Ultimate Comics: X-Men was an ongoing monthly comic-book series published by Marvel Comics. It made its debut in September 2011 as part of the second re-launch of "Ultimate Marvel", though was canceled in 2013. Through the "Ultimate Universe Reborn" tagline following the "Death of Spider-Man", and written by Nick Spencer with art by Paco Medina, the series serves as a continuation of earlier titles such as Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Comics: X, and the Ultimate Comics: Fallout mini-series. This title also exists alongside other relaunched Ultimate Marvel works, including Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man and Ultimate Comics: Ultimates.
Publication preview
It was announced in May 2011 that Ultimate X-Men would be re-launched under the "Ultimate Comics Universe Reborn" tagline. Written by Nick Spencer, and illustrated by Paco Medina, the title was called Ultimate Comics: X-Men. Announced members of the X-Men included Jimmy Hudson, Kitty Pryde (returning from her departure to appear in Ultimate Spider-Man), Iceman, Rogue, and Johnny Storm (formerly of the Fantastic Four). The story also apparently expanded upon Ultimate Origins’ revelation of the mutant race actually being the result of a government bio-experiment. The first issue was released in September, along with the new re-launch of Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man and after the releases of Ultimate Comics: Fallout, Ultimate Comics: Ultimates, and Ultimate Comics: Hawkeye.
"As a result of Magneto's attack that we saw in Ultimatum, the government has taken a much more aggressive stance," Spencer said during an interview. "We're really in a Days of Future Past-type scenario." As revealed in Ultimate Origins, mutants in the Ultimate Universe are not the next step in evolution, but instead a super-soldier attempt gone wrong. Spencer said that "information is going to go public, and the entire world is going to learn that the government created mutants."
Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso also suggested a possible future crossover between Ultimate Comics: Ultimates, and whatever form the Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man series takes after Death of Spider-Man. Spencer also told Newsarama that it's a liberating feeling to be writing an X-Men comic in a world where Cyclops, Wolverine, Professor Charles Xavier, and Magneto are all dead. I think it's what makes it more exciting. These kids are living in a world where the legends are dead. This is more than just 'the dream is dead,' this is, 'both sides of the argument are dead.' That is just so much more fascinating. To me, what was really intriguing to me about where they were now is just in that. These kids have heard both sides, and seen both sides fail miserably. A lot of X-books have been built around that idea, that we're just one step away from everything going to Hell, and in the Ultimate Universe, that's happened. We're there. It's too late to put the genie back in the bottle. This relationship between humans and mutants is not going to repair itself.
Contributors
This list only includes comics already released.
Writers
Nick Spencer (#s 1–12; 2011–2012) Brian Wood (#s 13–33, 18.1; 2012–2013)
Artists
Paco Medina (#s 1–6; 2011–2012) Carlo Barberi (#s 6–8; 2012) Paco Medina (#s 9–16; 2012) Reilly Brown (#s 13–14; 2012) Carlo Barberi (#s 16–23; 2012–2013) Filipe Andrade (# 18.1; 2012) Mahmud Asrar (#s 24–28; 2013) Alvaro Martinez (#s 29–33; 2013)
Plot
Ultimate Comics: X-Men by Nick Spencer Vol. 1
Karen Grant visits the home of a young mutant named Chelsea Pleasant hoping to bring her under her guidance and protection. However, her father murders Chelsea in her sleep.
Valerie Cooper addresses the media regarding the recently released news that Mutants are being man-made at an American-funded lab based in Canada using experiments on a Mutant known as Wolverine. She states that conditions within the Mutant Internment Camps are good and, in some cases, better for some of the inmates compared to their lives before being detained. Jimmy Hudson, hearing the news about his biological father, decides to abandon both Liz Allan and Derek Morgan and travel to Canada to investigate further.
As the President of the United States also watches the news conference, he talks with Nick Fury about the situation involving Mutants and the riots. They are interrupted by Quicksilver who offers his assistance to the President, against Fury's better judgement.