Ultimate Power #3

Story Details

At the White House, the president is rushed to safety as a green fungus-type substance engulfs the area and fires break out across Washington DC. Hyperion and Power Princess are first on the scene. The Squadron are fighting back the organisms as we find out they have taken over large parts of the eastern seaboard and are changing to atmosphere to suit their own needs.

The presidents' advisors tell him that a power surge was reported just before the organisms arrived – and they send Hyperion to its source. He flies into the goo and emerges with the globe we saw at the end of the last issue. Hyperion gets it back to a lab where Nighthawk and Doctor Spectrum discover it is broadcasting.

It broadcasts a message from Reed Richards explaining that the device is part of an experiment and asking for whoever receives it to let it runs its course in aid of Reed's research. Hyperion says to gather the Squad together, so they can go and get Reed Richards to fix the trouble he's caused.

Back in the present, Reed orders the heroes to stand down. He says he was at fault and that it's his responsibility to fix whatever has gone wrong. He disappears with the rest of the Squadron, while Nick Fury tells an angry Sue that he's going to put a team together to go get him back.

Spidey watch: Pretty much just a spectator in the battle scenes.

General Comments

Again, Land's art is generally super ... but some of his facial expressions are really off. For instance, the look on Power Princess' face when the fungus has just hit. She seems really pleased - but the character isn't written as pleased so the art just doesn't seem to mesh.

A lot more happens in this issue. I like the scenes on the Squadron's world where we see the damage Reed has managed to cause – but considering they admit they knew nothing of other dimensions until the device arrived, how did they manage to cross over into the Ultimate Universe? “Following the broadcast trail” seems a little too easy an explanation.

It also makes sense that Reed would take responsibility for his actions and go with the Squadron to go fix his errors.

Overall Rating

JMS takes on issues 4-6 after Bendis has set the series up quite nicely - even if it did take three issues to do what could have been done in two at most.

Footnote

This issue sold approx 70,148 issues.