Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe continues with a stunning take on the X-Men from fan-favourite artist Peach Momoko. Hisako Ichiki is a teenage girl who just wants to live a normal life — go to school, hang out with her friends, and ignore the political strife boiling over after the events of ULTIMATE INVASION. But life has other plans for her. In Japan, urban legends have sprung to life… and brought some unusual new powers with them.
The new take on the Ultimate Universe has been quite the hit for Marvel with Ultimate Spider-Man being one of the biggest comics of the year. Following on from the well-received Ultimate Black Panther series, we have Ultimate X-Men from Eisner Award winning cover artist Peach Momoko. Like her Demon Days and Demon Wars series, she is given free reign to present a unique Japanese rooted take on the X-Men mythos.
In this the case, the Maker’s actions prevented the X-Men from forming in the way they would in the main Marvel Universe which gives Momoko a completely blank canvas. She leans heavily into fan-favourite Japanese X-Men characters including Hisako Ichiki and Nico Minoru along with creating some new ones of her own. Hisako (better known as Armor in the main Marvel Universe) is given the lion-share of the focus alongside Nico (a reimagining of the much-loved Runaway’s character) and Mei Igarashi – a girl with weather-based powers who takes on the name Maystorm in honour of her hero Storm. The characters are all fun and have a strong chemistry that Momoko (and translator Zack Davisson) never lose track of.
Despite some familiar characters, this series is not directly influenced by any particular era of X-Men with Momoko going in her own direction. The school setting of the series is very manga influenced – with the more comedic moments alongside the interplay between Hisako, Nico and company giving off the vibe of a slice-of-life comedy school manga. But at the same time, this is a Peach Momoko creation, and she has always excelled at mixing cute characters with horrific settings. Readers will definitely get Junji Ito vibes as Momoko delves into horror elements, particularly regarding Shinobu Kageyama – this series version of The Shadow King – who takes on elements of both body horror and classic Japanese monsters.
As is always the case with a Peach Momoko project, her art is what immediately draws you. Like her previous Marvel projects, the entire series is a fully painted with water colours and stands out from other superhero comics currently being released. Her storytelling skills are just as strong as her covers and her character designs remain unique and charming.
Momoko has created a unique take on the X-Men which – whilst a departure from traditional approaches – will appeal to a wide group of fans. The Ultimate imprint has another winner.
Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko Vol. 1: Fears and Hates is out now from Marvel (9781302957315, p/b, £17.99)
Or support your local bookstore.
Want regular updates and weekly reviews on the latest in graphic novels and manga? Follow us on Twitter @turnaroundcomix.
