Ultimate Invasion #2 explores more facets of The Makers true plans while the universe grows ever more complicated. The large focus on Howard Stark is interesting, but will ultimately be pointless if not paid off later down the line. Read Full Review

Hitch delivers some beautiful art in the issue. I really love the attention to detail of the characters as well as the thrilling action. A great looking issue. Read Full Review

Ultimate Invasion #2 offers a fresh look at a world built by a supervillain's hand. Anyone not already immersed in the Maker's story may find it difficult to keep up, but the excellent art and characterization should be enough to keep all viewers entertained. As the rebirth of the Ultimate universe charges on,Ultimate Invasion continues to thrill. Read Full Review

Ultimate Invasion works mainly because of Jonathan Hickam's ability to create detailed plots around razor-sharp dialogue, expert pacing, and subtle use of action. Diehard Ultimate universe obsessives and those as clueless as I will surly enjoy this entertaining slant on the Marvel Universe. Read Full Review

Alternate versions of Marvel heroes and villains are pulled into a sci-fi spectacle with violent sequences that remind readers why Ultimates was such a hit. More answers are teased in the final few pages and they can't come soon enough. Read Full Review

There's some solid art in moments that deliver some shock. Overall, an interesting series so far but not one that really stands out as amazing yet. Read Full Review

Ultimate Invasion #2 takes a peak at the Maker's utopian society on Earth-6160, right before variant Avengers from the future arrive to kill him. The art is fantastic, and Hickman's sci-fi elements are certainly creative, but Hickman delivers more confusing questions than answers, which damages the satisfaction level. Read Full Review

Ultimate Invasion #2 is another disappoint issue that is only saved by strong artwork. The pacing for the story always feels like it is disconnected with the aspirations for this event. This is certainly not hitting nowhere near the quality that is expected from a comic book written by Jonathan Hickman. Read Full Review

Another super interesting issue that shifts the primary focus to Howard Stark. I feel similar to how I felt with the previous issue, so you can read my review on that for more. I will say that I'm really intrigued to learn more of what Hickman's putting together with this new universe. We're now halfway through this miniseries and I just hope it's able to stick the landing after a lot of set-up.

The story is great and I do think that Hitch blends well with this story but the colors are very flat and I could do without so many Dutch angles. It's tiring in film and it's tiring in comics.
I'm excited to see where this is all leading to. It's clear that this is an all new Ultimate universe, not just a repurposed version of the one we've read before and in all honesty I really like that. The old well had run dry and in order to draw water again they've made another well. It's a smart business decision as well as a narrative function though we'll see how upset people get about that. I'd rather have something new that has it's own chance to succeed or fail on the merits of it's storytelling and not piggy backing on something established and essentially put to bed already. more

Still not entirely clear what Makers plan is, but we can see its diabolical... and entertaining.

Howard Stark is portrayed in an interesting way here, and as a bonus I've always liked the ultimate iron man suit. Its clear they arent just redoing the last ultimate universe but trying some new things and I welcome that. This series isnt nearly as convoluted as other hickman works, but his strengths are still present. And also, the art is, as usual fantastic.

Looking forward to next issue.

Hickman has mastered the art of the intricately plotted slow burn and he gives it to us in spades here. I love the concepts Hickman's playing with and I don't think anyone else in comics has as strong or as creative of a voice for The Maker.

I find it highly interesting. It just moves at a slow pace. At least in my opinion. Still feels like a wonderful story is being built.

Jonathan Hickman & Bryan Hitch are back this week with the next chapter, ULTIMATE INVASION #2, in their new Ultimate Universe storyline after a strong start with the debut issue last month.

We pick up after the events of that last issue, in a brand-new “utopian” society, Earth-6160, that has been crafted by the hand of the Maker. We go through several pages of flashbacks to see how he’s played god in this new world by pruning or neutralizing superheroes he deemed as a threat as means of ensuring his vision for a perfect society can come to fruition. A data page reveals just how far his actions have gone with a list of Earth-6160’s superheroes have been impacted by the Maker.

He has left some on the table, or ��controlled” as the data page indicates, as they have either capitulated to his views or are such an alternate version of their Earth-616 counterparts that they do not pose a threat to his plans. Several of them descend upon the Maker’s City as dignitaries for a political gathering of nation-states, including Howard Stark who operates as Iron Man in this universe. The festivities are interrupted when an army of time-traveling Marvel heroes from various universes unleash an attack to defeat the Maker.

We flash-forward to after the attack and learn that the Maker survived. In addition, he rescued a badly injured Howard, who he attempts to convert to his cause via an act of universal time-travel genocide. The issue ends with the Maker revealing to Howard that he needs his help fixing an Immortus Engine because it turns out — Howard built it!

It’s abundantly clear how much Hickman enjoys writing the Maker. Throughout both issues released so far, the character is given meaty dialogue/monologue scenes to share his twisted worldview. While I can’t say I agree with any of it, I love the way Hickman continues to show readers just how dangerous a brilliant mind can become when it’s corrupted by power.

The art in this book is Hitchian through-and-through. His classic wide-angle shots are present throughout the book and are especially noticeable during the action scenes as they provide a cinematographic quality that is hard to match in comics. Hitch outdoes himself with a full panel showing the Maker revealing his political prisoners to Howard Stark.

Hitch’s work is complemented by Alex Sinclair’s colors and Joe Caramagna’s lettering. A pale yellow tone soaks the Maker’s society, evoking a sense of gilded light shining down that isn’t everything it seems. One of the more impressive feats is by Caramagna, who manages to do a lot with a little. He resists the urge to fill panels with unnecessary text or sound effects in order to give Hickman’s dialogue and Hitch’s drawings the opportunity to shine.

Since the end of this issue does mark the halfway point for this limited series, I do hope Hickman starts to transition into revealing more about the Maker’s plans and goals. With Marvel’s plans for this series to lay the groundwork for the return of the Ultimate universe, we’re getting dangerously close to that happening without an understanding as to why. However, as a standalone story, Ultimate Invasion appears on it’s way to being another Hickman classic.

Rating: 8/10 more

For me, hickman's style is that in the moment you're not enjoyuing this, but after the story is finished it hits you and you enjoy it the more you think about it. There are cool moments here, and teh story does slow down and people talk. Thankfully, the dialogue is interesting (even if it uses complex words) on how The Maker is changing the Ultimate Universe. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Hitch just doesn't work on 2023

I won't sugarcoat this opinion: This is a shockingly sloppy script by Jonathan Hickman's standards. The dialogue is stilted and the action is paced like the author gets a bonus for slapping down plot points as quickly as possible.

I think the writing even undercuts the art. The visuals are polished and detailed, but the story's moving so quickly that I'm not as invested in the action as I want to be.

The reading experience was by no means bad--but I was aware throughout that it could be far, far better than it is.

It feels like a typical Ultimate comic with many random changes for the sake of these changes. The series started off intriguing, but this issue was okay at best.

Pretty entertaining, but feels like a filler issue. Nothing happens really that pushes the plot forward. It just sets up a character that MAY be important in the upcoming issues; however, it also sets up that character for doom. Art is great tho

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This is a typical Hickman: at first it seems like a grander-than-life story too clever to comprehend by mere mortals. But, taking a step back, you realize that it's just a bunch of pseudo sci-fi nonsense written by a nerd, too detached, grandiose and abstract too give a fucking damn about it.