Originally, Adam and Andy Kubert were both to illustrate Ultimate X-Men so that it could be published on a regular basis, but Andy moved to illustrating Origin and was unable to continue. The series' first arc sold extremely well: the first issue sold out, and the fourth and fifth issues sold more than 100,000 copies each to U.S. comic book stores alone. Return to Weapon X Originally published in: Ultimate X-Men #7-12 (August 2001 - January 2002) Creators: writer Mark Millar, artist Adam Kubert Plot outline: While Wolverine is away, Xavier and his X-Men are kidnapped and taken to Weapon X. Wolverine tricks Weapon X into capturing him so he can lead the Brotherhood into Weapon X and free his companions. The mutants are ready to begin a massacre, but General Nick Fury steps in, arrests the Weapon X staff and declares all mutants free. First appearances: Nightcrawler, Rogue, Juggernaut, Doctor Cornelius, Sabretooth Notes: Millar continues to distinguish settings in the Ultimate universe from their mainstream counterparts. In this arc, Weapon X is introduced as a S.H.I.E.L.D.-initiated project (based in Finland) to force mutants to carry out covert missions for the government. John Wraith (aka Kestrel) and Dr. Abraham Cornelius are established as the heads of Weapon X, while Nightcrawler, Rogue, and Juggernaut have been part of the Weapon X team for some time. Mark Millar had a kidney infection during the summer of 2001 and wrote two of the issues in this arc in the hospital, leading to a darker-than-normal tone. While Rogue has always been portrayed as a Southern Baptist, Ultimate Rogue is more believing and devout than Rogue in the normal Marvel continuity. You Always Remember Your First Love Originally published in: Ultimate X-Men #13-14 (February 2002 - March 2002) Creators: writer Chuck Austen, artist Esad Ribić Plot outline: Cajun mutant Remy Lebeau (Gambit) is homeless on the streets of New York. One day, he takes in a little girl whose parents have been murdered. When she, too, is abducted, he takes bloody revenge on those responsible: Hammerhead and his mob henchmen. First appearances: Gambit, Hammerhead Deaths: Hammerhead, although he later returns in the Ultimate Spider-Man series (how he returns from the dead is unexplained). Notes: This is the only arc which features writer Chuck Austen, who got the job of writing Uncanny X-Men because of his work on Ultimate X-Men. This arc preceded Austen's eventual resignation