Customer Reviews
An excellent start to the series - By: Irikefe Okonedo, 21 Sep 2008 
This graphic novel collects the 12 issuesin the first year of Mark Millar's Ultimate X-Men & covers two story arcs: 1) `The Tomorrow People' & 2) `Return to Weapon X'.
In the first story arc, `The Tomorrow People', the world is on the brink of genetic war after the emergence of mutants, humans who possess special abilities due to an activated X-genein their DNA. In fear of mutantkind, mankind has created Sentinels, giant robots that can identify the mutant gene & are programmed with one directive: identify mutants & terminate them. We are introduced to two opposing mutant groups: the world's most powerful telepath Professor Xavier & his X-Men, who have a vision of a worldin which humans & mutants can live togetherin peace & harmony, & terrorist master of magnetism Magneto & his Brotherhood of Mutants, who believe that mutantkind are the next stage of evolution, & are meant to replace mankind, not livein harmony with them. Magneto wants to bring about the all-out genetic war that he believes will resultin mutantkind finally destroying humankind & inheriting the earth that he feels is rightfully theirs, whereas Xavier believes that such an all-out war would inevitably mean the extinction of all, man & mutant. But when the US government discover the whereabouts of Magneto's secret base - the Savage Land - & dispatch a fleet of Sentinels there to kill Magneto & all his followers, the life of every human man, woman & childin America isin danger, because Magneto will respond to this attack with terrible wrath, & determine to kill every non-mutantin Americain one stroke. Can Xavier's X-Men stop this genocide, & the madman that is Magneto?
In the second story arc, `Return to Weapon X', Xavier's school is ambushed by Weapon X, a covert black-ops unit funded by the US government that uses mutants as living weapons against their will, brainwashing them & inserting neural implants into their brains to compel them to obey. Xavier & his X-Men are all kidnapped & taken to the secret Weapon X basein Finland. The X-Men are then sent on missions as operatives of Weapon X & are forced by Colonel Wraith - the head of Weapon X - to do terrible things. But when Weapon X attacked Xavier's school, they failed to capture Wolverine, a mutant with a healing factor that means he can recover from any injury. Wolverine was a former operative of Weapon X, who was kidnapped by them, brainwashed & routinely tortured for many years. He is the world's most lethal killing machine & he has a plan to rescue his fellow X-Men from the clutches of Weapon X, a plan that involves his former team-mates, Magnetos' Brotherhood of Mutants...
Comments: I found this to be a most enjoyable trade paperback, with two great stories, the first of which introduces us to the world of Ultimate X-Men & the second of which takes us deeper into their world. The characters are different fromin the main Marvel universe (primarily because they are mainly teenagers) & this new start gives readers new to the X-Men & also former X-title readers like myself the opportunity to get back into the X-Men world without having to worry about continuity. The first story is competently told, with good guy Xavier & bad guy Magneto's opposing viewpoints on the place of mutantsin the world, the horrors of the Sentinels & the X-Men doing their best to protect a world that fears & loathes them. The second story is even better, with the X-Men & Xavier pawns of Weapon X & its evil leader Colonel Wraith, the story being so compelling because of the terrible sufferings of the X-Men & other mutants as prisoners of Weapon X & Colonel Wraith, a villain who is even worse than Magneto. This trade paperback is a fine start to the Ultimate X-Men series, with well plotted stories by Mark Millar & largely excellent artwork by Adam & Andy Kubert, Tom Raney & Thomas Derenick. I intend to carry on reading.
Surprisingly Good. Not just for kids - By: Eve, 28 Jan 2008 
I write surprisingly because for one it's a comic & there is a certain snobbish attitude towards comics or graphic novels, especially if you're over a certain age. Well I'm over a certain age & I really enjoyed this collection. I can't help thinking the success of the films has brought new readers to the comics.
This is my first forayin this particular Marvel world & I'm very pleased with what I've found. Interesting grown up storylines, great graphics.
You don't need to know the characters history or have followed X-men since the 1960's!, as each is introduced (briefly) or their relationships & past are revealed through the stories.
Looking forward to reading my next book.
A brilliant reimagining - By: Peter Whiteford, 14 Dec 2007 I just got this from Amazon myself, & while I was expecting something good, this was very good. It's fast moving & action packed, but not so fast that it's confuisng, & the action is interspaced with moments of calm that are either funny or tender.
The characters aren't new for anyone who has read the X-Men before, but they are certainly an interesting & nice change. Nicein that, they are still partly the same; Cyclops is grown up Boy Scout & Wolverine is as nasty as ever, but they have their special Ultimate-ness, that makes them exciting & special for old readers, & easily accessible for new readers.
Since this book contains the first twelves issues of the series, there's enough to keep you going for a quite a while, & it also manages to cover enough interesting storylines that you don't get bored. Overall I would say to anyone who likes Marvel comics, or just comics really, & hasn't read this, "Why Not?"
One of the best Xmen Series to date - By: Joe Hart, 12 Mar 2007 This book is awesome! But i should first clear up some points. The main one being, this book is not about the xmenin the ORIGINAL Marvel universe. THese xmen arein the ULTIMATE universe, which was invented by Marvel to try & introduce younger readers to comics. It also means you dont have to know anything about xmen to read this. But this doesn't mean you won't enjoy it if your not a young teenager. Its especially great if you read comics 20 years ago & you want to get back into them.
Secondly, this is not JUST the first volume, It contains volumes 1 & 2 of the Ultimate X-men series. I made the mistake of then buying Ultimate Xmen Vol. 2 after I got this, only to find I'd already read it.
Its an overall a great book & acts as a great introduction to comics, the x-men & the Ultiamte Universe.
