Summary
- Captain America's new weapon in Ultimates #1 reflects a darker world, symbolizing the global anxieties of the 2020s.
- Marvel's new Ultimate line updates classic icons like Cap, tapping into the cultural zeitgeist by exploring societal divides and reflections.
- The new Ultimates team's use of "terrorist" tactics, with Cap wielding Molotov Cocktails, showcases a world where heroes navigate moral gray areas.
Warning: contains potential spoilers for Ultimates #1!
Marvel’s new Ultimates line is giving Captain America a brand-new weapon, one speaking volumes to his new identity. Just as the original Ultimate line breathed new life into classic Marvel icons, the new one is following suit–but in a different fashion. Nowhere is this perhaps more apparent than Captain America, who, in a trailer for Ultimates #1, wields a new weapon for a new age.
Marvel shared a trailer for Ultimates #1 on their YouTube channel. The book will be written by Deniz Camp and drawn by Juan Frigeri. The trailer introduces some of the characters who will make up the new incarnation of the Ultimates. Among them is Captain America, who closely resembles his original Ultimates counterpart. In the trailer, Cap uses his shield to take out a group of soldiers.
As the shield works its way through, Cap then lights a Molotov Cocktail and throws it at the soldiers.
Marvel's New Ultimate Line Is Even More Daring Than the Original
The New Ultimate Line Taps Into The Anxities of the 2020s
The trailer also laid out the premise for Ultimates #1, bringing readers up to speed on this fascinating new corner of the Marvel Universe. The Maker, an evil Reed Richards and one of the last survivors of the first Ultimate Universe, escapes captivity, making his way to a new Earth in the multiverse, one currently without heroes. There, he creates his perfect world, one he rules over. Assisting the Maker in his plans is his Council, who control various territories. After the Maker is imprisoned, a new wave of heroes rises to remake the Earth.
The first Ultimate Marvel line was launched in 2000, and was designed to be a starting point for new readers. The original Ultimate line updated Marvel icons, giving them new origins more in line with the times. The new Ultimate Universe is duplicating that vibe. Whereas the first Ultimate Marvel imprint tapped into American anxieties in the aftermath of 9/11, the new line is also exploring the cultural zeitgeist. The Maker’s Council are stand-ins for the global elites, and the new Ultimate Marvel is exploring the ever widening gap between them and ordinary people.
Captain America Confirms His Shield is More Important Than His Super Soldier Serum
While most fans point to the super soldier serum as the key to Captain America's heroism, he himself reveals that his shield is more important.
Captain America's New Weapon Is Shocking--Especially For Him
Captain America's New Weapon Is a Sign of How Dark the World Has Become
Marvel’s promotional materials for Ultimates #1 make it clear: this new team is viewed as terrorists. Captain America’s new weapon is one commonly associated with terrorists and insurgents. In the trailer, Captain America uses a Molotov Cocktail as proficient as he uses his shield. Regardless of which incarnation of the Marvel Universe Captain America is in, he is a symbol of freedom. In the new Ultimate line, Captain America is still a beacon and a rallying point. However, this is a much darker world, and Cap’s new weapon reflects this, as well as his new identity.
Source: Marvel
Ultimates #1 is on sale June 5 from Marvel Comics!
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