Comic Book Review: 'Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates' #16

America… F*** YEAH! That’s what I kept hearing in my head as I read this issue. Cap quickly accepts the position as President of the United States… well, what’s left of them, anyway. Last issue, the American people wrote him in as a candidate for the position after he proved decisive in a battle to save citizens in embattled California. He continues similar actions here. No bureaucracy and pen-pushing for Cap! He hops into a jet and flies to the Carolinas, which are currently at war with one another. He, Thor, and Iron Man quickly end the conflict and force both states back into the Union. Sleazy Senator Underwood and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Flumm attempt to undermine him, but he staays his course. Next up, he ends the conflict in Detroit, where a former policeman, David Seger had seized control. Meanwhile, Iron Man goes to California, which had seceeded from the union and formed its own nation with Oregon and Washington and Thor goes to Wyoming, which has dropped off the grid after the mysterious Morez has allied himself with militias to amass an army. Thor says he senses Asgardian magic, but he is the last surviving Asgardian… isn’t he? Finally, two obstacles are taken out by Hawkeye and the Black Widow.

I’m probably the last person who should be reviewing this book. I suppose if you like Reagan Era, testosterone like the ‘Expendables’ movies, you’d probably love this issue, with Cap as the ultimate alpha male, kicking all kinds of butt. I… did not.

The art is okay. It gets a little crude in a few places and some of the body positioning is awkward, but overall, it’s not too bad. At its best, it actually kind of recalls Paul Neary and Bryan Hitch, the original art team for this particular franchise.

But for the most part, the story just did not do it for me. I like that Cap’s decisive, but it was just too Clint Eastwood/tough guy. I mean at one point, not to spoil things, but Cap flies his jet into a building, it comes to a complete halt and he hops right out and goes into butt-kicking mode. I’m no pilot, but, uh… you can’t land a plane that way. Even I know that. There are a couple of cathartic moments that, especially in this dirty election year, should have been satisfying, but they didn’t feel believable to me.

I don’t know. It wasn’t awful, but it didn’t read as believable enough and was way too over-the-top.

Final Score: