Ultimate X-Men

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Ultimate X-Men
Cover to Ultimate X-Men #65. Art by Stuart Immonen.
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Publication date	February 2001 - present
Main character(s)	The X-Men: Angel Beast Cyclops Colossus Dazzler Firestar Iceman Marvel Girl Nightcrawler Professor X Psylocke Pyro Rogue Storm Syndicate Toad Wolverine Former X-Men: Bishop Magician Shadowcat
Creative team
Writer(s)	Mark Millar (#1-12, 15-33) Chuck Austen (#13-14) Geoff Johns (#1/2) Brian Michael Bendis (#34-45) Brian K. Vaughan (#46-65, Annual #1) Robert Kirkman (#66-93, Annual #2) Aron Eli Coleite (#94-)
Penciller(s)	Adam Kubert (#1-4, 7-8, 10-11, 15-17, 20-22, 25, 29, 31-33) Andy Kubert (#5-6, 50-53) Tom Raney (#9, 66-68, 72-74, Annual #1) Adam Kubert and Tom Derenick (#12) Esad Ribic (#13-14) Aaron Lopresti (#1/2) Chris Bachalo (#18-19, Ultimate War #1-4) Kaare Andrews (#23-24) Ben and Ray Lai (#26) David Finch (#27-28, 30, 34-45) Brandon Peterson (#46-49) Stuart Immonen (#54-57, 59-65) Steve Dillon (#58) Ben Oliver (#69-71, 75-76, 78, 81) Salvador Larroca (Annual #2, 88-??) Yanick Paquette (#77, 79-80, 84-88) Pascal Alixe (#82-83) Max Brooks (#94-)
Creator(s)	Bill Jemas Joe Quesada Mark Millar Adam Kubert

Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Ultimate X-Men is a modern reimagining of Marvel's X-Men franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel publishing imprint.

The protagonists are the X-Men, a group of mutants whose unusual genetics grant them super powers. This sets them apart from the rest of humanity. They are led by Professor Charles Xavier, the world's most powerful telepath. Although the series has an action-oriented slant, the series also includes topics related to minorities, such as racism, intolerance, prejudice, and coming out. Readers familiar with the original X-Men may recognize many familiar characters and storylines. However, Ultimate X-Men almost completely ignores supernatural or mystical elements as plot devices. The X-Men have no secret identities, and mutants are a recognized minority rather than mistrusted and hunted down.

The series began in 2001 under writer Mark Millar and artist Adam Kubert. As of May 2008, it is currently written by Aron Coleite and penciled by Mark Brooks.

[edit] Publishing history

Main article: Ultimate X-Men (story arcs)

Upon its release in February 2001, Ultimate X-Men was the second comic of the Ultimate Marvel line, preceded a few months by its sister title Ultimate Spider-Man. The heads of the Ultimate Universe, Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada, originally tried to hire Brian Michael Bendis to write the title, but he declined.^[1] Marvel hired Scottish writer Mark Millar, who best known at the time for his run on The Authority, because of his ignorance of the X-Men franchise. With the first X-Men movie as his only reference, Millar reinvented the X-Men.^[2] As a result, Millar's original X-Men consisted of telepath Professor X, Cyclops, whose eyes shoot concussive beams, telepathic/telekinetic Jean Grey, weather-manipulating Storm, simian genius Beast, metal-skinned Colossus, and cryokinetic Iceman. With the exception of Beast and Colossus, these mutants were also featured in the first X-Men movie.

Common to the Millar period was an edgy tone, featuring quick action-driven plots and less moral X-Men. For instance, Wolverine tries to kill Cyclops in "Return of the King" because he is envious of Jean's love. In an interview with Sequential Tart, Millar commented: "You're not competing with Cartoon Network on these books; you're competing with 'Buffy'. (...) Superhero comics aren't adult, but they shouldn't be written for five year olds either."^[2] As a side note, Millar also hinted at Colossus' possible homosexuality. Millar shaped Ultimate X-Men into a commercial hit, consistently outselling its sister titles, X-Treme X-Men and Uncanny X-Men and staying just behind Grant Morrison's experimental and popular New X-Men run.^[3]

After Mark Millar's run, Ultimate Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis took over for a year. Bendis stated that he was going to interpret his run in a more character-driven way, especially concerning Wolverine, who had previously tried to kill his teammate Cyclops.^[1] Bendis' run was marked by the relative absence of major villains and was also notorious for killing Beast, who was killed when a Sentinel attacked the White House during Frost's public disclosure of her school. This made the character the first dead Ultimate X-Man. As a side note, Ultimate X-Men #40 features what Marvel claims to be the first marriage proposal in a comic book letters column, which is answered in Ultimate X-Men #44 with a positive response.

