ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (Marvel Comics, October 2010) by Mark Millar (writer) and Leinil Francis Yu (art). Hardcover, 144 pages. ISBN: 0785136703 / 9780785136705 Collects Ultimate Avengers 2 #1-6.
Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .
Some jobs are just too dirty for the Ultimates. For these, Nick Fury must gather the Avengers, a black-ops team willing to do the missions that others won't.
What role will an infamous mass killer play in Fury's plans? Find out here, as the Punisher returns to the Ultimate Universe! The blockbuster team of Mark Millar (The Ultimates) and Leinil Francis Yu (Secret Invasion) present this explosive story that can only be called Crime and Punishment.
My four-star review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
A better than average superhero saga by the team of writer Mark Millar and artist Leniul Yu.
Things take place in the former Ultimate Universe, an alternate version of the Marvel Universe featuring the same characters but in sometimes different roles and always (at least the books that Millar wrote) grittier, and more violent with a sprinkling of cynicism for seasoning.
The Ultimate Avengers are the team assigned to take on the dirtier assignments the more wholesome Ultimates Team would prefer not to handle. Both teams are directed by Nick Fury, and he's not beyond a little manipulation or blackmail in order to coerce participation, in this case Frank Castle The Punisher and the Ultimate version of the very first Hulk (a crippled intellectual who gets the Gamma Ray treatment courtesy of Bruce Banner, turning him into a muscular but more handsome Hulk that acts like a pimp a la the Max version of Luke Cage).
Along with the Black Widow, War Machine, and Hawkeye their assignment this time is to take down the Ghost Rider, who's been exterminating a long list of people who've wronged him as his sights now turn to the Vice President. This rendition of Ghost Rider is extremely powerful and the bike has flight capabilities. Things get crazy when a second Ghost Rider enters the fray.
This story arc is long on action and short on commentary, although there are many amusing exchanges between the characters, especially between Punisher and Hawkeye. I was entertained. Yu's artwork is expressive and his action scenes burst off the page, although some of the panels are a bit confusing because of the clutter.
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