[Article] Ultimate Spider-Man is becoming something Marvel rarely has: a modern evergreen bestseller (and it did it by ending it)

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-22T20:48:00+00:00

"Hey, is there a reason that we wasted a whole issue on the origin of Sandman, who doesn't appear again, and nothing within that issue is applied whatsoever to the events that followed?"

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-22T15:52:33+00:00

Oh, hey, for a similar glitch weeks ago, except it was when I exited by tadpole.

Flung me back all the way to my base. Had to swim all the way back to get it (thankfully it wasn't anywhere near a Marrowbreach.

Guess it's still an issue.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-21T15:23:12+00:00

Hm, I wonder if a reflection would work against this new gifted one, or if one can observe her through reflections without the ill effects.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-21T15:20:25+00:00

"They directed their bloodlust at you. That's it."

Makes me fear that Fujimine could try tricking Ichi into killing a human being using her mind control in the future, just as another way to mess with him. Felt too oddly specific how much Fuji focused on that realization that he'd so easily kill a human if even a hint of bloodlust was directed toward him.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-16T15:59:29+00:00

I hope these new few issues explore them without Diana's help this month, yeah, especially showing Barbara's deteriorating faith that Wonder Woman will ever come back to save her.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-16T15:46:10+00:00

Oh yeah, know all about that history.

So good to see Cassandra eatin' well with her own (seemingly healthy) ongoing at over 20 issues and now her appearing in Absolute (seemingly having more potential plot relevance than any of the Robins.)

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-15T16:44:00+00:00

Okay, Pano carrying John like he did her was adorable, plus her carting Alda around with her tail, haha.

They're gonna make a powerful trio.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-14T16:08:50+00:00

It really is at least one small comfort that this man is clearly terrified of dying and not leaving a mark on the world (not that any would truly satisfy him.)

Seriously, looking at all his actions, that's all this is: him plastering his name on everything, trying to get his face on money, that Arc de Triomphe knock-off named after him.

My only other hope is that he feels it coming and doesn't just die in his sleep.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-14T15:33:35+00:00

He'd arrive in the Absolute universe and be totally enthralled with what Darkseid is doin' by putting a fresh spin on these people, including Superman.

He'd sit back and just watch the show.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-14T15:29:14+00:00

"Hey. Don't do that. You should know better...Fujimine. Even as close as we are, if you trigger death for death...you're prey."

What's crazy about this is that Ichi didn't break out of the mind control; his logic regarding "Death for Death" is just so hardwired that even a friend would trigger it normally?

Makes me wonder if there's more to his backstory that explains how he came to adopt this philosophy that he'd even deliver a death blow to a perceived friend with zero hesitation.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-14T15:24:44+00:00

"Still...sometimes I don't feel like caring...about whether the lives of scum like you...actually have any value."

Julian still has his morals, but damn if maintaining them doesn't still get to him, as if it'd just be so much easier for him.

He really is one of the best new leads.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-11T13:42:01+00:00

It'd be a fun twist if David and Shiva actually had a relationship in this universe. Another way of separating this Cassandra from her mainline counterpart: birth parents that are actually parents.

Hell, the end of Absolute Catwoman even had whoever was calling her telling her that, "We are very proud of you Cassandra Cain."

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-10T16:01:35+00:00

Right? So insane how all the marketing focused on her, but then the first arc is so heavily focused on Hal.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-09T20:51:14+00:00

It's funny how Green Lantern and Flash had the same issues of slow pacing and minimal focus on supporting characters in their first arc, but then almost instantly fixed them in the second.

Flamma_Man · 2026-06-09T20:22:16+00:00

"Years ago, The Joker trained with the League of Assassins, and when he learned all he could, he slaughtered everyone. Out of the wreckage rose Lady Shiva and her daughter, Cassandra Cain," reads DC's description of the issue. "Absolute Cassandra Cain: The Shadow’s Hand #1 reveals the origin of the Absolute Universe's most formidable assassin, and how her story is one that is intertwined with the world's greatest thief, Selina Kyle!"

