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Ultra (comics)
Encyclopedia
Ultra is an eight-issue comic book
limited series
created by the Luna Brothers
, Jonathan (art and plot) and Joshua (script), and published by Image Comics
in 2004
and 2005
.
The series' central character is Pearl Penalosa, who is also a superhero
ine called Ultra. The story deals only peripherally with traditional superhero
comics themes, like fighting supervillains, but concentrates mainly on how being a superhero affects Pearl's personal life. One reviewer described the series as "Sex and the City
with female hero
es". The trade paperback (TPB) is peppered with magazine articles from the world of the comic. These help flesh out the back stories of the three main heroines, and are reminiscent of the “documents” in Alan Moore
’s Watchmen
. Like the aforementioned predecessor and Rick Veitch
's comics, faux articles, ads, covers, and table of contents
provide an element of realism.
On Thursday night the three heroines are driving around when they see a poster for a fortune teller whom they decide to visit for fun. The fortune teller claims Pearl Penalosa will find her true love within seven days, Olivia Arancina will suffer a loss within seven days, and Jennifer Janus will receive what she has given within seven days. Later that night a truck driver hits Olivia's car, causing her to suffer a loss: the first of the fortunes has come true.
On Friday morning Ultra stops a bank robbery and fights another super-human. All the news people have one question: "Why are you still single?" Afterwards she meets Aphrodite and Cowgirl for a bit; she also meets Jason, whom she really likes, but she is called away, so he gives her his cell phone number. Aphrodite and Cowgirl ask one question: "True...Love?" Later that night Ultra calls him.
:
, a pilot episode was made for a proposed Ultra television series. The pilot was produced by Barbara Hall
. It featured Lena Headey
as Ultra (renamed Penny Penalosa) and was directed by Helen Shaver
. While CBS
and the CW expressed an interest in the series, neither decided to carry it.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
created by the Luna Brothers
Luna Brothers
Jonathan Luna and Joshua Luna , professionally known as the Luna Brothers, are American comics artists...
, Jonathan (art and plot) and Joshua (script), and published by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
in 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
and 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
.
The series' central character is Pearl Penalosa, who is also a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
ine called Ultra. The story deals only peripherally with traditional superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
comics themes, like fighting supervillains, but concentrates mainly on how being a superhero affects Pearl's personal life. One reviewer described the series as "Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
with female hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
es". The trade paperback (TPB) is peppered with magazine articles from the world of the comic. These help flesh out the back stories of the three main heroines, and are reminiscent of the “documents” in Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
’s Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
. Like the aforementioned predecessor and Rick Veitch
Rick Veitch
Richard "Rick" Veitch is an American comic book artist and writer who has worked in mainstream, underground, and alternative comics.-Early career:...
's comics, faux articles, ads, covers, and table of contents
Table of contents
A table of contents, usually headed simply "Contents" and abbreviated informally as TOC, is a list of the parts of a book or document organized in the order in which the parts appear...
provide an element of realism.
Plot summary
Ultra follows three heroines and friends with public identities:- Ultra (down-to-earth Latina Pearl Penalosa)
- Aphrodite (model-turned-superhero Olivia Arancina)
- Cowgirl (trust-fund baby Jennifer Janus)
On Thursday night the three heroines are driving around when they see a poster for a fortune teller whom they decide to visit for fun. The fortune teller claims Pearl Penalosa will find her true love within seven days, Olivia Arancina will suffer a loss within seven days, and Jennifer Janus will receive what she has given within seven days. Later that night a truck driver hits Olivia's car, causing her to suffer a loss: the first of the fortunes has come true.
On Friday morning Ultra stops a bank robbery and fights another super-human. All the news people have one question: "Why are you still single?" Afterwards she meets Aphrodite and Cowgirl for a bit; she also meets Jason, whom she really likes, but she is called away, so he gives her his cell phone number. Aphrodite and Cowgirl ask one question: "True...Love?" Later that night Ultra calls him.
Collected editions
The series has been collected as a single volumeTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Ultra: Seven Days (232 pages, May 2005, softcover ISBN 1582404836, hardcover, ISBN 1582404844)
Television
In 20062006 in television
2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television...
, a pilot episode was made for a proposed Ultra television series. The pilot was produced by Barbara Hall
Barbara Hall (writer and producer)
Barbara Hall is an American writer and producer of television series. She is best known as the creator and producer of the series Joan of Arcadia....
. It featured Lena Headey
Lena Headey
Lena Headey is an English actress. Headey's performance in a one-off show when she was 17 caught the attention of a casting agent, who took a photo and asked her to audition and eventually she got a supporting role alongside Jeremy Irons and Ethan Hawke in the 1992 British drama film Waterland and...
as Ultra (renamed Penny Penalosa) and was directed by Helen Shaver
Helen Shaver
Helen Shaver is a Canadian actress and film and television director.-Early life:Shaver was born and raised in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, a small city located near London, Ontario, with five sisters...
. While CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and the CW expressed an interest in the series, neither decided to carry it.
External links
- Ultra section of the Luna Brothers site
- Article about Ultra on Sequart.com.
- Article about Ultra on IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
.