Mecha Vs Kaiju

James Rhodes just got a full rebrand in The Ultimates #20, coming out the other side with a new codename and a huge redesign. Instead of fighting as War Machine, Rhodey now emerges as the Anti-War Machine, piloting an enormous mech built under Detroit. It’s presented as a major upgrade that makes him more powerful than ever. The issue follows the ongoing conflict between the Ultimate Network and the Maker’s Regime, with the Ultimates struggling after their communications go down.

Hulk, working as one of the Maker’s key lieutenants, sends the entire Helicarrier fleet to attack Detroit. But Vision had already been preparing for this moment since 1947, thanks to time travel, and the Ultimates Network reveals the giant mech at the center of the plan. Rhodey is at the helm of the Anti-War Machine, but he’s not operating it alone. The mech is run with an army of pilots working together in what’s described as “collaboration on a scale not seen since the moon landing.”

By the end of the fight, the Maker’s fleet drops from 1189 ships to 389, and Detroit stays free as the first city to break out from the Maker’s control, backed by thousands of ordinary people reclaiming their work, community, and home.