Ultimate Invasion #4

Ultimate Invasion

by Jonathan Hickman

THE END...OR THE BEGINNING? War breaks out as timelines and universes collide! Iron Man must choose between the lesser of two evils - the Maker or Kang. But what secret does Iron Man know about the men behind the masks? And at the end of it all, the world outside your window will be forever changed! Don't miss this giant-sized, action-packed conclusion - or is it only the beginning...?

Genres: Comics, Marvel

49 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 27, 2023

About the author

Jonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really solid set up issue for the future of the new ultimates universe. Howard Stark is actually a really likeable and interesting character in this, the ending leaves me wondering where we'll go from here, and excited for the new ultimate universe.

[Joey Amorim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, this ended up being mostly underwhelming. I know that long form storytelling is Hickman’s M.O., but I would’ve appreciated this series being more than just mere setup for this new Ultimate universe. Like seriously, the book ends telling you “to be continued in Ultimate Universe #1.” Why can’t that issue just be Ultimate Invasion #5 and kick everything off from there? I have faith that all the setup will be worth it, so I’ll just say this was okay and hope it ages better with time.

PS: Now that I think about it, it’s really weird that characters like the Illuminati and Miles Morales were pushed as major players in this story in the marketing, but they were all literal non-factors after issue #1. I’m almost tempted to dock this some points for selling me on a Maker vs. Illuminati story with Miles acting as a wild card, but instead giving me what basically boiled down to universal show and tell. Not a big fan of the false pretenses.

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good ending to a story that didn’t need to be told. The Ultimate universe was gone. Why bring it back? That out of the way, I loved the characters and the dynamics of the story. They set up a lot of mystery and exciting possibilities. Who knows where it’s going next.

[zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

wait bro who’s under that mask; Hickman don’t make me come find you

[carolina ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

banger

[Dingleberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Hickman stays on to actually finish the story maybe this will be good, but I have a feeling it’s gonna be full of disappointment like the follow up of House of X & Powers of X once he left. I also feel duped because the market was all Miles and the Illuminati which were hardly in the setup.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk felt like the whole series was slightly confusing. Art and script was amazing tho

[Lewys · Rating 4 out of 5]

UIUIUIUI. Definitivamente no me entero. Cómo que futuro y pasado y pasado y futuro y pasado y futuro. La idea me parece bastante guay y varias páginas muy muy guapas. Pero no entiendo qué mierdas pasa del todo todo. He tenido que mirar Reddit, IA y tal, y sí, lo que yo más o menos entendía. Pero es que hay dos momentos que no sé cómo ubicarlos. Veremos si me explican más en los siguientes ultimate.

Hasta aquí mi noche comiquera.

[Saad · Rating 5 out of 5]

And here, the new status quo of Earth-6160 is set. Howard Stark used the Immortus Engine to instigate the final battle between the mysterious Kang and the Maker before freezing them all in place for two years before sending Doom and his son to recruit the similar yet different heroes of Earth-6160 based on their variants in Earth-616. That’s one of the coolest fucking ideas I’ve heard of in my entire life of reading comic books! The art is on-point, the story is fantastic, and I’m left desperate to see what happens next! Astute readers will have some idea of what to expect with Kang, but there’s still so much left in the air, and those sadistic bastards left us waiting for two years! Diabolical! But that’s the cool part of this universe: it all moves in real time! Instead of the sliding timescale in Earth-616, every book, including this one, has a countdown to the Maker being released, which adds to his aura, mystery, and foreboding. This is a generational issue in the history of Marvel Comics, and I’m just grateful to have read it as it was being released.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seguramente esté planteado un gran plan para recuperar gran parte del concepto del Universo Ultimate, pero lo que viene siendo esta mini no deja suficiente buen sabor de boca. Sí que Hickman parece tener ya una facilidad pasmosa de no verse superado por su batería de ideas y conceptos trascendentales y cósmicos que puede generar de cualquier situación. El cruzar no solo nuevos universos, si no poner en un tablero varias figuras de intelecto y escala espaciotemporal que pasan de parecer nuevos a reconectar con personajes casi olvidados del canon troncal de Marvel. Desde luego no sale tan mal como podría. Aunque sí que sigue mostrándose de forma constreñida por empezar a engrasar una maquinaria que no se sabe hasta qué punto será provechosa para el contexto actual de Marvel Comics.

[Cornelio Doran]

Hickman!!!!

First all the opportunity for Jonathan Hickman to rewrite history and change the landscape is dope. The ending was a twist that caught me by surprise and the Doom development down the road is going to be epic. Anyone reading this mini...its not what think or will expect. It lays the ground of what's to come while giving you a fresh take on concept ya use. Good read and looking forward to a new look at the ultimate universe as a whole.

[Jason Holtzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rating this series as a whole, as I just finished reading each issue. The art was great throughout, and for the most part I really liked the story. At the end of the day, I know where everything stands, so I understand what the implication and basis is for the upcoming Ultimate books.

However, some of the *how* behind the events in this series and the timeline/future stuff was a little confusing and could have been clearer.

[luciddreamer99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, if confusing, it deserves a reread. The entire series is typical Hickman fare, and the art by Hitch deserves to be pored over. I have high hopes for the series that this title promises, and hopefully Hickman is on board for some of it. Recommended for fans of Hickman and complex super-heroics.

[ComicBookCult Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid issue, lots of interesting ideas and dialogue, this mini series didn’t really stick the landing in my opinion. It had lots of cool ideas but they didn’t stick together well for a good finale. It felt messy and the ending was kinda predictable honestly. I felt like it just going on to “next issue” made it feel incomplete, I probably won’t be picking up “Ultimate Universe”

[Vyshakh Aravindan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultimate Invasion #4
The finale shifts from a slow burn to a satisfying crescendo, as the rebellion against The Maker’s utopia takes shape. Hickman delivers a layered commentary on leadership and legacy, while Hitch’s visuals hit their peak. It’s not a traditional action-heavy climax, but it lays the groundwork for the launch of the new Ultimate Universe with weight and purpose.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that the whole miniseries is finished and I have a full perspective on what it was I appreciate it more, but thinking about what it could have been leaves it a bit underwhelming for me. Regardless, I will be there day one for the new Ultimate Universe

[Gab Andrade · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 estrellas.

El fin de un inicio, se podría decir.

Ver la creación de este nuevo universo ultimate desde este punto es algo curioso, lo disfruto, em gusta la verdad, y ver como las historias que creía conocer, estan cambiando frente a mís ojos, me gusta.

[Jannes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess Kang was one of the two starks? I feel these comics are sometimes a bit to fast moving and explain too little or way to cryptic. Overall I enjoyed this mini series though, even if I didn’t understand everything.

[makrigato · Rating 3 out of 5]

no entendí nada jsjsj

[Samriddh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hickman can't really make me hate one of his books.

[Eugene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid setup for the new universe.

[Ashley Wijangco · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75

[Denis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pas tout compris mais mokay

[Naseef]

Alright, time for the new Ultimate Universe
Also, is Howard Stark drawn inspired by Brad Pitt in these?

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain America at the end was so tuff

[Rorscharch71 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 4
Art 4
Gorgeous splash pages

[grimbamreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

good not great. good set up to the rest of the ultimate universe. now i know the context for ultimate spider-man but icl it was BARELY needed

[Nolan McNulty · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were so many cool pages of art in this issue.

[Kevin Montes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of anticlimactic, considering the lead-up, but the final setup with Reed "Doom" Richards leaves a door open for some fantastic stories in the Ultimate Universe.