Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection, Book 6

Ultimate Spider-Man (Collected Editions) #11-12

by Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley (Illustrator)

One of the most ruthless villains in Marvel history, the fan- favorite Carnage, gets the Ultimate treatment! And though young Peter Parker has proven himself time and again on the field of battle, can even he hope to defeat this heartless killing machine? Then, a bizarre occurrence brings Spider-Man and Wolverine together for the weirdest team-up in superhero history! As the two struggle to get to the bottom of this mystery, their lives literally unravel. What bizarre phenomenon has both heroes too distracted to work together?

COLLECTING: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (2000) 60-71

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Spider Man, Marvel, Superheroes, Fiction, Sequential Art

296 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

A comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.

Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.

Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.

Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.

Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.

Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.

He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sixth Spider -Man, Ultimate collection starts with Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 11: Carnage, with yet another far interesting and believable origin for a villain, and of fan fave Carnage no less! What this first volume really does is show just how great the character development is in this series as Parker is pushed to the brink, and his peers also have to deal with some real tragedy. Loving this!

Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 12: Superstars starts with a genuinely funny and on point farce(!) with Spidey and Wolverine waking up in each others bodies! This is followed up by interactions for the yet to go public Johnny Storm/Human Torch which is a clever tale centred around the loneliness and dilemmas of being a costumed hero. Last and possible least a is quirky Dr Strange tale; which I feel tries maybe a bit too hard to make this a little magical story and doesn't quite make it, although the Ultimate iteration of Strange is one of my faves of a character I normally can't stand. 7 out of 12 overall.

2022 read; 2017 read; 2011 read

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to superhero comics, sometimes the best stories can last around one or two issues and on the basis of this sixth volume of Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's Ultimate Spider-Man, it features four arcs, all of which feature a range of emotions that our eponymous teenage hero goes through.

What begins this volume is the Ultimate introduction to one of the most ruthless villains Marvel history, meaning that you'll see something new but familiar at the same time. Having battled the Lizard on numerous occasions, Spider-Man has a somewhat easy alliance with Dr Curt Connors, who is aware of Peter’s secret identity. Retaining a sample of Peter’s blood and after studying it, Connors asks Peter if he can continue testing and researching the DNA sample for potential medical breakthroughs, and thus resulting in the creation of a new symbiote: Carnage.

With the absence of Cletus Kasady – who was the host of the Carnage Symbiote in the main Marvel universe – this is one of the few Ultimate treatments that I could tolerate, given how this villain is conceived by Peter and Connors, and how the subsequent deaths along the way affects those two, especially one death that hits Peter personally. Based on the previous volumes, the storytelling works best when we see Peter not donning the Spider-suit and for most of this volume, it is all about that and realising the consequences in being Spider-Man, resulting in the Ultimate version of one of the most popular Spidey stories: "Spider-Man No More!"

However, it is not always tragedy as there's room for humour, which leads us onto the Freaky Friday of Spider-Man stories. When Wolverine and Peter mysteriously wake up in each other's bodies, they try to maintain each other's lives whilst investigating the truth behind the body-swap. Despite the strange use of breaking the fourth wall with a page of Bendis strangling his assistant editor, who originally pitched this short arc, it's fun seeing these unlikely figures have to act like each other and how to use their powers.

When it comes to team-ups in Marvel comics, it's not just about coming together to fight a threat as dangerous as Thanos, but the characters can just simply hang out and nothing clarifies this better than the friendship between Spidey and the Human Torch. Despite his newfound fame and powers, Johnny Storm is forced upon by the rest of the Ultimate Fantastic Four to enlist as a student in Peter's high school, in order to achieve a diploma. As you can tell, things don't go as planned as superpowers always get in the way, but as well as showcasing the first union of these teenage heroes, but even sheds some light towards supporting characters like MJ's friend Liz Allan.

Despite the front cover of Spidey standing in front of three of the Ultimates, these versions of the Avengers briefly appear in one issue as the last arc is about an encounter with Dr Strange in which Peter gets mixed up in a spell and is plunged into a horrific world based on his nightmares. Although I did find the reinvention of Doctor Strange here rather complicated in that he is Stephen Strange Jr and how inherits his father's gifts, it really relies on Bagley's art as this volume showcases some of his best work in the title with sequences including Peter being feared by the demonic versions of his friends and family.

