I like Robert Kirkman. I like the Ultimate Universe. I like the X-Men. Hell I even liked the first 50+ issues of Ultimate X-Men, and I really enjoyed the idea of a less campy modern take on the orgins of Marvel's merry mutants.
The trouble is far more than any of the other Ultimate books X-Men got bogged down in its own continuity. Instead of offering simpler takes on classic tales, it actually made them more confounding and hard to understand. Kirkman's work has been the worst for this, adding layer upon layer of confussion to a book weighed down by the sheer volume of mutants on the team. Here we get the result of storylines involving Cable, Bishop, the Phoenix and Apocalypse all mashed together in a mess where not even Reed Richards seems to know what's going on.
Meanwhile Ultimate Spider-Man is a joy to read, and despite being so much further in its story it never has issues where the continuity threatens to crush the reader under its intense weight.
The art this issue is terrible. Everyone guy looks like they're on steroids, and have been for years to the point where their bodies are mutating into in human messes. The women are drawn a little better, if only because they have slightly less muscular.
With Kirkman off I'd be surprised if this book lasts another ten issues. I'm giving it two more and then dropping it unless the new creative team ends up being great.
Story: 2 - Average
Art: 1 - Poor
