Ultimate Avengers 2 #4 [2010] by Mark Millar

ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 #4

Unlike the Ultimates, the Avengers are the black ops team assembled by Nick Fury and supplied by Tony Stark’s older brother, Gregory Stark. Two new recruits are brought in unwilling: the Punisher and Banner’s mentor the first Hulk. Now the black ops Avengers team is assembled and their first mission is to take down the mysterious Ghost Rider. A direct execution order from the White House has been issued to take out Ghost Rider who is murdering wealthy Washington DC contributors. The Punisher learns the hard way that he has neural implants embedded inside his skull to keep him ‘under control.’ For a covert ops team that wants to keep it under wraps that the Punisher has joined its ranks they sure do keep it hidden by putting a skull on his chest.

Both Shield agents and the Avengers are sent to protect a property tycoon landing at Chicago O’Hare Airport. Just as the plane carrying the tycoon is about to land – Ghost Rider arrives and kidnaps him. Hawkeye stops him from getting away and the stage is set up for the showdown. Punisher is the first one to go toe to toe with Ghost Rider and it doesn’t go down as planned. The origin of the Ghost Rider is revealed as well as his connection to his next target: the Vice-President of the United States.

So wasn’t Ultimatum set up so we can achieve something different with the Ultimate characters? Really make them different than their Marvel 616 counterparts? Wasn’t impressed with this issue or the last and Mark Millar’s first Ultimate Avengers book featuring the Red Skull was a total tool. I may skip reviewing next issue if I feel the same way and drop the book.

WASTED TALENTS – 2 OUT OF 5