The inspiration for the MCU! | The Ultimates vol. 1: Super-Human

Strange beings with incredible powers have risen up to challenge the old order, and ordinary citizens are scared witless. The government's solution: a small but lethal army known as the Ultimates, created to protect us all from the newly rising threats to mankind! Never miss an episode by subscribing today! bit.ly/2WYvgkt #avengers
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[@comicpop]

Pick it up right here: amzn.to/1LNjYH7

[@SeekerLancer]

It's funny how this book was made to "modernize" Marvel and they immediately filled it with references to make certain it would quickly become dated.

[@caitlinbrewer4843]

That is usually the case

[@SuperboyLilly]

What's wrong with it being dated?

[@ashb7]

@@SuperboyLilly Nothing hugely wrong about it. It's just that most celebrities or events they reference don't stay cool/relevant at all beyond maybe that decade, so readers following that period are just left confused. And it doesn't take too much not to chuck in a bunch of IRL celebrity name drops for no real reason into a comic book, most comics avoid doing it lol.

[@jameskingman1227]

I guess it’s the difference between something being timeless and modern.

[@averygoodboi8200]

This book makes me feel like J. Jonah Jameson was on to something about superheroes

[@Dreadpoolz3977]

"Does he beat his wife?" Savagely! kills me every time.

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

"Alright, guys, I think the time has come to distance some of our characters from their bad traits so that those clouds don't loom over them for years to come. Stuff like Iron Man's alcoholism, Hank Pym's wife beating, and Cap's old style of thinking." *Mark Millar:* "Or. Or, and stay with me on this one..." And thus, _The Ultimates_ happened...

[@TheFLAMEXD]

Just Some Guy with a Mustache Hey there, how’s the moustache?

[@thecollector4332]

Just Some Guy with a Mustache Hank was never an active wife beater tho.

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

@@thecollector4332 It was the slap heard round the world. And this story did not help.

[@tomtrench444]

@@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache dude your everywhere

[@antoniocenteno6516]

@@tomtrench444 nnjllll

[@Sicod79]

Have to say I never forgot the Hulk's insane feud with Freddy Prinze Jr.

[@austincole7286]

one day...Ultimates 2 will come to Back Issues...and i will finally be at peace

[@ralphjosephacobo8014]

Same

[@cucumbergaming1855]

One day... one day.

[@joaquinjfernandez1528]

@@cucumbergaming1855 eventually one day

[@dead0ntime]

Joaquin J Fernandez one day...

[@accidentalmadness1708]

Dead on Time one day

[@GuyWithAnAmazingHat]

Ultimates and Ultimatum are prime examples of why "dark and gritty" doesn't mean good, interesting maybe.

[@majorastorm]

Ultimates was great until vol. 3, (who killed the Scarllet witch) Then it got a little hazy, then they Decided to clean house of the ultimate universe, and kill off over half of the super heroes in Ultimatum just for shock value.

[@MyJourneyConcludes]

"Hulk the horniest there is!"

[@eduardoflores1503]

That sounds like a line from a porn parody.

[@mikesmith145]

Literally a 12 year old’s type of humour, wtf was Millar thinking

[@amazingspidermew]

It’s been almost 8 years, I think it’s about time we subjected Ethan and Ben to another round of the Ultimate Universe 😂

[@MegaOscan]

One of these days you should do Ultimate Comics Avengers 1, not only because it's an interesting story but because I really wanna see Ethan and Ben's facial expression when you tell them about Ultimate Red Skull =)

[@dieboyandy5150]

"If that's your bed, you lie on it, I'm sorry if some eggs are in there" That's the funniest shit I've ever heard in my life!!!!!!!!!

[@vfxninja5503]

Freddie Prinze Junior is always gonna be Fred from Scooby Doo 2000 to me so hearing him in proximity to 'hulk but he's a r*pist this time' jabbed my brain in a funny place

[@comicbookbullies]

Probably one of if not the most important comic of the last 15 years. It laid the blueprint for the MCU.

