Ultimate X-Men (2024)

''Ultimate X-Men'' is a reimagination of the X-Men in the Ultimate Universe, written and illustrated by Peach Momoko with script adaptation by Zack Davisson. Starring Armor as the lead character, the comic has very few links to the classic X-Men characters and locations. Maystorm, another character from the series, was initially created as a variant cover for issue 27 of the 2021–2024 ''X-Men'' comic.

Publication history

''Ultimate X-Men'' by Peach Momoko with Zack Davisson is the third comic released in the Ultimate Universe line, alongside ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' and ''Ultimate Black Panther''. It is a reimagination of the X-Men in general, and the Armor character in particular. The comic also introduces Maystorm, a character that Momoko designed for the variant cover of ''X-Men'' #27. That cover was part of a larger project named "New Champions", which produced covers reflecting unexpected sidekicks of other superheroes, such as the recently created Spider-Boy; Maystorm was the first one to be used in an actual story, while the others would show up in the ''Spider-Woman'' comic. Despite being an ''X-Men'' comic, the comic has very little in common with the usual products of the franchise. Momoko explained "My ''Ultimate X-Men'' isn't directly influenced by classic ''X-Men'' stories. I like to believe ditor-in-ChiefC.B. eluskiand Jonathan Hickman chose me because they wanted something completely new and different, so I think sometimes no influences is a good thing".

The comic ''Ultimate Wolverine'' was released in 2025. Although it features Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Colossus and Magik, prominent characters from the X-Men franchise, the comic is largely unrelated to ''Ultimate X-Men''.

Plot

"Fears And Hates" (#1–6)

Hisako Ichiki attends Kirigaya Minami Middle School in Kirisaki City. She can manifest a psionic exoskeleton, a power that awakens in traumatic circumstances regarding Shinobu Kageyama and his Shadow King form. Other students, such as Mei Igarashi and Nico Minoru, have powers as well. Mei has weather-based powers and is a fan of Storm. Nico has magic-based abilities. They find out that they are mutants, and that there is a cult of mutants called the Children of the Atom led by Maester who go after them. Their activity also catches the attention of Kanon Sainouchi and her police officer brother Tatsuya when a briefcase with human remains are found and Tatsuya had to sign a non-disclosure agreement from Emperor Sunfire's minion Viper. As Natsu Tsukishima manifests an eye beam from her right eye while protecting Mori, Armor meets Chimone from the 8-Chome Channel. Maester tells the Children of the Atom that it's time to step out of the shadows as Noriko Ashida secretly live-streams the event. When one of the followers asks if the world is coming to an end, Maester quotes "Yes".

"Children of the Atom" (#7–12)

As news about the leaked video is made known, Maester tries to get through to Viper about the situation. Shinobu encounters Akihiro who claims that he is the first homo superior and had given his blood to the Children of the Atom. Mei has her encounter with Noriko where they fought each other and over the Children of the Atom's actions. She accidentally injures Noriko who turns down Mei's offer to call an ambulance as "they'll come after her" if they know and to call her mom instead. Protests erupt over the mutants on the streets as Maester tells the Children of the Atom that they will show the people who is superior. Some of the Children of the Atom attack the persisting reporters as the streamer Yukio's phone is broken by Hisako. Tsubasa's Shadow King form attacks some people pressuring Hisako in giving them information causing Hisako to reveal her abilities to her mother. Natsu Tsukishima accidentally kills her mother with her left eye optic blast. Reporters try interviewing mutants who have no connection with the Children of the Atom. Hisako visits Nico where Mori shows her the information regarding the mutants. Someone later breaks into the abandoned office of the Children of the Atom and claims a mask. Nico Minoru and Mori later sneak into Natsu's room and found what appears to be a bullet hole in one of the doors. After a chat with Mei where she mentioned encountering some members of the Children of the Atom, Hisako visits the temple behind Kirigawa Minami Middle School where she meets Kanon Sainouchi who states that she is the descendant of Sai. Both of them end of unleashing their abilities during this confrontation when Kanon manages to briefly break her "armored" form. Mei Igarashi meets some members of the Children of the Atom while wearing a mask and takes the name Maystorm as Shinobu Kageyama's Shadow King form appears and starts taunting them as some mysterious obscured people show up. Maystorm states that she's here to save the Children of the Atom as someone secretly films this encounter. As a mutant war breaks out with footage being watched by a streamer named Yukio, Maystorm recaps to when she last fought Shadow King. Nico and Mori use Natsu's eyepatch to trace her to the Children of the Atom as Shadow King briefly attacks. Hisako is later confronted by Kageyama as he corrupts her with his shadows.

Shadow King subjects Dark Armor to an illusion where she has to fight her friends. It is then revealed that Maester has Hisako and Kageyama in his clutches and held in stasis tanks. As Maester continues experimenting on Hisako and Kageyama, he explains to Viper that Hisako and Kageyama are the solutions for the My-X Project. In Hisako's mindscape, Noriko arrives and fights Maystorm in a rematch. When Noriko is defeated, Dark Armor resumes her attack. She then sees a giant winged manifestation of Tsubasa. Hisako flashes back to when Tsubasa was still alive. Meanwhile, Yukio and her friend find Yukio's apartment trashed. At the same time, Nico Minoru and Mori go looking for Hisako and infiltrate one of the Children of the Atom meetings. Maystorm and another Children of the Atom member learn that Hisako has been taken. Tatsuya Sainouchi and Futaba go over the Children of the Atom-related information called Project My-X. They also talk about a contact in the Children of the Atom who is already preparing for something. At the Temple of the Children of the Atom, Nico Minoru has infiltrated it under the alias of Miss Grimm as Maester does his next transmission. Maester and Viper continue their experiments on Shinobu Kageyama and Hisako Ichiki. Maystorm and Kanon Sainouchi confront Mori who keeps hearing the name "Akihiro". Tatsuya and Futaba then talk about Akihiro who was said to be the "first mutant" as he claims that trouble has already found his sister. Four months ago, Nico Minoru and Mori find Hisako's home trashed and her charm left behind. They meet Futaba who gives them the information on the church where the Children of the Atom are said to be using as their headquarters. In the present, Nico Minoru's Miss Grimm alias finds Hisako who doesn't remember her and runs into Maester as Noriko Ishida arrives. In the cafeteria, Nico interacts with Noriko who warns her not to do any sneaking around. Later that night, Nico tries to call someone only to be attacked by Noriko. Nico fights back until she is restrained by a tentacled mutant as Maestro claims that Nico is far from being a true Homo Superior. Meanwhile, Kanon and Tatsuya talk about Kanon wanting to raid the Children of the Atom's headquarters until she gets a text from Mei Igarashi. Futaba shows up to offer Kanon a ride.

Characters

Main characters

* Armor / Hisako Ichiki - A school girl who received a charm that unlocked her ability to form a psionic exoskeleton around her.
* Maystorm / Mei Igarashi - A girl who Hisako befriends who can control the weather and is a fan of Storm.
* Nico Minoru - A girl and classmate of Hisako and Mei who possesses magic-based abilities.
* Natsu Tsukishima - A girl and classmate who has a white patch over her left eye that later manifests an optic beam attack.
* Mori - A girl in a rabbit-eared hood who is one of Hisako's classmates.
* Kanon Sainouchi - An older classmate of Hisako.

Villains

* Shadow King / Shinobu Kageyama - A boy who can bring out a shadowy aura.
* Emperor Sunfire / Shiro Yoshida - The Emperor of Hi no Kune.
** Viper / Aida - A servant of Emperor Sunfire.
* Maester - The leader of the Children of the Atom cult who answers to Emperor Sunfire and Viper.

Other characters

* Tatsuya Sainouchi - A police officer who is the older brother of Kanon.
* Surge / Noriko Ishida - An electrical mutant associated with the Children of the Atom.
* Akihiro - A mutant in the Maester's possession who is hooked up to some devices in the medical wing of Maester's building.
* Yukio - A streamer.

Organizations

* Children of the Atom - A cult of mutants that is led by Maester.

Collected editions

Reception

Chase Magnett from ''ComicBook.com'' points out that the comic has little relation with the broader narrative of the Ultimate Universe, the usual X-Men tropes, or even the superhero genre. He thinks that the comic aims to expand the franchise's genre boundaries.

Shaun Corley from ''Screen Rant'' points out that the comic skips almost all the key characters and elements of X-Men lore, such as the X-Mansion and Sentinels, and characters such as Professor X, Cyclops, Wolverine and Storm. He considers that, by doing so, Momoko focuses instead on the core theme of the X-Men, that of people feeling lonely in a world that fears them.

References

External links

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{{X-Comics

2024 comics debuts
Original English-language manga
X-Men titles
Comics set in Japan
Comics set in schools
X-Men
Superhero horror comics
Horror comics published by Marvel Comics