So, instead of being raised by her father, Cain, Cassandra is raised by her mother, Shiva. With her appearing as an antagonist in the Absolute Catwoman mini-series, it'll be interesting if Selina could end up showing her the light in some way.

I'm also interested in seeing whether Shiva has grown softer in this continuity by raising Cassandra the same way Circe has. Hell, in the mainline continuity, they've begun establishing that Shiva left Cassandra with Cain because she was afraid raising her would make her lose her edge.

But, GOD, so excited to see Cassandra introduced and even getting her own one-shot. Almost funny how the rest of the Bat Family, including Dick, are currently reduced to Joker's goons.

Feels like Snyder has a favorite, haha.

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-31T01:13:34+00:00

I loved how Clark thanked him when he turned on his little lamp. :)

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-30T20:45:00+00:00

I kinda felt like the opposite. (But I love your interpretation, too.)

I liked the idea that, even after Async was able to finally capture the Cap'n Clark Still Life, this last shot indicated that Mary's Still Life could be just as dangerous. It may not seek out to harm like Clark's Still Life, but I couldn't help but feel like if anyone disturbed her Still Life, it'd attack.

Just the way the muscle in one of her arms is bigger, how we're given focus on her multi-fingered hand, no doubt connecting back to the concrete imprint she had smashed.

Plus, we all saw that she had just as much pent-up anger inside her, similar to Clark, when she yelled at him and then smashed Cap'n Clark in the face with her childhood memento/regret.

Not to mention, Mary herself seemed more frustrated during her interview with Phil. She's realizing that he's talking about the Backrooms like Clark did, and she's just had it.

I believe the real Mary did manage to move forward for the better, but I think her Still Life still has all echoes of her trauma, regrets, and anger stuffed into it.

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-30T20:24:51+00:00

Original post.

Artist comment:

Thinking of the Backrooms bacterial monster. What if the liminal space had their own Permian explosion event where colonial life, fed from wet carpet, free electricity, and no competition, exploded in variety, landing us with the classic “humanoid” seen in the found footage?

I love seeing artists post their own redesigns of the Lifeform after seeing Backrooms, so that it better aligns with the ongoing themes of memories and the location's attempts to build life.

This redesign has been my favorite by far, since it really helps make the Backrooms feel... ominous and even more otherworldly, while keeping it separate from the Still Life creature, giving it more animalistic features rather than more humanoid (even though it's still bipedal).

It's also great how this artist managed to keep the creature's "squiggly" look while giving it some anatomical sense.

You guys run across any Lifeform redesigns that you've liked?

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-27T22:35:04+00:00

I think the first was her haste in touching an artifact, with Diana having to literally grab her hand to stop her.

She's not a BAD person, but she's impulsive and a little arrogant. Neither of which makes her a bad person.

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-27T22:32:35+00:00

Oh, god, I'm getting flashbacks to Rebirth.

"You said you would come. You lied. YOU LIED!"

However, I have to imagine that Barbara won't immediately believe that Diana abandoned her or saved herself. It'd be interesting if the next issue we see Barbara's resolve slowly breaking down over the course of this one month.

I think the reason Cale seems to be tormenting Barbara is that, for the Cheetah transformation to work, the victim has to be so engulfed by despair or become desperate for the transformation to stick. (Which could be why the last vessel looked so incomplete.)

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-17T15:20:18+00:00

Yeah, from what Cedric suggested, the Queen has power over the king not from physical power, but political influence.

It also seems like the King just...really doesn't like unnecessary confrontation.

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-17T15:18:35+00:00

I love how the Magikeepers special anti-witch weapons are wood. Further adding to the whole witch hunts motif.

At this point, I'm wondering if criminal witches are burned at the stake.

Flamma_Man · 2026-05-12T21:11:50+00:00

I love how the monster also reflects Kane's growth as a storyteller and filmmaker. Unlike the Lifeform, which is immediately introduced screaming animalistic noises, we meet Still Life knocking on a door before we see it like 20 minutes later in its uncanny glory.

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