[@comicbookbullies]

Banner initially working on the super soldier serum. People thinking Thor is crazy, Hawkeye being a SHIELD agent. Even their costumes are based on the Ultimates.

[@comicbookbullies]

You mean when Cap kicked him out? You're right. First thing I thought of when I saw that movie lol.

[@masterrance]

+majinspade I wouldn't say most important but you are right. The Ultimate universe was made to be a "modern" Marvel Universe so Marvel Studio had an easier time taking influences and concepts from them. However the characters themselves don't tend to act like their Ultimate counterparts but more toward their 616 selves.

[@hcrparamore]

not even, yes it served as a model for the movies but is not that special, the characters are annoying in the ultimates, hank hitting his wife again and shit, ugh so lame, so cheap, just shock value.

[@arcadeassassin7176]

@@masterrance well thats because the ultimate versions are all extremely unlikable.

[@sofaninja0552]

I am pretty sure black Nick Fury first appeared in ultimate X-men with a different character design and I believe Millar came up with the idea to change it to Sam Jackson because he said Sam was the coolest guy he could think of and thought of Fury as being an extremely cool guy

[@michaellabonte6390]

Didnt he appear in Ultimate Spiderman first? During the Goblin arc?

[@sofaninja0552]

@@michaellabonte6390 its entirely possible I wont rule it out entirely however theres a version that appears in Ultimate Xmen that actually had hair. Since that design was never seen again I assume it was the original version of the design and was changed to the shaved head to match Sam Jackson

[@sofaninja0552]

@@tgkafg Im so glad someone else actually remembers that first appearance in ultimate x-men besides me.....parashoes 😂.....I remember that he was always black but was more just regular Nick Fury design with black skin. They shaved his head and made him look more like Sam Jackson in the ultimates.

[@ItsOver9000Productions]

Actually Sal, Nick Fury is the one who says, "You have 2 PHD's and that's the best you can come up with." And Wasp says," It works didn't it!?". I think that makes it even worse.

[@michaelgreer3604]

Easily the best line in this book "Hulk want Freddy Prince Jr."

[@comicfannerdicus]

Sal.............. You're the best for this.

[@BlockieStudios]

"When will then be now?" "Nev-" *sees 2016 Marvel NOW* "Ah shit".

[@spookyscarytruestories]

Ben processing the whole "Wasp in Hulk's brain" part was great, you can see the exact moment his brain breaks from the absurdity.

[@matthewterlaga3022]

What’s really messed up, is that if you read the volume, they reveal that is was a bunch of local teenagers who broke into caps apartment and wrecks everything, but then they reveal that cap (and wasp) went and hunted them down, and straight up crippled them. They even make a point of saying it. Captain America, war hero and leader of the ultimates, in this universe he doesn’t bat an eye after he cripples children.

[@macka9]

I actually really like Ultimate Universe for awhile. Then it got silly, which is too bad. I hope they try something like that again. Cool to see something built from the ground up.

[@theonlygamer2808]

Well, 7 years in the future.. you got your wish

[@tonyrios9000]

I'm sorry Sal i think you confused the Ultimates 2 with Ultimates 1 vol.2 . What you went over was just the first 6 issues in a 12 or 13 issue story, the alien invasion happens in the 2nd half of Ulitmates. Ultimates 2 is where the ultimates defeating the alien invasion and use of them globally leads to a superhuman arms race with enemies creating their own Ultimates, the Liberators. I know as you said it's irrelevant but i wished you guys would have covered both Volumes of Ultimates. Oh and there are Ultimate Avengers they are the furys black ops team.

[@tonyrios9000]

Anyways thanks for the vid guys. Love Back issues. Love comic pop

[@tonyrios9000]

*enemies of the U.S. *There is Ultimate Avengers, they are furys black ops team.

[@juanmoreno6591]

+tony rios you know, you can edit your coments, if you keep responding to your own posts like this you can be marked as spam

[@tonyrios9000]

I know i can but i was commenting on my phone and it only gives me the option to delete or reply.

[@dru-is-here]

I really hope yall do the follow-up. Mostly just so I can see sall say that line "you think this Letter on my head stands for FRANCE?" And see ben and ethan react to it.

[@JoshMunroe]

Millar's self-fulfilling prophecy: "I need the world to realize how dumb and shallow superheroes are... so I'll change known characters to fit my confirmation bias!" I'm glad this edgelord nonsense no longer dominates mainstream comics.

[@andrewscott6499]

To be fair, that Scottish guy's comics influenced the MCU (and Logan).

[@TheFLAMEXD]

@@andrewscott6499 Visually, yes. Thematically? I’d say only Spider-Man feels like his Ultimate Counterpart. Everything else feels pretty in line with 616, even with the liberties they took.

[@matheusrubimdepaoli5409]

@@TheFLAMEXD iron man acts a lot more like the ultimate than his 616, 616 iron man changed his whole personality because of the success of the mcu

[@TheFLAMEXD]

@@matheusrubimdepaoli5409 Iron Man was always pretty much devil may care

[@matheusrubimdepaoli5409]

@@TheFLAMEXD 616 was a lot more serious and not a jokester like he is today, he was changed to how he is today because of the movies

[@brianmcd993]

I'm not much of a comic book fan, I found you because I heard the story of Death of the Family and wanted to find out more, so stumbled upon Back Issues, but you have now become one of my favorite KZbin channels! The charm and charisma of the whole crew mixed with Sal's intelligence and knowledge of the entire comic book universe, as well as of storytelling as a medium as a whole, keep me coming back every week! Thanks for all the great work guys! :)

[@comicpop]

Thank you so much, Brian!

[@brianmcd993]

No problem! Keep up the good work!

[@brianmcd993]

btw, for some of us outsider fans, would you ever consider doing some more iconic storylines such as Watchmen or Killing Joke? Would love to hear your thoughts on the storytelling of those and why they are so highly regarded

[@comicpop]

Brian McDonnell We try, but sometimes those books are so popular, both Ethan and Ben have read them. We try to get real, genuine reactions to stories/books they haven't read. But I have a plan that includes one of those two titles...

[@brianmcd993]

Ooh! Exciting!

[@NyJoanzy]

With the ultimate universe ending after Secret Wars, I kinda thought they'd stop making "Ultimates" books but you'd be wrong. The Ultimates have officially outlived everything they were.

[@Spider-man-dk1bl]

Lol "Hulk the horniest there is!" hahahaha!!!!

[@185PerCentJuice]

He Godfather II's her out! - Best description of what actually went on. Good job Sal!

[@EmptyBuddha92]

You guys should do vol 2 of the Ultimates :D

[@flywheelshyster6549]

back issues is truly the most rewatchable show and will one day be accepted into the Library of Congress for being culturally, aesthetically, or whatever the third part relevant

[@brandonbeyond5477]

There were a lot of things I really liked about the Ultimate universe while it lasted. There were also a lot of things I didn't really like, but when I think back on things like Ultimate Spider-man and Ultimate X-men in general, I have pretty fond memories for the most part. Ultimates was probably the title I read the least of out of all the Ultimate universe though.

[@cyborgdiego3454]

Every time I see the Ultimate Universe, It feels like Zack Snyder was involved somehow even though he has never been involved with a Marvel project.

[@Henderson10666]

Mark Millar is Zack Snyder if he actually read comics

[@8Bitnoobgamer]

I love every moment of doubt with Ben on what's going to happen next in the story

[@99jmaster]

My favorite lines are "Does this A on my head stand for France?" by Cap and "Hulk is the horniest there is!"

[@harlannguyen4048]

Apparently there were people who took issues with the "Does this A on my head stand for France?" line since there were anti-France stuff going on in the US due to them not wanting to get involved in the Iraq War or something like that. Out of context, I do like it, especially when Nick talks to Cap about how ridiculous that line was after the fighting was over.

