Does anyone in GSIS know what the language placement test is like, and which scores correspond to which class levels? I am really good at test taking, and I'm really good at written Korean, but I want to test into a low-level class to work on my speaking and listening.
I disliked the individual books for a number of reasons, but there was one overarching reason that was hindering my enjoyment of every book in the same way.
There are generally two approaches to alternate realities in Marvel comics:
There's the "What If...?" route, where the universe is identical to 616 with the exception of one famous plot point that goes in a different direction. Typically, the plots of these What If...? stories extrapolate logically from this focal point, i.e. "if character A didn't do X, then Y never would have happened either," and so on.
The reality is often radically different in whatever way the writer wants, without the need for any logical through-line. For example, in the Cosmic Ghost Rider timeline, Frank Castle made a series of questionable decisions regarding his soul. The decimation of all life in the universe by Thanos wasn't a consequence of any decision Frank Castle made, just the premise for this particular reality.
What drives me nuts about the Ultimate Universe is it explicitly follows the model of the first approach. The Maker goes to a reality identical to 616 and deliberately makes specific changes to prevent its most famous heroes/defenders from coming into power.
Okay.
But there happen to still be dozens, if not hundreds, of superpowered characters running around anyway despite the Maker's manipulations and goals. Some are under his control or influence. Most aren't.
It's like, oh by the way, not only is Gwen Stacy Mysterio for some reason, but she's just one Mysterio of several. How is that something that happens in this universe?
To say nothing of how in the initial Invasion story, the Maker's decades of planning are undone after one meeting with Howard Stark.
There just isn't any cohesion to the premise of this line, and it's endlessly distracting to me.