This book is a fun read. It is not as good as the on going "Ultimates" series but worth the time.

With Warren Ellis writing and Brandon Peterson doing the artwork, you would think this would be the perfect mini series. I did enjoy it, but it didn't leave me with a sense of awe. The very delayed Galactus trilogy finally comes to a close with Reed Richards working on an ultimate weapon to stop the Galactus threat, and Professor X working on a telepathic weapon to use. Meanwhile Captain America is left feeling powerless against this world eating foe. Ellis does a nice job with the dialog, though his unique take on Galactus and Silver Surfer may not please everyone. Peterson's artwork is a new style for him. I wasn't that pleased with the change and I hope he goes back to his old drawing ways. If you have read the first two, then of course finish it out. If you are a new reader, then start elsewhere. Plenty of time to get to this one after you have caught up with Spidey, X-Men and Fantastic 4.

At long last, the Ultimate Galactus saga comes to a close with Ultimate Extinction. Coming on the heels of the events in Ultimate Nightmare and Ultimate Secret, Ultimate Extinction features the Ultimates, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men working together to fend off the planet-killing force known as Gah Lak Tus. This is the colossal confrontation that the other chapters have been building towards.

Ultimate Extinction is split into different storylines. Reed Richards and Sue Storm are hard at work on a super-weapon to use against Gah Lak Tus, Professor X and Jean Grey prepare for an all-out psychic attack on the invading entity, Captain America deals with feelings of powerlessness in the face of so large an enemy, and in a seemingly unrelated story, detective Misty Knight uncovers a secret cult led by none other than the Ultimate version of the Silver Surfer. Meanwhile, SHIELD Director Nick Fury (without a doubt the best character in the Ultimate Universe) is holding everything together behind the scenes.

Warren Ellis does, as usual, a fine job with the storytelling. It may not be the conclusion everyone expects, but it was handled quite well, and his dialogue alone is worth the price of admission. The Ultimate Captain Marvel and Falcon make a welcome return in this final volume. The introduction of these two characters may be the best thing to emerge from the whole Ultimate Galactus saga. Ellis's take on the Silver Surfer(s) may upset some fans, but I thought it was an interesting twist on the character that worked quite well. Misty Knight's addition to the story seemed a bit out of place, and the absence of Thor and the other half of the Fantastic Four was disappointing, but overall I was pleased with Ultimate Extinction.

Brandon Peterson provided the artwork for Ultimate Extinction. I've been a fan of Peterson's artwork for years, but I've never seen him quite like this. His unique style was almost unrecognizable with all of the computerized finishing he used. Not that I'm complaining, seeing as how the results are visually stunning. It's just not the Brandon Peterson I'm used to.

All told, Ultimate Extinction is a worthy conclusion to the Ultimate Galactus saga.

If you liked the cinematic artwork of volume 1 and the characterizations in volumes 1 and 2, you may be a little disappointed in volume 3, as I was. The artwork is more stylized here (no different than ordinary Marvel comics), which was a bit of a let-down. I prefer Bryan Hitch-style realism in my Ultimate books. But even worse (IMO), the artist seems to have gone overboard on the Photoshop half toning, creating a texture that I found distracting and that seemed to overpower both the line art and the color. The writing was ok but it felt as if the characterization established in volumes 1 and 2 suffered a bit in their rush to conclude the story. Cap had almost nothing to do here, which they dealt with in a conversation about God that felt a bit forced. Xavier's effect on Galactus was well-done, as was Reed's anguish over what he had to do. And of course, the foreshadowing in volume 2 about the secret of Galactus that changes anyone who hears it couldn't possibly live up to that kind of setup (and doesn't), so prepare to be underwhelmed by that. Ultimate Silver Surfer was interesting, although I'm not sure I like what they replaced the surfboard with. It looked a bit too cumbersome and non-functional. The book is worth having if only to find out how it ends (well, it doesn't quite "end," since it leaves a big opening for more in the future) and to complete your collection, if you're into that.