There’s a new Ultimate X-Men on the block, and it’s by comics visionary Peach Momoko. Set in a new version of the Ultimate Universe where The Maker has heavily influenced the entire globe to keep it under control, a new set of mutants appear to be revealing themselves. The first issue introduced a middle-grade girl named Hisako Ichiki, who has the powers of Armor, while in the second issue, a new mutant makes themselves known.
Ultimate X-Men #2 opens with Hisako lying in bed, staring at a starkly black crack in the ceiling. The crack is not unlike the shadowy figure that asked her to go to a temple in the previous issue. She’s still reeling from the events of the last issue. A lot of emotions are on display here, as she’s grieving her friend who seemingly committed suicide due to bullies. In a key flashback, we see she may have been able to prevent it by simply listening to her friend. This story continues to be a reminder of how delicate life is, especially at a young age.
A new character enters the narrative that puts a positive pep in the otherwise sorrowful step of the series. She goes by Mei Igarashi. She’s super supportive of Hisako, has an X-pin on her sweater, and has a lightning bolt. One can pretty much assume she’s a mutant. It’s becoming clearer that recruitment is going on as Mei connects with Hisako, and the shadowy figure continues to draw Mei in.
Mei is pretty cool.
Credit: Marvel
I say more clearly because the characters’ intentions and plot progression are slow. It’s hard to gather where this is all going, which can be frustrating. One abundantly clear thing is that this series is very Japanese and filled with cultural touchstones and Momoko’s personal experiences. For instance, her thoughts in the back matter on science class and ghosts are interesting.
An intriguing main conflict with the shadow figure keeps the intrigue high. Momoko is very good at attracting your interest with well-designed sequential storytelling and creepy visuals. On some scale, this issue is a horror comic. The threat of the shadowy figure reveals a necrotic quality as if it’s undead, while Mei shows she has powers of her own. If this shadowy figure is recruiting Hisako, they’re doing a bad job of it with the scary approach.
The dialogue flows nicely thanks to Zack Davisson, who adapts the script. The general flow and cadence of dialogue are clear and add emotionality to the scenes. There’s an almost wistful nature to the placement of captions, and Travis Lanham’s lettering keeps things clean and simple.
The most intriguing scene comes near the end, which will have X-Men fans talking. Is this Xavier, or is it a take on him? Considering the helmet he wears and what’s in his room, he appears to be tracking mutants.
If you have the patience, Ultimate X-Men #2 continues to draw you into a unique world of mutants who may be recruiting. The slow plot makes you wish you had the entire first story arc in hand, but there’s no denying this tale draws you into a unique and specific world. Blending horror and themes of bullying and dark thoughts, Ultimate X-Men feels as relevant as ever.
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