The third Ultimate X-Men writer was Brian K. Vaughan, more known at the time for his work on Y: The Last Man. His run was marked by the relative absence of Wolverine as the main character and the re-imagination of second-string X-Men characters who he felt were underused or "shoehorned". He introduced Mr. Sinister as a mutant-killing scientist with hypnotic/ stealth powers in The Tempest (#46-49), German twins Fenris as mutant corporate criminals in Cry Wolf (#50-53), as well as Mojo and Longshot, respectively, as a corrupt TV producer and a mutant felon in The Most Dangerous Game (#54-57). It is worth mentioning that both are of non-alien origin in this world and have the civilian names "Mojo Adams" and "Arthur Centino", a play on their creators' names, specifically writer Ann Nocenti and artist Art Adams. Further arcs were centered on Professor X (#58) and Deathstrike in Shock and Awe (#59-60). Lady Deathstrike possesses adamantium claws and regenerative powers. Vaughan also reintroduces Emma Frost's mutant team and Magneto in Magnetic North (#61-65). As a side note, his run finally confirmed Ultimate Colossus' homosexuality.^[4]

[edit] Commercial success

Ultimate X-Men quickly established itself as a hit comic, lauded by critics and popular with the fans. The following table shows the development of comic sales in comparison to the mainstream titles.^[5]

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Ultimate X-Men characters

[edit] X-Men

• Professor Charles Xavier, telepath and telekinetic Charles Xavier, is the founder and patron of the X-Men. He is an idealist and a pacifist, but less saintly than his mainstream counterpart. The Professor possesses vast knowledge and acquires advanced surgical skills he gleans from reading surgeons' minds (The Tomorrow People). He is the ex-husband of Dr. Moira MacTaggert with which he had a son named David. He has been in relationships with Emma Frost and Mystique. He suffered a spinal injury at the hands of his old friend, Magneto during an escape from his increasingly-militaristic island society, the Savage Land, an injury that left him a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair. Recently, he has started a business relationship with the mysterious Lilandra, the majestrix of the pagan Shi'ar cult. After Jean Grey is kidnapped by the time-traveling Cable, Professor Xavier reveals to Cyclops that he is in love with her. Professor X is seemingly killed when he dives to protect Cyclops from a bomb that Cable detonates. It is subsequently revealed that he did not die, but was transported to Cable's future.

• Angel, Warren Worthington III, is a handsome, shy, winged mutant. He is Dazzler's boyfriend before she is put into a coma. Currently "expelled" from the X-Men, although in reality is spying on Emma Frost for Xavier. Without Bishop's consent, Dazzler has recruited him to be a part of the new X-Men much to Bishop's disdain. Angel is later killed as by Sinister as part of Apocalypse's resurrection, but is restored to life by the Phoenix.

• Beast, simian mutant and genius Henry "Hank" McCoy, is turned into a blue, furry beast by the insidious Weapon X project. He serves as the team's elite engineer, upgrading the Blackbird and Danger Room sequences. When chatting online to the Blob (pretending to be an interested girl), he accidentally reveals Magneto survived Xavier's earlier attack. He has a troubled romance with Storm until he is killed in a Sentinel attack. It is revealed that Hank has been alive all this time, secretly working for S.H.I.E.L.D. on the Legacy Virus, until he escapes to return to the X-Men.

• Bishop, time traveler Lucas Bishop traveled from the future to the present in an attempt to save Charles Xavier from Cable, but failed and is now stuck in the past. Bishop is currently reforming the X-Men with mutants he knows will become legends in the future. He has recruited Storm, Pyro, Dazzler, Angel, Wolverine and Psylocke to his cause. Wolverine stabbed and killed Bishop after he stopped the X-Men from preventing Angel's death.

