In a world of reboots and origins, it should come as no surprise that The Ultimates 2 #1 (that is to say, issue number one of a new comic called The Ultimates 2) is the start of a new team, or a disbanded team getting back together again.
Adam Brashear and Monica Rambeau (Blue Marvel & Spectrum) are captured by an old frenemy, an act that pretty much forces the hands of Black Panther and Captain Marvel, who are enjoying a very awkward “first date.”
King T’Challa/Black Panther had insisted that The Ultimates be dissolved. He felt that they contained too much power between them, and so good-bye to the old team. But after getting what he wanted, he came to understand that the threats posed by such baddies as Galactus had not gone away and that someone needs to be available to step up to the challenge. Convincing Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) to get on board with a new Ultimates does not go well. She has lost faith in T’Challa, believing that his attempts to shut down The Ultimates were premature and heavy-handed.
Upon learning what has happened to Blue Marvel and Spectrum, all that touchy-feelie garbage goes out the door and they are forced into action. The issue ends with a twist as a previously hostile Danvers is presented with new information that may just change her mind about re-upping with The Ultimates.
The Ultimates 2 #1 is a good way for a new comic fan to dig a bit deeper into the Marvel Comic Universe while getting to know non-mainstream characters such as Blue Marvel and Spectrum. It’s probably not entirely accurate to refer to them as non-mainstream—they are heading up a team in a massively published comic book title—but they definitely aren’t recognized as widely as Captain America and Iron Man. Whether or not that changes with future issue of this new title remains to be seen.