[@greenechri]

Thanks, ComicPOP. This is some of the best content on the web.

[@mikeread7611]

Would love to see more of The Ultimates from you guys

[@theronmitchell3073]

I've always wanted to pick this up after seeing the animated movie, definitely will now.

[@michaelthethird702]

You guys had me laughing so hard at the Hook reference

[@comicpop]

+Michael TheThird Bangarang

[@macka9]

Can you please do Vol. 2 of this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@buffbeenstuffed]

I am so glad you guys did this one...I just finished a read up on the ultimates line not to long ago and was hoping you would do this. Thank you!

[@bradleystroup1457]

what an insane roller coaster ride. I did check out the Ultimate universe because you said you liked it Sal. It was Warren Ellis' run for Ultimate Nightmare and really enjoyed that. Great writing and trying to get Ultimate: Secret and Extinction to finish it up

[@gingeralex4009]

+Bradley Stroup I agree. The Gah'Lak'Tus Trilogy was amazing. In my opinion it was better than Extremis. Also loved the art from Trevor Hairsine (Ultimate Six) and Steve McNiven (Civil War). And Extinction was a great finale.

[@frankievelasco1738]

Great episode, came back from a long school day and bam! Clicked and relaxed and enjoyed.

[@gettingartsywithalobster1949]

Now today is a great birthday! Love the content you guys put out like always.

[@Geezyk]

Love this episode guys! Bloody hilarious

[@jacquesturner1196]

I remember the movies they made about this comic it was cool

[@vitanpatel2061]

This is at the same time interesting and hacky

[@1337snake888]

The premise of using an Avengers reboot as a critique of (the at the time contemporary) Bush's America is interesting but Millar definitely approaches it from a hacky dumb guy way that doesn't really say anything

[@jackdyckman4261]

Another mark miller story you guys might want to do is kick-ass. I really like the comic series, however I also see it's flaws. It could be a really cool back issues. also you should do Ultimates 3 because it's so God damn stupid, and if you have the balls for it frank millers holy terror. Anyways keep up the good work you guys rock!!!

[@myboyabdonfuckinlamronandt553]

The Ultimates vs The Liberators is one of my fav moments is comics

[@alejandrogonzalez9840]

That one is coolest things in comics ever I just loved how their so the opposite of The Ultimates

[@cmmosher8035]

Mark Millar's Ultimates, when you want the Watchmen's superhero deconstruction but written by a brooding 14 year old.

[@tycooke9286]

Hey sal, when will you guys jump into a ultimate Spider-Man back issues? It's my favourite Spider-Man story/stories of all time and you also seem to have enjoyed it

[@supersi1980]

The line in the ultimates about France is great and could only have been written by someone from Britain.

[@ultimatewall-crawler5292]

I've been wanting you guys to this

[@AustinShirkey]

Sal referenced," Friday", this is why I love him.

[@nitemanproductions]

they really NEED to cover ultimates 2

[@-sirfrenzy-1781]

This reminds me of the 2005 Fantastic Four movie.

[@dearlydemented19ify]

So much good shit in this catalog.

[@GiuseppeGuadalupe]

Could you guys possibly do more episodes focused on ultimate series?

[@shamanthramachandra9610]

awesome video guys...do more ultimate universe & 616 cosmic events

[@SnackMuay]

I love your guys' videos, and I'm fine with mid-video ads too, I realize that's how you are able to put these videos out with such consistency. However, (and I'm not even sure if this is possible) is there a way for you al to choose where in the video the ad goes? If so, it would be awesome if you could put it somewhere that won't interrupt one of you as you're speaking. Hate to be so negative, you guys do a great job

[@Depthcharge2030]

I actually wouldn;t mind you guys doing more Ultimate comics.

[@crazygene]

Great episode. This was heavily inspired by 'The Authority'; you guys should do that as well. It's a better book.