• Colossus, Piotr "Peter" Rasputin, can turn into organic steel and reluctantly works as an arms smuggler before joining the X-Men and is hinted to be a closet homosexual for much of the earlier series before finally coming out.^[6] He has a younger sister called Illyana, who does not seem to have any mutant powers. His homosexuality has been a major point of contention with his friend, Nightcrawler. He has recently left the team to live with his boyfriend, Northstar.

• Cyclops, Scott Summers, whose eyes emit concussive blasts, is the boy scout-like X-Men field leader. Initially shy and aloof, he learns to be an unrivaled leader and pursue his interests, notably the love of Jean Grey, an interest that has often put him at odds with his teammate Wolverine. He revisits his dead parents in a dream world he calls "Corsair". After the "death" of Xavier, Cyclops disbands the X-Men to utilize the school as a safe haven and educational center for mutants.

• Dazzler, Allison "Ali" Blaire, is a tough-as-nails rock singer with photovoltaic powers who is heavily pierced and tattooed and wears slashed clothing. She becomes Angel's girlfriend after he takes the blame for something she does. She is stabbed and put into a coma by Storm's old mentor, Yuriko Oyama, a.k.a. Lady Deathstrike. During her recovery, Nightcrawler develops an obsessive crush on her, eventually culminating in him kidnapping her when she awakens. She then leaves the team in disgust when Xavier tries to rehabilitate him. Bishop later recruits Dazzler as a member of his new X-Men team.

• Iceman, Robert "Bobby" Drake is a hot-headed youth with cold-based powers, who is in the throes of puberty, but loyal to the X-Men's cause. He is very fickle, pursuing girls then losing interest and back to being interested again as he has with Rogue. He has a fear of Magneto and is often seen eating or playing video games. Recently he rekindled his relationship with Rogue when her absorbing powers were halted after she absorbed Gambit's powers for an extended period of time.

• Marvel Girl, telepathic and telekinetic Jean Grey, is outgoing and sarcastic, but also a very responsible young woman and is the unofficial second-in-command behind Cyclops. After an affair with Wolverine, she begins a steady relationship with Cyclops. She has difficulties controlling her Phoenix powers when she is angry.

• Nightcrawler, the Bavarian mutant teleporter Kurt Wagner, is a former Weapon X prisoner. He has a crush on Dazzler, and is resentful that she chose Angel instead of him. Despite his own struggles with being rejected for being different, he is uncomfortable with Colossus' homosexuality and shuns him as a friend. He was being kept sedated after a failed attempt to kidnap Dazzler, but eventually escaped after Xavier's "death". Nightcrawler would go on to not only join the Morlocks, but become their chosen leader.

• Psylocke, Betsy Braddock first appeared in the "World Tour" arc during which she was assigned to search for Xavier's son, David (known in the mainstream Marvel universe as Legion). During the investigation, however, Betsy was possessed by David and he almost succeeded in killing Xavier and the X-men. Betsy managed to overcome the possession for a brief moment and Colossus dropped a car on her, killing both Betsy and Proteus. Betsy's consciousness survived, however, somehow moving into the comatose body of an Asian girl called Kwannon. A volatile mutant who creates 'psychic grenades' and is the most powerful telepath in England, she was later recruited by Bishop into his new X-Men.

• Pyro, a pyrokinetic mutant whose name in this continuity remains unknown. First encountered by Nightcrawler after the supposed death of the Professor, Pyro formerly was a member of the Morlocks, but decided to instead try and join the X-Men. This goal was achieved after Bishop and Storm recruited him onto the team. Psylocke decided to send him undercover into the Mutant Liberation Front as a spy, a post he was forced to abandon when the Front was attacked by Sentinels. Pyro then rejoined his teammates.

• Rogue, Marian, originally drains life-force and memories on skin contact. She is abducted into the Weapon X program under unknown circumstances. Like her mainstream counterpart, she can absorb mutant powers. When she is liberated, she first joins the Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy, then defects to the X-Men, then leaves the team in the company of Gambit after her boyfriend Bobby Drake, cheats on her with Kitty Pryde. After absorbing his powers, which lasted for an extended period of time, during a battle with Juggernaut (in which Gambit died), she had his red-on-black eyes and inherited his energy charging powers. This negated her absorbing power and she became able to touch people without draining their abilities or memories as shown when she and her ex-boyfriend, Iceman, had sex on "Date Night". These powers have since faded, leaving her with her previous absorbing powers.

