Writer Michel Fiffe
Artist Amilcar Pinna
Color Artist Nolan Woodard
Letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles
No Gods, No Masters Part One of Three
Issue opens with Bombshell, putting on her uniform for the first time in a while. She is mentally trying to psych herself up, rehearsing her opening line to the team. She can’t settle on the right opening line. Which I like how she puts out a strong image but has concerns about being re-accepted.
Midtown Manhattan. Spider-Man is helping move a car. Once he is done with his good deed, Diamondback throws a pebble at him. He jounces over to her. She is on the run since the Serpent Society made enemies of every gang the city has to offer. Turf lines meant nothing to them. One can’t expand without ruining someone’s day. She’s trying to hide and wants Spider-Man’s protection. We see that they are being watched by a sniper.
Diamondback kisses Spider-Man, she slips him some tongue, through the mask, which seems weird. She gets a dart to the forehead. Spider-Man turns around to see Taskmaster is a second shooter. Taskmaster appeared in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man 26 & 27, and now here.
Taskmaster reveals that he doesn’t know who Diamondback is, he is there only for Spider-Man and shoots him with a dart. Sidewinder is not happy with this turn of events.
Chelsea. Jessica Drew’s Apartment. Shadowcat is moving out. The uproar over she defeated Galactus, has started dying down. She is ready to move back in with her mother.
I really like how Encyclopedic Emily provided an editor footnote. I miss those! I remember when, during Busiek’s run on the Avengers, that they tried to first do away with footnotes but add the would be references onto the letters page. Which worked until they got rid of the letters page. Comics may be better produced nowadays but they lack a little soul.
Jessica references Cloak and Dagger, so the team doesn’t even know they should be missing them.
Shadowcat assures Jessica that she isn’t quitting the team. It will be foolish to do so as their title is being cancelled in two issues plus their universe is coming to an end come Post-Secret Wars III (2015) whatever we are calling it.
I like Fiffe / Jessica having fun with the concept of having branches – Queens Ultimates, West Coast Ultimates and All New Great Lakes Ultimates.
Ultimates is a weird word to keep reusing, did they ever bring that up in Millar / Hitch’s Ultimates, how ‘Ultimates’ is not a word.
Shadowcat is not quitting, she only wants to spend time with her mother.
Turns out, Taskmaster is Jessica’s across the hall neighbor. He opens the door and shoots both of them with darts.
O’Reilly’s Private Gym. The former officer is working out with former living officer, Terry Schreck. Schreck is able to continue conversations and punch things. Amazing what not living in a sewer makes you capable of.
They are no longer officers as the department didn’t like them working with super teens. They are going to go rogue and take down some crooks, off the book.
Deladier Tower. Uptown. We need Ecstasy, aka Renee Deladier and Mr. Jip, Estasy’s 2nd in command. Apparently, Ecstasy is the one who hired Femme Fatale to eliminate the Ultimates. She isn’t happy about their failure. Jip would like her to call an ambulance as he can no longer feel his arms.
Bombshell has made it to Drew’s apartment. Taskmaster is trying to get paid triple his amount to include Shadowcat and he’ll even throw in an extra person. Which my first couple reads, I thought he meant Kitty but I got that he means Diamondback now.
Bombshell sees Taskmaster with the ladies and blasts at him, he returns the power, so Ultimate Taskmaster has that ability.
Outside. Sidwinder is jacking Taskmaster’s van. Taskmaster throws Shadowcat and Spider-Woman into the back of the van, we see Cloak & Dagger, so those two must have been hit with non-lethal sniper bullets or something. Which explains why they are on the cover of the Ultimate Universe : The End promo piece.
I’m glad they are not dead.
Taskmaster closes the van, as Sidewinder drives off. Which is pretty funny. Taskmaster shoots a hook like he as Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. So he is being carried along and Bombshell is blasting her way after him, so it is a chase within a chase.
Two issues to go!
Shadow and Flame with Magik 