As much as I can praise Bendis for writing the soap opera antics of high school and some of the superhero fodder, there are times where you think he's trying to be a novelist when writing comics as he can definitely be too wordy and using techniques such as flashbacks in places that seem unnecessary. Despite some inconsistencies, this is a big-step for Ultimate Spider-Man, which can able to balance humour and tragedy.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite volume of Bendis’s Ultimate Spider-man so far. The Carnage story was the best part but even that whole storyline fell flat and the Human Torch and Doctor Strange team ups were forgettable. But the two-issue stinker where Spider-man and Wolverine trade bodies is where things get actively stupid.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Picture this, J.J. Say a giant robot busts in, grabs him, crushes him like Play-Doh and tosses him in the East River and no one will ever find him. Ten years will pass and nobody will even remember the name Spider-Man. He'll be ancient history."

[mvsophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jakiego pięknego angstu właśnie doświadczyłam.

[maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

spider-man basically had a superhero meet & greet in half the issues, and it was SO FUN

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been mostly reading comics recently as I'm studying for an exam and can't afford to be reading books (otherwise I'll never do anything else). So back to the continuing adventures of Ultimate Spider-Man (some spoilers - be warned).

The opening Carnage storyline takes Pete down a dark road, just as things were looking up. It's a good tale but the sudden reintroduction of Connors and the events leading to the creation of Carnage are slightly forced. Still, visually Bagley knocks it out the park with a truly alien and grotesque version of Carnage. And then we have Gwen. Even knowing her history from the mainstream Marvel Universe I remember being completely wrong footed by this reading it in singles when it first came out. Very little warning or build up and a lot of shock leads to a bug emotional response.

After this we have some lighter segments to break the doom and gloom. The Wolverine/Spidey body swap two parter is tongue in cheek and ridiculous but actually quite good fun. Then we have a nice Johnny Storm introduction to the Spidey world, focusing much more on character and the problems with being a teenage super hero. Finally the two parter with Dr Strange, Nightmare and a jail-bait MJ takes us back to the darkness, leaving Pete broken and fragile. It's a dark turn but makes for a great read and keeps you coming back.

[Trey Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Carnage story has some interesting build up, but unfortunately when Carnage actually shows up and does something, it's so out of left field that it might not as well have been Carnage that kills Gwen Stacy. Comes out of nowhere and happens way too quick. Gwen Stacy's death is also sort of brushed over. Maybe more is said about it later? Not sure.
The Wolverine story was fun, but the Doctor Strange one was a bore. I just don't like magic Marvel stories though.
The best parts in this volume are the ones where Johnny Storm comes to Peter's high school. The teenage drama stuff is so fun to read here. And it's fun to see the status quo flipped. Ol' Torchy looks up to and see Spider-Man as an authority figure, not the other way around like in regular Marvel. Very fun

[Quinton Baran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of issues 60-71. It contains primarily four story lines - Carnage, a Wolverine-Spider-man story, The Human Torch, and Doctor Strange. The art is typical Mark Bagley, meaning that it is very good. I found all of the stories to be well written and engaging. These issues touch on one of the most compelling themes of Spider-man - guilt. I like when Spider-man stories have an equal or more focus on Peter Parker, and these do.

[Tomáš Drako · Rating 4 out of 5]

Táto kniha naučí Petera, že nemôže byť všade a hlavne, nemôže zachrániť všetkých. Po rokoch som sa vrátil k Ultimátnemu Spidermanovy. KeĎ som čítal túto knihu, na jej konci som ostal v miernej depresií. A to som mal za sebou Červenú svadbu boha jeho !!! Na plný počet to nebude, pretože také veci sa proste nerobia :D

[Adsun22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spotkanie Petera z Carnagem jest zdecydowanie najbardziej dramatyczną historią w tym tomie, chociaż zakończenie przygody z Doktorem Strangem też może poruszyć. Spotkania z Loganem i Johnnym za bardzo samego Petera nie rozwijają i są trochę odskocznią od głównego wątku, chociaż też mają swoje zabawne czy emocjonalne momenty. Trochę przekłamana okładka.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess people are always wanting Carnage, but there's not much value in it.

Then Bendis explicitly gives up on the mind swap story, which is perfectly fine. Perfectly fine. But doesn't go too far.

Also, will that Liz Allen mutantphobia story ever pay off?

[Kamil Zawiślak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, I just can't shit on those series.
This was the only time in history we'd got a concise and consequential Spidey storyline for people who didn't want to read forty years of comics.

This would come out when I was in high-school and I wish I'd been reading comics back then.

[Aleck H · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Carnage arc is fantastic. The rest of it...not so great.

[Josh Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carnage is used very well here. USM continues to live up to the hype.

[Przemysław Skoczyński · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadal jest bardzo dobrze, a nawet póki co najlepiej z powodu cyklu "Carnage". No i historia z Wolverinem zabawna

[Jase · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wolverine and Peter play FREAKY FRIDAY in a couple issues where the X-Men get involved. Good to see Human Torch end up somewhere after UFF ended.

