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The Ultimates is the Ultimate Marvel Universe version of the
superhero team The Avengers. It shares similarities to its
source material, but like the other Ultimate titles, has
undergone deconstruction and reimagining. The stories take
place outside of the regular Marvel Universe and bear no relation
to the latter's continuity. They also have a darker,
more cynical tone and resemble more a large-screen action movie
than a traditional comic book.
THE TEAM:
Captain America is Steve Rogers - patriotic, nationalistic, and prone to violence
(as are most of his teammates). He has more of a 1940s attitude than the original
version did (even in the 1940s), which often makes him look reactionary. Rogers
underwent six months of surgery and steroid treatment during World War II to
become America's first Super-Soldier. At the end of the war in 1945, he led a
mission to sabotage a prototype hydrogen bomb developed by the Nazis with
extraterrestrial technology, and was thrown into the North Atlantic Ocean,
where he was frozen. He remained in suspended animation until his body was
rediscovered in the present day and revived, just in time to take the field
leadership of the new government-sponsored superhuman force known as the Ultimates. 
Nick Fury is the Ultimates' government liaison and head of S.H.I.E.L.D., the
branch of the U.S. military devoted to metahuman threats (Hawkeye has stated
its original purpose was to bring down the Soviet Union). General Fury is an
African American (the original Fury was Caucasian) in this universe, but still
wears an eye patch (due to an injury in the Persian Gulf War) like his mainstream
counterpart. While Fury usually leads the team via a comm-link from their home base,
he has occasionally joined the team on field missions, where he employs advanced spy
technology (e.g. invisibility) to stay alive. He also makes various cameos throughout
the Ultimate Marvel Universe, more so than the other Ultimates. His characterization
and image is reportedly loosely based on Samuel L. Jackson by both Millar and Hitch.
Iron Man is Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist, playboy and inventive genius who
created the Iron Man powered armor. Stark has an inoperable brain tumor which will kill
him anytime between six months and five years and wants to do something of worth before
he dies. He is portrayed as an alcoholic, as he was for a time in the original comics.
He has recently become engaged to the Black Widow, giving her a suit of armor as an
engagement present.
Thor is a man who claims to be the exiled Son of Odin. He has built a cult of
personality around himself with his preachings of a political conspiracy
orchestrated by the New World Order. According to his dossier, he is an
ex-nurse who suffered a nervous breakdown, spending 18 months in a mental
institution. He appears to have super-powers which include flight, the
ability to manipulate the weather, super-strength and also exhibits a degree
of omniscience. He also wields the allegedly magical hammer Mjolnir, which can
teleport objects into other dimensions. One of the mysteries behind Thor is
whether or not he really is the Thor of Norse mythology. He refuses to be an
official member of the team, which he considers pawns of the military-industrial
complex, but offers to be on call anytime there is an emergency that requires his
help.
The Hulk is Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, who attempted to rediscover the Super-Soldier
Formula that created Captain America. Insecure and neurotic, he used an experimental
version of the formula on himself and transformed into the mindless Hulk. In addition
to being childlike and violent, the Hulk is shown to be also a perpetually horny maniac
with no morality or restraint. As the Hulk he is also virtually unstoppable, but easily
manipulated. Banner was thought cured of his adverse condition, but recreated the Hulk
because he was resentful about being surrounded by people with super-powers. Although
not technically a member of the team, the Hulk was kept in isolation for safety reasons
and was called on as a living weapon only as a last resort.
Giant-Man and The Wasp are Henry and Janet Pym, a married couple as they were in the
original comics, but here they are emotionally and physically abusive towards one another.
As in the mainstream comics, Henry Pym is a world-famous scientist, but the Wasp is
secretly a mutant and much more wasp-like than the original. Giant-Man's powers are
derived from hers, which was apparently a source of resentment to him.
The Black Widow and Hawkeye are Natasha Romanova, a former KGB spy and assassin, and
Clint Barton, an archer with almost superhuman accuracy. They were originally part of
the Ultimates' covert operations ("black ops") team, but were subsequently moved to
public status after their backgrounds were falsified for public consumption. The Widow
seems to have genetic or cybernetic enhancements. She has a romantic interest in Tony
Stark.
Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, are Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, a pair of mutant
siblings. Pietro has the power of super speed, and Wanda can affect probabilities with
her powers. Unlike the original mainstream versions of these characters, they have not
abandoned their ties to Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants; they still believe in
mutant supremacy. Because of their mutant status, they remain a part of the black ops
section. They are often depicted touching each other intimately, which has led to fan
speculation that the two share an incestuous relationship.
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