Ultimate Invasion #3 Review

Written by: Jonathan Hickman
Art by: Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie
Colors by: Alex Sinclair
Letters by: JC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover art by: Bryan Hitch (cover A)
Cover price: $5.99
Release date: August 30, 2023

Ultimate Invasion #3 unveils the Maker’s secret behind the process of creating a happy, prosperous utopia, and Howard Stark doesn’t take the secret well.

Is Ultimate Invasion #3 Good?

Ultimate Invasion #3 will be praised by some and hated by others. I’m not sure what camp I fall into just yet, but I feel myself leaning toward ‘hate’ for a few reasons. This is the issue that Hickman uses to show just how insidious the Maker can be, what he’s willing to do to achieve his great dream, and what’s on the horizon. One of those perspectives is interesting. The rest? Not so much.

When last we left the Maker’s freshly recreated universe, the Maker’s diplomatic meeting was attacked by multiple versions of the Avengers from across time and space. The Maker staved off the attack, and as a result, let Howard Stark into his confidence about the true nature of the Maker’s ability to cross time and space. Now, it gets worse. Howard Stark is brought into the inner circle of leadership for all of Earth’s territories, where Stark learns about the Maker’s system for keeping order. The issue ends with a not-so-surprising reveal concerning the multiversal Avengers’ attack on the Maker’s dream society.

By the time you get to the end of this issue, you get the distinct impression that this four-part mini-series is nothing but a prelude for something else. In other words, Hickman’s lauded return to the Ultimates universe feels increasingly like an attention-grabbing tease rather than a true return. I’m not saying it’s a cheap cash grab, but I’m not NOT saying it’s a cheap cash grab.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mr. Reviewer Guy. Why the harsh words?” you might justifiably wonder. Well, let’s take a look at the particulars.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

How does the Maker maintain order? Each of the major territories takes turns starting a war to keep the population focused on an “enemy.” The Maker decided that humanity couldn’t accept true peace, so he manufactured conflict to prevent the populace from organically starting uncontrolled wars. That’s a fine idea to motivate drama, but you’ve seen it before if you’ve watched The Matrix (1999).

Where the story starts to go off the rails is in the pacing and the last-page reveal.

Regarding the pacing, most of Ultimate Invasion #3 is spent on the dialog between Howard Stark, the Maker, and the leaders of the territories as they explain to and help Howard come to terms with the way the Maker’s world really works. Effectively, the third issue in a four-issue mini is spent solely explaining the nature of the conflict. You can give Hickman credit for being a good writer, but there’s no way in Asgard he can work his way through Howard’s preparation to fight, the actual fight, the ups and downs that go with fighting, and a resolution in the positive or negative in a single issue. Unless Hickman is a seventh-level savant, the probability is high that the next and final issue will either end in a rush or simply conclude the mini as a setup for something else that’s not the Ultimates.

Regarding the last-page reveal, the multiversal Avengers were all created bred, trained, and directed by Kang, which reinforces the concern that this mini is just a setup for some forthcoming MCU property ala Loki (Season 2) or Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or a forthcoming Marvel comic series that’s not the Ultimates. Whatever the reason, throwing Kang into the mix at the last minute seems highly suspicious.

[END SPOILERS]

If you skipped the spoilers, just know that the creative choices, pacing, and timing strongly suggest that this mini-series is just a setup for something else that’s not the Ultimates. Marvel+Hickman threw a basic Ultimates-themed prelude together to draw in readers when in reality, it’s a bait-and-switch

I could be wrong. If I am, and issue #4 surprises, I’ll be the first to admit it. Until then, the red flags are going up.

How’s the art? For an issue that’s almost entirely characters sitting and standing while talking, Hitch does his darndest to make it look dramatic through emotional facial expressions and dramatic panel compositions. Again, this issue is almost all dialog, so there isn’t much for Hitch to do, so kudos to Hitch for making an issue-long series of conversations look somewhat interesting.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Ultimate Invasion #3 is either setting readers up for a shocking surprise in the next and final issue or a red flag that the hailed return by Hickman to the Ultimates is a bait-and-switch. Hitch does his best to make an issue-long series of exposition conversations look interesting, but I’ve got a bad feeling about how this mini-series will end.