• Shadowcat, Kitty Pryde, can walk through walls. She is a young but dedicated girl. Like her mainstream counterpart, her devotion to her Jewish faith is evidenced by her ever-present Star of David. In Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1 she begins dating Peter Parker, better known as Spider-Man. She left the team to live with her mother in Queens, where she is now enrolled in Peter Parker's high school. Her relationship with Peter has ended, however, and she has shown an interest in dating Peter's classmate Kenny "Kong" McFarlane.

• Storm, Ororo Munroe, like the phenomena from which she takes her name, has a unique mutant ability which allows her to harness and manipulate forces of nature. Calling upon the elements she can manifest violent storms, summon lightning from a benign sky, create blizzards instantly and even whip up winds to bear her aloft. A car thief that hails from Morocco, Ororo tempers between the voice of reason among X-Men, and a rebel with a cause. Between the purported death of her first boyfriend Beast, her fleeting relationships with the Wolverine, and her role as second-in-command of Bishop's X-Men, Ororo has garnered a degree of self-confidence, a stylish haircut and a love for black leather heels, but it is her passion that keeps her driving on toward a brighter tomorrow.

• Syndicate: Conjoined twins, working as a private agent for Professor X. Never seen with the rest of the X-Men until Ultimate X-Men #93 where they became X-Men. Their heart gives off EMP, and can create a charge.

• Toad: A deformed Mutant that has bulging yellow eyes, green skin, and webbed hands and feet. Toad and jump great distances and height, is superstrong and agile, can spit a heavy mucous that can harden into a shell, and has a long prehensile tongue that he can use as good as his four limbs. In the beginning Toad was a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants. When Cyclops joined the Brotherhood for a time he and Toad became friends. When Magneto disappeared Toad came to the X-men school to be a gym teacher. Though Jean Grey disapproved, Cyclops stuck up for Toad. Toad has helped the X-men in several occasions since then and he has officially become an X-men when Prof. X returned from the future and Phoenix defeated Apocalypse. Toad now wears an X-men bandanna much like the one Iceman used to wear.

• Wolverine, James "Logan" Howlett, has animal instincts and extreme regeneration powers. He is turned into an amnesiac, emotionless killer by Weapon X. He resurfaces as the cold-blooded elite assassin of Magneto and infiltrates the X-Men to kill Professor X. He betrays Magneto, however, and joins the X-Men after coming to understand and believe in Xavier's cause. Over the course of the series in between attacks by former members of Weapon X, Wolverine has searched for answers regarding his long forgotten past.

[edit] Villains and supporting cast

Ultimate X-Men introduced revised versions of classic X-Men villains, such as mutant supremacist, would-be world conqueror, and evil genius mastermind Magneto and his anti-human, genetic terrorist group Brotherhood of Mutants, the amoral, Mengele-like mutant superweapon project Weapon X, the shady Hellfire Club and many more. In addition, the Academy of Tomorrow is the Ultimate Marvel version of a spin-off X-Men team called the New Mutants, in this world consisting of headmistress Emma Frost, who can turn her skin into organic diamond, Cyclops' older brother Havok (Alex Summers), who shoots concussive blasts from his hands, airborne Sam Guthrie a.k.a. Cannonball, non-mutant genius Doug Ramsey a.k.a. Cypher, Canadian speedster Jean-Paul Beaubier a.k.a. Northstar, Havok's girlfriend Lorna Dane, the magnekinetic Polaris, Roberto da Costa, the Brazilian solar-powered Sunspot, and recently Angel. In addition, the Shi'ar are a religious movement, led by "Majestrix Lilandra". They worship the "Phoenix God", which they think is reincarnated in the X-Man Marvel Girl (Jean Grey). The Ultimate version of Cable is revealed to be a future version of Wolverine, who kidnaps Charles Xavier in attempt at preventing the coming of Apocalypse.

