Marvel Publisher Bill Jemas discusses plans for Ultimate books at CSNsider.com

Ultimate X-Men

I do hope not. Marvel Team-Up was a terrible idea for a series, because it practically demands contrived stories to force the two unconnected heroes together. ('This month - Spider-Man and Dracula!' It can produce occasional good issues, but I can't see it working as a series in these more cynical days.

Paul O'Brien THE X-AXIS REVIEWS - http://www.esoterica.demon.co.uk

Save fuel. Kill a trucker.

Plus these stories have no bearing on anything else in the MU. You'll never hear about these stories again.

Well, yeah; for US it was stupid, but for many kids who were 8-12 years old it was a simple monthly window into the Marvel Universe. I remember getting my nephew and his friend into comics in the late '70s, and they both loved Spider-Man; MTU told one-issue Spidey stories with lots of action that introduced them to characters like DD, Iron Man, etc. They were just the right age to be fascinated. Then, AFTER they'd been hooked, the Clarement/Byrne run started, and now they're in their 20s and still sometimes read comics. Good art and story came along and got 'em for life. ARE 8-12 year olds more cynical now than then? (Remember, in 1979 or so a typical role model for a bright 12-year-old was probably Johnny Rotten...) I don't see it; I think it's more like WE'VE all gotten older and more cynical, and project it back on them. They'd still go for a book like that today.

Phil Mateer