ULTIMATES 2 CONCLUSION/CLAREMONT TITLE CHANGES

[MattBrady]

A “Product Update” listing on Diamond’s retailer website has listed several changes to some upcoming Marvel titles, mostly involving Chris Claremont written series, as well as an additional issue of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch’s The Ultimates 2, which originally was to conclude with the double-sized issue #12.

Solicited as 48 pages and $3.99, the title will now ship as 32 pages at $2.99, and there will be an Ultimates 2 #13 that will be solicited in a future Marvel Previews.

Here is the original solicitation of issue #12...

ULTIMATES 2 #12
Written by MARK MILLAR
Pencils & Cover by BRYAN HITCH
GRAND THEFT AMERICA
This is it! The double-sized finale! America strikes back against the Liberators, as ace artist Bryan Hitch draws every single super hero in the Ultimate Universe in combat to free the United States! Plus: the true fate of Thor, the return of the Defenders, and every major plotline from the Ultimates (since its inception) comes together at last. If ever there was a big one you should not miss...Ultimates 2 #12 is it! If you do but one thing with your life: read this comic! And don't forget -this cataclysmic story leads straight into Ultimates 3 #1, coming soon! Part 6 (of 6).
48 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$3.99

As to Claremont’s titles, the announced changes reflect at least partly how Marvel will deal with sabbatical Claremont is taking while he recovers from cardiac stress.

Here is how Diamond has listed the changes…

New Excalibur #7-#8 (MAR062118D/APR062065D, $2.99 ea.; FOC 05/04/06 & 06/01/06) will now be plotted by Chris Claremont and scripted by Frank Tieri.

Uncanny X-Men #472 (FEB062053D, $2.99) & #473 (MAR062124D, $2.99; FOC 04/20/06) will now be plotted by Chris Claremont and scripted by Tony Bedard.

Uncanny X-Men #474 (APR062068D, $2.99; FOC 05/25/06) will now be plotted and scripted by Tony Bedard.

Uncanny X-Men Annual #1 (APR062069D, $3.99; FOC 06/01/06) will now be co-plotted by Chris Claremont & Tony Bedard and scripted by Bedard.

[James Seals]

I wish the best to Chris. Glad to see other writers pitching in and helping out a living legend when he needs it.

Always good to have more Ultimates.

-James

[EmeraldGuy32]

Good news all around (well except that Chris is still sick ). An extra issue of Ultimates is always a good thing. And I might actually get the Uncanny annual now.

btw Matt, I think you accidentally hypertimed the article or something.

[Mac]

God, I love that friggin' cover. Hitch is definitely my favorite artist.

[Strike]

Late again. So Marvel just thought "hell with it" and split #12 into two issues.

It's not really an extra issue. #12 was going to be double-sized anyway. They just decided in retrospect to split it into two normal sized issues, rather than have #12 be even later than is usual with this title. Not a bad idea, I suppose.


Doesn't change the fact that Ultimates is probably the single greatest title Marvel have published in at least 20 years.

[Varrus]

Originally posted by EmeraldGuy32
btw Matt, I think you accidentally hypertimed the article or something.

Hypertimed?

[Bobo Da Hobo]

Claremont working with Tieri? There's a clash of style if I ever saw one

[Kevin T. Brown]

So Marvel goes from one issue priced at $3.99 to two issues priced at $2.99 each.

[DianaKingston]

No information on "Exiles" yet...

[YDLM]

Actually the double issue means more pages. A double sized issue is usually about 38-40 pages of story with the rest being ads. With two issues, we will get an actual 46-48 pages of story.

[BeastCharming]

Originally posted by DianaKingston
No information on "Exiles" yet...

Because it's further ahead, most likely.

I'm actually surprised Claremont didn't already plot #474. How can you not have a plot for an issue already solicited? Doesn't the existence of a solicit imply a plot, especially if it's his final issue and the conclusion of an arc? (that's a bit weird now, isn't it, that Claremont's final issue basically already shipped, since #475 will be Brubaker?)