[@Backtothezack]

They finally did 7 years later, let us rejoice

[@mogwai250]

i really liked ulitmates at 1st. it went off badly but it had some nice ideas. i like how thor was built up to be a crackpot amp'd up on super soldier serum and stolen tech and when his hair got shaved he looked nuts. real shame how badly this run neded tho.

[@Noah5110]

Love this episode. Are you guys every going to do ultimate spider-man since Sal probably has every issue. I really love the Miles version if you guys could do it I would be in awe

[@juliagoodwin9510]

My biggest issue with the Ultimate Universe is how everyone's an asshole because that's "realistic". I refuse to believe that would be the case.

[@Sluggwurth]

2015 saying 8 years ago blows… I’m old 💀

[@dr_jamie_ranger]

As a fan from the UK, it is worrying to hear that someone as right-wing as Bill Maher is considered an 'ultra-liberal' in the US.

[@OreoBrawl]

Bryan Hitch is currently ruining the Justice League

[@melissiaharris536]

I'm a huge fan of the channel

[@eugenideddis]

Retroactively “would be okay” celebrity references: Robert Downey Jr. (Movie Tony) Samuel Jackson (Movie Fury) Freddie Prince Jr. (In Star Wars Rebels) Now these are only “okay” references, meaning that there are reasons they will be remembered by comic fans so they don’t hurt the story. Also retroactive, they weren’t okay when the story was written.

[@lewaproductions]

Since Secret Wars is still going on, and once the world gets reformed, what if they get a Hank Pym from another Universe where everything is the same but he didn't beat his wife.

[@greyscott5908]

Wow wtf is this!? Lol I expected to be pretty similar to the Ultimate Avengers animated movies but... wow. I highly recommend the movies if you guys haven't seen them, I know Sal isn't a big fan of the MAU movies but they're both on Netflix, give 'em a try.

[@Mojo_Gojo_Casa_Domain]

Hulk picking up Mjolnir was BS

[@Mojo_Gojo_Casa_Domain]

I just said "NO!" really loud.

[@greyscott5908]

***** pious83​ Do Mjölnir's same rules still apply in the ultimate universe?

[@ezboi7713]

+The Stegman it wasn't the real mjonir it was a tech one made by stark

[@Mojo_Gojo_Casa_Domain]

Ezboi77 wait, in the comic, or the cartoon?

[@TevyaSmolka]

Personally in my opinion I am more of a fan of ultimates 2 and ultimate Spider-Man and ultimate x-men but that's just my opinion

[@c.j.cornett2466]

Please make more Ultimate universe back issues

[@Ike_of_pyke]

Ultimate Fantastic four actually made it to ultimatum and then got the axe but even then they somewhat got a sequel before Ultimate future foundation

[@karlwestgate143]

can you guys please do Ultimate Spider-Man (pre Ultimatum) on back issues. I know it is a lot, but it is amazing. It was the one comic I read growing up and it probably got me through my childhood. I would just love to hear your opinions on it. Thanks!

[@shadowxelnaga]

Who thought this will be a good idea?! Probably the writer.

[@TheImSolid]

What's up? I see you in r/marvelstudios all the time. Anyways, this book is actually very good and so is Ultimates 2 . The way the story plays out is literally like the first Avengers movie and I mean for real, but the only difference is that the Ultimates 1 & 2 are more of an R rated real world version.

[@shadowxelnaga]

+Gabe N Well... this is interesting. Hi there fellow r/ Mcu citizen! I haven't read this book but is sounds like an awful story. Usually you have a totally different opinion when you actually read a story as oppose to hearing about it. Maybe I would like it but I don't feel the urge to read any Ultimate universe books. I know that Ultimate Spider-Man is awesome but I'm not a Spider-Man reader. And as Sal said, for now, 1610 is irrelevant.

[@TevyaSmolka]

+Gabe N agreed

[@TevyaSmolka]

pious83 the writer is mark millar the same person who wrote Kingsmen the secret service well at least the comic book of it

[@TheImSolid]

Tevya Smolka The Secret Service comic book is just mediocre. Like most Mark Millar stories.

