As Marvel kicks off its new Ultimate X-Men series – a brand-new continuity which will reinvent the X-Men franchise – fans get to see protagonist Hisako Ichiki speak her first two words in canon. And while the phrase doesn’t exactly bode well for Hisako’s state of mind, it’s the perfect embodiment of what Ultimate X-Men is bringing to the table.
In an official preview from Marvel, Hisako appears to be haunted by a ghostly figure – someone she believes she wronged. Fleeing the specter, Hisako accidentally pedals into the path of an approaching car, manifesting psionic armor to save her life. This appears to be the car crash referenced in the recent Ultimate Universe #1, which acted as mutantkind’s unofficial introduction into Earth-6160.
As Hisako flees, she repeats, “I’m sorry!!! I’m sorry!!! I’m sorry!!!” It’s a dark but pitch-perfect start for a series which will explore adolescent angst, shame, and self-discovery through the medium of mutant powers. X-Men has long associated gaining powers with going through adolescence, and transitioning from being scared of that process to taking ownership of one’s adult self. To have a young mutant desperately apologizing – seemingly to someone she hurt with her powers – is the perfect starting point for that journey.
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An Interview With Peach Momoko: Ultimate X-Men, Adolescence, And The Impact Of Social Media (Exclusive)
In a new interview with Peach Momoko, the Ultimate X-Men creator explains the new series’ Armor, the use of body horror, and the power of adolescence.
Ultimate X-Men’s Tale of Teenage Angst Begins with “I’m Sorry”
Creator Peach Momoko Told Screen Rant She’s Using Powers as a Metaphor for Adolescence
Marvel recently brought back its Ultimate Universe imprint – a line of comics which tell daring, modern-day stories using Marvel’s most famous characters, but without their existing history or decades of baggage. This is a world where a villain who knows and hates Marvel’s heroes rewrote all of reality, preventing heroes like Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four from ever existing, while establishing his own empire of villainous supporters who secretly run the world. In this reality, there doesn’t appear to be any Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, meaning young mutants have to come to terms with their powers without a previous generation to lead the way. Ultimate X-Men will follow Hisako Ichiki and Mei Igarashi’s Maystorm – two teen mutants just coming into their powers in modern-day Japan.
In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Peach Momoko discussed how the series will focus on adolescence, using the heroes’ powers as a metaphor for their angst and worries, with Hisako’s armor showing her inability to come out of her shell and take risks. Momoko explains that: “She just can’t fit into the world, so she is always kind of protecting her own bubble. … I just felt that Hisako was a perfect character for a theme I really like to touch on.” While fans don’t yet know why Hisako is apologizing to the apparition, introducing the character as consumed by fear and self-abasement is the perfect beginning to a story about maturing into one’s identity via the metaphor of superpowers.
As dark as this opening scene may be, Hisako Ichiki’s opening moments perfectly set up the themes that Peach Momoko has stated Ultimate X-Men is designed to explore. In Marvel’s normal continuity, the next scene would be the X-Men showing up to recruit Hisako and tell her she doesn’t need to be sorry for who and what she is. Sadly, in the world of Ultimate X-Men, that’s a realization that may be far longer in coming.
Ultimate X-Men #1 is coming March 6 from Marvel Comics.
