I thought this issue was great. Great story, pacing, artwork, and foreshadowing. Almost perfect in my opinion, and my favourite issue so far for Ultiamtes 2.
Okay, read it and enjoyed it but I'm kind of glad the team for Ultimates 3 will change. I'm not very keen on the concept of Ultimate reserves. I don't like armies of Giant Men, Iron Men, and Super Soliders. Also, I thought the government still couldn't break the Super Solider serum so when did they fix that for the Soliders? Also, I kind of saw this coming a mile away. Ever since the traitor story began, I knew it was Cap. He was the obvious choice. The one thing about the Ultimate universe is to make it as similar yet different to the 616 as possible. Well to keep things in line, thaw out a WWII cap in a new era and have him try to cope with the new world. In the 616, he secluded himself from the government and became the Captain. To make things different, they simply did the other extreme, have him fight the government. Also, the Black Widow in armor idea sucks. My only hope is that Rocketman 2, who took out Cap, turns out to be James Rhodes.
I only flicked through it (waiting for the TPB) but I have a feeling that perhaps Cap isn't the traitor. It's far to obvious, and one thing I've learned about the Ultimate series of books is never expect the expected.
I just went through all of v2 to now.... I thought it'd be Cap if only because the story would be "unexpected," but after reading #8, it's possible he's being framed. I'll go into more later, but I think after reading the Loeb interview re: ULTIMATES V3, I'm getting the feeling that all this will lead to the Ultimates... ...Being no longer part of the government. ...Becoming the "Ultimate Avengers."
It's definetely not him. That would be too obvious, not to mention the fact he's Captain America, and the real deal at that. Also he's in Ultimates 3. I think it could be Fury, though I hope not because he's friggin Samuel L Jackson.
And once the new creative team takes over the ultimates will be transformed from a blockbuster event to another mindless marvel superhero comic. Marvel is slowly beginning to destroy its ultimate line of comics. The galactus series will be another major letdown, and Ultimates volume 3 will be a continued step in that direction.
Any chance I could borrow that time machine of yours? I really like to find out the winning numbers for the next Powerball drawing.
Meh...I wish the cover had been a bit different, just so that I wouldn't have immediately thought (upon picking it up), "Holy shit, it IS Cap!" Some more suspense would've been nice... Hawkeye, dead or alive? Wanda had her phone in this issue (which she would logically carry in her purse). Quicksilver could be playing real dumb. I was really hoping for a clear yes/no on the matter, too. Cap is being framed, or manipulated. Either way, Loki is to blame, and I fully expect Thor to gloriously return and save the day. I suppose I was just wanting MORE from this issue than what I was given. Also, the usage of 2 page ads in several of Marvel's comics is REALLY jarring. I could go for maybe one of these spreads, but there were too goddamn many in this month's comic.
Initially I didn't like the Ultimates characterization in the early issues of Vol 1, but when I read Vol 2, I really warmed up to the series. However, I like it enough to keep following it and enjoying it, yet dislike it enough to accept this major shift from Millar/Hitch to Loeb/Madureira.
And, like I've said in other threads, if the villian(s) are right (ie, Ultron and the Vision), a more action-oriented take wouldn't come off so badly. So far, the Ultimates haven't really fought a "supervillian" yet...sure, Hulk and Thor and space aliens, but no one really set on just conquering the world instead of simply blowing it up. I'm hopeful about Ultimates 3.
