All-New Ultimates (2014) #10

Previously, in issue #9

No Gods, No Masters Part One, is a promising start to a new arc. So many interesting developments packed in one issue, and I didn’t want it to end.

First, Bombshell has finally pulled her head out of her ass and is giving herself an inner pep talk as she prepares to rejoin the group. After being absent from entire issues and sulking through others, this is long overdue. Spider-Man is approached by Diamondback (ex-Serpent Skulls mini boss and Spidey kisser), who claims she’s being hunted by other gang members and they’re threatening her family. After some flirting and over-the-mask kissing, he agrees to help. This is a set-up, of course, as we see Sidewinder is in a nearby window, waiting to shoot Miles in the head. Thankfully (kinda), before he can, Taskmaster shows up and puts a tranquilizer dart in both Spidey and Diamondback.

Black Widow is about to get part of her apartment back as Kitty Pryde prepares to move back home. The fallout from the Galactus incident has died down, and the public has moved on to obsess over other things. Taskmaster takes them out as well, but as he’s on the phone negotiating a higher fee for his bounty, Bombshell arrives and the two face off. He gets away and dumps both girls in his van where he’s stored Spidey, Diamondback, Cloak, and Dagger. Yes! Cloak and Dagger aren’t dead!

Let’s step away from this action for a bit to discuss some delicious subplots.

All of the detectives who were involved in trying to haul in the gangs and Scourge have been fired. O’Reilly is working out with Schreck, who she used to date (I KNOW!), when he suggests they go rogue. She still has access to a shitton of unregistered gear they apprehended. Why not call in the other dismissed cops and go after Scourge on their own? I love this idea so much. Mainly because Schreck is a reanimated corpse and O’Reilly doesn’t seem to be phased by this at all. Also, fuck Scourge.

Meanwhile, uptown, Ecstasy (a.k.a. Renee Deladier) is pissed off because The Ultimates have been fucking with her illegal operations and no one is able to catch them. Remember that time Spidey busted up that warehouse deal that led to the death of Bombshell’s boyfriend? Yeah. That. Her second in command, Mr. Jip, is knocking on death’s door. Hard. He inhaled a massive amount of those experimental narcotics. I suspect he’ll be looking like Schreck (well, more like him) pretty soon.

So, Taskmaster thinks he’s about to take his haul in for a huge reward, but Sidewinder has followed him (remember: he has Diamondback, too) and hot wired his car. He takes off in the van, our superheroes knocked out in the back, and Taskmaster gives chase. But Bombshell is following them all and she’s about sick of everyone’s shit.

It’s so on!

Thoughts & Questions

• Who the hell hired Taskmaster to round up the Ultimates? Ecstasy seems like the obvious answer, but it’s too easy. The shadowy figure watching them a few issues ago feels like it’s someone else, and I think they’re behind the bounty.
• I was hoping the Shreck and Scourge storylines would return sooner than later, and it’s good to see they’re not only back, but merged.
• What a return for Bombshell! She needed something to thrust her back into the action so she could stop with the self-doubt and guilt.
• Did I mention that the beautiful, eye-catching, colorful artwork is back? Because it is. Hell yeah, it is.