- Written by: Deniz Camp
- Art by: Juan Frigeri
- Colors by: Fedrico Blee, Edgar Delgado
- Letters by: VC’s Travis Lanham
- Cover art by: Dike Ruan, Neeraj Menon
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: December 31, 2025
The Ultimates #19, by Marvel on 12/31/25, trades rocket-fueled chaos for a soap opera detour into Wasp’s messy marriage, leaving you wondering if the revolution got put on hold for family therapy.
[AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Ultimates #19 takes place AFTER Ultimate Endgame #1]
First Impressions
Right out the gate, the Triskelion explodes in a brutal H.A.N.D. ambush, hitting like a gut punch that screams “game over” for the Ultimates’ sky castle. But then it swerves hard into Wasp’s inner monologue, pulling you from global war into personal pity party faster than a shrinking suit malfunction. The core hook of resistance versus tyranny feels sidelined by emotional baggage, making those opening pages promise fireworks but deliver a slow-burn fuse.
Recap
The Ultimates #18 saw Iron Lad broadcasting a “join the resistance” speech worldwide, recapping the Maker’s dystopia through montage flashbacks of off-panel uprisings like Luke Cage freeing prisons and new collectives forming. Action trickled in late with scattered battles, heroes rallying at the Triskelion, and Times Square clashes mixed with talk of forgiveness, all building zero tension for the Maker’s return. It ended on “ZERO MONTHS REMAINING,” but skipped real stakes or drama, leaving the threat feeling flat.
Plot Analysis
The issue kicks off amid worldwide uprisings a month into the fight against the Makers’ Council, with Captain America, Hawkeye, Giant-Man, and Wasp liberating the East Coast from Captain Britain’s fantasy army of elves, giants, and trolls. The Triskelion satellite base gets destroyed by H.A.N.D. Helicarriers, killing a dozen staff and stranding She-Hulk after her fall from orbit. Wasp spots her survival from afar but shifts to narrating her backstory with Hank Pym.
Wasp recalls meeting Hank at her dad’s gala, their casual romance turning serious despite his manic episodes, until a lab accident leaves him brain-damaged and sheepish. They marry on a shoestring, running a pest control business after Hank inherits gear from his uncle, but Wasp secretly trains with H.A.N.D. agents in combat, physics, and espionage while lying to Hank about “knitting nights.” Her dad pushes her to ditch the “dead weight” Hank, but she sticks by him amid money woes and lost dreams.
H.A.N.D. recruits Wasp fully after showing a “Vision” of her heroic destiny, tying into her Hank-protecting motives mixed with personal thrill. The issue flashes to present chaos as She-Hulk smashes down nearby, then cuts to H.A.N.D. goons hunting her, only for her to rage against enslavement and vow solo revenge. It closes on Nick Fury confronting Wasp and Hank at a raid site, Hank freaking out over her betrayal, and a tease: “NEXT BEHOLD THE VISION!”
Writing
Pacing stalls hard after the base boom, dumping pages into Wasp’s flashbacks when climax tension screams for forward drive. Dialogue shines in raw emotional beats like Hank’s slurred confusion, but structure leans too heavy on narration over action. Flashbacks eat space needed for the promised Maker payoff.
Art
Juan Frigeri’s panels pop with crystal clarity in explosion chaos and She-Hulk’s ground-pound rage, compositions framing epic scales like fantasy armies against urban grit. Federico Blee and Edgar Delgado’s colors nail moody shifts from fiery blasts to intimate memory blues, boosting every emotional spike. Dynamic layouts sync art perfectly with the story’s punchy reveals.
Character Development
Wasp gets deep motivation through her sacrifices, from brain-fried Hank loyalty to spy thrill, making her relatable in tough choices. Hank’s consistent tragedy arc tugs heartstrings without overplaying, while She-Hulk’s fury feels earned post-fall. Core Ultimates stay true, but late Vision tease muddies focus right before series end.
Originality & Concept Execution
Twisting Wasp-Hank into a gritty origin delivers fresh Ultimate Universe bite on classic tropes, nailing the “sacrifice” premise with spy betrayal layers. But cramming new Vision hype as the run wraps dilutes the Maker showdown focus the series built. Premise executes strong on personal costs, weaker on timely escalation.
Positives
Stellar art from Frigeri, Blee, and Delgado elevates every page, with sharp compositions and mood-shifting colors making explosions visceral and flashbacks intimately heartbreaking, directly boosting clarity and synergy scores. Pacing in character beats flows naturally through Wasp’s raw dialogue and motivations, turning potential melodrama into relatable depth that heightens emotional stakes. She-Hulk’s consistent rage and survival grit add punchy relatability, proving the team’s strength in humanizing heroes amid war.
Negatives
Endless Wasp-Hank flashbacks kill momentum when the Maker’s return demands climax focus, tanking pacing and structure by burying present threats under backstory. Teasing Vision’s intro this late crowds an already packed cast, hurting originality execution as the series nears end without resolving core premise payoff. That diffusion lowers overall value, making the issue feel like a detour when forward drive matters most.
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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The Scorecard
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [2/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3.5/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [0.5/2]
Final Verdict
The Ultimates #19 nails art fireworks and Wasp’s gut-wrenching arc, but squanders endgame urgency on flashbacks and Vision teases that bloat the roster. Skip unless you’re all-in on Ultimate betrayals; otherwise, save your spot for issues that actually deliver the Maker bang. It scrapes by on visuals, but won’t claim the throne in a tight pull list.
5.5/10
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