So now that's out of the way, on with the story.
Seems there was a break in at something called an 'English Facility' and all the contents were stolen. The contents being the next generation of U.S. super soldier. Main suspects are the Russians or Chinese but looks like there's something of an inside job going on too. So Thor, Captain America, Giant Man (not Henry Pym but Doctor Scott Lang), and Black Widow head off to Bulgaria to intercept a train carrying the missing cargo, which they do with surprising results.
(Minor Spoiler Ahead)
The heroes find the super soldier cargo not to be a lethal killer but an Afghanistan veteran inspired by Captain America to volunteer for the Super Soldier program. However instead of becoming a superhero like he'd been told, he's been turned into a pain-wracked cyborg freak, unable to see and with little control over his own body.
On first reading of this issue I was entertained and for a Millar story, at least a little impressed that he provided a bit more by the way of content than he usually does for a first issue. On going back over it there are some things that just, well, shouldn't be there.... To whit: apparently in Bulgaria they still use steam trains. Hmm... On the opening page we have the aforementioned train in a long shot on a really big bridge, and then a panel of the train's wheels. Now maybe Leinil Yu likes drawing train wheels, I don't know, but really, I know the train is moving. I don't need the wheels. Thor decides to stop the train-we'll call it stopping to make it easier overall-by leaving his hammer on the tracks. I assume he does this so when the train hits the hammer it can plunge off the rails and we can have the massive carnage and explosions that we expect from a Millar comic. Not sure why a steam train explodes, but there you go... Okay it could be a diesel train, but that still doesn't explain the explosion... Now, I'm thinking surely there must have been an easier way for The Ultimates to stop the train which wouldn't have seen it going over the edge and at least not have killed the humans on the train. They are superheroes, aren't they? Okay I know too that The Ultimates Universe is a bit harsher overall, but why make work for yourself? Huh?
I know too that Captain America is a nice guy, but do we need him telling the others that snow is 'pretty slippery'. They're superheroes for f@#)$ sake! Even if they fell over, the damage ain't gonna be that bad, y'know?!
On the plus side, I was of course expecting the generic massive fight between the super soldier and The Ultimates, but was surprised when he emerged from the train wreck as a pathetic and pitiful figure, not looking for a fight but meaning and understanding of his situation. In extreme pain both physically and mentally, this abject figure asks questions that The Ultimates can't answer. And here is where I think Millar missed a golden opportunity. If we didn't have so much extraneous stuff at the start, we could've had a bit more poignancy at the end which would've elevated this comic way above most superhero comics. This sequence is dominated by images of the soldier. We're not involved in how each member of The Ultimates is affected by what the soldier is saying, especially Captain America, considering he was the soldier's inspiration. A few choice close ups of The Ultimates' faces depicting the horror of the whole situation would've really given the scene more depth and shown an interesting side to each character. Maybe something on the idea of how superheroes affect other people's lives, where in this case their existence has made someone's life worse. Would Cap be ashamed at his influence on this man?
Yu's pencils are once again amazing (I especially liked Captain America's snow outfit), and Alanguilan's (with Paz and Huet) inks ably supplement Yu's art. But as with Superior, of which we have the same creative team here, I'm just not a fan of the colouring, although I will admit that I found it less jarring in this comic than in Superior. My main gripe specifically is that I just don't like the way people are coloured. It reminds me of the first digital colouring used in the 1990s which was often very harsh. Their faces are two, sometimes three-toned and it detracts from characters expressions and buries the pencilling.
Having said all that you may think that I didn't like Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates, but overall I did. Millar provides us with too much filler but the thing is he also comes up with some really good stuff and that's why I keep picking up his books. With him you have to take the good with the less than good.
This: Don't think too hard about it
Forthcoming: Certainly thinking about it
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