[Marcin Wichowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kreska - spoko
Historia - momentami dziecinna
Tempo - średnie
Epickie plansze - 🧐

3,5 to będzie odpowiednia ilość 🌟⭐️🕷️

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kolejny świetny tom przygód Pajeczaka że świata Ultimate, wydawany w Polsce pod płaszczykiem Marvel Classic. W zasadzie nie mam powodów do narzekania, choć gdzieś podskórnie wiem, że nie jest to materiał na najwyższa ocenę.

Pajączek nie próżnuje i znów wchodzi w starcie z jakimś przestępcą, tylko tym razem będzie potrzebował pomocy medycznej. Trafia do doktora Connorsa, bo wiecie... Doktor. Ten robi co trzeba, ale przy okazji bada krew chłopaka, która może się okazać przełomem w medycynie. Traf chce jednak, że w skutek eksperymentu powstaje coś innego...

Pierwsza historia jest chyba najmocniejsza. Nie tylko zmienia nam origin jednego ze sztandarowych przeciwników Petera, to i miesza potężnie w jego życiu osobisty, na takim stopniu, że się tego nie można było spodziewać. Pewna decyzja fabularna Bendisa boli, ale trudno jej nie docenić.

Dalej mamy występy gościnne sporej ilości osób. Najpierw Parker zamieni się ciałami z samym Wolverine'm, z czego wyniknie niezły ambaras oraz udział X-men, a zaraz potem Spidey zacieśni więzy przyjaźni z niejakim Johnny Stormem aka Human Torchem. Sporo tego. I choć akurat te historyjki to bardziej czysta zabawa formą niźli rozwój bohatera, to wpisują się one świetnie w konwencję serii.

Ostatni segment też zaskakuje, bo łączy Petera na moment z samym Dr. Strange'm, a całe sekwencje akcji rozegrają się we śnie jednego z bohaterów, ktory szybko przerodzi się w koszmar, co i tak dewastuje tylko nad wyraz nadwyrężoną psychikę bohatera.

Ultimate Spider-man to unikat, który jest nadal świetny, mimo dobicia do 70-trgo zeszytu. Mało jest takich serii (Daredevil), które mogą się pochwalić taką passą.

W dodatku to wszystko nadal wygląda obłędnie, niczym nie ustępując nawet dzisiejszym kreskom, co tylko podkreśla ponadczasowy charakter tego runu, za co możemy podziękować Bagley'owi.

Bendisa z kolei zawsze będę cenił za taką robotę, mimo że w Spuermana to za bardzo nie umie... Jak to się krzyczy: Spider-man forever!

[Janabi Castillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half of this volume--the Carnage story--is the best Ultimate Spider-man story yet. This is the pinnacle of the "power and responsibility" theme that motivates the whole series. Anyone who knows much about the Spider-man mythology knows what has to eventually happen to Gwen Stacy. But when that thing that has to happen actually does happen, it's so unexpected, quick, and shocking that it's truly heart-rending. (It's also nice that the Ultimate version has so altered things that I had no idea how this event was going to happen--or if it would in this version.) This event is the catalyst that sends Peter into his deepest and darkest sense of guilt, confronting yet again the idea that by doing good in a cruel world, he will bring harm to people around him, harm that he is given no chance to stop. There's a simplicity in this arc that makes it powerful, and I found myself thinking about the many times that I've felt in my role as a leader that I've made wrong choices, or seen bad things happen that I can trace back to decisions I've made. Bendis has hit on a universal feeling in this story. The ending, with Peter's "People suck and it's never going to change" being challenged by Mary Jane's beautiful optimism--"Yes, it will...Because of people like you. You don't know that?"--and an ending that leaves the big questions open, is fantastic. I don't know if Ultimate Spider-man will ever top this story, but nothing that came before comes close to this one.

I know that Bendis didn't want to do a Carnage story, and quite a few elements that he rejected for the Venom story show up here--which, sadly, shows the power of the publisher over the creative artists--but it does work well here. I especially liked the DNA connection between Carnage and the Parkers--an idea that has been taken up in The Amazing Spider-man 2 film.