That Hitch cover is fugly (Spider-Man in particular looks pathetically distorted). I simply cannot get into his pseudo-realistic style, it's yucky. I'd say giving Ultimates to Mad after Hitch is bizarro because of their completely different styles but hey, Hitch filled in for Mad during the Uncanny years, so it's been done before without any hitches, if you will

[EmeraldGuy32]

Originally posted by Varrus
Hypertimed?

I dunno. When I put my curser over the article it goes red. I forget what that's called.

EDIT: NM, matt fixed it.

[jamdav86]

Originally posted by Strike
Late again. So Marvel just thought "hell with it" and split #12 into two issues.

It's not really an extra issue. #12 was going to be double-sized anyway. They just decided in retrospect to split it into two normal sized issues, rather than have #12 be even later than is usual with this title. Not a bad idea, I suppose.

I predicted something like this would happen (no, really!) and I think they're just extending the story past its original size, like Volume 1, instead of it just being late.

[Goodhomerjay]

What about the Exiles? I still wanna see that title, with Psylocke on board if possible!

[Mundungus]

I was surprised when there wasn't going to be a thirteenth issue, but I was expecting it.

This'll be sweet.

[gunoz]

First and foremost, best of health to Mr Claremont.

So, with three issues of Ultimates 2 remaining now, think that'll be enough lead time for Ultimates 3 #1?

[DianaKingston]

Originally posted by BeastCharming
Because it's further ahead, most likely.

Not by much - he was supposed to take over in July, a month after Uncanny 474.

[DrBat]

So Bedard is going to be writing the last issue of Claremont's run, which resolves the Psylocke storyline?

And Frank Tieri? Ew.

[sequart]

Glad to see Bedard getting the nod. He's paid his dues and now he's (sort of) writing one of the Big Guns. Good luck Tony, and I hope this leads to more great gigs!

[Derek Ruiz]

Originally posted by gunoz
First and foremost, best of health to Mr Claremont.

So, with three issues of Ultimates 2 remaining now, think that'll be enough lead time for Ultimates 3 #1?

Well considering they havent announced when they are soliciting U3 I think its doesn't matter....Also Joey Q said they are going to give MAD some time to get ahead...

[innocentboy]

well damn,
you won't hear me complaining about an extra issue of Millar/Hitch Ultimates!

[MrThatGuy]

wasn't the Ultimate universe supposed to be a recreation of the original universe, with a more realistic flair? weren't the characters supposed to be fewer, and have more cohession, like the early days of the Marvel Universe?

to me, it seems that there are quite a few inconsistancies in this relatively young universe, from Wolvie being tall like Hugh Jackman, to going back to being short... from time-lines not jiving... to disasters in the same area not being reflected in books that they should be...

i understand each title is seperate, and for the most part i'm enjoying them (LOVING THE ULTIMATES, never was a big Avengers fan) but this is something that has bothered me in the 616, and more so in the Ultimate line since it's soooo much younger.... must be the fanboy in me nitpicking...

[BrotherI]

Get well soon, Chris.

I threw up when I saw that cover- good threw up. Absolutely sickening, that someone in this reality could be THAT skillful.

[WebHobbit]

I'll always have a warm fuzzy spot for Claremont since he played such a HUGE part in keeping me mostly sane and alive through out my pre-teen/early teen years thanks to his uncanny Kitty Pryde stuff.

Anyway I hope he makes a full recovery very soon.

[Kavalier]

Originally posted by MrThatGuy
wasn't the Ultimate universe supposed to be a recreation of the original universe, with a more realistic flair? weren't the characters supposed to be fewer, and have more cohession, like the early days of the Marvel Universe?

I think they were going to try to keep the continuity simpler and more consistent, but I always had the impression it was more just a way of telling good stories that weren't beholden to decades of continuity.

They didn't have such a lofty philosophical mandate as such.