Marvel's Ultimates Suffer a Tragic Death at the Hands of The Hulk

The first time The Ultimates officially assemble results in a beatdown for the team, and an unexpected death. The Ultimate Universe version of the Avengers have been fighting back against The Maker’s evil council, who have been controlling the world from the shadows. Tony Stark, taking on the codename Iron Lad, has recruited several heroes throughout The Ultimates, including Wasp and Giant-Man, America Chavez, She-Hulk, and Hawkeye. With their numbers growing, the Ultimates decide now is the time to strike at the Maker’s Council for a rescue mission. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned when they’re faced with Bruce Banner’s Hulk. One fight later, and the Ultimates are down one team member. WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for The Ultimates #6. Continue reading at your own risk!

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Ultimates #6 comes from the creative team of Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, and VC’s Travis Lanham. Tony Stark gathers the Ultimates in front of a door to a Damage Control black site that’s holding over a dozen super-powered prisoners. This is the first time we’ve seen the entire team of Ultimates together at one time, as they prepare to storm the site to rescue the prisoners. Everyone except Doom (Reed Richards) goes on the mission, which turns out to be their saving grace since Doom is able to teleport them back home once the mission goes terribly wrong.

Once Iron Lad blasts the door open, the Ultimates find themselves not in a black site, but at the Immortal City of K’un-Lun. Hulk rules over all seven of Heaven’s capital cities, turning his rage into peace. However, he’s not afraid to mix it up, knocking She-Hulk out with one blow. Hulk then activates his immortal instruments, and they begin attacking the Ultimates. The heroes stand no chance against Hulk and his army, and just as it looks like Hulk is about to kill She-Hulk, Doom teleports the Ultimates to safety. The final page reveals the mission was not without casaulties, as She-Hulk declares, “Iron Lad is dead!”

Ultimate Hulk smashes Tony Stark like a bug

Ultimate Hulk is much different than the Hulk on the main Marvel universe of Earth-616. We’ve seen evil versions of the Hulk before, most notably Maestro and Hulk from Old Man Logan. But this is a Hulk who has mastered the mystic arts, who is more monk than the “always angry” behemoth we’ve seen before in other stories. When he’s confronted by the Ultimates, he offers them tea instead of instantly fighting. But once She-Hulk goes on the offensive, Hulk easily takes her out with one punch from his Atomic Iron Fist. Seeing as they are in K’un-Lun, it appears Hulk has mastered the fabled Iron Fist.

Once the fighting starts, the Ultimates are no match for their adversaries. Was is eaten by Fat Cobra, and while Giant-Man thinks she’s dead, she embiggens and explodes out of Fat Cobra’s stomach. Tony Stark is no match for Hulk, who hits Iron Lad with precision strikes on the power level of an atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Hulk finishes Tony off by picking him up by his arms and squeezing the life out of his body. We can see Iron Lad’s armor crumbling from the force, causing a defeaning crunch sound.

She-Hulk valiantly tries to step in, but Hulk also injures her by crushing her right hand and fingers. Hulk’s killing blow to She-Hulk is only interrupted by Doom’s teleportation of the team. The gamma running through She-Hulk’s body is the only thing healing her hand, though the same can’t be said for Tony Stark.

Marvel reveals Ultimate Wolverine and Nick Fury

Next up for the Ultimate Universe is the end-of-year one-shot Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1. The comic contains the first appearance of Ultimate Nick Fury, as well as Ultimate Wolverine, aka the Maker’s secret weapon known as the Winter Soldier.

“With Ultimate Universe: One Year In, my goals were simple: Create an entryway for new readers into the Ultimate Universe; reward longtime readers, especially those who have wanted more connective tissue between the Ultimate books; AND set the stage for the next year of stories, as we build towards the return of the Maker,” Camp said. “All this while telling a complete and satisfying one-issue story from the bad guys’ point of view! It’s going to be dark, it’s going to be kind of cruel, and, thanks to Jonas Scharf, it’s going to be beautiful.”

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