Here's a new Jeph Loeb interview in which he discusses the Ultimates a bit. Not a lot of new info, but here it is in case you're interested: http://www.herorealm.com/features/comicculture/index.htm
14rdb said:I took it as a joke.
Ultimates said:Look at issue #7 of the Ultimates. You can see a guy with fire on his head, on the right of Quicksilver.
icemastertron said:People are also going crazy with that at MW. Like I said, it reads as him just joking. To me it does, and others, too.
RT [lowers voice to a whisper]: Since you are no longer under contact to DC, you can tell us who bites the big one in Infinite Crisis, right?
JL: Sure! I don’t think Geoff’s around… so it’s going to be…[door opens in background] Hi, Geoff [in the background I hear roughly “I’m listening on the other handset Jeph…that wasn’t smart”] I’m not doing anything! [the loud voice in the background begins shouting in expletives] No I wasn’t going to say…HEY! That hurts…[a click and several thumping sounds as roughly this sound is heard:] mmmmmggllglglhhhmmm… [the line goes deader than Blue Beetle]
[Several Hours Later the conversation resumes…]
DIrishB said:I don't think Loeb is that stupid to even consider adding an Ultimate Ghost Rider to the Ultimates...were Card writing Volume 3, I could believe it, but otherwise no way. Like 14rdb said, it was an offhand joke.
Ultimate Houde said:Seriously, Card would not do that, here's what would happen under Card.
1) The traitor wasn't really the traitor afterall, they were a clone made from the brain matter of Iron Man
2) Hawkeye comes back as Ghost Rider on a mission from the Devil to kill Captain America.
3) Captain America dies, but in some weird psuedo science, comes back as Cyborg from Teen Titans.
4) Hawk Owl shows up, with brain cells all over his body
5) Fury develops a gun that targets people who are made completely from Brain Matter
6) The discovery of Thor's powers, which don't stem from godhood or Mutanthood, but from the fact his mother was bitten by a radioactive monkey in the arm, thus causing Thor's brain cells to inhabit every inch of his body. They transmit the electricity that he uses to power his hammer of DOOM!
7)Black Widow fires Jarvis.
Caduceus said:The brain matter theme is common in Card's novels, Bean, the Path mutation, Jane who was basically e-brain, the Father trees, so much. Its kind of creepy.
DIrishB said:Maybe he has a gray matter fetish.
ourchair said:Also, Hawkeye is to Hawkeye101 as Daredevil is to late 2004 MWOF. It's almost a meme!
Hawkeye101 said:Quick Silver: Sister dear, this Loeb freak doesn't want to use us or Hawkeye for Ultimates 3.
Scarlet Witch: This is most Unfortunate. What in the F*** will they do when they introduce Ultimate Wonder Man? Whom will he sex if not me!?
Quick Silver: Well I for one will not stand for this.
Scarlet Witch: What shall we do?
Hawkeye: well, you could use your probability powers to manipulate who will write Ultimates 3
Quick Silver: What an excellent Idea! Sister, go ahead and give us the best writer for everyone!
Scarlet Witch: (concentrates as red energy flows around her (with little yellow stars floating around in the red stuff) and then *BAM!*)
Hawkeye: who have you got?
Scarlet Witch: I-- I -- I don't believe it!
Quick Silver: Who? Who've you got?
Scarlet Witch: M-m-m-Mark Millar, and Brian Hitch to draw it! But they're supposes to leave!.
Quick Silver: Well then it's settled, Millar and Hitch must stay with Ultimates!
Hawkeye: Good, nows whoes with me on putting several holes in the jank who decided that tard Loeb would write Ultimates 3?
Scarlet Witch & Quick Silver: Me!