Marvel's Ultimates Recruit a Young Avenger to Their Roster

America Chavez is the latest hero to be rescued by The Ultimates.

By Timothy Adams

A member of the Young Avengers is the newest Marvel hero to join The Ultimates. The Ultimate Universe version of Earth's Mightiest Heroes are back in a new ongoing series, but this is not the same Ultimate Universe that longtime Marvel fans are used to. The Maker, an evil version of Reed Richards, has traveled back in time to create his ideal world by stopping heroes from reaching their true destinies. However, a group of superheroes led by Iron Lad (Tony Stark) have stepped up as a resistance. Though their numbers are small, the Ultimates are quickly adding to their ranks, and their newest recruit is another familiar face.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for The Ultimates #2. Continue reading at your own risk!

The Ultimates #2 comes from the creative team of Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, and VC's Travis Lanham. It focuses on the Ultimates storming the White House for a showdown against Midas. There are flashback scenes that feature Tony Stark giving Captain America a holographic history lesson on the United States of the Ultimate Universe. We get quick cameos of recognizable Marvel characters like Galactus meeting Maker, mutants protesting at the Capitol for equality, Iron Man and War Machine fighting Omega Red, a Roxxon plant polluting the Savage Land, Punisher and his followers, and more.

But it's what is in the lower levels of the White House that has the Ultimates' attention. When Iron Lad blasts the floor, Midas (wearing Howard Stark's original Iron Man armor) and the Ultimates fall below. It's here that we discover Midas is keeping a superhero captive and using her energy to power the country. Midas has bathed in her cosmic radiation for an hour per day, and she's never spoken a word during her imprisonment. We don't know her identity, but she's held inside a device and we can see the radiation creating the shape of a star. And there's one superhero who can create energy bursts in the shape of a star: America Chavez. To celebrate America Chavez's Ultimates debut, Marvel released a spoiler cover for Issue #2 by artist Inhyuk Lee.

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(Photo:

Inhyuk Lee's America Chavez spoiler cover for Ultimates #2

- Marvel Comics)

How The Ultimates rescue America Chavez

As Midas beats and pounds on Captain America, Steve Rogers keeps repeating how he has to save America. This has a double meaning: yes, he wants to save America from Maker's evil council and turn it back into the country it was always destined to be. But saving America Chavez is also the mission that the Ultimates are undertaking. Just as it appears that Midas is getting the upper hand, Wasp blasts the controls of the device holding America Chavez. Captain America then breaks Midas' neck with his shield.

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"A great injustice was done to you, but things will be better now," Captain America tells America Chavez. "Can you remember your name?" As the Ultimates walk away on the White House front lawn, the issue ends with America Chavez weakly stating, "America..."

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(Photo:

The Ultimates rescuing America Chavez in Ultimates #2

- Marvel Comics)

The question remaining is will America Chavez take up the Ultimates' cause and join them? Or will she be an ally that comes and goes throughout this first year of The Ultimates series? The heroes only have 16 months before Maker emerges to reclaim what is being taken from him.

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