[@NicholasTheThorn]

LOL!!!! So entertaining!!! Ty!!!

[@ZiggyGamma]

I hope that they do ultimate spider-man for the 100 episode

[@comicpop]

+That Other Review Dude I promise you we will do Ultimate Spidey, but the 100th episode is reserved for a DC Crisis ;)

[@roninsnake]

+ComicPOP! Great! Ultimate Spider-man is the reason I got into comics in the first place :)

[@ZiggyGamma]

dang it, well maybe 101 so you can 'school' them on ultimate spidey... I'll go now.

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

*+ComicPOP!* Wait a minute. After the 100th episode, you're not going to renumber Back Issues all the way back to #1, right?

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

Shh. Shh. Shh. If we call attention to it, they may not do it. Remember *World War Hulk*?

[@siroccosc5668]

Have you ever thought about doing a back issues for Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.? It might be fun to look at some more comedic books.

[@comicpop]

Yes I have.

[@Parleyposadajr2248]

Ultimates 2 does didn’t have the chitauri that was ultimates 1 issue 8 to 12

[@DominicGloverComicBookArtist]

Hey Sal! Have you read the "Authority" by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch? Got to check that out man, a lot of good topics and things to analyze in it! GAY SUPERMAN AND BATMAN (apollo and midnighter) - nuff said

[@gabrielgalindo4083]

The Ultimates were a great series until Jeph Loeb screwed it all with Ultimates 3 and ultimatum.

[@TheGotenza]

Find it funny that this comes out around the same time I read Ultimates 2 for the first time. Humorous coincidence I guess

[@silverninja5218]

Ben, it is okay. We all know what you meant about the soldier comment.

[@Knightmare91]

Didn't they say that Hulk ate like 12 people?

[@accidentalmadness1708]

Some of those dated references still work

[@brendanwoods7278]

Please do Ultimates three. Just fucking year that book apart. It deserves it

[@noworth4431]

The only thing more early 2000's is Austin powers in goldmember

[@darkangel160]

I feel like in the first Avengers movie, while they obviously went the Ultimate route for a lot of things, they tried to go for an Ultimate Captain America, but since Chris Evans is such a beautiful and graceful princess, every angry angsty face came off as a pout.

[@SrGurkman]

The MCU is basically the Ultimate Universe if everyone wasn't a douche.

[@ThatKevinBravo]

8:00 in the morning and not a dislike, the bully finally got a life

[@Mojospider2099]

Can u do carnage USA I just really love the art in that book.

[@patrickaizpurua9468]

Wow this book is fucking dark. Great episode regardless!

[@ultimatewall-crawler5292]

You should do ultimates 2 and 3

[@crunson2000]

+ComicPOP Ben's comment about Samuel L getting to yell in his movie roles gave me an idea: Studio Exec pitching movie to Samuel L: "Sammy, baby! You've got to do this new movie we're making, it's gonna have tons of action and adventure, and you're going to look soooo BADASS!" Samuel L: "Yeah, yeah, all that is great, but do I get to yell a lot? And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. You know I've got that disease that prevents people from speaking in normal human tones, Samuel-L-itis."

[@TheWazzoGames]

please do ultimates 2 some time!

[@TheFLAMEXD]

Why is it that Spider-Man is the only one they got right in the Ultimate Universe?

[@joshpecker4352]

Thunder Goku because they made him a actual person

[@aggressionalistprod]

Hi, Sal... now, I just want to suggest a video idea. Why don't you guys do a full Back Issues series for the whole Kick Ass series? I'm talking about the series when Dave Lizewski was Kick Ass not some other person. Mark Millar wrote it and its great... maybe you should introduce the series to Ben and Ethan. Please do Kick Ass... not many people post videos on this series... it would be great if you guys would do it.

[@johnskinner9697]

You Gotta Read Ultimate Wolverine VS Hulk! Freakin Fantastic! and Badass

[@Moxfax]

Please do Ultimates 2.