I just read the first three issues of Ultimates 3 and I really wish I'd saved my money. I didn't enjoy them at all.

The story so far is ridiculous. I'd sum it up as "Like Bendis, but with more posturing, drugs, T&A, and violence, and less dialogue or understanding of the characters". Oh, Scarlet Witch is re-writing reality, huh? Never seen that idea before. Lame.

Hawkeye as a "bitter posturing loner with guns" - man, I thought I was back in 1993, reading some trashy Image comic. Hawkeye's even wearing a full face mask to really dehumanise him. Lame.

Oh, and a Wolverine guest star. Awesome, where's Ghost Rider? This could have been pulled off by some actual quality writing, but it just felt contrived. Wolverine showing up in every title = just like in 616. Lame.

Changing the characters to look much more like the Avengers - mistake. Sure, Iron Man changes his armour... but this was indistinguishable from the 616 Iron Man. Scarlet Witch back to the red belly dancer outfit rather than the (just as revealing for story purposes) combat midriff that she's had since joining the Ultimates. Wasp's Michael Jackon-plastic surgery. It makes the Ultimates line less distinctive, less interesting, and more of a cheap "sexed-up" knock-off of the 616 universe. Lame.

The art is technically quite proficient, but it's just much too different to the original style of the book. The change is too jarring. I understand that it's not necessary to keep the original artist for every series, but maintaining some kind of visual continuity is important. Gary Frank would have been an excellent choice, for example. I would even have welcomed Greg "I trace pornos" Land. Anything that had any kind of stylistic resemblance to the Ultimates that we've seen for years now. But getting The Manga Avengers: Lame.

Three issues was enough of a chance, in my opinion. I didn't enjoy any of them - so I won't be reading issue four. And I won't be picking up the trades. Trash, just trash.

I bought the first 2 and wish I would have gotten lunch instead!

It is reminding me of the clone saga.

Ultimates comic line=IMAGE!

I usually agree with this approach, which is why I bought the second issue. Of course, I really wish I hadn't. :cross-eye

Ultimates 3 is just plain vulgar. I thought Millar was way more extreme than Loeb, not the other way.