Ultimate Universe – Two Years In #1: Save What You Can

Hope is something in very short supply in this new Ultimate Universe. The Maker has all but stolen it away in service of his own agenda. The Ultimates and their allies are doing their best to restore that hope in preparation of the Maker’s return, but further into the future the Guardians of the Galaxy find themselves at the end of their rope with very little time to recover. 

When first introduced to the Guardians way back in issue 8 of Ultimates I admittedly wasn’t that impressed with them. At the time it felt like a lot of information was being offloaded at once for a bunch of characters that we were likely not going to see again. I have since learned to not doubt Deniz Camp and his very intricate plans. Whereas One Year In gave us a looked behind the H.A.N.D. that controls the world in the Maker’s absence, Two Years In explores just how far that control reaches as the Guardians travel along various cosmoses to save their over 3000 members. 

Deniz Camp and Alex Paknadel are the two man team that help steer this wild ride, telling it from the perspective of Guardian’s leader Captain Marvel. Two Years In is a story of hope, more accurately a story of finding that hope when all seems lost. This message can be very on the nose as well, seeing as how the Guardian’s ship, the Apokatastatis, literally runs on it but it’s not framed in a way that feels cringy or awkward.

Along the way we get better glimpses of the Guardians, which really helps flesh out their characters in a way that by the end makes you hopeful that they are able to complete their mission. The new characters we meet are intriguing as well. Aside from the solicited Daredevil, there’s U-82, Madrox, Gary, and lots of others that would take too long to introduce here. Each one holds a distinct place in the story. Some more than others. 

As for the art, Camp and Paknadel are joined by a cavalcade of artists who each provide unique takes on each dimension that the Guardians come across. Held together by transitions provided by Phil Noto: Javier Pulido, Lee Ferguson, Francesco Manna, and Pat Boutin all offer various feasts for the eyes as the Guardians traverse time and space. Pulido’s section with Daredevil is easily the best of the bunch as his manic and mind-bending panel layouts force your eyes to follow this new iteration of the Man Without Fear, and there are some very cool fourth wall breaks as well. Despite the various different styles, the artists gel together seamlessly under Camp and Paknadel’s script making for a very enjoyable and easy to follow reading experience.