Ultraverse Thread

Comic universes no longer active, Bravura, Continuity, CrossGen, Future, Malibu, Ultraverse... and others that are 'no longer with us' today (or only recently brought back).

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by StarBrand »

Is your Ultraverse blog still up, depluto? If so, could you post a link?
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by depluto »

Haven't worked on this in a while ... I think I need to convert it to a regular web site.

https://cheepultraverse.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by StarBrand »

Very cool.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by armlessphelan »

I just started reading Ultraverse stuff (none of the reboot) in the last couple of months. So far, I've read all of Hardcase and a good chunk of Prime. Hardcase was really, really good up until that issue with Loki and the Time Gem. It faltered, but ended okay for the most part.

Prime has been a journey. They packed so much character development into that book's short run, though the running subplot of everyone thinking Prime is a paedophile is intriguing but weird. I never knew a thing about it until it just popped up in the book itself. Kinda shocked that any book would dare to go there.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by fastballspecial »

I would also recommend The Solution and Rune. Although both are entirely different.
The Strangers is good as well. My personal favorite is Breed from Jim Starlin.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by Chiclo »

Hardcase was the best of the Ultraverse. Lord Pumpkin was pretty cool too but his one-shot wasn't as cool as it should have been.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by Cyberstrike »

fastballspecial wrote:I would also recommend The Solution and Rune. Although both are entirely different.
The Strangers is good as well. My personal favorite is Breed from Jim Starlin.
Breed was from Malibu's Bravura line, which was one of Malibu's creator-owned imprints.
The Solution, Rune, and The Strangers were from the Ultraverse line Malibu's then new superhero line.
The Protectors, Dinosaurs for Hire, and The Ex-Mutants were from Genesis a line of their then "older" superhero/sci-fi/talking animals line.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by Chiclo »

Cyberstrike wrote:
fastballspecial wrote:I would also recommend The Solution and Rune. Although both are entirely different.
The Strangers is good as well. My personal favorite is Breed from Jim Starlin.
Breed was from Malibu's Bravura line, which was one of Malibu's creator-owned imprints.
The Solution, Rune, and The Strangers were from the Ultraverse line Malibu's then new superhero line.
The Protectors, Dinosaurs for Hire, and The Ex-Mutants were from Genesis a line of their then "older" superhero/sci-fi/talking animals line.
Strangers was a strong book too. The later run, with the Pilgrim, was an interesting read.

It was a team book and was one of the first books to feature an openly gay superhero, named Spectrum. His superpower was that he could turn into a rainbow. True story.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by armlessphelan »

Chiclo wrote:
Cyberstrike wrote:
fastballspecial wrote:I would also recommend The Solution and Rune. Although both are entirely different.
The Strangers is good as well. My personal favorite is Breed from Jim Starlin.
Breed was from Malibu's Bravura line, which was one of Malibu's creator-owned imprints.
The Solution, Rune, and The Strangers were from the Ultraverse line Malibu's then new superhero line.
The Protectors, Dinosaurs for Hire, and The Ex-Mutants were from Genesis a line of their then "older" superhero/sci-fi/talking animals line.
Strangers was a strong book too. The later run, with the Pilgrim, was an interesting read.

It was a team book and was one of the first books to feature an openly gay superhero, named Spectrum. His superpower was that he could turn into a rainbow. True story.
Man, I finished Prime (haven't read the Marvel stuff yet...) and it went about four issues too long. That whole "Power of Prime" crossover was dumb. I'm now on Ultraforce and this opening arc with the Fire People is good ole comics. The death of Pixx was some great stuff.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by lorddunlow »

I loved Ultraforce. I also liked Freex quite a bit.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by Andy »

I'm only missing about 3 issues of the entire Ultraverse Line. Dave Dorman's Solitaire card art got me into a comic shop and collecting. Consequently I was excited to meet Rick Hoberg at the ICON last Saturday. I commissioned an Atom Bob sketch and we discussed the plans for the Strangers if it had been allowed to continue. Bob Hall was seated next to him and I picked up a Shadow Man print from him. For a smaller con it was a lot of fun and both creators were great. I owe both of them for a lot of enjoyment in this hobby.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by IMJ »

I've been buying Ultraverse books out of the bargain bins for years and it's maddening how many weirdo one-shots they published here and there. It's an almost impossible line of books to track as a passive buyer, given the nature of the publisher to release some really awkward mini's and a slew of one shots with alternate covers here and there.

Someday when I start reading this line again, or at least the fringe stuff I'm probably really gonna regret buying and bagging and boarding these, because let's face it - the significant majority of them are not good....

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by armlessphelan »

IMJ wrote:I've been buying Ultraverse books out of the bargain bins for years and it's maddening how many weirdo one-shots they published here and there. It's an almost impossible line of books to track as a passive buyer, given the nature of the publisher to release some really awkward mini's and a slew of one shots with alternate covers here and there.

