I just re-read the first volume and i have to say.....this series is really disturbing :-P
I don't have a problem because no point on making the same universe twice but it definetely is.
- Hulk is completely out of control,a cannibal,a rapist etc.
- Thor is possibly a lunatic(i believe he is not)
- Janet is naked for most issues in the second storyline :-P
- Cap is a patriotic(xenophobic) a$$ho!&.
- Hank Pym is a repeated wife beater almost killing Janet(his 616 is nearly as damaged as he is)
- Betty Ross is attracted to the Hulk when he sees him eating intestines!
Apparently,everyone is a giant a$$ho!& and pretty much completely unrecognizable.
The first thing one has to realize is that this is the Ultimate Universe, and Ultimates is arguably the most grounded book in the franchise (least till Loeb took over). So the characters and setting are - for lack of a better term - a postmodern incarnation of the classic Avengers. They are different, more modern interpretations of the characters. But that doesn't mean that they're 'a*sholes'.
The first thing worth mentioning is that the Hulk and Hank are douches, there's no way around that. The former is a disturbed human being with an inferiority complex, and a cannibal and (implied) rapist when he Hulks out. And Hank Pym is, unlike his 616 counterpart, a legit wife-beater. There's no denying that Millar went for darker incarnations for these characters. But the one thing people have to remember is that neither one of them are technically members of the team. Banner started out as a scientist and was booted out once he Hulked out, only brought in as a weapon of last resort. Hank was basically dropped right after his wife-beating (least till Loeb took over). And yeah, Betty has issues.
But as for the rest of your complaints regarding the team, they're quite inaccurate. First, Thor isn't a lunatic, and not a particularly violent one either. Second, I fail to see how Janet being naked for what, one issue, is disturbing. It wasn't as thought it was done gratuitously, the Ultimates are a realistic take and so her clothes won't grow with her. We get multiple scenes of a naked giant Hank Pym - are those disturbing too?
Secondly, Ultimate Cap is neither xenophobic nor an asshole. I'm ignoring later inaccurate portrayals of the characters, but the French comment was said in the heat of the moment, and a result of his time as a WWII soldier. I don't believe it accurately reflects the character (um, black friend in Brooklyn, Falcon, Nick Fury, Asian girlfriend with Wasp?). And remember, this is a more real-world take, so naturally Cap will be less 'superhero' and more 'soldier'. He does have a sort of fists-solve-problems mentality, but that in no way makes him a a*shole. Whatever his violent actions, you do get a sense that he's motivated by a good heart. Even when he beats up Hank Pym or drops the Hulk on Kleiser, it's not like he revels in the violence (Read Ultimate Nightmare). He's just willing to make the tough decisions as a leader.
I just wanted to clarify some inaccurate statements being thrown around. Yes, I will concede that the Ultimates are a more jaded, real-world take on the Avengers and superheroes in general. But I find that to be a strength of the comic, and it seems like your minor nitpicks are obstructing a fuller appreciation of the story. Yeah, these characters are more 21st century incarnations, but they're by no means unrecognizable. And Ult. Cap, Thor, Tony, Wasp, and Hawkeye are all admirable heroes once you look beyond the superficial.
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