The weighty Carnage story is followed by a comedy story in which Peter and Wolverine change bodies. It makes no sense (especially the resolution), but it's funny enough for two issues. The third story in this volume involves Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four attending high school with Peter. I don't know what it has to do with anything; maybe it ties into the Fantastic Four story in some important way, but it doesn't have much to do with Spider-man. It brings up Liz's mutant-phobia again--a story element that has been playing in the background with no substantial payoff for a long time. The concluding story features Doctor Strange, and is as weird and trippy as any Doctor Strange story is likely to be. It doesn't play long enough to really make sense, and it's kind of ruined by Mary Jane dressing like a streetwalker for a "fancy date." (Will these teenage girls ever wear shirts that cover their stomachs??)

(I like that the dustjacket flap says "The fifth deluxe hardcover in the Ultimate Spider-Man series.")

[Holden Attradies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is perhaps my favorite volume of Ultimate Spider-Man (out of the first 7 which I have read), and I have to say it really wowed me more than most have.

The Carnage story arc was great. When Conners reared his ugly face again I assumed it could lead to nothing good but the story really had me thinking he was going to be doing the right thing this time. He truly seemed on the up and up with Peter and Peter really seemed to have finally gotten a trust worthy ally, all of which made Conners' betrayal and fuck up have all the more impact. And I REALLY did not predict that Gwen was going to die, and in the manner that she died. I kept thinking for at least a few pages that she wasn't really dead or was some how going to be brought back.

Following that is my now all time favorite Spidy moment. That whole scene with Pete and Mary-Jane and Flash and company in detention was such the height of the super-hero as teenager soap opera dram that's so addictive but the "three hours later" thing where Peter makes his speech about how Flash is a bad guy, and how people like him grow up to be bad guys was amazing. Not only did it come off as something that was brutally honest commentary on the real world but it's clear that any innocence Peter Parker had left is gone at this point.

Now I now a lot of people didn't much care for the Wolverine/Parker body swap story but honestly i LOVED it. And although it was kind of tongue-n-cheek I felt it fit in perfectly with the universe and how everything bad seems to happen to Peter and played well with Peter's past experiences with Wolverine. And when Peter calls the X-Mansion and Kitty Pryde has her little cameo I felt she totally stole the scene (she's my favorite x-character). And the ending, I really didn't see that coming and I just laughed my ass off.

The little story arch with Johnny Storm was nice too. It showed more of that "how shitty it is to be a teenage superhero" drama AND showed that Parker has begrudgingly accepted his lot in life. I also kind of hope it's an early set up to some spider-man and his amazing friends action down the road...

The short story arc with Dr. Strange was a good book end to the collection. Start with dark end with dark. It made the volume feel consistent and was a good preamble to the falling volume when Peter tries to push MJ away because of how fucked up and shitty his life is.

[elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

there are so many things i love in this collection GOD *screams*

let me start with logan and peter body swap,, look, i’ve seen the cartoon (2012) before reading this and let me just tell you, i’ll eat that shit up. it’s fucking hilarious. i love it.

and CARNAGE?? beautiful. (except for the part where gwen.. y’know.)

DOCTOR STRANGE?????? YES. THE NIGHTMARE GUY?? HELL YEAH. I AM FED.

and johnny?? handsome flameboy?? that i barely remember from a fantastic four movie??? yes. i mean i have no information about him AT ALL but i loved him and i loved that tiny little storyline with him and liz and his cute little conversation with spider-man. it was so awesome.

this was AWESOME.

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uneven. The series took a turn for the dark here. The first couple issues in the volume were good (but dark), and the team-up with Johnny Storm was also quite good. I didn't really care for the Wolverine body-swapping plot line though and I thought the last issue in the collection (introducing Dr. Strange) took a step backwards since the previous issue (the one with Human Torch) seemed to be leading Peter back to his role as a super-hero while the last one just reversed directions again.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. But at best it's still a reboot of Peter Parker as Spider-Man in an alternate universe. Some of the characters work pretty well, but we still know who everyone is, we still know the subtext. Still Johnny Storm showing up in Peter's High School was cute. But the swap bodies with Wolverine story made up for it - the writing was especially bad. So not a waste a time, but nothing all that special. 3.5 of 5.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this randomly, have not read any of the previous five volumes. I don't know what it was about this one that made me reach for it, but I'm glad I did. I loved how other Marvel heroes were in the stories - they didn't seem forced, and were funny (especially Wolverine's inclusion). The end was pretty sad, but was appropriate considering all that had happened and the classic comics.

[Ernest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death of GS is dealt with in an unexpected manner. The story about Spidey and Wolverine switching body is fun. And everything works towards Parker breaking down psychologically.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the Carnage arc that really nails the balance between faithfulness to the original stories and the invention of new struggles for Peter Parker. This book hits all the right notes.

[Kai C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just look forward to where the next volume will play out, because so far so good. I think the action and the every day to day life are both enjoyable to ready.