Ultimate X-Men (2024)

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Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men 2024.jpg
Ultimate X-Men #8
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
ScheduleMonthly
Format Ongoing series
GenreSuper Hero
Publication dateMarch 2024 – present
No. of issues10
Main character(s) Armor
Maystorm
Nico Minoru
Mori
Natsu Tsukishima
Shinobu Kageyama
Creative team
Created byInspired by the X-Men by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee
Written by Peach Momoko (primary writer), Zack Davisson (script adaptation) [1]
Artist(s)Peach Momoko
Letterer(s) Vc Travis Lanham
Editor(s)Wilson Moss

Ultimate X-Men is a reimagination of the X-Men in the Ultimate Universe, written and illustrated by Peach Momoko with script adaptation by Zack Davisson. Starring Armor as the lead character, the comic has very few links to the classic X-Men characters and locations. Maystorm, another character from the series, was initially created as a variant cover for issue 27 of the 2021–2024 X-Men comic.

Contents

Publication history

Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko with Zack Davisson is the third comic released in the Ultimate Universe line, alongside Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Black Panther. It is a reimagination of the X-Men in general, and the Armor character in particular. The comic also introduces Maystorm, a character that Momoko designed for the variant cover of X-Men #27. [2] That cover was part of a larger project named "New Champions", which produced covers reflecting unexpected sidekicks of other superheroes, such as the recently-created Spider-Boy; Maystorm was the first one to be used in an actual story, while the others would show up in the Spider-Woman comic. [3] Despite being an X-Men comic, the comic has very little in common with the usual products of the franchise. Momoko explained "My Ultimate X-Men isn't directly influenced by classic X-Men stories. I like to believe [Editor-in-Chief] C.B. [Beluski] and Jonathan Hickman chose me because they wanted something completely new and different, so I think sometimes no influences is a good thing". [4] In the second volume, the series is revealed to be set in the same continuity as Momoko's 2021 Demon Days anthology the "Momoko-verse", with Kanon Sainouchi being a descendant of Sai. [5]

The comic Ultimate Wolverine was released in 2025. Although it features Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Colossus and Magik, prominent characters from the X-Men franchise, the comic is largely unrelated to Ultimate X-Men. [6]

Plot

"Fears And Hates" (#1–6)

Hisako Ichiki attends Kirigaya Minami Middle School in Kirisaki City. She can manifest a psionic exoskeleton, a power that awakens in traumatic circumstances regarding Shinobu Kageyama and his Shadow King form. Other students, such as Mei Igarashi and Nico Minoru, have powers as well. Mei has weather-based powers and is a fan of Storm. Nico has magic-based abilities. They find out that they are mutants, and that there is a cult of mutants called the Children of the Atom led by Maester who go after them. Their activity also catches the attention of Kanon Sainouchi and her police officer brother Tatsuya when a briefcase with human remains are found and Tatsuya had to sign a non-disclosure agreement from Emperor Sunfire's minion Viper. As Natsu Tsukishima manifests an eye beam from her right eye while protecting Mori, Armor meets Chimone from the 8-Chome Channel. Maester tells the Children of the Atom that it's time to step out of the shadows as Noriko Ashida secretly live-streams the event. When one of the followers asks if the world is coming to an end, Maester quotes "Yes". [7]

"Children of the Atom" (#7–12)

As news about the leaked video is made known, Maester tries to get through to Viper about the situation. Shinobu encounters Akihiro who claims that he is the first homo superior and had given his blood to the Children of the Atom. Mei has her encounter with Noriko where they fought each other and over the Children of the Atom's actions. She accidentally injures Noriko who turns down Mei's offer to call an ambulance as "they'll come after her" if they know and to call her mom instead. Protests erupt over the mutants on the streets as Maester tells the Children of the Atom that they will show the people who is superior. Some of the Children of the Atom attack the persisting reporters. Tsubasa's Shadow King form attacks some people pressuring Hisako in giving them information causing Hisako to reveal her abilities to her mother. Natsu Tsukishima accidentally kills her mother with her left eye optic blast. Reporters try interviewing mutants who have no connection with the Children of the Atom. Hisako visits Nico where Mori shows her the information regarding the mutants. Someone later breaks into the abandoned office of the Children of the Atom and claims a mask. Nico Minoru and Mori later sneak into Natsu's room and found what appears to be a bullet hole in one of the doors. After a chat with Mei where she mentioned encountering some members of the Children of the Atom, Hisako visits the temple behind Kirigawa Minami Middle School where she meets Kanon Sainouchi who states that she is the descendant of Sai. Both of them end of unleashing their abilities during this confrontation when Kanon manages to briefly break her "armored" form. Mei Igarashi meets some members of the Children of the Atom while wearing a mask and takes the name Maystorm as Shinobu Kageyama's Shadow King form appears and starts taunting them as some mysterious obscured people show up. Maystorm states that she's here to save the Children of the Atom as someone secretly films this encounter. [8]

Collected editions

#TitleMaterial collectedFormatPagesReleasedISBN
1Fears And HatesUltimate X-Men (2024) #1–6 and material from Ultimate Universe (2023)TPB168November 5, 2024 978-1302957315
2Children of the AtomUltimate X-Men (2024) #7–12TPB136May 27, 2025 978-1302958336

Reception

Chase Magnett from ComicBook.com points out that the comic has little relation with the broader narrative of the Ultimate Universe, the usual X-Men tropes, or even the superhero genre. He thinks that the comic aims to expand the franchise's genre boundaries. [9]

Shaun Corley from Screen Rant points out that the comic skips almost all the key characters and elements of X-Men lore, such as the X-Mansion and Sentinels, and characters such as Professor X, Cyclops, Wolverine and Storm. He considers that, by doing so, Momoko focuses instead on the core theme of the X-Men, that of people feeling lonely in a world that fears them. [10]

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References

  1. https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781302957315
  2. Cameron Bonomolo (January 23, 2024). "Ultimate X-Men Writer Teases "Something Completely New and Different"". ComicBook.com . Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  3. Jonathan Jones (March 13, 2024). ""The New Champions": The Avengers' Sidekicks Are Entering Marvel Lore with a Shocking Hero Mentor". Screen Rant . Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  4. Hassan, Chris (January 22, 2024). "X-Men Monday #236 – Peach Momoko Talks 'Ultimate X-Men'". AIPT. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  5. Ultimate X-Men vol. 2 #10 (December 2024, cover-dated February 2025). Marvel Comics.
  6. Connolly, Spencer (January 19, 2025). "Marvel Unveils 2 Ultimate X-Men As the Universe Takes a Very Dark Turn". Screen Rant . Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  7. Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2 #1-6. Marvel Comics.
  8. Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2 #7-11. Marvel Comics.
  9. Chase Magnett (March 6, 2024). "Ultimate X-Men #1 Review: A Brilliant New Tale of Horror and Fantasy (and Superheroes?)". ComicBook.com . Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  10. Corley, Shaun (March 7, 2024). "Ultimate X-Men #1 Is a Daring Reinvention That Makes the Franchise New Again (Review)". Screen Rant . Retrieved August 16, 2024.