Mutants are still illegal in the Ultimate Universe, and in this issue, we meet Derek Morgan, a teen who lives with his older police officer brother and his wife. He also has a secret, he's a mutant. More specifically, a mutant with wings and claws. Can "Karen Grant" and Jimmy Hudson get to him before the police find out who he is?
The Good
First off, I'm so glad this book takes place in Chicago. By far, this was my favorite issue as of yet. It reminded me of the old Disney cartoon Gargoyles, but for adults. It was darker and filled with a little more bitterness and angst, so it was like Batman too in a sense. What I enjoyed most about this issue was the dynamic between Derek, the mutant, and his police officer brother. I hope it's something they go back to later on the series, since those pieces between the brothers really made this issue stand out for me. Art Adams pencils are again great. His art work isn't something that stands out huge, but it's consistent, and it plays like a movie, which goes well with Jeph Loeb's movie-style writing in this issue.
The Bad
I'm not enjoying the bantering behind Jean Grey AKA "Karen" and Jimmy Hudson. It's basically this. "I'm a 16 year old with a growing libido, but I'm not trying to get with you." "I'm an attractive female mutant who happens to be overly-busty, and I don't want to get with you." Repeat. It's bad teenage drama, and seriously, Jean Grey must have had a boob job between Ultimatum and this story arc. Her body is grossly disproportionate.
The Verdict - 4.5/5
Again, this was my favorite issue of the series so far. I'm really excited to see how Derek will fit in to this story down the road, and why these mutants are drawn to each other. It's also pretty nice to see Jeph Loeb's writing be all around enjoyable for once, instead of the C-List summer blockbuster in comic form. The majority of the Ultimate books are great, and I'd even say this is the second best of the lot.