"Syndicate" is the name of two mutant, psi-resistant conjoined twins named Luke and Matthew. They try to rob a bank to help their terminally ill sister, but are stopped by Professor X. Realizing their plight, he gives them a chance to redeem themselves by working as his private agents. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Steve Dillon, they first appeared in Ultimate X-Men #58 2005. The characters have an unusual heart which pumps out electromagnetic pulses with each beat; this disables almost any electrical system. Their interlinked brain matter also makes them immune to telepathic control, although they are still susceptible to mind readings.

In the shared universe of Ultimate Marvel, the X-Men have more than once crossed the paths of other superheroes: Peter Parker is a good friend of the X-Men and is Shadowcat's ex-boyfriend. The X-Men share a wary truce with Nick Fury and The Ultimates, who have been both their best benefactors ("New Mutants" arc) and worst enemies (Ultimate War) in the past. The Ultimate Fantastic Four have recently met the X-Men in Ultimate X4 and the teams are generally on amicable terms.

[edit] Environment

• The X-Men live in the so-called X-Mansion in Westchester, New York. Its location was a secret at first, but is now known to the world. It contains the Danger Room, a virtual reality dome in which the X-Men can fight against hard-light holographic enemies. It has been used several times for in-jokes and pop culture references. Once, the junior X-Men fought the Brood, and for recreation, Nightcrawler simulated scenes similar to Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings.

• Genosha is an apartheid state in which mutants are discriminated against. Krakoa is an island not far off Genosha and the place in which Mojo Adams' Hunt for Justice reality show is held.

• Muir Island is an island in the north of Scotland and the location of Dr. Moira MacTaggert's lab.

[edit] Appearances in other media

The two incarnations of Wolverine, from X-Men: Evolution. On the left his look in seasons 1 and 2, inspired by his look in the mainstream Marvel comics, on the right his look in seasons 3 and 4, inspired by Ultimate X-Men.

• In the video games X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, the characteristic tight black-and-golden costumes of Ultimate X-Men are the default outfits of the X-Men. The traditional costumes can be unlocked as throwbacks after the player has unlocked them by completing acts within the game. Additionally, many of the other characters (such as the Brotherhood) have their Ultimate costumes as their default outfit. Some characters who appear in the games do not have Ultimate X-Men costumes so instead they will either appear wearing their earth-616 ('classic') costumes or they will appear in a new costume that is in the same black-and-gold style as the Ultimate X-Men suits.^{[citation needed]}

• In the animated series X-Men: Evolution, Wolverine is wearing his Ultimate X-Men look from season 3 onwards. In the final episode Ascension, future adult versions of the teenage X-Men can be seen. Their normally bright, colorful costumes have changed into the dark Ultimate X-Men outfits.^{[citation needed]}

• Ultimate X-Men Vol. 1: The Tomorrow People appears in nine parts as an unlockable in Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects. Each part is unlocked after completing a specific bonus level.

• Wolverine, Storm, Colossus and Iceman appear in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. In the game, Colossus and Iceman have their Ultimate costumes as the default costumes worn during all cutscenes that they appear in, although it is possible to unlock their Earth-616 costumes as alternates later in the game. Wolverine and Storm appear in their current Earth-616 costumes as defaults with their Ultimate costumes as alternates. Nightcrawler also appears in his Ultimate costume during the "Escape from Castle Doom" cutscene, in which he features prominently. The Xbox 360 Hero expansion pack added Cyclops and Nightcrawler as playable characters, both have their Ultimate costumes as an alternate outfit.

[edit] Bibliography

Ultimate X-Men has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:

Ultimate X-Men also has been collected in the following hardcovers:

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Ultimate X-Men

• Ultimate X-Men/Covers at Marvel Database
• Ultimate X-Men on Marvel.com
• Ultimate X-Men at ULTIMATE X
• thexaxis.com, in-depth Ultimate X-Men issue reviews
• UncannyX-Men.net Ultimate X-Men current title info and issuesummaries
• Ultimate Central
• X-Men Fan Site Forum dedicated to Ultimate X-Men

[edit] Interviews

• Mark Millar on Ultimate X-Men
• Brian Michael Bendis on Ultimate X-Men, Newsarama
• Brian K. Vaughan on Ultimate X-Men, Newsarama
• Robert Kirkman on Ultimate X-Men, Newsarama