Someday when I start reading this line again, or at least the fringe stuff I'm probably really gonna regret buying and bagging and boarding these, because let's face it - the significant majority of them are not good....
They're all fairly worthless, from what I understand. Nobody really wants them and they have sizable print runs unless it's a variant. But the stories I've read are all solid until the Marvel buyout happened. Man, it's like every comic company decided 1994 was the year to release the worst comics they could.

But if you do ever read them, Prime and Hardcase are great. The first Ultraforce arc is great, too.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by Cyberstrike »

IMJ wrote:I've been buying Ultraverse books out of the bargain bins for years and it's maddening how many weirdo one-shots they published here and there. It's an almost impossible line of books to track as a passive buyer, given the nature of the publisher to release some really awkward mini's and a slew of one shots with alternate covers here and there.

Someday when I start reading this line again, or at least the fringe stuff I'm probably really gonna regret buying and bagging and boarding these, because let's face it - the significant majority of them are not good....

To be fair many of the original creators of the Ultraverse stated that they weren't out to re-invent the wheel but to create a new line of superhero comics based on DC and Marvel aimed for a younger audience and they weren't burden by decades of constantly changing and confusing continuity and that Malibu offered more creative freedom than Marvel and DC did at the time and most of the major Ultraverse titles were based on or inspired by DC and Marvel:
Prime is Captain Marvel/Shazam
Mantra is Wonder Woman/Tristan (from Camelot 3000)
Hardcase is Superman/Captain America
Night Man is Batman
Prototype is Iron Man
Sludge is Swamp Thing/Man Thing
Solitaire is The Punisher
Rune is Dracula
The Strangers are the Avengers
Ultraforce are the Justice League
The Exiles are The X-Men

Most of UV comics will never be worth their original cover price but they are for the most part they are just fun reads (until Marvel bought Malibu and ruined the Ultraverse) by seasoned creators having fun writing and drawing comics that they want to do and not just doing do it for a paycheck.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by leonmallett »

JonesyAZ wrote:So...I have been considering putting together a reading set of Ultraverse books again. Before I take the plunge though...are they good reads?
For my money, Sludge, Firearm, Prime, much of Rune all hold up well with a good feel to each (although Rune meandered a bit, I liked the tone and look since it was very distinctive in the BWS days).

Hardcase suffered with inconsistent art for me.

Protoype looked great on trading cards and covers, but frequently the interiors and the writing left something to be desired.

I felt Freex was pretty good, and Solitaire too - both felt familiar yet fun.

Wrath could have been a lot better.

Warstrike was trashy fun for me, similarly the Solution.

Mantra was a bit too cheese-cake for my tastes.

The strength of Ultraforce always rested on Perz' art for me.

Of all the books, Sludge remains my favourite, mostly for the art which was gorgeous and perfectly suited to the concept (Aaron Lopresti for much of the the run).
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by lorddunlow »

I really liked Freex

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by leonmallett »

lorddunlow wrote:I really liked Freex

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:thumb:
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by The Dirt Gang »

lorddunlow wrote:I really liked Freex

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I really enjoyed Freex as a teenager. It hit home in some way. I tried reading it again a few years ago and it just didn't resonate in the same way. The kid who could travel through electrical systems is still a pretty cool character.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by armlessphelan »

I'm trying to read The Strangers. Trying. I'm on issue 4 or so and it's just so bland.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by leonmallett »

armlessphelan wrote:I'm trying to read The Strangers. Trying. I'm on issue 4 or so and it's just so bland.
It does have some good moments as it progresses and throws in some swerves later on. Not the best UV book for me, but I still enjoyed it overall.
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by Chiclo »

armlessphelan wrote:I'm trying to read The Strangers. Trying. I'm on issue 4 or so and it's just so bland.
Later in the run there is a storyline with the Pilgrim that is interesting.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by leonmallett »

Chiclo wrote:
armlessphelan wrote:I'm trying to read The Strangers. Trying. I'm on issue 4 or so and it's just so bland.
Later in the run there is a storyline with the Pilgrim that is interesting.
:thumb:
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by StarBrand »

I don't think I've come across this before.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/MALIBU-COMICS-HT ... SwjOxayWKE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by depluto »

I've got a few of those ... they're just photocopies stapled together.

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Re: Ultraverse Thread

Post by shadow5555 »

Ashcans -

A quick question, going through the checklists I saw a TON of ashcans put out for Ultraverse.

So any of these contain any exclusive content (aka story) not included in any of the books themselves?

In my big purchase recently the seller included a few of them (Ultraforce 0A/0B) but no more, I wasn't sure if it's worth it to track anymore of those down or just skip them, but I'm more concerned if they contain any additional story not included in the main books or not.

Something like the Prime (Sega CD ashcan) and others like that?
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