Part of the fun of alternate realities is seeing familiar characters in new roles. This is one of the hooks behind the new Ultimate Universe, where Harry Osborn is a heroic Green Goblin and Gwen Stacy is his wife. Ultimate Spider-Man #17 continues this trend, revealing another classic Spider-Man ally to have a normally villainous identity in this reality.
Written by Jonathan Hickman with art by David Messina, Ultimate Spider-Man #17 continues to explore the truth behind Mysterio. First introduced as part of the Ultimate Universe’s Secret Six, this Mysterio was far more than what they appeared to be. Beyond having true magical powers, Mysterio was also five people sharing the power of a mystic amulet. One of them was Gwen Stacy, who had kept her double life hidden from her husband, even as she worked as CEO of Oscorp.
Ultimate Spider-Man #17 focused on Gwen as she helped Harry to fake his death and take down Kingpin. This led her to seek out the aid of her fellow Mysterio members. It also led to the revelation that one of the other Mysterios was Robbie Robertson.
On Earth-616, Robbie Robertson was J. Jonah Jameson’s right-hand man at The Daily Bugle and a mentor to Peter Parker. Precisely what Robbie does for a living in the Ultimate Universe is unclear. However, he confirms that he is not a journalist or editor.
Ultimate Spider-Man reveals another face of Mysterio
Ultimate Spider-Man #17 also reveals the identity of a fourth member of Mysterio. After a private meeting with Wilson Fisk, Gwen Stacy is approached by his assistant, James Wesley. On Earth-616, Wesley is one of the Kingpin’s closest confidants. He fills a similar role in the Ultimate Universe. Here, however, he is far from a loyal soldier and is aiding Gwen Stacy in her efforts to bring down his boss.
With Quentin Beck revealed in Ultimate Spider-Man #16, that leaves only one member of the Mysterio cabal unaccounted for, and Peter Parker with several allies he doesn’t know he has. However, it remains to be seen what the ultimate goal of the Mysterios is.
Ultimate Spider-Man #17 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
