After the Maker erased all presence of superheroes from the new Ultimate Universe and then got trapped in the City, heroes have begun to pop up again across the globe. Teenager Hisako Ichiki, wanting an everyday life, finds it ripped from her fingers as she gains mysterious new powers by a shadowy figure. Rising superstar writer and artist Peach Momoko crafts a new iteration of the X-Men in Ultimate X-Men #1 for this new universe. 

As a major fan of the X-Men, I was thoroughly impressed and invested in Momoko’s approach to creating a different take on the beloved franchise. Like many great X-Men stories, she places the point of view on a young female character who is “normal” before discovering that they are different. However, she sets the issue in Japan, which immediately sets it apart from the past iterations in America. She does an excellent job placing us in Hisako’s shoes as she navigates her day before her powers awaken. Using the coming-of-age framework, Momoko frames the destructive impact when her mutant identity arises. As she graduates middle school and matures, she immediately comes face to face with being a mutant and realizes that something is off with her.

I also loved Momoko utilizing horror to signal her emerging mutation and differentiate her old life from her new life. Akin to classic New Mutants, Hisako experiences dark supernatural forces where her mutation is akin to more of a curse than a gift. She is literally and figuratively haunted by Tsubasa’s death, which causes her mutation to appear. Instead of presenting this transformation through the traditional X-Gene, it utilizes a charm that represents the powers that she gains. This decision ties further into the more supernatural angle that Momoko presents in the narrative. Her more supernatural horror approach and ties to Japanese mythology feels extraordinarily refreshing and unique, and it is a perfect way to launch Ultimate X-Men. 

Yet she never loses sight of the teenager-focused elements of the story as she touches upon topics such as trauma, bullying, and suicide. A vital aspect of the X-Men lies in focusing on younger outsiders navigating the world, and Momoko delivers on that. She treats these delicate subjects with respect while not shying away from reality. It further grounds the world by having the characters deal with relatable and real problems which allows the more fantastical elements to pop more.

Momoko’s excellent artwork shines here as she creates a unique world vision. With a lush Japanese mountain temple, a sleepy town, and horrific supernatural elements, all of them presented with her gorgeous illustrations. Especially with her watercolors, Ultimate X-Men combines beauty with plenty of creepy imagery. Because of this, you can feel her DNA within the comic as Momoko truly leaves her stamp on iconic characters and an iconic franchise. VC’s Travis Lanham utilizes the lettering to portray the heightened emotions and expressions of the characters. And Zack Davisson does a great job of adapting the original script of Ultimate X-Men #1 as well.

Momoko’s Ultimate X-Men #1 provides a fresh twist on the mutant mythology within the new Ultimate Universe. The series will please not only long-time fans but fans of her previous Marvel work as well. With a bold visionary approach to the long-running mythology, the upcoming story possibilities are limitless. Ultimate X-Men is truly ultimate.

Story/Art: Peach Momoko
Script Adaptation: Zack Davisson Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Story: 9.6 Art: 9.6 Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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