Ultimate Enemy Vol. 1

This volume is the first part of Marvel's Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610) miniseries Ultimate Enemy, a four-issue series published by Marvel Comics from March to July 2010, written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Rafa Sandoval. The story picks up after the event Ultimate Ultimatum: the Fantastic Four have disbanded. Reed Richards has returned to his parents' home, Ben Grimm has joined the Air Force, Johnny Storm has moved in with the Parkers, and Sue Storm remains alone at the Baxter Building to continue her research. Just as these relationships lie broken and the characters have drifted apart, New York is hit by simultaneous attacks from mysterious purple alien creatures: Spider-Woman Jessica Drew witnesses a building collapse while investigating Roxxon Industries; an explosion occurs at Reed's home; the Baxter Building is overrun by monsters; even Nick Fury, operating undercover, is attacked and told, "You have only yourself to blame." Alongside these attacks comes a mutation in Ben Grimm's body: his rocky shell peels away piece by piece, and he takes on a new form that glows purple. Peter Parker, Johnny, Ben, and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent work together to capture one of the monsters, but the only answer they get from interrogation is that the Maker sent them to destroy this world and rebuild a "better" one. The true mastermind has yet to appear; the answer waits until Ultimate Mystery. This volume closes on a deeply suspenseful chapter and serves as the opening of the entire Ultimate Doom trilogy.