back in order to give all these things breathing room so fear not, there is a big cloud of change coming and it's just over the horizon.

In the meantime, I think the books are kicking major ***** and continuing the excellence that they're known for.

He can talk all he wants, but he can't argue that the numbers aren't even close to what they used to be.

 

[Ice]

He can talk all he wants, but he can't argue that the numbers aren't even close to what they used to be.

That is true. They have slipped down in sales.

But as long as they still sell in enough numbers that works to keep the books going, they'll still keep making them.

 

[E]

That is true. They have slipped down in sales.

But as long as they still sell in enough numbers that works to keep the books going, they'll still keep making them.

That is true, of course, but that's absolutely the worst attitude he could take with this.

 

[Ice]

That is true, of course, but that's absolutely the worst attitude he could take with this.

Oh yeah, of course.

For something that is loosing steam, you have to have a better attitude than just "I heard this before. Let's move on."

 

[ourchair]

For something that is loosing steam, you have to have a better attitude than just "I heard this before. Let's move on."

The sad thing is I'm absolutely certain that five to ten years from now Quesada will say otherwise. Simply because everything is clear in hindsight.

Just ask Jim Shooter.

 

[Bass]

All I can think of is "All Out of Love" by Air Supply, but with the title being "All Out of Plot".

 

[ourchair]

All I can think of is "All Out of Love" by Air Supply, but with the title being "All Out of Plot".

That's brilliant. Somebody needs to make a YouTube karaoke of this, with the lyrics subtitled over a series of really bad panels from the Ultimate line, and using cheap MIDI music.