NB of the Week

Ultimate X-Men #14 - Divided We Fall: Part One
It's a little weird to me how fast I'm falling for the writing of Brian Wood on this book. The start of a title is one thing but I can't remember the last time I was getting a book where a new writer joined in partly through and it changed the dynamic this much for me.

The United States is in turmoil (see image below). Over in Ultimates, an attack has left the president dead, the White House destroyed and the Ultimates lost, trying to find any way to essentially not die. Over here in Ultimate X-Men, Sentinels rule the law in places and you can kill mutants. It's anarchy. Having left Johnny Storm in the Morlock Tunnels to protect the hiding mutants, Kitty Pryde is leading the team of her, Jimmy Hudson (son of Wolverine), Rogue and Bobby Drake across the US, looking to stop the Anti-Mutant militia that William Stryker Jr started. Kitty may have killed him but his movement continues and it's torturing and killing mutants in camps placed throughout the US. Having got through a mutant check point, Kitty is finally able to get to a phone to call and check on Johnny. Getting a lot of static, Kitty gets what appear to be some disturbing news,
"-krrsshhhh- got him, Kitty -krsshhh- took him away -krrrr- He's not even a mutant -krrssshhh-"
And as if things couldn't get worse, the guys from the mutant check point have caught back up with them for a few more question. As Kitty is outside trying to find answers, gun fire begins in the dinner they stopped at. We're left with her thoughts saying that if they can find this secret person she's trying to get to join, then nobody will ever underestimate them again. "They won't even get a second chance."
I love the way the Ultimate Universe is playing out. Every is bleak and dire and I can't wait for the heroes to fully kick ass and take things back. The X-Men are gonna go camp to camp, rescuing and adding to their numbers and hopefully find the secret character Kitty wants (nut realistically, what are the odds of that happen in a comic, right?) and free everybody. The Ultimate line may not be a good place for the characters right now but it's damn good reading for us.